We read your comments, we poll the community, we hear from you daily and we know that all curly, coily and wavy women are on the hunt for products that can give them one thing above all else: moisture.
Every year in the NaturallyCurly offices, the Editors spend months diligently testing all of the new releases, the old tried and true Holy Grails, and the new-to-us products that we receive from over a hundred different brands. We layer and cocktail them in search of that perfect product that will give us the moisture and slip we need for our hair to feel its healthiest. As you can imagine, the testing gets pretty intense.
Our team of 13 editors, ranging in hair type from Type 2a-4c, divide into groups of wavy, curly, curly coily, and coily and passionately deliberate on the standout products that have earned their spot on our crowded bathroom shelves. In some cases the winners have dethroned our Holy Grails, while others have entered the Hall of Fame for products that win year after year.What we look for
Here are a few (but not all”> of the criteria we used to make our decision:
- Does the product give my hair the moisture and slip it needs?
- Would the product replace your Holy Grail product in that category?
- Ingredients
- Does the product do what the packaging claims it will do?
- Does the product have added benefits not listed? What are they?
- Ease of use and product distribution
- Packaging and product functionality
- Innovation
- Scent
If you’re on the search for a conditioner that will work for your curl pattern, check out our 2016 Editors’ Choice award winners – and what we loved about them.
Best Daily Conditioner
Wavy – Honey Baby Naturals Honey Sweet Softening Conditioner
This may be a children’s line, but out of all of the conditioners I tested, this one left my hair the softest. I like that it comes in a honey bottle and has a faint honey smell, but what I love the most is how consistently it gives me soft, moisturized results. – Lori, Type 2c
Curly – Bumble and bumble. Bb.Curl Custom Conditioner
This has become a staple for me. I use it as a leave-in and a daily conditioner. It’s rich and super moisturizing, providing great slip. It smells incredible. – Michelle, Type 3b
Curly Coily – G’Natural Herbal Products Mint Fortress Hair Conditioner
This G’Natural conditioner gives your scalp a really nice tingle and I just love anything with a minty scent or ingredient and that tingly feeling. It makes me feel like it’s treating my scalp and encouraging growth. It has amazing slip and my hair feels really moisturized afterwards. – Ellery, Type 3c
Coily – Jessicurl Deep Conditioning Treatment
I love the natural ingredients in this product. I also really like that it’s nice and thick, it just melted into my hair. – Kami, Type 4b
Best Leave-In Conditioner
Wavy – Brown Butter Beauty Sweet Milk Detangling Leave in Conditioner
This reminded me of my Holy Grail leave-in, Kinky Curly Knot Today – and that is hard to beat! It makes my hair feel healthy and moisturized, and when the weather conditions are just right it gives me a touch of hold and I don’t even have to bother with a styling product. – Cristina, Type 2c
Curly – CURLS Blueberry Bliss Leave-In
I loved how it was a reparative leave-in the most. With my color-treated hair constantly needing a little more love, this product helps give my hair that extra that it needs while also still being light-weight enough to not weigh down my curls. – Fran, Type 3b
Curly Coily – Brown Butter Beauty Sweet Milk Detangling Leave in Conditioner
This leave-in reminds me of Knot Today or the Design Essentials Avocado Leave-in that I love. A little goes a long way–and it’s also moisturizing. It tames my frizz halo throughout the week with only one use, keeping my dense curls super defined. – Devri, Type 3c
Coily – Camille Rose Naturals Cocout Water Leave-in Treatment
This leave-in conditioner is the perfect foundation for any styler and pairs well with any product. My coils are left nourished and easy to style with no white residue. A little last goes a long way. – Amanda, Type 4a
Best Deep Conditioner
Wavy – true by made beautiful Intense Treatment Masque
This deep treatment smells so good I almost want to eat it. But fragrance aside, it’s a great mask that is super easy to distribute through my hair and it leaves my hair feeling supple and soft. A plus? Easy to rinse out too. – Susonnah, Type 2a
Curly – Curl Girl Unstress
I love everything about this deep conditioner. It’s super rich and my hair feels noticeably softer after using it. – Jamie, Type 3b
Curly Coily – SheaMoisture Superfruit Complex 10-in-1 Renewal System Hair Masque
SheaMoisture knows slip. This masque is great for slip, but that is the least of its great benefits. There are 10 in total and my hair feels and looks beautiful afterwards. – Nikki, Type 3c
Coily – Alikay Naturals Honey and Sage Deep Conditioner
It smells AMAZING! My hair has been super dry lately and this really helped lock some moisture in. – Kami, Type 4b
Best Treatment
Wavy – omniPOTENT Duosity
Loved how it combines two conditioners together. With all the moisture it provides, it definitely, repairs and restores my damaged hair. – Julissa, Type 2b
Curly – Pai-Shau Enhance Ritual Biphasic Infusion
I was a little skeptical about this when it arrived, but it really improved the feel of my hair. It’s a light treatment that seemed to penetrate my hair well, giving my curls more shine and making them feel softer. – Michelle, Type 3b
Curly Coily – omniPOTENT Duosity
This restores my curls after they’ve been out in the sun all day, or even a few days after a color touchup. The multi-layered treatment is ideal for putting the strength back into color-treated hair. The best part is that I don’t have to leave it in for 30 minutes– two to five minutes will do. – Devri, Type 3c
Coily – Elucence Extended Moisture Repair Treatment
Best Moisturizer
Wavy – Camille Rose Aloe Whipped Butter Gel
I normally stay away from things that read “butter” but this styler is light enough even for my waves. Since it has moisturizing ingredients like aloe, I don’t need to layer a leave-in. It’s all I need for crisp free, soft waves. – Susonnah, Type 2a
Curly – CURLS Lavish Curls Moisturizer
This gel-like moisturizer really hydrates my curls without feeling heavy. I can apply it to wet or dry hair. – Michelle, Type 3b
Curly Coily – Oyin Handmade Hair Dew
This will always be a favorite of mine. It’s runny but thick, making it a lasting moisturizer-refresher in between wash days (no water needed”>. It’s also a great leave-in at night after shampooing and conditioning my thick, coarse curls. – Devri, Type 3c
Coily – Obia Naturals Curl Moisture Cream
Obia Naturals Curl Moisture Cream is great for adding moisture into your strands. There is no need to use a detangler, as it melts your tangles away. It is also a great primer for styling. – Amanda, Type 4a
We voted on products in every category from cleansing conditioners to edge tamers, to see the rest of the Editors’ Choice winners click here for a full list.
