STYLING PRODUCT - CURLS
The ‘curls and coils’ movement grows apace, and we’re delighted to see brands addressing the specific challenges of Black and also generally tricky, curly hair, which have been long ignored by the beauty mainstream.
This is only the second time we’ve featured a category specifically for styling curly hair and we’re delighted to have five worthy winners this year – after just one in 2022. Every product gained some very high marks but testers also made the point that, in general, the results are individual – with benefits varying.
GOLD AWARD Ouai Curl Crème
This silicone-free cream promises to define curls, tame frizz and add shine to all curl types. It’s been co-created and tested over a year with 150 ‘curlfriends’ to make sure it hits the mark – and our testers were very impressed. Key natural ingredients include a blend of linseed and chia seeds to shape curls and protect hair from humidity. There’s ‘a side’ of coconut and babassu oils to leave curls soft, seal damaged cuticles and enhance shine. It comes unscented or with the brand’s signature North Bondi Fragrance with bergamot and lemon. Use on wet hair before styling or for wash and go, or dry hair to help define curls and smooth frizz. It’s vegan, free of gluten, parabens, phthalates, SLS and SLeS. Oh and US celebrity hair stylist (and dog mom) Jen Atkin, who co-founded the brand with dermatologist Lamees Hamdan, points out the name is pronounced ‘way’ and the website is ‘theouai’ – and it’s a play on the French word ‘oui’ – yesss! (The brand’s now owned by P&G.)
£25 for 236ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘10/10 for this lightweight easy to use curl cream. My hair is thick, long and has springy curls; it is prone to frizz. This is Very easy to work through hair and my hair looked very glossy and not as frizzy as usual. My curls were more defined and springier than usual - it didn't weigh hair down at all. This cut down the time I spend maintaining my curls between washes’ • ‘this is lightweight and not sticky; My hair felt nourished and moisturised and it helped with frizz, making it a lot easier to detangle. I found that there wasn’t any sticky residue or product build up when using it, which meant I could go slightly longer between washes’ • ‘My hair is medium thickness, curly (coily) and shoulder-length. This is easy to work through my hair but it was hard to get the amount right at first; I got too much out the first time round but the next time I used much less. Hair looks healthy after with a nice shine, lots of bounce and really good definition in my curls - absolutely no frizz. This had much better hold than other products and kept my curls in place for the whole time between washes’ • ‘This is a really good product for my curly frizzy hair and went well used in combo with my normal hair routine. It left my hair soft and smooth and added definition; curls lasted longer throughout the day and between washes. I’ve had compliments on the smell’ • ‘My hair is shoulder-length, highlighted, naturally red, fine, Type 3A curly. I liked this, and would definitely buy it for myself. I was surprised by how well it worked on my fine hair given the heavy, waxy initial feel of the cream but I think it would work best for dehydrated hair - there are a lot of different oils in the ingredients list, all of which would be hydration heaven to parched, porous hair. It worked best for me on very wet, just out of the shower hair but I also found I could use it as a touch-up, flyaway controller on days when my hair was looking a bit frizzy - just a teeny amount though! For that reason, it's great value for the size of the tube; this would last me a year easily, as you really don't need a lot to create gorgeous curls’ • ‘Love this product for my type 3, quite fine, long hair. I think you should buy it for your curls because leaves them looking amazing - Left a nice shine to my hair; Left my hair a lot easier to manage less tangled.’
£25 for 236ml - click to buy
SILVER AWARD Innersense I Create Hold
This styling gel for naturally curly or wavy hair comes from an American haircare brand, created by stylists Greg and Joanne, which proclaims its dedication to ‘Organic Beauty’ in the full name. It’s formulated with certified organic honey to moisturise hair and scalp, as well as helping to a light hold. Aloe gives hair strength and a silky texture and there is antioxidant rooibos tea for rejuvenation, plus extracts of nettle and rosemary for shine and hold. It’s best for medium to thick hair textures, according to the brand; however, a couple of testers with fine hair were very happy with it. There’s a 2oz version for a proper Beauty Steal price.
£24 for 295ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘10/10. This is amazing for my wavy, medium long, dark blonde hair. It has beautiful, clean, and natural ingredients. It is ever so lightly scented, almost none. It has a good texture when applied to your hands offering some tacky stickiness. It holds wonderfully and not only does it not weigh down, it gives volume to my hair even when I air dry. My curls were shiny and kept in place for 4-5 days. I’ve had compliments!’ • ‘this is very easy to get out of the dispenser and to work through hair. It gave fantastic glossy shiny clean soft curly hair. Curls stayed in all day and night and definitely looked more defined. The manageability is fantastic. Hair looked fresher for longer and it definitely helped to defrizz. Friends and family noticed straight away. This is magic if you want great curls and I will definitely buy more’ • ‘Perfect! My hair is glossy and shines like never before’ • ‘I have tried so many products on my long wavy fine hair with very frizzy ends – they all left hair heavy or sticky, and feeling hard. I found this sticky at first – I think I probably used too much product. But waves hold well and look smooth. My sister asked how I did it as she had tried to get the same look. If you don’t want to look like Hagrid, this works wonders.’
£24 for 295ml - click to buy
BRONZE (JOINT) AWARD Bouclème Curl Defining Gel
This moisturising gel is 99% naturally derived, vegan and alcohol free. Key actives are organic aloe vera leaf extract, linseed extract, virgin coconut oil, argan oil and pomegranate. The serum=like consistency makes it easy to apply, smoothing and defining curls without stickiness or flaking product, they promise. The trick is to pour into your palm from the bottle and apply to soaking wet hair – do read the long-ish directions for best results! Not quite a steal but a really good price for a generous 300ml size.
£15 for 300ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘10/10. By far the best hair gel I’ve tried over the years. After applying it to my curly frizzy hair, I noticed an immediate improvement in the way it looked and felt. It helped to define my curls, leaving them bouncy and full of life, and it also added a gorgeous natural-looking shine that made my hair look healthy and vibrant. I really appreciate that it doesn't leave any residue or build-up on my hair. It doesn't feel sticky or greasy, and it doesn't weigh down my hair. Another great thing is that it lasts all day. Even after a long day at work or a night out, my hair still looks great and my curls still have plenty of definition. I don't have to worry about my hair falling flat or losing its shape’ • ‘I'm really impressed with how this gel has improved the manageability of my hair. Before, I struggled with frizz and flyaways that made my hair difficult to style and control. But now I notice a significant improvement in the manageability of my hair. My friends and family noticed and complimented my hair and asked about the products’ • ‘I loved the scent, which seems to be led by patchouli, followed by citrus and rosemary for a lovely earthy scent. Very easy to use. I comb it through wet hair after washing, then scrunch in the product before “plopping” my hair in a microfiber towel or cotton t-shirt. It gives a cast over hair, which becomes stiff/crunchy when it’s dry. Then I simply scrunch it out, leaving my wavy, medium thick, long hair soft. Without using the gel I would find my curls would be less defined and wouldn't last the day, whereas when I did use it my curls were more defined, abundant and would last days (until the next wash), albeit becoming more loose overnight as expected’ • ‘my experiences have been mixed with curl ranges - some are excellent, other not - and finding the right products is very much an individual quest, with some products suiting one curly head but not another. I do already use the Curly Girl method technique of gel casting, so I knew the drill with this one, but was pleasantly surprised by the texture being much softer and looser than my usual gel - and with a far pleasanter fragrance. As it dried it looked a little lank, but once fully dry and scrunched out my waves and curls looked soft, healthy and really natural. ‘
£15 for 300ml - click to buy
BRONZE (JOINT) AWARD It’s a 10 Coily Miracle Curl Cream
This non-greasy, non-hardening styling solution comes from a much loved US company, founded, owned and run by former stylist Carolyn Aronson. In brief, it promises definition, shine, and frizz-free control for every type of curl from tightly wound spirals and loose barrel curls to bouncy ringlets. The name It’s a 10 comes from the ten benefits in every product. For this – take a deep breath – they are: soft firm touchable hold; ultra bouncy curl definition; ultimate defrizzer; controls texture; moisturises; imparts shine; tames volume; coconut & avocado oil infused; helps protect split ends; great for twisting hold. So now – read what our testers said!
£23 for 118ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘10/10. This lightweight, non sticky, curl cream was very easy to work through my thick springy curls, which are prone to frizz. My hair looked very glossy after using it and had a nice shine. My curls were more defined, less frizzy and lasted for slightly longer than usual - at least 4 days with very little maintenance during that time. I was complimented on my hair looking more curly than usual’ • ‘My new Holy Grail curl crème. It springs my ringlets into perfect, even coils without weighing them down - the results look like hours spent with a curling wand, when I just ran it through wet hair and left to air dry. It feels light and nourishing, and a little goes a long way. It's a generously sized, squeezy tube, so squish out as much as you need. The smoothness of the curls gave my hair a beautiful polish. My hair has a lot more body and volume with this - it tends towards sulky flatness when it's unhappy, but with this it bounced and bouffed and was happily manageable for a change with much less frizz and Day 3 flatness. It creates really gorgeous cherubic ringlets - beautiful! – and curls last all three days before washing; they drop a little on the third day but second day combination of volume and definition were as close as my hair gets to perfect. The curls even survived an hour in a bobble hat for winter dog walking! My husband said, "You're looking rather angelic today!” Chuck out all your other curl creams - this is the one’ • ‘My hair looks shiny and healthy on the day I use it and there was plenty of definition in the curls. Really nice and lightweight, and really easy to work through hair’ • ‘Curls looked more springy and my natural blonde ringlets were well defined and light, so not stretched out’ • ‘My thick curly hair with coil ringlets under stayed soft and smoother for longer with more even curls. It’s also easier to brush. Lovely finish to hair as lightweight hair lasted longer between washes without the tangles.’
£23 for 118ml - click to buy
BRONZE (JOINT) AWARD JVN Complete Air Dry Cream
This is described as a frizz fighting, texture enhancer for soft hold but you can build up the amount you use to give you more hold if wished. Use it before air-dry styling (obvs) or heat styling. The brand’s signature ingredient hemisqualane improves hair health instantly and longer term, smoothing, strengthening and reducing damage. Chia and linseed extract plus moringa seed oil add shine and hydration, with staying power. All the range is free of sulphates, silicone, colour-safe and vegan. JVN stands for US celebrity hairdresser Jonathan Van Ness, whose own luxuriant mane is testament to his products. Super easy to use: simply add to palms, rub together before smoothing down midshaft and ends, then apply any left over to roots. JVN recommends air drying or diffusing. Great for curls, coils and waves and also any other hair texture.
£23 for 147ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘I thought this was a really good product. I have been using air-dry creams on my long curly frizzy thick hair for years (even before they were actually called air dry creams, ha-ha!). I leave my hair to dry with curly hair creams on and this product compares very favourably. I am impressed. The texture makes it glide over the hair; it gave some shine and curls looked good and soft. It didn't weigh my hair down. A great little tube of magic for curly hair’ • ‘My naturally red curls, waves and ringlets hardly ever shine so I didn't expect that. Curls appeared soft and defined for around three days before they started to drop out. It was soft and tangle free for nearly two days, and kept its usual natural volume’ • ‘This makes my thick-ish coily hair, which has some frizz, look salon fresh and very shiny and it was easy to diffuse without the hassle. It kept curls for four days, which is very impressive. Less frizz and more definition for longer, which means less styling day to day’ • ‘I squeezed out a generous 3cm of cream, rubbed it into my finger tips and palms then worked it into my thick, type 3A coily hair, combing it to distribute evenly. Then I tousle and flick my hair so that it settles naturally before I let it air dry without any further fiddling. This product did a great job at allowing my natural style to take shape and I only teased out the curls when it was completely dry. I agree with this product's claim that it gives "touchable hold that lets your hair shine". I was pleased not to feel any stickiness or stiffness in my curls; they just formed nicely and stayed put all day. The frizziness (cobwebs) on top of my head was there at the end of Day one but you can apply more for “Day two frizz freedom” so I am going to try that’ • ‘This does make my frizzy waves and coils glossy without looking greasy and my curls looked lovely all day. The fragrance is lovely! A great product when you quickly need to make you hair look less bouffy and frizzy.’
£23 for 147ml - click to buy