Wavy Hair Care Product Recommendations
This page serves to share the products that I have personally used and love. Some I loved more when my hair was more dry and damaged. Others I love now that my hair is well moisturized and lower porosity. I’ll try to give some guidelines about which hair types I think these would work best for, as well as mention which ones include protein. There are affiliate links on this page.
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If you’re new to the curly girl method I would recommend that you purchase at least:
- A clarifying shampoo
- A sulfate-free shampoo/low poo
- A rinse-out conditioner
- A gel or a mousse (you don’t need both)
- A deep conditioner
- Scrunchies
- A shower cap
- A wide tooth comb
Those are what I think of as the essentials for most people. If your hair seems really dry, you may feel that a leave-in conditioner is essential for you as well. Leave-in conditioner is often seen as an essential for curly hair, but a lot of people with wavy hair find that most leave-ins weigh them down a lot. Hair that has been dyed or heat damaged is likely to need protein treatments, and some without these types of damage may need protein treatments too. My hair loves protein even though it’s not dyed or heat-damaged.
Clarifying Shampoo For Wavy Hair
These are strong shampoos used to get rid of build-up. These are usually used when first starting the curly girl method, and then usually 1-2 times a month after that.
Suave Daily Clarifying shampoo. Available in most stores for $1 for a regular sized shampoo bottle (pictured above) or about $2 for a huge bottle. Works well as a go-to clarifying shampoo.
But it: Walmart.com, most drugstores, grocery stores, etc.
Neutrogena anti-residue shampoo. Still affordable (around $5) but more expensive than the Suave. I just bought it once when Suave wasn’t in stock and this was. It worked well. I recently (2021) bought it again and used it shortly after using the Suave, and felt a visible improvement in my hair. So, I feel that this is a stronger clarifying shampoo than the Suave. I use the Suave for most clarifying days, and the Neutrogena for when I need a really intense clarifying wash.
Buy it: Amazon.com, Walmart.com, some drugstores, grocery stores, etc.
Curly girl approved sulfate-free shampoos for wavy hair
Also called “low poo”, these shampoos are what you’d use for regular wash days (any/all wash days where you are not clarifying to remove build-up). These ones are all curly girl approved meaning they have no sulfates, drying alcohols or silicones.
Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Shampoo. Not heavy but also not super light, may be too heavy for fine hair. Works well for me if I use a small amount. Has protein. I think it gives me pink bumps on my neck, back or chest if I don’t rinse it off really well, and I don’t have sensitive skin. May not be ideal for sensitive skin.
Buy it: Walmart.com, Amazon.com, Ulta, some drugstores and grocery stores.
Not Your Mother’s Tahitian Gardenia curl defining shampoo (pink bottle). A little on the heavier side, but very moisturizing. This was my go-to for the first 2 years that I did the curly girl method. Protein-free.
Buy it: Ulta.com seems to be the only place online where it’s reasonably priced. Also available at some drugstores and grocery stores.
Not Your Mother’s Naturals Royal Honey & Kalahari Desert shampoo (yellow). This is lighter than the “pink” and curl talk shampoo, yet it makes my hair easy to work my fingers through even while shampooing. It doesn’t have protein.
Buy it: Ulta.com seems to be the only place online where it’s reasonably priced. Also available at some drugstores and grocery stores.
Not Your Mother’s Rice Water & Himalayan Moringa Shampoo. I can detangle my hair with this shampoo but it’s not too heavy. It has protein.
Buy it: Ulta, Target.
Johnson’s Kids Curl Defining-shampoo. Very lightweight, great for hair that is easily weighed down. Protein-free.
Buy it: Walmart.com, Amazon.com, Target.com, many drugstores, grocery stores, etc.
Pacifica Salty Waves Shampoo. Fairly lightweight, protein free.
Buy it: Walmart.com, or Amazon.
Pacifica Pineapple Curls Shampoo. Fairly lightweight, has some protein.
Buy it: Amazon.com.
Curly girl approved conditioners for wavy hair
These are silicone-free, and free from drying alcohols, waxes, etc. These are for use each wash day.
Johnson’s Kids Strengthening Conditioner. This is really light, and has a little protein.
Buy it: Walmart.com, Amazon.com, most drugstores and grocery stores.
Great Value Products Conditioning Balm. This conditioner is a dupe for Matrix Biolage, yet far cheaper! It’s exclusive to Sally Beauty. This is a really rich conditioner that is too heavy for my hair these days. When I was new to the curly girl method, it worked great for me. It has really great slip and is protein-free. I sometimes use a small amount of it as a deep conditioner, still.
Buy it: SallyBeauty.com.
Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk 3-in-1 conditioner. This is advertised as a cowash, rinse-out conditioner and a leave-in conditioner. It only works well for me as a rinse-out conditioner. I use a small amount (about 3 pumps) and in that amount it is not too heavy for me, I find it moderately moisturizing. Moderate amount of slip, so it may not be ideal if your hair tangles easily or requires a lot of conditioner. It has protein. It seems to leave red bumps on my skin if I don’t rinse off really well after using this. The bumps don’t itch or burn, they just are bumps. I Do not have sensitive skin though, so it may not be ideal for someone who does have sensitive skin.
Buy it: Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Ulta, some drugstores and grocery stores.
Not Your Mother’s Rice Water & Himalayan Moringa Conditioner. Nice slip, not too heavy, has protein.
Buy it: Ulta or Target.
Naturals Royal Honey & Kalahari Desert Conditioner (yellow). This is lighter than the “pink” and curl talk lines, yet offers enough slip to make my hair feel good while in the shower. Because this is lighter, this is a better choice than the ‘pink’ line for people with hair that is easily weighed down. It doesn’t have protein.
Buy it: Walmart.com, Ulta, some drugstores and grocery stores.
Giovanni smooth as silk conditioner.
This makes my hair really manageable but isn’t too heavy. Small bottle for around $8 or big bottle for around $15. Has protein.
Buy it: Amazon big bottle, Amazon small bottle or Walmart small bottle.
Pacifica Salty Waves Conditioner. Decent slip, lightweight enough for my fine hair. This is not curly girl method approved as it has a silicone on it. Has some protein.
Buy it: Amazon
Pacifica Pineapple Curls Conditioner. Good slip, lightweight yet moisturizing. Protein free.
Curly Girl Approved Mousse For Wavy Hair
Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Mousse. This is probably my favorite mousse overall. It gives me a strong cast and gives me long-lasting results. It can be sticky. When I use the right amount, it isn’t heavy or sticky but gives me 3 days of good results without refreshing.
Buy it: Walmart.com, Ulta, many drugstores and grocery stores.
Cake Mousse. This is a lot different from the curl talk mousse, yet it’s probably my #2 favorite. It only gives me a soft to medium cast, and the results don’t last nearly as long without refreshing as the curl talk mousse does. However, this mousse is really weightless and natural feeling in my hair. It would break up my waves, of course, but I could run my fingers through my hair without them getting stuck, with this mousse. I’d recommend this mousse to people who really want product-free feeling hair. While it only gives me 1 day of good results without refreshing, it is easy to refresh with. I just take a small handful and spread it into my hair the next morning, diffuse, let it dry and scrunch out the crunch again. I can add more product 3 days in a row without my hair feeling heavy or product-y.
Buy it: Amazon.com, Ulta, Walgreens.
Aussie Instant Freeze Mousse. This is a really affordable mousse that give some a good cast and long-lasting hold. If you’re looking to get started on a budget, this would be my go-to recommendation.
Buy it: Walmart.com, many drugstores and grocery stores.
Suave captivating curls mousse. This is NOT curly girl approved, it has silicones. However, it is a really affordable mousse (around $3) that gives me good hold and volume.
Buy it: Walmart.com, many drugstores and grocery stores.
I have a blog post comparing 10+ types of mousse on my wavy hair if you want to see my experiences with other mousses. I used each in the same way and took photos across 3 days to show you how they hold up. These are the main 4 I would recommend, though.
Curly Girl Approved Gel For Wavy Hair
LA Looks Mega Shaper Gel (yellow). This gives me hard hold that lasts 2 good days. This is around $2 and can be found at most drugstores, grocery stores, etc.
Buy it: This seems to be really overpriced everywhere online. It’s available at most drugstores and grocery stores though.
LA Looks Sports Gel (blue). This gives me a hard hold that lasts 2 good days. I don’t really see any difference in results between these two types of LA looks gel. I just purchase whichever is in stock at the store I happen to be at.
Buy it: This seems to be really overpriced everywhere online. It’s available at most drugstores and grocery stores though.
Dippity Do Girls With Curls Gelee. This is my favorite gel i terms of performance. It doesn’t give a super-hard cast, but it gives me good volume and 3 days of good hair. It’s around $11 most places, but I’ve found it at Tj maxx for $5.99.
Buy it: Amazon or Walmart, or you may be able to find it at tj maxx or marshalls.
Harry’s Sculpting Gel.
Out of all the gels I’ve ever tried, this one had the hardest hold I’ve ever seen. If you need intense hold, this would be my recommendation. A little goes farther than most other gels. It’s found at many stores for around $8. It is marketed for men and does have a masculine smell, similar to what a men’s body wash might smell like.
Buy it: Walmart or Target.
Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Hard Hold Gel.
This gel is only available at Ulta. Not your mother’s has a really similar looking gel that is available most everywhere that has a lot less hold. The hard hold version has a purple cap. The hard hold one has TONS of hold, similar to harry’s gel.
Buy it: Ulta.
Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Gel.
This is a nice truly hard hold gel (slightly harder hold tha la looks in my experience). It’s very affordable ($3.50 or so at most places) and easy to find in most any store. It gives me 3 days of wearable hair.
More Gel Info: Check out my post 15 hair gels compared on my wavy hair. It includes pictures of how each performed.
Curly Girl Approved Deep Conditioners For Wavy Hair
Garnier Fructis treats. I’ve tried the Avocado, banana and coconut versions of these. They are protein-free. I used to really saturate my hair with this. Now that my hair stays well-moisturized, I only use a little.
Buy it: Walmart.com, drugstores and grocery stores.
Great Value Products Conditioning Balm. While this is sold as a rinse-out conditioner, it feels really rich to me. I sometimes use it as a deep conditioner by just letting it sit in my hair longer than usual before rinsing it out. I used a lot and really soaked my hair when my hair was more dry. Now I use less and mix water into it to make it easier to spread.
Buy it: SallyBeauty.com
Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Masque
This is a protein-free deep conditioner that isn’t too heavy for my fine wavy hair.
Buy it: Ulta, some drug stores.
Not Your Mother’s Moisturizing Hair Mask with Matcha Green Tea & Wild Apple. This is a protein-free deep conditioner that isn’t too heavy for my fine wavy hair.
Buy it: Walmart
Curly Girl Approved Protein Treatments For Wavy Hair
Neutral Protein Filler drops added to a protein-free deep conditioner. This is our protein so you want ot use it really delicately to avoid overload, at least until you figure out what your hair can handle. I have added it to both of the deep conditioners listed above. I have also added it to my regular rinse-out conditioners on regular wash days for a slight protein bump without doing a full treatment.
Buy it: SallyBeauty.com.
SheaMoisture Manuka Honey Yogurt Protein Treatment. Shea Moisture products are often too heavy for me, but this protein treatment is not. My hair really likes this and it’s very thick so a little goes a long way. I’ve heard this line has recently been reformulated and is no longer “curly girl approved” due to including a wax. I don’t notice this causing build-up on me, and my hair responds very well to it, so I use it anyway. It advertises itself as a protein treatment, but has a lot of moisture in it too so it’s more of a way to give your hair protein when it needs protein but isn’t over-moisturized.
Buy it: Sample packet at Ulta. Full size: Walmart.com, SallyBeauty.com, drugstores and grocery stores.
Not Your Mother’s Rice Water & Himalayan Moringa protein hair rinse. This is more of a deep conditioner with protein than a true protein treatment, but it’s a way to give your hair more protein. My hair likes this and it’s easy to apply thanks to the nozzle.
Buy it: Ulta, Target.
Curlsmith Bond Salve.
This is a bond repairing product not a ‘true’ protein treatment, but if you have damaged hair this is an awesome product and it has protein. My hair isn’t very damaged but this makes my hair feel stronger and just…better while still in the shower. I see very similar results from this as I do from protein treatments. It is pricy but I’ve found that a little goes a long way.
Buy it: Amazon.com.
Aphogee two step protein treatment. This is a really strong protein treatment that should only be used if you know you are experiencing moisture overload.
Buy it: SallyBeauty.
Curl Refreshing Products For Wavy Hair
Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Refreshing Foam. I somewhat hesitated from sharing this recommendation because I am not entirely in love with this product. I typically try to either get great hold on wash day so I won’t need to refresh, or I try to use really weightless products so I can use more mousse on day 2 to refresh that way. However, I know a lot of people want something specific for refreshing, and I do use this product sometimes and like it, I just don’t love it. It helps with frizz and definition, but seems to steal some volume from me and it adds a bit of a “producty” feel, too. I wouldn’t want to use it multiple days in a row. It says to apply it to damp hair. I don’t do that. I just use this foam directly on my dry hair.
Buy it: Walmart.com, Ulta, some drugstores and grocery stores.
Lightweight Leave-Ins
I have yet to find any leave-in conditioners, creams or oils that I am truly crazy about. For the most part, I just don’t find that my hair needs these products. However, I have found that a lot of products in those categories that I disliked, primarily because many are too heavy for my hair. I have tried some that aren’t too heavy for my hair so I thought I’d recommend them. That way, those of you who do need the extra moisture or help with detangling can some suggestions.
Leave-In Conditioners
Giovanni Direct leave-in. (Amazon, Walmart).
As I am classic leave-in conditioner (Walmart)
Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave-In. (drugstores, grocery stores)
Not Your Mother’s Royal honey leave-in conditioner (ulta, target).
Creams
Zotos All About Curls Bouncy Cream (SallyBeauty)
Desert Essence Coconut soft curls hair cream (amazon)
Oils
Verb Ghost Oil (amazon ) (not CG approved)
Parformer lightweight hair oil spray. (Parformer.com Use code EMILYEVERT to get 12% off your order)
Wavy Hair Accessories
Regular Scrunchies. These put less pressure on your hair than regular hair ties, so they are less likely to indent your curls. Most people wear their hair in a “pineapple” at night, by using a scrunchie t lightly pull hair up so it doesn’t get flattened as we sleep. Learn more in my how to sleep on wavy hair blog post.
Buy it: Walmart.com.
Jumbo scrunchy. This is a HUGE scrunchie. When my hair was really long and thick, regular scrunchies were too tight and would indent my hair. This mega-scrunchie is what I used instead.
Buy it: Walmart.com
Seamless hair ties.
I use these when I want to put up part of my hair. They don’t squeeze my hair nearly as tight as traditional hair ties, and when I take my hair down, there isn’t usually hair stuck to the hairtie the way there always is with other hair ties. So, I believe these to be gentler.
Buy it: Amazon.com.
Satin pillowcases. Sleeping on satin or silk will cause less frizz than sleeping on cotton. I got an affordable set from the “Bedsure” brand on Amazon that has held up well. I toss them in a lingerie bag before putting them through the washer and dryer. Mine (pictured at the top of this category section) is the “lavender” color.
Buy it: Amazon.com.
Shower cap. You’ll likely be washing your hair less often. To keep your hair dry while showering on non-wash days, you’ll want a shower cap. Drugstores and grocery stores sell disposable ones or reusable ones. I bought a reusable one for around $9 at my grocery store.
Wide-tooth comb. This is for use in the shower, to help align your hair into curl clumps.
A huge claw clip. I like to let my conditioner sit in my hair for a while. To keep it out of my face while I am showering, I like to clip it up. Most stores don’t sell hairclips big enough to hold all my hair at once. This clip was even big enough to hold all my hair firmly in place when my hair was down to my butt. It’s a huge clip, and it’s really strong. I leave mine in the shower so my first one rusted after about 2 years, and I bought the same one without hesitation.
Buy it: Amazon.com.
Scalp brush aka shampoo brush. Some believe these get your scalp cleaner than using your fingertips. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but I know using a scalp brush feels really nice! You can get these in lots of places and I assume they’re all pretty much the same. The one below is just the specific one I have.
Buy it: Amazon.com.
Prenatal vitamins. Even though I haven’t been pregnant or trying to conceive, I’ve been taking prenatal vitamins the last 3 years or so, to help keep my hair healthy. I saw a dermatologist a few years ago when my hair was really damaged and part of what he recommended to me was prenatals. He said they are better than biotin or regular multivitamins for hair health. I tried a few varieties that gave me bad heartburn. I found that Nature Made Prenatal Multi does not give me heartburn, so I’ve stuck with them since finding them.
Satin-lined sleep cap. Adjustable so it stays on well for me. (amazon)
I designed a wavy hair coloring book! The subtitle says for kids but it’s for anyone who likes to color, really. (Amazon).
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