Growing up with curly hair was no easy feat—especially considering I didn’t actually know it was curly until my sophomore year of high school, when I watched a TikTok of a girl with a similar hair type using curly hair products. 

I had spent most of my childhood brushing out my curly hair, creating this frenzy poof on my head. Essentially, I looked like Mia from The Princess Diaries before she had her glow-up. I turned to the straightener to fry out every curl, and even got a permanent straightening keratin treatment. 

However, maturing into an adult, I’ve realized that I should appreciate my natural hair and the uniqueness behind my curls. So, for the most basic starter guide for those of you who are trying to figure out your hair type, here are some basic tips and great products to use. 

How to Determine Your Natural Hair Type

Curly hair is so much more than just one hair type. In order to determine how much your hair can take or hold so it does not become weighed down by products, it’s good to understand the porosity of your hair. 

One of the easiest ways to establish hair porosity is through the spray bottle test. All you need to do is spray water onto a dry section of your hair. If the water beads up, that means it has low porosity, considering it repels water. If the water absorbs instantly, that means it has high porosity. 

Determining hair porosity helps choose products that actually benefit your hair and soak into it, rather than sitting on top, preventing buildup (common with low porosity hair) or dryness (common with high porosity).

Another great way to determine your hair type is through the use of a hair texture chart. Hair types that are 2A–2C are deemed as wavy, 3A–3C are curly, and 4A–4C are coily. So, an individual with 4C hair and an individual with 2A hair can technically use similar products, just in significantly different amounts.

Too much product can make the hair feel heavy and even look visibly greasy, so understanding how much your hair can handle are all elements that fall under the hair texture chart. 

The Best Products

Leave-in

A leave-in conditioner is a great way to keep hair soft. Whether your hair is straight and you just want to keep it moisturized, or whether you have curls that need to be hydrated, the OUAI leave-in conditioner is a fan favorite for a reason. 

With over 10,000 people rating this product 5-stars, hair will be left feeling visibly smoother and hydrated, especially for these cold Boston winters. 

Curl Cream

Next in our curl routine is curl cream. While the OUAI leave-in conditioner is a pretty penny (curly hair is expensive!), the Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Defining Cream, which is specifically tailored to those with curly hair, is amazing and less expensive. This is especially great for those who are figuring out their curl patterns, as it is safe for all curl types.

My personal favorite is Miss Jessie’s Pillow Soft Curls Cream. Many products leave your curls feeling crunchy because of how heavy the product is, but this curl cream leaves hair feeling bouncy and smooth.

Mousse

This step is great for adding some volume to your hair, especially because mousse is much more airy. Applying mousse is a very intricate process, especially because it’s easy to get carried away with how much volume you want. 

To prevent your hair from getting crispy and dry, the OUAI Air Dry Foam mousse is a staple, especially for those who have thinner hair, considering it’s not very heavy. For those with thicker hair types and more curls, the Not Your Mother’s hair mousse penetrates deep into the hair, creating moisture and volume at the same time. 

Gel

This part is controversial. Some feel that gel is needed in their routine, though I disagree. Gel makes my hair feel heavy and crunchy. 

However, for those who do like gel and feel it’s best for their hair type, the Not Your Mother’s curl custard is great, and doesn’t feel like you have ramen noodles in your hair—a personal struggle that I face when using most gels. 

Curly and wavy hair is quite complicated. However, these steps and procedures might help you navigate your hair better. Curls are beautiful and make you stand out in a crowd. So, put the straightener down and turn to these products for help.