There's no shame in admitting that you get excited about curly hair products! Most of us do! At the first thought of trying a new product, you may think, "Will it work for me?"
First things first, no matter the product category, it is important to determine how you need the product to perform before making your selection. What does your hair texture need? Does it need more moisture, strength, or shine? Perhaps you want a styler that will define your existing curls or slick back your buns + ponytails. Maybe you just want your texture to be juicy & joyful! Either way, hair care products tell a bit of their story & purpose on the packaging. You may even want to visit the brand's website to shed more light on what you need.
Now! Let's say you walk into Ulta Beauty & sashay over to the PATTERN display (humor me). There's a beautiful assortment of cleansers, conditioners, stylers, curly hair accessories and tools! Your eyes zoom in on PATTERN's Hydrating Shampoo on the shelf. The curls have been looking & feeling quite *ahem* parched lately, so you grab it, along with the Medium Conditioner, Leave-In Conditioner, & Curl Gel. Words on the packaging, like hydration, moisture-rich, touchable, and juicy sound like a stellar combination of thirst quenchers for your hair type. Leaving them on the shelf is not an option!
So, you bought the products & started using them! Now what? How do you know they're working? Well, keeping in mind what we discussed before, this is how you'll know if you truly found the right product:
1. Hydrating Shampoo will leave each hair strand feeling clean, yet hydrated. You'll even be able to moderately finger detangle your hair & it won't be matted or robbed of all its natural oils.
2. Medium Conditioner will add moisture, make the hair softer, easier to manage, & provide tons of slip to aid in detangling. This hair care product will leave your curls feeling healthy & moisturized without the excess weight.
3. Leave-In Conditioner is a beauty award winner & detangles, enhances definition, & locks in lasting moisture.
4. Curl Gel (featuring Coconut Oil) leaves your curls, braid/twist-outs juicy, bouncy, & touchably soft. This styling product glides onto the strands, leaving them nourished & defined.
Remember that products may take a little more time to work their magic if the curl pattern needs to recover from severe trauma. Also, keep in mind that it takes consistency to reach major hair goals. Read the labels & always reach for products that are in alignment with your desired outcome— be it condition or style. Set realistic short and long-term goals & take pictures to document and help measure your results.
In a nutshell: Did the hair product do what it said it would? The first indicator that a natural hair product is working for you, is that it lives up to its claims — ESPECIALLY when used as directed. Is your curl type feeling/looking healthier, softer, more manageable, shinier, and stronger? Does your scalp feel refreshed, calm, and pampered or do you still have an oily scalp or dry scalp? Do you get the hold, definition, and body you want from your styler? If yes, then you, my dear, have found yourself a winner. I hope this blog helped you better understand how to find the best hair products for you!
Ebony Bomani is a licensed cosmetologist, textured hair enthusiast, content creator & brand educator. Connect with her about hair porosity, healthy hair care & green beauty-related topics via Instagram or LinkedIn.
5 comments
I purchased your products and so far the mask is my all time favorite. My comments on the other products is the same as above and i have yet to see an answer for. I live in Florida and it is extremely humid here. I have tried using the complete line, shampoo, light conditioner, serum and the curl cream. My hair frizzed up and dried out. I will admit my hair does not like glycerin unless I am visiting my daughter in Vegas. i would appreciate any advice you have. I don’t like hair types but to give you an idea I am between a 3c and 4A. Example I can wash my hair and finger curl with Jane Carter incredible curls, when my hair is dry I make about 6 small puff balls for stretch and this will last me for a week. I so want to use your product please help.
I recently posted that my hair was extremely dry, hard to manage, and difficult to detangle when applying the products. After using the products a second time now. I have found it my hair responded much better and was easier to detangle. I am still not satisfied with how my hair feels. I expected my hair to feel much softer, be shiner , and bouncier and more moisturized. Those attributes haven’t revealed themselves yet, but I am looking forward and hoping they do. Is there someone on staff who can help to guide me through this process?
Hello. I just purchased and used the hydrating shampoo, intensive conditioner, conditioning mask, leave in conditioner, hydrating mist, argon hair oil serum, and strong hold gel. I have 4abc hair. The products unfortunately did not hydrate/moisturize, detangle, or define my curls. My hair felt extremely dry. Am I combining the products correctly? I read reviews of the product not performing on type 4 hair as well as expected, but I wanted to try it for myself.
How often should you wash your hair with braids..
Can products be used on grey hair?