Holy Grail Hair Products for Fine, Low Porosity 3C/4A Curls
Beauty-wise, the past year was a whirlwind - full of discovery and trial and error (mostly error). In 2019 I attempted to switch to natural deodorants and learned that the cheap natural alternatives from TJ Maxx make my underarms peel something terrible; I tried DevaCurl's Melt Into Moisture hair mask which immediately made my face break out into cystic pustules like a Proactive commercial gone horribly wrong; and - my most cringe-worthy failure - I attempted to cut my own hair (curly bangs were having a moment!) which left me looking like a Bob Ross Chia-Pet thanks to the inevitable shrinkage.
But despite those #fails of the past year, it wasn't all bad. My skin experienced a renaissance and is the glowiest, softest, and healthiest it's ever been and my eyebrow game is so strong now, that upon inspection of my face, a close friend asked me if I had gotten microblading. But my shining achievement of the previous year - and the previous decade overall - is that I've (finally) assembled a rotation of hair products that consistently create curls so poppin' that even my own mother thought I was wearing a wig.
So as January comes to an end and it finally feels normal to write "2020" in the date, I feel confident that my holy grail hair products are worthy of being shared with my fellow low porosity, high density, 3C/4A curlies. I've gotten consistent results with these products and they've kept my curls going strong through Florida's 100% humidity climate. Without further ado, let's jump into my desert island hair products and get you on your way to making every day of the new year a good hair day.
The long-term moisturizing ability of Jane Carter's co-wash is incredible. So much so that I could actually skip conditioning altogether if I chose. All the DevaCurl in the world could never achieve the long-term softness and moisture that Jane Carter Solutions co-wash gave me, which is why this is my absolute, number one, favorite co-wash.
While not everything was a winner (their Curls To Go! line was absolutely horrendous and the leave-in products left my curls drier than a dry shampoo), this co-wash thoroughly made up for it and the Hydrating Conditioner was pretty great as well.
If you come across this jar of miracles you'd be crazy to pass it up. Snag it and let ya girl know where you found it.
The Body Shop Banana is an excellent dupe for Lush's R&B Hair Moisturizer, which retails for $25.95 for a teeny 3.5 ounces. That expensive little black jar was my first introduction into the beneficial properties of banana on curly hair (which I initially used it as a spot treatment for dry, frazzled strands). Using Lush's banana conditioner was like watching magic, twirling a small dab over a lackluster curl would pull moisture seemingly out of nowhere, and leave me with aggressively curly ringlets - so tight Shirly Temple would be jealous.
But despite those #fails of the past year, it wasn't all bad. My skin experienced a renaissance and is the glowiest, softest, and healthiest it's ever been and my eyebrow game is so strong now, that upon inspection of my face, a close friend asked me if I had gotten microblading. But my shining achievement of the previous year - and the previous decade overall - is that I've (finally) assembled a rotation of hair products that consistently create curls so poppin' that even my own mother thought I was wearing a wig.
So as January comes to an end and it finally feels normal to write "2020" in the date, I feel confident that my holy grail hair products are worthy of being shared with my fellow low porosity, high density, 3C/4A curlies. I've gotten consistent results with these products and they've kept my curls going strong through Florida's 100% humidity climate. Without further ado, let's jump into my desert island hair products and get you on your way to making every day of the new year a good hair day.
Jane Carter's Cleansing & Conditioning Co-Wash
Why It's So Amazing
With a thick, mask-like consistency, a little dab of this went a long way. It softened my hair immediately (a first for my hydrophobic curls) and was an incredible detangler. Often, wash days required a pre-conditioning before I could even begin to think of getting a comb (or my fingers) through it. Skipping this step would often result in unpleasant ripping sounds and spidery clumps of knots dangling from my brush or fingers. This product immediately penetrated my dry hair and provided amazing slip without continually having to drench my hair under the showerhead (which is counterproductive since you lose a bit of product every time).The long-term moisturizing ability of Jane Carter's co-wash is incredible. So much so that I could actually skip conditioning altogether if I chose. All the DevaCurl in the world could never achieve the long-term softness and moisture that Jane Carter Solutions co-wash gave me, which is why this is my absolute, number one, favorite co-wash.
How I Use It
Unfortunately, every time I go on the janecarter.com site this amazing co-wash is sold out (from what I've gleaned from the comments it may actually be discontinued). As such, I only have one jar left and I use it sparingly. Because of its fantastic slip and instant moisturizing abilities, I save this co-wash for post-swimming excursions when the salt, sun, and/or chlorinated water has thoroughly wreaked havoc on my curls, or after any sort of prolonged hairstyle such as braids, a sew-in, or flat ironing. If I lived in a cold climate with a real winter, I would definitely use this as my go-to winter co-wash to combat the effects of dry winter air.Thoughts on the Product Line
As with most of my discoveries, I found this little treasure at TJ Maxx. I had heard about this brand before but never tried it for a multitude of reasons (although, the main one was that I was too broke). When my favorite retailer had put this well-known brand into my price range, me being the product junkie that I am bought up every single bottle of every Jane Carter Solution product on that shelf.While not everything was a winner (their Curls To Go! line was absolutely horrendous and the leave-in products left my curls drier than a dry shampoo), this co-wash thoroughly made up for it and the Hydrating Conditioner was pretty great as well.
If you come across this jar of miracles you'd be crazy to pass it up. Snag it and let ya girl know where you found it.
The Body Shop Banana Truly Nourishing Shampoo
Why It's So Amazing
Ever since I got serious about embracing my texture I have steered clear of any products with silicones and sulfates. So it was to my immense astonishment that this shampoo - which does contain sulfates - left my hair as soft (if not more so) as my conditioners did. The Body Shop banana shampoo is easily the most moisturizing shampoo I have ever used and is great for clarifying purposes. After a wash, my curls are fairly defined, bouncy, and quite shiny.
How I Use It
This is my go-to shampoo to use for getting rid of product build-up (which oftentimes is the result of experimenting with a new TJ Maxx find that my hair didn't agree with), or when my scalp feels extra-grimy from a workout and a cleansing conditioner just won't cut it
A little bit goes a very long way with this product, I rarely need more than a quarter-sized amount for a decent lather. Keep in mind that I tend to only apply shampoo to my scalp, not to the strands themselves, which is why I can get away with using so little.
This shampoo is moisturizing enough that I can detangle my hair with this alone - however, I rarely do so. I still prefer detangling with my conditioner whose consistency better protects my hair against unnecessary breakage. Instead, I use the moisturizing abilities of this shampoo as preparation for detangling, working this through the ends of my curls to soften them and make them pliable. From there, I have enough separation where I can properly part my hair and work through sections as needed.
The Body Shop Banana Truly Nourishing Conditioner
Why It's So Amazing
I was initially quite dubious that that Laffy Taffy-smelling goo was anything more than the usual junk with a banana sticker slapped on the bottle for it to be touted as "curl-friendly." Expectations were low and I was unimpressed with the size of the bottle, sure that my thirsty curls could use up an entire 8.4 ounces in a single sitting.
BOY WAS I WRONG.
The Body Shop Banana is an excellent dupe for Lush's R&B Hair Moisturizer, which retails for $25.95 for a teeny 3.5 ounces. That expensive little black jar was my first introduction into the beneficial properties of banana on curly hair (which I initially used it as a spot treatment for dry, frazzled strands). Using Lush's banana conditioner was like watching magic, twirling a small dab over a lackluster curl would pull moisture seemingly out of nowhere, and leave me with aggressively curly ringlets - so tight Shirly Temple would be jealous.
Fortunately, The Body Shop is much more affordable and my entire head of curls can experience the miracle that is banana conditioner. It has a slightly runny consistency like yogurt, so it's easy to work through but thick enough to force my curls to clump together - which is always a challenge when having fine, wispy strands that each want to do their own thing (hello single strand knots). This conditioner completely revitalized my curls, giving me incredible volume, bounce, and IG-worthy ringlets. If you follow me on Instagram at @elletyler (which you totally should) then you no doubt saw me freak when I saw the results of my Day 2 hair after trying it for the first time.
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Day 1: Fresh out the shower
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Why I Needed a New Conditioner in the First Place
As many of you may already know, I started using DevaCurl almost exclusively when I got my first DevaCurl cut 2+ years ago. However, around the 1-year mark, I started to fall out of love with their products as my curls had gotten used to it and were no longer responding as they used to. Instead of the elastic, strong, and shiny curls that I had become accustomed to, my go-to conditioner now did little more than weigh them down with sticky buildup and lots of frizz.
How I Use It
On wash day, completely saturating my hair with it takes about one-third of the bottle (even when my hair is soaking wet). More often than not, my hair is thirstier than a frat boy on Tinder so I don't skimp on product. I've found this works just as well as a deep conditioner when I put a plastic cap over my head for an hour.
I'm a wash-and-go type of girl and often ignore any instructions that advise to rinse anything out. I've actually had fantastic results when I leave this conditioner in and double it as my primary styling product. Curl definition tends to fade on day two if this is the only product in my hair so my go-to method has been to pair this with my favorite gel (we'll get to that in a minute). Together, the combination is surprisingly lightweight; I have fantastic curl definition that lasts up to four days and great volume. Throughout the week, I spot-treat frizzy curls with a bit of water and the tiniest dab of more Banana conditioner, twisting random flyaways with my finger as needed.
I'm a wash-and-go type of girl and often ignore any instructions that advise to rinse anything out. I've actually had fantastic results when I leave this conditioner in and double it as my primary styling product. Curl definition tends to fade on day two if this is the only product in my hair so my go-to method has been to pair this with my favorite gel (we'll get to that in a minute). Together, the combination is surprisingly lightweight; I have fantastic curl definition that lasts up to four days and great volume. Throughout the week, I spot-treat frizzy curls with a bit of water and the tiniest dab of more Banana conditioner, twisting random flyaways with my finger as needed.
For Best Results...
Unlike with DevaCurl products, when reapplying water to the hair, a light misting will cause the ringlets to break apart and frizz (like Cinderella's chariot turning back into a pumpkin at midnight). So heaven forbid your curls are too far gone to spot treat, be prepared to have your shirt soaked because you will have to re-saturate your curls all over again.
As with most styling products, be wary of using too much. Even this relatively lightweight conditioner causes build-up which can leave curls stiff and prone to straightening when put into buns or ponytails. On those occasions where I've over-applied, taking my hair down from its nightly pineapple has left me with a matted curly/straight mess that needs to be drenched in the shower to fix.
DevaCurl Arc Angel Gel
Why It's So Amazing
This isn't the first time I've gushed about how amazing this gel is so this part will be shorter than the others.
I'm lazy - let's get that out of the way. I honestly don't know how those YouTubers do what they do - parting their hair in teeny sections, raking product over every curl, and spending what seems like an eternity pointing a five-pound diffuser at their head. I sure as heck do not have the dexterity nor the upper body strength to hold my arm up for that long.
This gel is amazing when it comes to touching up flyaways or revitalizing worn-out curls. A simple spritz of water is enough to re-activate the gel, allowing you to reshape your curl without the worry of causing additional frizz. This is especially useful for someone who has a compulsive curl-fixing compulsion and is constantly on the go. You don't need to worry about keeping backup product on you if this is on your hair. This gel is essentially like clay where you can mold it as many times as you need. Still, I try to avoid spritzing mass sections of hair if I'm just targeting a specific curl, a light misting runs the risk of altering curls you otherwise wouldn't have wanted to touch.
So it should come as no surprise that when I'm doing my hair I want something easy with minimal effort and as few steps as possible - that's where this baby comes in. DevaCurl's Arc Angel Gel gives me incredible definition, not to mention A+ resistance to humidity and frizz (I wore this during a rainy night out in Miami and my curls still looked incredible the next day). I'm telling you guys, there's nothing this gel can't do.
How I Use It
Brace yourselves, product junkies, but I wager that this gel combined with a single quality creme (whether it's a leave-in conditioner or curl-enhancing cream) will make those three, four, five-plus hair routines of curl creams, gels, mousse, and hairspray entirely obsolete. I simply slather it one whichever conditioner I have gone against the instructions of rinsing out. For the best results, I part my hair laterally, Separating the top half of my hair (the crown) so that the bottom/underside of my hair can get some much-needed TLC and curl definition.This gel is amazing when it comes to touching up flyaways or revitalizing worn-out curls. A simple spritz of water is enough to re-activate the gel, allowing you to reshape your curl without the worry of causing additional frizz. This is especially useful for someone who has a compulsive curl-fixing compulsion and is constantly on the go. You don't need to worry about keeping backup product on you if this is on your hair. This gel is essentially like clay where you can mold it as many times as you need. Still, I try to avoid spritzing mass sections of hair if I'm just targeting a specific curl, a light misting runs the risk of altering curls you otherwise wouldn't have wanted to touch.
The Key to a Great Curly Hair Routine
My hair has a lot of quirks so my routine and my go-to products might not work for you. The key to any good curly hair regimen is instilling moisture and should be the basis of any haircare routine. If you are going to try new products, the best thing any curly girl can do for her is to find products that actually enhance the health of the hair, rather than just masking the problems (while often exacerbating the issue). Tightly Curly's ingredient dictionary is comprehensive and an amazing resource for everyone regardless of their stage in the natural hair journey.
Have you used these products before (or maybe paired them with different ones)? Do you know of something better that I should try to tame my fine, low porosity curls? Let me know which ones you recommend, in the comments. I'm always on the hunt for the best hair products for 3C curls!
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