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Home • Regimen • Scalp Care

Should You Oil Your Roots or Your Tips? This is How to Figure it Out!

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Should You Oil Your Roots or Your Tips? This is How to Figure it Out!
By NaturallyCurly · Published March 19, 2024

Curly hair tends to be more fragile than straight hair, as we know.

Of course, the solution is moisture. And what is the solution to getting that necessary moisture actually to stay in your hair shaft? Black gold, Texas tea, and oils!

Okay, no, please don’t put crude oil on your hair, but you get the point.

The benefits of oiling your hair are undeniable since it leaves hair silky, soft, hydrated, and stronger, depending on which oils you use in your regimen. However, where to apply the oil is often up for debate within the natural hair community. Aside from where to apply the oils, another matter of concern is how often. Let’s take a look at both of these concerns and more in greater detail.

Should I oil my tips or roots?

Should You Oil Your Roots or Your Tips? This is How to Figure it Out!

In all honesty, you should oil your roots and tips as a general practice. However, like most things with natural hair care, the key is to find what works for you as an individual. For instance, if you have a lot of sebum production, i.e., if your scalp is naturally oily, and that’s combined with long hair, you may find that you need less oil at the root level while your ends might be a little on the thirsty side.

If your scalp tends more toward drought than flooding, your hair’s overall dryness means you must oil your curls all over for the best moisture-sealing and softening results.

Some curlistas think that if they stick to oiling their roots alone, it will naturally make its way to the ends. And for those of us out here rocking the pixie cuts and the TWAs, that may very well be the case. However, for this approach to work with longer or more porous hair, you would need to load up on oil.

Unfortunately, “Too much of a good thing” is a high possibility.

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When you overload on oils, you can run into scalp issues such as irritation, clogged pores, or sebum imbalances. While sebum is meant to travel down the shaft of hair, if you’re not actively encouraging it downwards it hardly ever reaches the ends. Besides, how many curlies use a dry bristle brush to distribute our natural oils rather than a different style meant for damp detangling? Exactly. Go ahead and get that extra store-bought oil worked down your strands to keep the moisture locked in.

How often should I oil my hair?

Should You Oil Your Roots or Your Tips? This is How to Figure it Out!
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How often you need to oil your hair will depend on several factors. If you naturally produce a lot of oil, you may only need to oil your ends once a week. If you have lower sebum production, you may need to oil your roots and ends every couple of days. It will also depend on what type of oil you use since some are heavier or more penetrative than others.

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Castor oil, for instance, is a very heavy oil that’s great for the winter months! Grapeseed and avocado oils tend to hover around the medium side. Jojoba and almond oils are some of the lightest and most easily absorbed. And that’s not even beginning to get into the benefits of blends! The key is to watch how oily your hair is and how much buildup your scalp accumulates to find the right schedule for your oiling needs and ensure you’re reading ingredients.

Is there a right way to apply oil?

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While most people start at the roots and work their way to the ends, a better idea is to start at the ends and work your way up. This allows you to gauge dryness better regarding how far up the hair shaft you need to oil and whether or not you even need to oil at the root level.

Like anything in hair care, the key is to find whatever works for your curls. The best way to get great curls is to try a little of everything until you find what works. Oil is a necessary part of every curly routine, and with a little extra insight, you can master this aspect of curly care in no time!

Do you have any favorite oil curlies? Share your hair type and your oil of choice in the comments!

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Home • Wavy

20 Best Styling Products for Type 2 Wavy Hair

Achieve the perfect wavy hair look with the best products for wavy hair on the market.
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20 Best Styling Products for Type 2 Wavy Hair
By NaturallyCurly · Updated November 26, 2024

There is never a shortage of styling products you can use for wavy hair, whether your texture is thick, medium, or fine. The best products for wavy hair can help keep your waves smooth, frizz-free, and full of bounce. Type 2 waves can have a loose, S-shaped pattern, beach waves, or loose spirals with a thicker and coarser texture.

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While formulas that promise beach waves for straight hair or perfect spirals for tighter curl patterns usually garner a lot of buzz, there aren’t many headline-making products out there for naturally wavy hair. People often assume waves don’t even need product assistance. As someone with Type 2 hair, I’ll often hear, “You’re so lucky your hair just dries like that!”– as if I didn’t spend 20 minutes in front of the mirror that morning trying to get my hair to lay just so!”

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“It’s another common misconception that wavy hair is thick, but plenty wavy girls are on the finer side,” says celebrity stylist Justine Marjan, who–besides being the go-to girl for the Kardashians–counts Type 2s like Chrissy Teigen, Ashley Tisdale, and Shay Mitchell among her clients. Her must-haves include light jellies and creams that won’t weigh down fine waves.

“Curly and wavy hair types are naturally more dry, so hydration and moisture are essential,” she adds. But what elusive miracle products will give Type 2 hair the definition, hold, and hydration it needs, without compromising on volume? We’re glad you asked. Here’s a list of the top styling products for type 2 waves.

CREAM

1. Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream

20 Best Styling Products for Type 2 Wavy Hair

Marjan swears by Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream because it’s “great for drier hair types that need extra moisture and definition.” This is one of my personal go-to’s, as well – I love that it’s infused with argan oil and smells amazing, too.

2. Cake Beauty Curl Defining Cream, The Curl Friend

20 Best Styling Products for Type 2 Wavy Hair

As a reviewer with Type 2c hair says, “I would suggest this to anyone who is in need of a product that doesn’t create frizz and doesn’t make [my] hair sticky or crunchy!”

3. ELEVEN AUSTRALIA Keep My Curl Defining Cream

20 Best Styling Products for Type 2 Wavy Hair

With a slightly-tacky, creamy texture, ELEVEN AUSTRALIA Keep My Curl Defining Cream is a must-try for any Wavies who want extreme hold and definition. This completely changed my hair when I first started using it in high school, and it’s still on rotation in my product lineup!

4. Not Your Mother’s Naturals Tahitian Gardenia Flower & Mango Butter Curl Defining Combing Cream

20 Best Styling Products for Type 2 Wavy Hair

You won’t find any sulfates, silicones, phthalates, and parabens in Not Your Mother’s Naturals–but it’s what you will find inside that makes all the difference. Tahitian gardenia flower helps shape waves, while mango butter reduces frizz and adds shine.

5. AG Hair Re: Coil Curl Activator

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AG Hair Re: Coil Curl Activator has five stars from the NaturallyCurly community – so you know it’s good. Need more convincing? One CurlTalk reviewer promises that with Re: Coil, “My hair is consistently and predictably curlier, softer, and relatively frizz-free.”

JELLY

6. OUAI Curl Defining Cream

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Marjan always reaches for OUAI Curl Defining Cream (a cross between a cream and an oil) when she works with her celebrity clients. To get Insta-ready waves, she recommends “applying in sections for even distribution. If you are letting the hair air dry, make sure to avoid touching or scrunching the hair, as friction from our hands can cause frizz.”

7. Miss Jessie’s Jelly Soft Curls

20 Best Styling Products for Type 2 Wavy Hair

Miss Jessie’s Jelly Soft Curls is a miracle in a tube. It manages to leave waves super-soft (AKA, no crunch whatsoever) while still defining their shape and holding it all in place.

GEL

8. Bread Beauty Hair Gel

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Over on the Type 2 boards on CurlTalk, Bread Beauty Hair Gel gets a lot of love. User Guide 65 says, “It gives my hair definition like I’ve never seen it before! I have to be careful how much I use, because all that definition takes away from the volume. But I get day two hair that needs no refreshing.”

9. Curlsmith – In-Shower Style Fixer

20 Best Styling Products for Type 2 Wavy Hair

If you prefer your haircare certified organic and all-natural, then you need to check out this alcohol-free styling gel from Curlsmith. It offers medium-to-firm hold, and ingredients that won’t harm your hair, all for under $30.

10. Rizos Curls Light Hold Gel

20 Best Styling Products for Type 2 Wavy Hair

“My HG wave-defining products are hard-hold gels. I like the Rizos Curls light hold gel the best,” says Therese1, a Wavy who shares her feedback on Type 2 styling products on CurlTalk.

LEAVE-INS AND CONDITIONERS

11. DevaCurl One Condition Daily Cream Conditioner

20 Best Styling Products for Type 2 Wavy Hair

Sometimes, wavies can get away with skipping stylers with the right conditioner – that conditioner is DevaCurl One Condition. “It’s so creamy, but it’s light enough for my fine hair,” says a CurlTalk community member.

12. Kinky-Curly Knot Today

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Another CurlTalk favorite? Kinky-Curly Knot Today leave-in conditioner. Users love that it keeps waves detangled and smooth, which is the first step towards a good hair day, right?

13. Love Beauty And Planet Argan Oil & Lavender Smooth & Serene Leave-In Smoothie Cream

20 Best Styling Products for Type 2 Wavy Hair

Even though Love Beauty and Planet’s Leave-In Smoothie isn’t marketed towards waves or curls, I find it to be the best leave-in formula on the market. I don’t have to follow up with other stylers – I love simply smoothing this through my damp waves and going!

SPRAY

14. Living proof Style Lab Control Hairspray

20 Best Styling Products for Type 2 Wavy Hair

LA-based hair stylist Helena Lambert opts for Living proof Style Lab Control Hairspray to lock in shape and shine. “If your hair type is frizzy, this will smooth any frizz,” she says.

15. TRESemmé Compressed Micro Mist Hairspray

20 Best Styling Products for Type 2 Wavy Hair

Here’s how to get waves with more body and bounce, courtesy of Marjan: “Once the hair is completely dry, finish with TRESemmé Compressed Micro Mist Hairspray for volume.”

16. DESIGNME PUFF.ME Volumizing Dry Texture Spray

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Need to had some volume and texture to tour hair??? @designmehair PuffMe Dry Texture Spray has you covered!! #hair #haireducation #oakville #oakvillehairstylist #designmehair #designme #hairstylist #fyp #viral

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Lambert’s secret for “woke up like this” hair? “I’ll spritz DESIGNME PUFF.ME Volumizing Dry Texture Spray, scrunch the ends a bit, then gently twist it into a top knot. I leave it up for a bit, letting it semi-air dry. Then take it down and air dry it the rest of the way,” he says.

MASK

17. Gisou Honey Infused Hair Mask

20 Best Styling Products for Type 2 Wavy Hair

The Gisou Honey Infused Hair Mask is the way to go for hair that needs some extra attention. Marjan says she often uses it on her clients to add moisture and hydration to dry, frizzy waves.

18. Maui Moisture Heal & Hydrate + Shea Butter Hair Mask

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You can deeply quench, nourish, and soften dry, damaged strands to get your hair back to looking healthy with these blends with creamy shea butter, rich coconut milk, and pure macadamia oil.

19. Amika soulfood Nourishing Mask

20 Best Styling Products for Type 2 Wavy Hair

Wavies love this amazing, nourishing mask because it deeply conditions, hydrates and restores dry hair to its natural vibrancy and health with this replenishing treatment.

DIY TREATMENT

20. DIY Flaxseed Gel

If you’d rather whip up your own styler, try this combination from CurlTalk connoisseur BeinDeb: “I make [my DIY flaxseed gel] using a marshmallow root tea as the base, and add a pinch of honey and oil.”

Of course, you can’t rely on products alone for perfect waves. To get the most out of these stylers, make sure you’re not over-washing your waves or damaging them with your diffuser! What are your top styling products for type 2 waves? Share them with us in the comments below!

OUR EDITORS INDEPENDENTLY SELECT ALL PRODUCTS FEATURED ON NATURALLYCURLY. HOWEVER, WE MAY EARN AN AFFILIATE COMMISSION WHEN YOU BUY SOMETHING THROUGH OUR RETAIL LINKS.
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