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We love the angles, tight coils, and voluminous texture of a 4C hairstyle because it is the tightest of all the textures. It is often called kinky or coarse hair because of its tight and dense texture. It has a unique curl pattern ranging from a tight, soft spiral to a dense zig-zag, perfect for creating locs or smaller coils. People who rock a 4C texture may use relaxers, perms, or chemical treatments to create a looser texture they can manipulate into protective styles. As the highest texture on the hair type scale, it is full and can range in length and volume, making for beautiful and moisture-rich styles.

We’ve already covered the beauty of 4A and 4B hairstyles; it’s time to showcase the versatility of 4C!

1. Afro Puff

Image Source: @jay_anoka

An Afro puff is a fun and easy hairstyle that can be dressed up with simple accents like beads, braids, or a headband.

2. Braid Out

Image Source: @astoldbyali

There’s nothing like the sweet relief from taking out your braids and letting your hair flow in the wind.

3. Twisted Updo

Image Source: @zinhle.africa

The holiday season is creeping in, which means you’ll want to start bookmarking chic updos you can wear at parties and events.

4. Knotless Braids Updo

Image Source: @tolaniav

Braids are versatile and easy to manipulate into updos or hairstyles that still put them front and center.

5. Loc Ponytail

Image Source: @phylicianbenn

This loc ponytail is simple, chic, and an easy way to get your hair off your neck.

6. Pigtails With Butterfly Clips

Image Source: @westafricanbaby

It’s all about the accessories and with the resurgence of nostalgic eras like the ’90s there is no better time to embrace all the quirkiness of fun accessories.

7. Bun

Image Source: @brianalynee

There’s nothing like swooping up your coils between wash days into a beautiful bun that will captivate.

8. Sleek Ponytail

Image Source: @damnthatschev

Give us edges, elegance, and all the slayage with this side-swept ponytail that puts all your kinks and coils in full view for everyone to see.

9. Twists

Image Source: @adannamadueke

Twists are a protective style that not only gives your coils a break but can be worn to help retain moisture and length.

10. Pompadour

Image Source: @_harris_janae_

If you’re looking to turn heads then look no further than this stunning pompadour style that is both equally stunning as it is eye-catching.

11. Afro

Image Source: @monaefindley

We love to see a beautiful afro that is large, voluminous, and moisturized.

12. Space Buns

Image Source: @abanaturelle

Space buns are a fun and easy way to style your hair between wash days and get creative with the volume of your coils.

13. Top Knot Half up/Down

Image Source: @ _bubsbee

The top knot is getting an upgrade with the combo of accessories and the half-up and down style that accentuates the coils.

14. Wash and Go

Image Source: @gloryokings

The list wouldn’t be complete without the classic wash and go that showcases the beauty of coils and spirals.

15. Bantu Knot Out

Image Source: @telistyles

Did you know you can create a new style when removing your bantu knots? Embrace your texture.

If you want to upgrade your products and learn how to bring more moisture to your hair, checkout our interview with 4C ONLY founder Kim Lewis.

We love to see our favorite celebrities partner with haircare that are staples in our bathroom. Celebrity partnerships have grown increasingly popular in the past few years as brands look to grow their online presence and connect with global customers. Using celebrities that can resonate with audiences and authentically reflect the brand’s product is a tightrope that must be tightly walked.

Online audiences want to see a genuine partnership that shows the celebrity incorporating the products in their everyday regimen and glamorous red carpet looks versus a cute picture with #ad. In order to truly form a successful partnership, brands want to align with celebrities and stylist who can show and educate how a product or tool is used to achieve their signature look. Whether it’s a campaign, collection, or accessories here’s a list of the celebrity haircare partnerships that had heads turning this year.

1. Aunt Jackie’s Curls and Coil x Celebrity Stylist Antoinette x Zendaya

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A post shared by Aunt Jackie’s Curls & Coils (@auntjackiescurlsandcoils)

Image Source: @auntjackiescurlsandcoils

Aunt Jackie’s Curls and Coils partnered with celebrity stylist Antoinette Hill to create Zenday’s stunning Bulgari beauty campaign. This captivating ad saw Zendaya rocking a sleek look that concealed her ends and put her face and the jewelry front and center.

Want to recreate Zendaya’s slick tresses? Shop the Curls and Coils Don’t Shrink Flaxseed Elongating Curling Gel.

2. Mielle Organics x Angel Reese

Image Source: @mielleorganics

Mielle Organics partnered with LSU breakout star, Angel Reese, as its newest ambassador. This partnership would lead the charge in bridging the gap between sports and beauty. Reese’s activation with the brand will include marketing, social media, events, and a limited-edition product bundle.

Are you looking to restock your favorite Mielle Organics products? Check out our favorite products in our online store!

3. KISS COLORS & CARE x JT

Image Source: @kisscolorsandcare

JT from the City Girls is the newest KISS Colors & Care celebrity partner blazing her own trail in the haircare lane. Her styling collection features braid bonnets, twist stylers, edge fixer wax sticks, and lashes for the ultimate protective styles.

4. Camille Rose x Jasmine Carson

Image source: @camillerosenaturals

This summer Camille Rose announced their brand partnership with former LSU Guard Jasmine Cardon who has shared her favorite products that help treat her color-treated coils. She shares insights and tips on which products are an essential part of her everyday routine.

If you’re ready to bring hydration back to your curls and coils, shop the Camille Rose Naturals Honey Hydrate today!

5. Cantu x Angela C. Stevens

Image Source: @cantubeauty

Cantu partnered with Emmy award-winning hairstylist and TV personality Angela C. Stevens for a haircare line dedicated to protective styles. The Cantu Protective Styles collection helps to cleanse, condition, set, and style weaves, wigs, braids, and locs.

What’s a protective style without laying your edges? Ge the Cantu Shea Butter Extra Hold Edge Stay Gel now!

6. KISS COLORS & CARE x Shad Moss (Bow Wow)

Image Source: @kisscolorsandcare

Shad Moss (Bow Wow) is here to elevate the game for men and women with his custom line of durags, brushes, and twist sponges. He collaborated with Kiss Colors and Care to create more options and awareness for natural textures and to do it with his signature style.

7. Rizos Curls x Thalia

Image Source: @rizoscurls

Rizos Curls made headlines for their limited-edition Thalia x Rizos Curls collaboration that focused on key elements like wash day. As their first celebrity partner, she helped curate a collection that fostered awareness of scalp health, deep conditioning, and developing a healthy hair regimen.

Get ready to control your frizz with the Rizos Curls Deep Conditioner today!

Which celebrity partnership caught your attention this year? Let us know in the comments!

In honor of their five-year anniversary, Undefined Beauty came full force into hair care with their debut product, the R&R Scalp Serum. This innovative water-based serum hydrates, stimulates, strengthens, and nourishes your scalp. R&R Scalp Serum contains clinically proven hair actives such as Plant Peptides (Pea), to stimulate and strengthen follicle stem cells, which helps to promote hair growth and prevent hair loss and Capiyxl, a biomimetic peptide combined with a Red Clover extract that targets the main causes of hair loss. The product also contains Niacinamide, Saw Palmetto, Ashwagandha, Amla, FoTi, and Caffeine for revitalized hair wellness. Healthy, shiny, thick hair starts with a healthy, balanced scalp.

We sat down to chat with CEO and Founder Dorian Morris to discuss the brand’s newest haircare product and how it differs from traditional scalp-based products.

Congrats on your five-year anniversary, what have been your favorite entrepreneurial milestones over this time period?

I’m just proud of my ability to pivot and the power of the pivot. If you go back to the beginning of the Undefined Beauty launch in 2018, you know my focus was on the magical plant wisdom of CBD, and I still believe in the power of cannabis. But unfortunately, you know, it’s limited from a commercialization standpoint because there’s so much regulation around that plant. I’m proud that I was able to listen to my community, listen to the retail landscape, and pivot to our collection, which is what has unlocked so much opportunity and growth for me. If I had been stubborn I wouldn’t be where I am today.

You know, in over 600 Targets, Ultas, and Whole Foods, and all the fantastic partnerships that I’ve been able to secure, based on my pivot. So I think the power of the pivot and understanding the changes and reframing failure is just learning because I continue to evolve and take calculated risks.

What inspired the transition into adding hair care to your brand? Why?

I have always been a “hair bear” AKA hair enthusiast and in my previous lives, I worked on hair care brands. Going back to J&J days, I was an intern there or co-op working on Aveeno hair care which was my first foray into more mass haircare. I had this amazing opportunity to lead the Madam CJ Walker Beauty Culture initiative when I was at Sundial and this was phase one of their rebrand where they had the hair care brand in Sephora. Hair has always had a very special place in my heart and I have big curly hair, as you know so I’ve tried so many products and I’m just so deep from a community standpoint in the hair care space.

Funny enough, a lot of my growth, in the beginning, was these boots-on-the-ground events and most people would assume that I’m a hair care brand just because I have such big curly hair. I thought it made sense to try and take all the plant wisdom that Undefined Beauty is about and bring that to a new category. I’m super excited that I worked really hard in this formula to really pair clinically proven actives alongside these heritage ingredients, that kind of come across culture from the Amla and the FoTi.

I know the wisdom that Mother Nature has blessed us with in one formula that’s going to work across hair types. It doesn’t matter if you have straight hair, curly hair because it is a water-based formula so it’s not going to weigh your hair down rand focuses on this universal need state because healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp.

What did you find compelling about moving into this category?

This product has been two years in the making because I have very high standards from an efficacious standpoint and in this process, I tried a lot of the the leading hair scalp serums on the market. I purchased probably all of them from Sephora just so I could understand the competitive landscape and they were expensive. I’m using a lot of the same active ingredients and realized I want to make it easy for the woman who’s shopping at Ulta or Target on a budget to also have access. People can have the prestige quality formulas at mass pricing.

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A post shared by Undefined Beauty (@undefinedbeauty_co)

What was the formulation process like?

Because for me it’s about solving key pinch points and the scalp is a universal need state. We all have a scalp and I think there’s also this ability to take the scientific aspects and really incorporate some of these skin care actives into your scalp. One good example is niacinamide is one of my favorite ingredients and lives across almost all products in the R&R collection but it also has some amazing benefits for your scalp. Specifically, if you have an oily scalp it helps with the oil production and has skin care benefits. Another nice skincare ingredient that has great efficacy from a scalp care standpoint is caffeine and so I use caffeine in my Hydro Jelly, but there’s also a place to have it within the scalp product. 

I wanted to be extremely intentional with all of the ingredients so I focused on a water-based formula that’s gonna penetrate. I also incorporated some additional penetration agents and penetration-enhancing ingredients like the MSM in the formula, which is a sulfur compound that Madam CJ Walker, sulfur used as one of the major ingredients in her hair.

What are common scalp issues this product can help/solve?

Dryness, I think is a a good one because it is going to help to nourish your scalp and help with irritation. It’s a foundational step that’s going to help to hydrate, nourish, and strengthen, so that way it’s going to promote healthy hair growth. 

What new haircare products can we look forward to from Undefined Beauty?

For now, it’s really focusing on this water-based scalp serum and also educating people around how you can incorporate other skin care products you might already have in your routine and your regimen. 

Let’s talk about all the beauty of 4B hair. It sits right in the middle of the type 4 texture scale and is distinguished by its curl patterns and tightly packed coils. When we think we’re 4B, we’re imagining the elegance of Luptia Nyong’o, the confidence of Teyonah Parris, or the style of Cynthia Ervino. 4B textures are unique and distinct because of their elasticity, moisture sensitivity, and versatility to be manipulated into a variety of styles.

The Difference Between 4A vs. 4B

4B is a texture that is all about the coils, kinks, and tighter textures. As the second tightest curl pattern on the typing scale, it can be densely packed with a Z-shape or zigzag pattern that is less curly and more bent. The difference between 4A and 4B textures is the overall shape of the coils. Since 4B hair textures can be more coily, they can shrink when it’s dried and leans more into styling products to help with moisture and definition.  

Are you ready to dive into a new 4B hairstyle this season? Check out this collection of stunning 4B looks to turn heads this fall.

1. Two Strand Twist With Beads

Image source: @truleytalentedbeauty

Two strand twists are an easy protective style that can be seamlessly created with a 4B texture because it helps with length retention, and moisture, and can be styled differently based on your accessories and length.

2. TWA

Image source: @gabriellejanay

A little color goes a long way with this adorable TWA. If you’re in the market to go for the big chop, a TWA is a chic and simple way to revive your coils and make them more manageable to style day to day. 

3. Ponytail

Image source: @delpa_is_bae

We love a braided ponytail because it’s simple, effortless, and can be created with several types of braids. A ponytail with a few strands in front can add depth instead of the standard ponytail in addition to incorporating accessories.

4. Locs

Image source: @taybann

Locs remain a popular way to style 4B hair because of the versatility of the texture can be easily coiled to create this classic look.

5. Wash And Go

Image source: _harrrisjanae_

We never get tired of seeing the classic wash and go because it celebrates the beauty of a 4B texture and puts your coils front and center. Don’t forget to focus on moisturizing your hair and detangle with your fingers to avoid breakage. 

6. Flat Twists

Image source: @naturally.kai

Flat twists differ from your standard two-strand twists because they work well on natural and relaxed textures. They can help with improving your hair health and also can work as the base for an updo.

7. Two Strand Twists Updo

Image source: @zoeallamby

This is just elegance at its finest. These two strand twists are held up with a beautiful claw clip and include different pieces hanging around the face. The versatility of two strand twists means they can be as little or thick as you’d prefer so you can manipulate them into other styles.

8. Bantu Knots

Image source: @lynnswayxx

Bantu knots are a protective style that works well with 4B textures because they help retain hair growth and are easy to maintain. You can play around with adding copper wire, barrettes, or color to jazz them up.

9. Afro Puffs

Image source: @naturalsoulcare

Afro puffs are a smaller version of the classic afro that is created by parting the hair down the middle and splitting your hair into two parts. Get creative with the part and prepare to lay your edges down as they will be front and center with this look.

10. Twist Out

Image source: @ruth_nanda_

Say hello to the magic of a twist out. This style is perfect for transforming your natural hair pattern, elongating your hair, or transitioning between styles.

11. Top Knot

Image source: @peamy_naturalfro

A great top knot is a perfect way to add dimension to your everyday look and can be easily created regardless of your texture. This look is paired with braids and beads which gives it more beauty than the classic top knot style.

12. Flat Twist With a Bubble Ponytail

Image source: @naturall_val88

We love to see you get creative with the classic ponytail and this updated bubbly ponytail look is perfect for reducing tangle and knots.

13. Chic Updo

Image source: @crystalmaduka

It’s giving volume, texture, and chic. Creating this stunning updo takes a few minutes as long as your hair is washed and you’ve got bobby pins on hand.

14. Puff Ponytail

Image source: @evehthenatural

It’s giving length, texture, and accessories. The puff ponytail is swinging back into style due to the reawakening of 90s nostalgia. Dress up this easy style with accessories to bring attention to each individual puff.

15. Cornrows

Image source: @naturalblackgirliee

Last but certainly not least is the cornrow. These modern braids are a protective style that allows you to get creative with design and pattern.

Which 4B hairstyle will you try this season? Let us know in the comments.

When you hear 4A hair texture, what comes to mind? Beautiful top knots and finger coils? If you’re familiar with hair typing then you know 4A represents one part of Type 4 hair textures that help people learn their curl pattern. Understanding your curl pattern is essential to building your hair regimen, identifying which products are best for your hair, and maintaining your hair health.

Defining 4A hair textures

If you have 4A hair textures then your curls can have a spring S or O shape that is medium-sized and loosely packed. They often do not interlock and can curl or spiral away from the rest of your hair with lots of volume at the roots. Celebrities who sport 4A textures are fan favorites like Solange Knowles, Issa Rae, Kerry Washington, and Yara Shahidi. 4A hairstyles can range from free-flowing coils, updos, or protective styles like twists and braids because of how voluminous the texture is.

If you’re looking for inspiration this season and want to switch up your everyday hairstyle, we’ve got you covered with 15 options that you’ll love.

1. Frohawk

Image source: @curlsidoadore_

You can create this fun and funky style regardless of how long, short, or voluminous your coils and curls are. A Frohawk isn’t about the texture, but the attitude you bring with this edgy look, just grab your favorite gel, edge control, and hairpins and you’re all set.

2. Flexirod Curls

Image source: @njeberhart

Using Flexirods is great for 4A naturalistas looking to add a little bounce to their look without applying any heat. Heat-free damage is something we can all get behind and they create an effortless and voluminous style that can be easily manipulated into other styles.

3. Twists

Image source: @globetrottercurls

Achieving the perfect twist-out has never been easier with the right hair products and a bit of patience. The key to making this style your own is deciding ahead of time how you’ll part your hair and in which direction you’ll twist your hair.

4. Slicked Back Ponytail

Image source: @maisabel_

A slick ponytail is the perfect addition to dress up any outfit whether you’re going for an everyday casual look or a sex night out. Make sure to apply a thick gel that will keep your coils and kinks laid down and allow the pony to take center stage.

5. Twists With Beads

Image source: @razorempress

We love to see accessories added to braids, locs, or twists as they can easily elevate the look and can range in size, shape, and color.

6. Locs

Image source: @jadenikaylah

Creating locs is an easy 4A hairstyle that begins with coils and double-strand twists and then they slowly begin to lock up. Depending on the length and thickness you’re going for this can be a temporary or long-term hairstyle.

7. Claw Clip

Image source: @jay_anoka

There’s nothing like pulling your hair back and sometimes a ponytail isn’t enough so we need reinforcements. Using a claw clip is an easy way to add some life to your curls and coils, just make sure it’s thick and won’t snap easily.

8. Two Buns With Beads

Image source: @_cicimichele

There have been several variations of buns you can wear as a 4A hairstyle, but this fun look is accessorized with wire and beads. The mix of twists, buns, and accessories gives depth and dimension to this hairstyle.

9. Updo

Image source: @theesperanzamaria

Updos never go out of style and they can be an elegant way to showcase the beauty of your texture whether you want a pineapple or braided style.

10. Tapered Cut

Image source: @wanessarodriiguess

If you love an edgy TWA, then a tapered look could be your next hairstyle if you’re aiming to shorten up your curls and coils. You always want to consult with a barber before getting a tapered cut and explore the types of designs or patterns you want to accompany your hairstyle.

11. Half up/down

Image source: @slimreshae

How gorgeous are these curls? A good 4A hairstyle isn’t complete without the classic staples like a half up/down hairstyle that shows your texture.

12. Passion Twists

Image source: @damnthatschev

Passion twists are a fun, boho vibe that is fun, low maintenance, and can easily be worn over a long duration of time. Don’t forget the type of length, color, and style you want to use for your passion twists and be prepared to sleep with a bonnet or pineapple.

13. Braid Out

Image source: @candacee_renee

A braid out is a simple and easy way of letting your curls and coils shine after you’ve unraveled a braided style. They can help enhance your natural pattern and give definition to your curls and coils for a chic look.

14. Two-Strand Twists

Image source: @lynnettessilhouettes

Two-strand twists are an easy and healthy protective style that you can jazz up with barrettes or bands. They require zero heat, don’t create tension on the hair, and help you maintain moisture longer.

Looking for more hair inspiration? Check out our roundup of the creative and decadent styles from Afropunk 2023.

Kim Lewis blazed her way into the natural hair world back in 2015 with CurlMix which evolved from a DIY box set for curls into having a flaxseed gel as a it’s hero product. As a CEO and Co-founder she’s become known for her resilient attitude in an over-saturated category and entrepreneurial spirit that has landed her on the Forbes’ “30 under 30” list and getting Oprah’s endorsement for CurlMix. She’s expanded her empire with the first and only brand dedicated to serving the 4C woman and hair texture.

4C ONLY celebrates and honors the kinks, coils, and coarser textures that have often been overlooked and alienated from mainstream products. Every aspect of the brand from the messaging, products, branding, and aesthetic caters to uplifting and honoring the 4C texture in all it’s beauty. We sat down to chat with Kim about expanding her brand, why she created 4C ONLY, and how it’s products differ from what we see on shelves today.

How would you describe your hair evolution?

For much of my life, I was relaxed and my mom went natural and I saw how beautiful her hair looked. She had gotten alopecia and then went natural in her 40s I remember being in college and I had my first bout with alopecia right around 20 years old and I went to go get my hair relaxed and my stylist wouldn’t do it. She was just like “You have alopecia, I’m not going to relax your hair at this time.”

I ended up just going natural and I literally spent maybe three months growing it out and then I realized I had never actually seen my hair texture as an adult. I hadn’t seen it since I was like four or five years old, which is kind of crazy because I feel like most ethnicities do not say that, like where they don’t know what their natural texture looks like or out of their head. And so I went natural short, like in college maybe junior year, and then I’ve just been rocking ever since. 

You currently own another brand CurlMix, Why was creating another brand focused on specific hair types needed?

So I have very kinky hair and some people say 4B or 4C. It doesn’t matter it’s kinky and I didn’t think my hair curled. In 2014-2015 I went to a stylist who did a wash and go on me and I was floored like, oh, my God, my hair curls. This is after I’ve been natural for several years and wearing my hair and all kinds of natural styles. I started CurlMix and the number one comment I got was “This is not for 4C hair.” Even if we would demonstrate to someone who we thought had 4C hair, they would still declare it wasn’t for their type.

With us being a direct consumer brand, the 4C woman wanted to see herself. I didn’t want to see an ad that had wavy and loosely coiled and you tell me it works for all hair textures because the truth is my hair is very different. My hair shrinks up, kinks up, knots up, and does all these different and beautiful things. But don’t tell me that the same thing that works for wavy textures will work for my kinky and coarse textured hair.

Not every kinky woman wants to wear, a wash-and-go and CurlMix is a wash-and-go brand. I always considered creating a 4C brand but thought maybe it was too niche. When I came to realize that 4C is identity, it’s not a hair type. 4C means that my hair is kinky and I celebrate and identify with that and to lump that texture with other hair types isn’t fair. It doesn’t highlight her in the way that she deserves to be celebrated.

We decided to launch 4C ONLY not as a product because that wouldn’t be enough, the 4C woman needs to be highlighted on all fronts: advertisements, photo shoots, videos, and social pages. She needs to be able to go everywhere and see herself. There was no other brand with 4C in the title which I thought was crazy because most brands know that 4C women convert 2 times higher than other customers.

What inspired 4C ONLY?

CurlMix started as a DIY brand and then we landed on flax seed gel because that was the box people kept buying. But what I learned is that CurlMix as it was the wash-and-go brand with the four-step system, I was not going to be able to fully satisfy my 4C customer and it’s because she doesn’t always gonna wear wash-and-go and she doesn’t always use her products in tools or pump.

One of the things I learned is 4C girls scoop their product, they don’t squirt it and I know it’s like a risky thing to say, but she wants to scoop her hand in the jar. She wants to scoop her conditioner, leave-in and shampoo and be able to manage how much she’s getting to be able to apply to her twist out or braid out. She’s not trying to pump 1,000 times or she’s not doing her hair in the shower necessarily so I could not fully satisfy her with the way CurlMix was designed. 

In order to do that it had to be separate vibe and also it was chance for us to speak to her in the way that that feels more comfortable, real, and natural versus just like a broader brand. We use cheeky language with 4C ONLY  whereas we couldn’t do that you know with CurlMix and our customer on the CurlMix side is more mature as well. 

How would you describe the conversation around haircare for 4C textures?

The conversation around 4C hair is very emotional because the 4C woman has often been rejected for their hair.It can be a sensitive topic so we have to be careful with how we communicate and make sure that we’re never using language like nappy or derogatory because we always wanted her to know that she celebrated. We have like taglines such as “The revolution will be moisturized,” as a nod to the old school, Black afro power to the people, but also funny and cheeky rhymes and cheeky, but celebratory.

We address topics with a lens into the fact that we need to be considerate, thoughtful, encouraging and empowering. For example, I like to say that natural hair is formal hair, you don’t have to straighten your hair to go to a graduation or a wedding. Your afro could be worn on your date night and that’s what I want to be able to celebrate with 4C ONLY and we make that come to life on our social media. If you look on Instagram, you’ll see lots of nods to The Soul Train Line videos or retro blackness because that was beautiful in the 60s and it’s still beautiful in 2023. 

How does the “Kinks Guide” help with 4C education?

The Kinks Guide helps with 4C education because it’s very specific to somebody who has more coarse, coils and kinky textures but it doesn’t necessarily mean thick because we can have finer textures as well. A misconception is that we have thicker products, but you still need more water when you’re applying it to your hair, so it’s not just about applying the thick products and it’s your one and done right? Your hair still needs to be very saturated, you still need to finger come first and then go through with the brush. It’s tailored to her because we don’t need a dimesize amount in each section or wrap your head in a towel while it’s drying. It’s not the blanket education that you might get on the back of a bottle, it’s very tailored to her experience in the shower and, going to get braids, locs, adding shea butter, you know, because there are some of the misconceptions that. 

One of the benefits of being a direct consumer first is that we know exactly what people are struggling with. We would get a lot of questions in the inbox for customer service with questions like “Do I rinse out the shampoo?” so we learned we can’t assume that people know what we think we know about hair. How do we make it fun to read? How do we make something your not gonna just download and throw away that you will never reference it again. How to make it entertaining? How can we be helpful? What most brands do is they make products they think you’ll buy and that’s it. But what I have learned in my eight years of running two direct consumer brands is that what sets you apart is helping people. The more education you can give them to help figure out how to use your product, the better. It’s not just you take these millions of products and you figure out what you want to do to your hair. It’s like, let me help you achieve the happiness that you seek with your hair.

Which product do you recommend for first-time users?

It is the leave-in which is great because it gets so much slip and I use it on my little boys, because they have really tightly coiled hair. My youngest is so tightly coiled it takes me 4 hours to detangle to do the entire head before I go and braid it up. It’s super slippery and so I think the 4C girl wants slip that’s like #1.

How are your products specifically designed for 4C textures?

We made the products thick, so our shampoo is not a runny shampoo, you can scoop it. You can literally scoop it into the jar and the shampoo will sit in your hand. It has thick, marshmallowy type of texture and so people are always react like “Oh my God, what? This is crazy.” But it looks so cool and then they apply and it’s not as stringent as a clarifying shampoo. so if you were trying to really deep cleanse your hair, our shampoo is not the greatest for that, it’s more moisturizing. It doesn’t strip your hair like a lot of the oils, it cleans it, but it’s just not like squeaky clean, you know.

Our deep conditioner is really thick if you open it in the jar you turn it upside down nothing’s gonna fall out. It’s highly concentrated so for example if you took our deep condition and you rub it in your hand, your whole hand is going to be white right. Whereas if you took like a cheaper drugstore shampoo, you rubbing your head, it might end up being clear because it’s mostly water. Ours is mostly product so you have to add a lot of water to it which means it ends up lasting for a long time. We use 10 ounce jars versus your normal 8 ounces because the 4C girl is going to use more product when she’s doing her hair. We actually have a theme song “I’m too soft, I’m too slick, I’m too thick…and that was the idea was to create a brand with only the 4C woman in mind. 

Are you read to try 4C ONLY? Let us know in the comments!

The love for scalp care products has been real for the past few years with some of our favorite brands debuting scalp care collections dedicated to cleaning, stimulating, and invigorating our hair. Aunt Jackie’s is throwing their hat into the ring of scalp care with their new Elixir Essentials Hair & Scalp Oils Collection. This trio includes pure blended oils formulated with special ingredients such as Biotin, Rosemary, Collagen, Tea Tree Oil, Saw Palmetto, and Jamaican Black Castor to retain hair length and moisture while supporting thicker fuller strands. The three different products ($8.99 each) each target your top hair concerns and can easily be cocktailed into your already-standing hair routine.

We chatted with Monique Salas – VP of Marketing, House of Cheatham to discuss the brand’s newest launch and the benefit it brings to consumers.

Why do you think there has been a renewed interest in scalp care this year?

We’ve really seen a huge resurgence and energy in scalp care in the past couple of years.  We’re also seeing this trend trickle in from skincare. Haircare and scalp care that’s taking a page from skincare routines is on the rise and we’re here for it!

What’s the best way to use the scalp elixir oils?

The beauty of our fleet of Elixir Essentials is that they’re so versatile. It’s one of the many reasons our consumer has seamlessly integrated it into her routine. I love using the elixir as a pre-shampoo treatment and doing a whole root-stimulating scalp massage. Another way to use it is by adding it post-shower on wet or dried hair. The moisture is unmatched. We even love seeing our customers use it throughout the week when their hair feels a little dry or on braids.

 

Why were these ingredients chosen for the collection?

Each of the ingredients we’ve chosen to create our elixir oils is an ingredient that is known for its efficacy and ability to target the specific curls and coils of our consumers. Some of the elements such as Biotin and Tea Tree have been used for centuries and are known to help aid in the hair growth process.

What is a misconception about using hair oils?

I’ve heard consumers shy away from adding hair oils into their routine out of fear it’ll make their hair oilier. In reality, when used the right way in the proper routine for your hair it can be hugely beneficial.

What’s your recommendation for selecting an oil from the collection? Should you go based on needs or goals?

I use all three interchangeably and consistently! I always recommend buying all three and using them based on current hair goals and what you’re striving for in your routine. I’ve also seen consumers having fun and cocktailing the oils as well.

Which scalp elixir do you plan to get your hands on this season? If you’re looking to improve your hair regimen, read more on how you can decide if your scalp needs a detox.

Leader in Spain’s hair care category, I.C.O.N., has been recognized by many, especially with their mission of creating effective, yet eco-friendly products that benefit EVERY hair type.  Founder and hair expert Chiara Scuderi has always been passionate about creating quality products for everyone and empowering women to appreciate their hair as is. I.C.O.N. has custom remedies for all, with development happening right here in Los Angeles, CA. Her latest launch: Power Peptides is a powerful leave-on treatment to treat hair to restore strength, and ensure flexibility, condition, and shine.  

Between her passion behind her CURE line where she donated over half a million dollars to Breast Cancer research, her expertise in maintaining thicker, fuller hair after COVID-19 impacted hair growth with her 5.25 hair growth serum, and her company is made up of 90% women, Chiara is putting her dreams to life of impacting the beauty community and creating high-performance hair products backed by science, passion and ethics. We sat down to chat with Chiara Scuderi about the resurgence of Rosemary Oil in modern hair products and its benefits for hair loss.

BENEFITS OF ROSEMARY OIL FOR HAIR LOSS

1. What are the benefits of rosemary oil for hair? 

Rosemary oil has been used for centuries for its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. It smooths down the cuticle and heals and calms the scalp from irritation and itchiness. Rosemary oil (as well as Peppermint oil) stimulates blood circulation, promoting a healthy scalp and thereby encouraging hair growth. 

2. Are there any particular textures or hair types for which rosemary oil is ideal?

Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, Rosemary oil is ideal for all hair types, but it is erratic (where the cuticle is open – common with curly to coarse hair) and dry textures can benefit from this oil as it smooths and soothes the cuticle.

3. Is applying rosemary oil directly to your hair harmful? Should it be diluted? 

Using essential oils directly on the scalp may irritate, so you should test a small area first. It is best to mix about 3 drops of Rosemary Oil with your shampoo, conditioner, or treatment to receive maximum benefits. If applying directly to the scalp, add only a couple of drops, massage to reduce inflammation nourish the scalp, and use the remaining product from midshaft to ends working it through with your hands to seal the cuticle. 

4. Which rosemary oil-rich products do you recommend? 

At I.C.O.N. we have an amazing product – our detoxifying conditioner Awake contains organic oils (Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, and Rosemary Oil) to detoxify the scalp while protecting and moisturizing the hair. Our clients love the invigorating sensation it gives the scalp.

If you’re looking to understand how you can use rosemary oil to improve your hair health, check out our article hair loss.

Men’s curly hair products span various textures and ingredients whether you’re looking for a cleanse, condition, or upkeep on your beard. While they can have limited options, we’ve seen the brand emerge with new and innovative collections that can provide a good foundation for curly haircare regimens. We’ve compiled the winners you chose from our Best of the Best products and will be breaking down why customers love these products so much!

BEST MEN’S SHAMPOO 

Best Hair Color for All Curl Types: SheaMoisture Men Refreshing Shampoo

It’s time to layer on the moisture and this product delivers natural ingredients to help moisturize the hair like shea butter, neroli oil, and vetiver for a deep cleanse. This is a fan favorite for men because it contains no parabens, sulfates, or mineral oil, and is specially designed for men with a range of different textures and hair types.

Best Hair Color for Type 2 Wavy Hair: Brickell Men’s Products Daily Strengthening Shampoo for Men.

This is a great shampoo for men with type 2 waves looking to thicken, strengthen, and cleanse their hair. As a daily stregthening shampoo contains a unique combination of ingredients like amino acids, peppermint and tea tree oil, and wheat protein to restore hair shine, reduce scalp irritation, and prevent flakes. Users notice an immediate difference to their hair after using this powerful men’s shampoo that soothes and stimulates the scalp and creates a volumizing effect.

Best Hair Color for Type 3 Curly Hair: Young King Hair Care Shampoo

If you’ve got a young man with developing type 3 curls then this is a great shampoo for teaching a simple and effective hair regimen. Young King formulates their product, especially for curly and textured hair, and uses simple ingredients like coconut oil, rosemary oil, and avocado oil for a moisturized cleanse. The avocado and rosemary blend works to promote hair growth and smooth textured hair types with high porosity strands.

Best Hair Color for Type 4 Coily Hair: SheaMoisture Men Refreshing Shampoo

Created and formulated for men with textured hair, this is a refreshing and invigorating shampoo to incorporate into your curly hair regimen. Men with type 4 coils, kinks, and tighter textures enjoy this shampoo because it leaves their hair feeling refreshed and nourished. Ingredients like vetiver and neroli bring the hair a revitalizing cleanse that will keep your hair moisturized and protected from dryness.

BEST MEN’S CONDITIONER 

Best Men’s Conditioner for All Curl Types: Hair Conditioner for Men by Bevel

This sulfate-free conditioner helps to moisturize and condition your hair with excellent slip to detangle the curls. It can be used directly after cleansing the curls and doubles as a deep conditioner if you’re needing extra moisture before rinsing out. Curlies can look forward to a soft, conditioned, and detangled head of hair with a conditioner that can help reduce breakage. 

Best Men’s Conditioner for Type 2 Wavy Hair: Hims Thick Fix Conditioner

It’s time to get it cracking with the thick fix conditioner that supports healthy hair growth for curls. Men with type 2 waves can get on board with this luxurious conditioner that can help hair get thicker, fuller, and softener. As a sulfate-free and vegan conditioner, it contains nourishing ingredients like vitamin B to help hair appear fuller and healthy. 

Best Men’s Conditioner for Type 3 Curly Hair: Hair Conditioner for Men by Bevel

Great hair takes time and this sulfate-free conditioner is a fan favorite with type 3 curies for a reason. The coconut oil and shea butter combination is hydrating and luxurious for textured curls. If you’ve been experiencing dandruff or flaking due to a dry scalp, this hydrating conditioner is a must-have for your regimen. 

Best Men’s Conditioner for Type 4 Coily Hair: Scotch Porter Nourish & Repair Hair Conditioner for Men

Type 4 coils, kinks, and tighter textures can look forward to a deep conditioning treatment that replenishes moisture, repairs damage and strengthens hair from root to tip, leaving hair soft, shiny, and frizz-free. It features fragrant notes of amber, cedarwood, and lemon to give an enriching scent that your hair will love. Ingredients like kale protein and white willow bark help with moisture retention and reduce inflammation.

BEST MEN’S MOISTURIZER 

Best Men’s Moisturizer for All Curl Types: Cantu for Men Leave-In Rinse-Out Conditioner for Hair & Beard

Cantu is bringing you the same great product with a new look to liven up your cabinet. This leave-in/rinse-out conditioner works to provide intense moisture that can help prevent and repair damage while softening and smoothing your curls. The blend of caffeine and hemp seed oil work together to reduce shedding and and promote healthy hair growth. 

Best Men’s Moisturizer for Type 2 Wavy Hair: Tea Tree Hair Moisturizer

This multi-tasking moisturizer is ideal for for type 2 waves because it contains an invigorating blend of peppermint, lavender, and tea tree to cleanse the hair and scalp. It can soothe, hydrate, adn rejuvenate the skin and hair with a refreshing tingle from head to toe. Whether you’re looking to quench your strands with the leave-in or hydrate your skin, this is a win-win product!

Best Men’s Moisturizer for Type 3 Curly Hair: Cantu for Men Leave-In Rinse-Out Conditioner for Hair & Beard

Dry curls don’t stand a chance with this nutrient-dense formula that belends shea butter, tea tree oil, coconut oil, caffeine, and hemp seed oil. This product is excellent for hair and beads because it can improve retention, fight breakage, and deeply moisturize the hair. It can be applied daily from root to tip to build healthy and strong hair.

Best Men’s Moisturizer  for Type 4 Coily Hair: OKAY Black Jamaican Castor Oil

100% Pure Black Jamaican Castor Oil is ideal for type for coils, kinks, and tighter textures because of it’s skin and hair benefits. It works to help stimulate hair follicles, improve blood circulation, and help soothe the scalp and skin. Tighter textures will love the high quality ingredients that nourish and replenishes the scalp with natural oils that help hair become more thicker, fuller, shinier, and manageable.

BEST MEN’S STYLING PRODUCT 

Best Men’s Styling Product for All Curl Types: Bevel Daily Hair Styler

Bevel is back with a remedy for dry hair that works to repair damaged hair with a nutrient-rich formula. Your natural hair will love the biotin and seed oil that provides an intense healing and nourishing benefit to your hair. This product can be used to moisturize and strengthen hair in addition to detangling, and softening curls while controlling frizz.

Best Men’s Styling Product for Type 2 Wavy Hair: Uncle Jimmy Curl Kicker

The Curl-Kicker is here to help define your type 2 waves with a flake free formula that delivers internse moisture. The lightweight cream contains essential oils and extracts provide intense moisture and flexibility to bring out your natural texture. It can be used to style the curls for great definition and shine and be incorporated into your dail grooming routine for your beard. 

Best Men’s Styling Product for Type 3 Curly Hair: Cantu for Men Cream Pomade Flex Hold

We love a good styler and Cantu has a fantastic pomade that can be used daily to provide texture and hold to the curls. This pomade contains nutrient rich ingredients like shea butter and coconut oil that can lock in moisture for control and provide a strong hold without stiffness or residue. Type 3 curlies can look forward to a soft finish with definition that nourishes and enriches your curl pattern.

Best Men’s Styling Product  for Type 4 Coily Hair: Bevel Daily Hair Styler

The Bevel daily lotion styler works great with type 4 textures because it moisturizes and strengthens textured hair for damage repair, detangling, and curl softening. The biotin and hemp seed oil works to smoothen and soften your hair with an intense healing nourishing combination in one bottle. This a premium styler to add to your grooming collection for daily use!

Which men’s curly hair products do you plan to shop for this season?

Who doesn’t love a great Wash and Go? They are the easiest way to style and maintain your curls and help keep your signature tresses, coiled, curled, and bouncing all week long. A wash and go consists of shampoos and styling products that you layer on your hair to help improve your curl and coil pattern. The key to taking your wash and go to the next level is understanding your hair texture to know which products fit best for your regimen. Curly, coily, and wavy textures all benefit from a wash and go to keep hair shiny, happy, and healthy. We’re breaking down the winners you chose from our 2023 Best of the Best awards, let’s get into all the details below.

BEST GEL

Best Gel for All Curl Types: The Doux Bee Girl Curl Custard

The Bee Girl Honey Curl Custard is an all-around favorite because of its amazing hydration and definition it brings to an array of curl types and textures. Users love it for its ability to create a tight curl without any crunch or flaky residue. It can be easily applied on wet hair and raked through the hair for fluffy and bouncy curls.

Best Gel for Type 2 Wavy Hair: Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Heat and Humidity Gel

Say goodbye to frizz with this award-winning gel that is infused with ceramides and defines curls with a strong, long-lasting hold. Designed for extreme humidity, this helps to bring hod and definition to finer curls with a crunch-free finish. The combination of sericin, anti-frizz nano technology, and molecules works to protect your curls in any climate. 

Best Gel for Type 3 Curly Hair: Curls Sea Moss Curl Slime

Are you ready to get your hair silk shiny with this vitamin-infused curl jelly? Curls bring a new style of gel with their Sea Slip Mineral Infused Curl Slime that moisturizes and defines dry hair with a medium hold. It’s ideal for type 3 curlies because it helps to nourish and moisturize hair which protects the hair from damage when styling. Its anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, and anti-fungal ingredients help deliver shiny and hydrated curls.

Best Gel for Type 4 Coily Hair: The Doux Bee Girl Curl Custard

The Doux knew what it was doing for type 4 textures when it dropped their honey curl custard. Coily, kinky, and tighter textures love this product because its super-charged honey formula helps to give a hydration boost to thirsty hair. The combination of aloe, vitamins B, C, and E are great for growth and protection and help seal in moisture, fight frizz, and boost shine. 

BEST HAIR BUTTER 

Best Hair Butter for All Curl Types: Mielle Organics Moisture Rx Hawaiian Ginger Moisturizing Hair Butter

Let’s bring back the moisture to thirsty and dry curls with Mielle Organic’s moisturizing hair butter. This works exceptionally well with all hair textures and types because it’s infused with fruit extract, coconut oil, and ginger oil which can be used directly after you shampoo your hair. If you’re looking for a boost of shine and a way to lock in moisture during these summer months, this is your go-to product.

Best Hair Butter for Type 2 Wavy Hair: Innersense Inner Peace Whipped Creme Texturizer

Innersense is here to bring your curls inner peace with their whipped creme texturizer that focuses on hold, separation, and texture. As a lightweight texturizing formula with shea butter and bee-friendly honey, you can look forward to flexible and defined waves. For type 2 waves and finer curls, this is a very moisturizing formula that protects from humidity, and elimination frizz, and flyaways.

Best Hair Butter for Type 3 Curly Hair: Mielle Organics Moisture Rx Hawaiian Ginger Moisturizing Hair Butter

Type 3 curlies love this product because it can be added to any hair regimen before styling whether you want a wash-and-go, twist-out, braid-out, or Bantu knots. Curlies love these ingredients because they are packed with nourishment and naturally derived from fruits like ginger oil, orange and lemon extract, and coconut oil. Get ready for moisture and hydration with this power-packed product.

Best Hair Butter for Type 4 Coily Hair: Qhemet Biologics Burdock Root Butter Cream

Let’s get to the root of how type 4 coils, kinks, and tighter textures benefit from the moisture-filled Burdock Root Butter Cream. This creamy leave-in helps with textures that have dry or medium-low porosity by delivering lightweight moisture without buildup. The ingredients include olive oil, oat straw, and burdock root to strengthen the follicle, reduce shedding, and soften and condition the hair.

BEST MOUSSE 

Best Mousse for All Curl Types: The Doux Mousse Def Texture Foam

Hello to a dual-use mousse that we can’t get enough of! This Mousse Def Texture Foam is great for helping any curl type or texture achieve shine, definition, and volume. This is loved by so many curlies and coilies because it helps you achieve maximum definition without the pesky flaking and crunching associated with normal mousses. 

Best Mousse for Type 2 Wavy Hair: Innersense I Create Lift Volumizing Foam

Your curls can enjoy a shiny, healthy, and defining finish from root to tip with this lightweight styler. Innersense brings volume, texture, shape, and sculpting powers to wet and dry curls looking for a boost between washes. This volumizing foam is created with aloe vera, honey, lavender, and orange flower oil for defined curls.

Best Mousse for Type 3 Curly Hair: Design Essentials Curl Enhancing Mousse

We’re jumping for joy with curls that pop and sing because the Design Essentials Natural Almond & Avocado Curl Enhancing Mousse gets the job done! This mousse is formulated with wheat protein that helps to penetrate the hair cuticle for stronger and healthier-looking hair. The blend of avocado, almond, and olive oil helps to enhance curl definition and provide a luminous shine without any flaking.

Best Mousse for Type 4 Coily Hair: The Doux Mousse Def Texture Foam

Give us all the texture and definition to help our coils, kinks, and texture shine through. The Mousse Def Texture Foam delivers because it contains natural humectants and silk proteins that resist humidity and strengthen hair while leaving an amazing shine. This is fantastic for type 4 textures because it helps with manageability and hold.

Which combination of products do you use for the ultimate wash and go? If you’re looking to understand how to build these into your routine, check out “A Week in the Life of My Frizz-Free Routine.”

What was your relationship with your natural hair growing up?

JT from the City Girls is carving her own lane in the beauty world with her newest KISS Colors & Care collaboration. As a brand dedicated to celebrating individual self-expression through high-quality hair products, JT brings her own unique style to the collection. JT’s love for different hairstyles has kept her a pro at switching up her look and vibe. Her passion for braids, stunning updos, and gorgeous locks make her the perfect advocate for the new KISS Colors & Care styling products. The new styling collection includes Braid, Loc and Twist stylers, Edge Fixer Wax sticks, and Reversible Premium Crepe Satin Hair Bonnet Super Jumbo and Braid Bonnet.

I wouldn’t describe it as nappy, but I would say brittle. My hair was so brittle because of the perms, but now that I don’t do them anymore, it is softer than ever. I have type 4c hair and it’s beautiful, soft, and it’s so cute now.

Did you have any women you looked for hair inspiration growing up?

Growing up, most of the women that I looked up to were wearing weaves which I saw with groups I loved like Destiny’s Child.  Like growing up. I couldn’t get my hair like theirs growing up because they were wearing weaves although sometimes Beyoncé would do the blonde braids in the front and the curly hair in the back. That was my favorite hairstyle to get done by my stylist growing up and I wore it every year up until middle school. I really, really liked how Alicia Keys used to wear her hair with braids and the afro on the side. My stepmom used to braid hair so that was an achievable style. I couldn’t get the little Kim hair because we were on a budget but I could get the capelli hair with the blue magic hair grease and my stepmom would crochet it in.

Why did you choose KISS Colors for a haircare partnership?

Well, KISS Colors is a big, big brand and I feel like I’m a big brand as well so it was a perfect marriage. You see KISS colors everywhere from their accessories, hair products, and makeup and it was a big part of upbringing. I remember running into Walgreens shopping for hair, makeup, or lashes and really being captivated by their beauty products. It was a dream come true to partner with KISS Colors because it felt like an “I made it” moment. I love their edge control, scarves, and headbands, they were such a big part of my childhood and now I get to collaborate with them for my own collection.

What was the collaboration process like with Kiss Colors?

It was a very 50/50 process because we both came together and identified the products that would be perfect for me to collaborate on. I think my favorite segment is that they’re starting their own wig products which was the most exciting part. I personally needed more products for my braids, edges, and wigs, especially my edges which is where the edge control came into play. The apple-scented edge control is my favorite, but all of their products have a sweet smell I enjoy because there are a lot of products that I’ve tried in the past and it’s just after a while your hair starts to stink. You don’t want to go around, you know your partner or a group of friends, and then your hair starts to stink because of the product. 

How do you practice maintaining healthy hair between weaves, wigs, and extensions?

Well, my hair when I take down my hair, I always get my hair washed and a hot oil treatment. I’m about to get one today and then I sew my hair in and let my hair breathe or my hairstylist always oils my braids between wearing wigs. I also enjoy a good deep conditioning treatment and make sure I trim my hair all the time. 

How do you achieve a balance between wearing wigs, weaves, and braids with your natural hair?

It definitely depends on the event. If I’m not on the stage then I will wear my natural baby hairs out and put them out on a sew-in or braids. But if I’m performing and I’m not wearing braids then I have to wear a wig because of the sun and me bouncing around with my natural hair would just frizz up. The sun, humidity, and my hair don’t really get along so I have to wear a wig for performances. 

You have amazing edges, what’s the secret to keeping them slick and laid down?

When wigs first came out, I don’t think we knew how to properly take them off without damaging our edges. Now I can wear a wig, take my wigs off and wear a leave-out like tonight with my real hair. I won’t have any tan lines, bald spots, or damage. 

I love to lay my edges down with the KISS Color cheetah brush, it’s gonna fight the edges back. You need something that’s gonna fight back with your edges like some brushes will not lay your edges down and you’ll be swooping forever. Just came from. Personally, I love products that are light and can help my edges still maintain a natural look. I don’t like looking like I have black gel on my edges from back in the day, you always you got to keep it cute. You don’t want to be laying your edges with a Colgate brush. 

We’re coming into the hotter months, what’s your ideal protective style for the summer?

I would say a wig because they are versatile and you can swap it out depending on your mood for the day. I just love to have fun with wigs because you can change the colors, flat iron them 100 times without any damage and I don’t have to commit to a certain color. Check out the new collection from KISS Colors and JT available at KISSColors.com, Amazon.com, and select Walmart and CVS stores.

If you’re interested in learning how you can use these products for your protective styles and wigs, read more from Celebrity stylist Arrogant Tae to create your ultimate protective styles.

There’s nothing worse during the hot summer season than frizzy hair and finding the right styler can be a bigger challenge with so many options on the shelf.  Frizzy hair can be caused by a range of factors like dryness, lack of hold in your products, styling techniques, and humidity. While we can’t control all of these factors, we can control the types of styling products we use that need to be moisture rich. You voted and we’re sharing the stylers that won your heart this season which can help to smooth and hydrate your curls! 

BEST STYLING CREAM

Best Styling Cream for All Curl Types: Melanin Haircare Twist Elongating Style Cream

If you’re looking for a buildable and lightweight styling cream, look no further than this nourishing, hydrating product that helps with detangling and manageability. As a natural styling cream, this was created for a range of hair textures with 5 nutrient-rich butters that work with thick, coarse, thin, and soft hair. You can watch your curls instantly transform into defined, shiny, and healthy textures that you will love.

Best Styling Cream for Type 2 Wavy Hair: Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Defining Hair Cream

Let’s maximize our definition with this cream that adds a little extra bounce to type 2 curls and waves. As a daily styler, the curls benefit from hydrating ingredients from the rice curl complex that include amino acids, enzymes, and keratin. This muti-functional product provides a range of benefits such as sealing in moisture, and adding shine, and is safe for color-treated hair.

Best Styling Cream for Type 3 Curly Hair: Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Featherlight Styling Cream

As their best-selling styling cream Ouidad has infused anti-frizz nano technology with this product to help users achieve shiny and hydrated curls regardless of the climate they are in. The lightweight oils blended into the formula help to create a soft and flexible definition for touchable curls. It can be applied on damp curls and activated with a diffuser or by air-drying. 

Best Styling Cream for Type 4 Coily Hair: Melanin Haircare Twist Elongating Style Cream

Since this was specially formulated for thick and coarser textures, it’s no secret that this is a favorite for type 4 textures. It can be easily applied to wet or dry curls and works as a vitamin-rich detangler that is highly adaptable and buildable with other products. As a vegan and clean ingredient product, this is ideal for men, women, and children and is non-toxic.

BEST ANTI-FRIZZ PRODUCT

Best Anti-Frizz Product for All Curl Types: Mizani Press Agent Smoothing, Frizz Control Blow Dry Styling Serum

Say hello to a styling serum that is here to add shine, lock in moisture, and smooth the cuticle! This layerable blowdry serum can withstand heat up to 450 degrees which can help you achieve the ultimate blowout during the summer months. It’s ideal for all hair types and textures because of its ability to tame dry hair and prevent frizz and flyaways.

Best Anti-Frizz Product for Type 2 Wavy Hair: COLOR WOW Dream Coat Supernatural Spray Anti-Frizz Treatment

As the #1 anti-frizz treatment that waterproofs your hair to stop frizz even in the worst humidity, it’s no secret why type 2 wavies love this product. This advanced formula leaves hair super glossy, glassy, and ultra-smooth with humidity-blocking technology that stops moisture from ruining your style. It’s an ultra-light spray, doubles as a heat protectant, and can last through 3-4 shampoos.

Best Anti-Frizz Product for Type 3 Curly Hair: Living Proof No Frizz Instant De-Frizzer

Frizz does not stand a chance with this dry conditioning spray that is an instant de-frizzer for type 3 curls. As a dry conditioning spray, this tames up to 92% of frizz and leaves your hair smooth, soft, and shiny while replenishing the hair’s lost natural lipids. If you’re looking to revive your curls between wash days, this can take your dull strands to dynamic in a few simple steps.

Best Anti-Frizz Product for Type 4 Coily Hair: Mizani Press Agent Smoothing, Frizz Control Blow Dry Styling Serum

So nice we, you voted on it twice for type 4 coils, kinks, and tighter textures. The jasmine, grapefruit, and mandarin floral medley will have your hair shining as it stays sleek and frizz-free. This can be easily applied to wigs, braids, and twists, and will still help lock in moisture and prevent flyaways. 

BEST HEAT PROTECTANT 

Best Heat Protectant for All Curl Types: EDEN BodyWorks Hibiscus Honey Blow Dry Cream

This silky thermal protectant is an excellent choice for helping to safeguard your curls against heat damage. It provides heat protection for a variety of hair textures and helps to control frizz all day long for a sleek and smooth look you will love. As a 2019 BOB winner, it’s proved to be a consistent fan-favorite product for heat protection.

Best Heat Protectant for Type 2 Wavy Hair: Pantene Heat Protectant Spray with Jojoba Oil for Curly Hair

The moisture lock curl mist with jojoba oil is rich in Vitamin E and helps to detangle and define curls. As a hairspray, it protects against heat and allows you to use a variety of hot tools without any damage. It can be sprayed evenly on dry, styled hair and used as a finisher to help hold your style throughout the day.

Best Heat Protectant for Type 3 Curly Hair: OUAI Hair Oil, Multitasking Oil Protects from UV/Heat Damage and Frizz

As a lightweight, multitasking oil that fights frizz, prevents heat/UV damage, and delivers a super smooth finish. This product works great for medium and thicker textures and is packed with African galanga, ama oil, and Asian borage oils to keep color from fading and protect from heat damage. It can help improve split ends and has great fragrance notes like violet and gardenia.

Best Heat Protectant for Type 4 Coily Hair: EDEN BodyWorks Hibiscus Honey Blow Dry Cream

Eden Bodyworks never disappoints when it comes to protecting your curls and this hibiscus honey blow-dry cream is no exception. With ingredients like honey and hibiscus sabadariffa flower extract, tighter textures will love applying this to their hair before they add any heat. 

Are you wondering how to choose the right styler for your hair? Read more on how you can Choose the Right Products Depending on The Weather.

Texture on the Runway put sustainable fashion, glamour, texture, and ballroom at the forefront of the runway during Beautycon earlier this month. ESSENCE Content Director Nandi Howard hosted the elaborate event that saw a diverse array of models strut their stuff on a neon catwalk. Each of the models sported jumpsuits, two-piece outfits, jackets, and dresses in vibrant patterns and ombre colored designs by BruceGlen.

As a celebration of Black culture and natural hair, Texture on the Runway shows the beauty of blending high end fashion with coily and tighter textures. Audience members were treated to jaw-dropping hairstyles like floor-length box braids, regal afros, and textured updos that showed the versatility and beauty of natural hair. Models of different body types, textures, and gender sashayed down the catwalk and wowed the crowd with vibrant looks and styles that would even rival fashion week.

Texture on the Runway had incredible energy: from the announcer and vibrant clothes all the way down to the next-level hair. I loved that show incorporated a variety of textures and looks including floor-length box braids, wigs, blonde-dipped pony tails and so much more. It made me excited to switch up my look and reminded me once again of the beauty and versatility of Black hair– we can truly rock anything!- Akili King, Senior Beauty Director at Essence

Celebrity hairstylists Tater Pazon and Mandy D. Williams were the dynamic duo pairing the beautiful waves, kinky curls, and tight coils with the 1970s retro-inspired style of clothing. The blend of natural hair textures and colorful luxury clothing from BruceGlen lit up the Beautycon stage with a clear message, our textures are here to stay and we’ll celebrate them. Texture on The Runway wouldn’t be complete without a showstopping performance to close out the show and the House of Balenciaga exthued confidence and showmanship with a Vogue performance.

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“Texture on the Runway was an amazing experience for being able to see diverse and extremely unique styles for both hair and clothing. It was an honor to be able to be a judge for something so special! –Justice Jackson, Social Media Influencer

How fabulous are these looks? Stay tuned for more Texture On the Runway coming to a city near you this year!

We all know the dread that happens whenever you’re enjoying a nice long shower and then your hair starts falling out. This can happen in different ways whether it’s small pieces or long pieces, but it can be challenging to your hair all over the tub. There are several factors that can affect hair loss like styling routine, hormones, gender, and genetics, but that doesn’t stop us from wondering how much hair loss is normal. What’s too much and should I be concerned? In honor of National Hair Loss Awareness Month, we’re talking about all the ins and outs of hair loss in the shower.

How Hair Grows

Hair has several stages and phases that determine how fast, thick, long, and strong it grows. There are three stages that describe how our hair grows: Anagen, Catagen, and Telogen which break down how active our hair grows at any given time. These phases cover how our hair follicles produce individual hairs before the last phase Exogen which sheds old hair so new hair can take its place. What helps to maintain our hair health during these stages are nutrition, vitamins, reduced stress, and proper hair care.

Hair Shedding vs. Hair Loss

Before we can go into how hair loss occurs, let’s get an understanding of what is considered normal. A 2018 scientific study showed that on average a person sheds about 100 hairs a day. The American Academy of Dermatology Association conducted a study that this can only increase when you get older and that hair loss differs from hair shedding. Hair shedding is described as a normal activity we all encounter, but stressors like weight loss, giving birth, and recovery from an illness can exacerbate hair shedding. Typically hair shedding is normal and temporary and your hair will bounce back between six to nine months. Hair loss differs from hair shedding because there are factors that stop the hair from growing back such as hairstyles, genetics, or medicine that you are taking. 

Celebrity stylist Felicia Leatherwood shares that “Hair is at its most fragile state when wet, so you find that when washing your hair in the shower, you can experience more breakage. Hair shedding is also normal in the shower if you have not detangled the hair properly before. Hair shedding is normal, but hair loss is not. You may also find that if your hair lacks protein or something is going on with your diet or stress, it can snap very easily. The hair almost becomes like a weak rubber band when it’s wet and will snap easily.” 

Factors That Affect Hair Loss

While there are many factors outside of your control that are causing your hair loss in the shower, here are a few to consider. 

• Water temperature: How hot or cold your water is can severely impact your hair follicles, in the same way, using heat tools can. A hot shower is great, but hot water can make your curls more susceptible to breakage and frizziness. It can also affect your scalp by drying your hair follicles which can lead to inflammation or dandruff.

• Over shampooing: You should never be overwashing your curls, but if you must, then you need to ditch the shampoo. Over-shampooing can remove your natural oils and sebum and irritate and damage your hair follicles. At best you should be shampooing no more than 1-2x a week, but anything more could be contributing to your hair loss.

• Drying with a cotton towel: Your is fragile and delicate and should be treated with care even when you get out of the shower. Using linens like a cotton towel can put stress on our cuticles and hair follicles and result in breakage and thinning. The thickness and constant pulling against your hair, when it’s wet, can gradually lead to additional hair loss over time. Try swapping out the cotton for a microfiber towel which can be a big game changer for your wash day.

Best Practices For Washing Your Hair

Now, does the shower have to be our enemy? Absolutely not. Cleansing our curls is one of the most important aspects of our hair care, but we have to start implementing practices to do it the right way. 

Leatherwood shares “When you’re detangling your hair while in the shower and not using your fingers to do it, you will experience snapping and breakage. You should use a tool such as the Felicia Leatherwood Detangling Brush, to aid in detangling. Also, make sure that you are using

a really good, conditioner like the Pardon My Fro Detangler Leave-in Conditioner from root to end of the hair. Then section your hair in 4 sections with your fingers very gently/delicately and brush through and detangle from the bottom of the hair back towards the scalp towards the root of the hair. If you notice that you have two hands full of hair, then you may need to add protein treatment for remedying, followed by deep condition to add moisture. Anything more than that, there’s something more serious going on and you should see a doctor.”

Have you experienced any hair loss in the shower? What remedies worked best for you? Let us know in the comments!

Who doesn’t love a good conditioner? It’s typically the second step in your hair regime after giving your curls a good cleanse with your shampoo. Conditioners can not only add hydration back to your hair but also help to detangle, reduce frizz, and add definition to your curls, coils, and waves. Every conditioner works differently depending on its function, use, and ingredients, but you voted, and we’re ready to break down the winners of our Best of the Best awards for 2023.

Whether you’re looking for a co-wash, leave-in conditioner, conditioner, or deep conditioner, we’ve got something for everyone!

BEST CO-WASH 

Best Co-Wash for All Curl Types: Eden BodyWorks All Natural Cleansing CoWash

This conditioning co-wash is excellent for detangling any hair texture due to its rich ingredients which include coconut oil, aloe vera leaf juice, and shea butter. This has been a staple of any curly regimen for years because of its ability to quickly remove residue between regular washings, promote a healthy hair environment, and promote healthy hair growth. It’s affordable, thick, and very easy to incorporate into your hair regimen.

Best Co-Wash for Type 2 Wavy Hair: As I Am Coconut CoWash Cleansing Conditioner

As I Am has been bringing a game-changing co-wash to curlies for years and they aren’t stopping anytime soon. This co-wash is very gentle for type 2 wavies looking to preserve moisture and is an alternative to your normal shampoo routine. As an award-winning conditioner, it has a great blend of tangerine, coconut oil, castor oil, and saw palmetto, that works with your waves to gently remove product buildup, residue, and scalp sebum from your hair.

Best Co-Wash for Type 3 Curly Hair: Curlsmith Curl Quenching Conditioning Wash

Curlsmith is bringing us a co-wash that also includes cleaning properties that are gentle on the scalp and can melt away dirt and buildup. For type 3 curlies with medium to coarse thickness, this is great for frequent cleansing without sacrificing the natural moisture and oils from your hair. The creamy non-foaming blend of avocado oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, and shea butter can be massaged into the scalp to give you a gentle cleanse you’re going to love as you transition into your styling products.

Best Co-Wash for Type 4 Coily Hair: Eden BodyWorks All Natural Cleansing CoWash

We’re eyeing our type 4 coilies looking to change up their co-wash game with this cleansing and conditioning co-wash. This is a great option to us if you rock coils and kinks because it helps to blast build-up and residue, condition hair between washes, and can be used generously. The blend of ingredients ensures a hydrating and moisturizing experience that your coils will love.

BEST LEAVE-IN

Best Leave-In for All Curl Types: Camille Rose Naturals Honey Hydrate Leave-In Conditioner

A hallmark product from their “leave-in” collection, this product is here to provide maximum hair hydration for everyone. The simple blend of honey, olive fruit oil, and aloe leaf juices can be applied to damp hair liberally to ensure moisture across every strand. If you’re looking to achieve soft, smooth, and moisturized hair that will protect your hair from damage, this is a product to add to your arsenal.

Best Leave-In for Type 2 Wavy Hair: Bounce Curl Moisture Balance Leave-In Conditioner

Bounce Curl is bringing the juice with their Moisture Balance Leave-In Conditioner which is ultra-concentrated and works to provide the ultimate nourishment for customers sporting waves. The leave-in is blended with 5 ancient eastern Mediterranean oils Egyptian, neroli, jojoba, olive, and argan oil which provides fantastic moisture and daily protection. A little goes a long way with this product and is clinically proven to help improve shine and moisture retention.

Best Leave-In for Type 3 Curly Hair: Curlsmith Weightless Air Dry Curly Hair Cream

If you’re looking for a versatile leave-in conditioner that can be easily incorporated into your routine, type 3 curlies, Curlsmith is calling your name. The silky and lightweight texture is great for finer curls because it includes lightweight ingredients such as castor oil, jojoba, babassu, and murumuru butter to provide nourishment for your texture. This product is best applied with wet curls after a wash day so the hair shaft and cuticles can easily absorb the coat the curls.

Best Leave-In for Type 4 Coily Hair: Camille Rose Naturals Honey Hydrate Leave-In Conditioner

Calling our type 4 textures with coils and kinks looking for maximum hair hydration, this product is here for your hair.  The simple blend of honey, olive fruit oil, and aloe leaf juices can be applied to damp hair liberally to ensure moisture across every strand. As a hydrating conditioning base, the hair can be transformed into smooth and soft textures that can maintain moisture and be protected from damage.

BEST CONDITIONER 

Best Conditioner for All Curl Types: Mielle Organics Pomegranate & Honey Moisturizing & Detangling Conditioner

Mielle is always a winner in our books and the Pomegranate & Honey Moisturizing and Detangling Conditioner can help any hair type and texture achieve shiny, smooth hair with the ultimate slip and texture. This has versatile uses whether you’re looking to cleanse the curls as a leave-in conditioner, prime the hair before styling, or define the curls. Whether you have thick, fine, or curly hair, this is an excellent conditioner to help improve your texture.

Best Conditioner for Type 2 Wavy Hair: Maui Moisture Curl Quench + Coconut Oil Curl-Defining Anti-Frizz Conditioner

Your curls take front and center with this rich oil blend conditioner that blends papaya butter and plumeria extract. For our type 2 wavies this is a fantastic product for helping to detangle, defrizz, and define your curls. It’s a very moisturizing and curl-enhancing conditioner that helps with softness and shine.

Best Conditioner for Type 3 Curly Hair: Mielle Organics Pomegranate & Honey Moisturizing & Detangling Conditioner

We love a great conditioner and that’s why Mielle Organics made the list twice! Type 3 curlies love this product for its ability to provide intense hydration with a silky feel that locks in moisture for thick and curly hair. Its detangling properties create a shiny and smooth-to-the-touch hair experience that conditions, primes, and defines the curls.

Best Conditioner for Type 4 Coily Hair: Donna’s Recipe by Tabitha Brown Sweet Potato Pie Extra Creamy Moisturizing Conditioner

Donna’s Recipe Sweet Potatoe Pie Extra Creamy Moisturizing Conditioner has a wonderfully sweet and creamy texture full of nutrient-rich ingredients like sweet potato extract, cinnamon, and vanilla. It works exceptionally well with type 4 coils and kinks because it helps with moisture, frizz control, scalp nutrients, and shine. Customers love its nourishing hair and scalp properties that help with hair growth, build-up, and prevent dullness in the hair,

BEST DEEP CONDITIONER 

Best Deep Conditioner for All Curl Types: Tgin Honey Miracle Hair Mask Deep Conditioner

Let’s give a round of applause to our deep conditioner that took the prize as best for all curl types and textures. The Miracle RepaiRx Deep Hydrating Hair Mask helps to restore dry and damaged hair with biotin and castor oil. If you’ve experienced any damage due to dryness or color treatments, this is a deep conditioner to keep in your product arsenal.

Best Deep Conditioner for Type 2 Wavy Hair: amikaThe Kure Intense Bond Repair Hair Mask

If you’re looking for an intense bond repair mask, look no further than the Kure which helps to reduce breakage and prevent future damage for finer textures like type 2 waves. It was specially formulated for thick and coarser hair types and includes ingredients like mango, shea butter, and borage oil. The clinically tested and proven results are deeply hydrating and can provide significant help to dry and brittle hair.

Best Deep Conditioner for Type 3 Curly Hair: Camille Rose Naturals Black Castor Oil + Chebe Deep Conditioner

We love a rich and nutrient-filled deep conditioner and Camille Rose is bringing a  hair butter that is crafted and designed to restore moisture for thicker hair textures. Type 3 curlies will benefit from the strengthening power of African Chebe Powder and Jamaican Castor Oil for healthy hair growth and maximum softness. It can be applied liberally to freshly washed and conditioned strands and be used to moisturize and set protective styles. 

Best Deep Conditioner for Type 4 Coily Hair: Tgin Honey Miracle Hair Mask Deep Conditioner

Type 4 coilies can look forward to improved shine, manageability, and a deep conditioner that locks in moisture and repairs damage. The Miracle RepaiRx Deep Hydrating Hair Mask reduces shedding and breakage while restoring life to any damage your hair has experienced over your lifetime. You can enjoy a deep treatment after cleansing your hair and then rinsing it out with warm water for maximum results.

Are we excited about this amazing list of conditioners? If you’re looking to improve your conditioning technique, read our article on The Dos and Don’ts of Deep Conditioning. Let us know in the comments below!

We spent all month covering the ins and outs of hair loss from how it happens, and what is normal. Hair loss occurs from a variety of factors outside of our control like genetics, immune deficiencies, and stress. Research shows that there are certain drugs and treatments that can directly contribute to our hair loss. Creatine is a controversial supplement in the hair community because it has not been scientifically proven to cause hair loss. You’ve probably heard of creatine as it’s a common muscle-building supplement to improve your body composition. Fitness is an important function of our daily lives so we decided to explore if creatine correlates with hair loss. 

What is Creatine?

Creatine is a popular supplement amongst athletes and fitness enthusiasts for its ability to improve muscle mass, performance, and recovery. It can be consumed in a powder form as a dietary supplement or through meat and is an amino-acid derivative. Creatine naturally occurs in our body from our kidneys and liver after eating protein. Taking creatine helps elevate your body’s energy levels and build your muscles without bulking up. Many people who consume creatine can have an older age range because it helps to slow age-related muscle loss. Other people take it to help improve neurological functions like memory and related diseases like Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s.  

How Creatine Affects Hair

The conversation regarding creatine and hair loss happened when in 2009 scientists monitoring rugby players consuming creatine over a week-long period saw an increase in dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is a metabolite of testosterone which for males can shrink hair follicles and lead to hair loss, which can also lead to baldness but this has been determined more of a myth than a hard fact. The rugby study showed an increase in testosterone no definitive proof that consuming creatine led to any hair loss or baldness in their subjects. The short-term effects of creatine usually include weight gain since it focuses on targeting muscle growth and helping achieve greater gains. 

The Verdict

At this point, creatine is not proven to negatively impact hair health or result in hair loss, but you should always do your research before incorporating any new supplements into your routine. Everybody reacts to supplements and vitamins differently, so if you’re concerned how this could affect your curls or coils, we always recommend seeking out the expertise of a medical professional. You can easily purchase creatine at any vitamin or supplement store in a powder form, energy bar, tablet, or drink mix. Since creatine is a naturally occurring substance that our body already produces, some dieticians recommend that it’s best for vegetarians who don’t consume creatine as part of their regular diet. 

What are your thoughts on creatine? Have you ever taken it and seen a change in your curls? If you’re experiencing hair loss, read our latest article on Why is Hair Loss More Common for Women with Curly Hair?

Monique Rodriguez has helped revolutionize the natural hair game with her best-selling collections of Mielle Organics products. For years she has been bringing us products with rich ingredients that help tackle any hair and scalp issue you may be having. Her beauty products span hair, skin, and nails, with a blend of herbs and amino acids to help support your immune system. She focuses on healthy ingredients incorporated into each luxurious collection she has created for her global customer base. With so many fantastic options, it can be hard to determine what you need to shop for, but we’ve rounded up the most popular Mielle Organics products to make it easier.

Read more below to learn how these Mielle Organics products can help take your hair to the next level!

Rice Water & Aloe Vera Braid Set Foam

Are you ready to set it and forget it with a fast-drying foam that can help your braids last for days? The Rice Water & Aloe Vera ingredients help to moisturize, strengthen, and nourish hair which can help retain length when wearing a protective style. The foam blends with synthetic and human hair and can be used on wet or dry hair to smooth fly-aways and prevent braid frizz.

Moisture RX Hawaiian Ginger Moisturizing Overnight Conditioner

As our 2023 Best of the Best Hair Butter, to say this is a winning product is an understatement. This overnight conditioner help to restore moisture to your hair while you sleep provides intense hydration, and protects your hair from split ends. If you’re a Type 3 curly, you will love how hydrated, shiny, and soft your texture becomes after applying this conditioner to your hair overnight and rinsing it out in the morning before your shampoo. 

 Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil

It’s no secret that this product became a viral sensation in 2023 as the #1 hair oil in the US market, but it is also the 2023 winner for our Best of the Best Hair Growth product. Customers love this product because it features more than 30 essential oils and nutrients that nourish hair follicles, smooth split ends, and help with dry scalp. It can be directly applied to the scalp or integrated into any scalp treatment routine like a hot oil treatment.

Mango & Tulsi Nourishing Instant 3-IN-1 Serum

If you’re looking for instant satisfaction, this instant 3-IN-1 Serum offers a trio of benefits by nourishing, repairing, and strengthening damaged hair and split ends. It can be easily applied to help improve weak and frizzy hair that has been damaged by hair color and excessive heat. It is truly versatile and can be used to help repair the ends of the hair during a wash n go, smooth out styles after blow drying, or can be applied as a finisher after your routine.

Sea Moss Gel Hair Masque

As one of the newest Mielle products, the Sea Moss Gel Hair Masque is already making waves with customers for its unique combination of hydration and moisture. If you’re experiencing dry or brittle hair this is an excellent, lightweight product that promotes shinier and healthier hair. It can be applied after cleansing your hair for a deep hydration that your curls will love during these summer months.

Oats and Honey Sooth Scalp Stick

Dry scalp does not stand a chance with the Oats & Honey scalp stick that is convenient and easy to apply to dry or itchy scalp. The soothing ingredients of oats, honey, olive, and mango combine to saturate and nourish your scalp leaving it feeling calm and refreshed. It can be used by any gender and and is perfect for on-the-go hydration.

Pomegranate Honey & Curl Defining Mousse

Mousse is all the rage this summer season because of it’s hydrating and easy application to our dry curls. This is an excellent mousse for type 4 curlies looking for a non-sticky mousse that will hold and define their curls. Ingredients like apple, honey, and aloe help add moisture and hydration that will rejuvenate your curls when you need it the most. It can be applied to damp or dry curls from the root to ends for fantastic results.

Mint Almond Oil

This luxurious oil has been a crowd favorite for years because it helps promote healthy hair and soothes and balances the scalp. The rich blend of mentha and almond oil with glycine soja helps to bind each strand and helps to lock in moisture. As an organic oil, it’s super lightweight and has a sweet, refreshing scent that your hair will love.

Brazilian Curly Cocktail Cream

Who doesn’t love soft and defined curls? Mielle’s Curly Cocktail Cream is a specialized formula that is designed to help hair absorb the product quickly and lock in moisture. If you’re looking to achieve frizz-free curls then this is a must-have product that you want to include in your product arsenal. This is a curl cream that contains a rich blend of Brazilian oils and can be applied to damp hair.

Moisturizing Avocado Hair Milk

Hair milk is an important part of your hair routine that can help provide hydration to very thirsty hair. As an award-winning moisturizer with organic ingredients like jojoba oil, avocado oil, and sage extract, it can be used to seal ends and refresh curls alongside your favorite leave-in conditioner. It’s light enough to be a daily moisturizer that you can continually apply to improve length retention and make your curls more manageable.

Mongongo Oil Thermal & Heat Protectant Spray

The heat is no joke this season which means protection is key to helping sustain healthy hair. The Mongongo Thermal and Heat Protectant Spray can be used with a high heat style whether you’re blow drying or straightening your hair. Using a heat protectant helps to reduce frizz, maintain shine, and prevent your hair from being damaged when applying a high level of heat. 

Honey & Ginger Styling Gel

Gel is a curly staple for your product arsenal that is extremely moisturizing and hydrating during the summer months. This amazing Honey and Ginger Styling Gel is great for freshly washed curls or second day curls needing a bit of a refresh. The blend of ginger, aloe, and honey make a fantastic combination of nourishing ingredients that can smooth frizz, enhance definition, and help create a manageable hold for your hair.

If you’re interested in trying out her viral Rosemary Mint Scalp Oil, read more about the 4 Ways to Use Rosemary for Hair Growth.

We’re leaving summer behind and about to embrace the fall season which means you may be looking for your new signature style. Look no further than the French bob haircut which has been undeniably making a comeback this year. This is a flirty, fun, and chic style that is face-framing and trendy for all hair types. It’s a versatile cut that we have worn across several hair textures and can help give your hair a much-needed health boost if you’ve been needing to reduce styling with heat. We’ve seen the French bob on celebrities like Zendaya, Kat Graham, and Rihanna who have played with sleek and curly versions of the cut. If you’re interested in seeing if this is the new cut for you, then keep reading. 

Image Source: @romeufelipe

What Is a French Bob?

When you think about a French bob what comes to mind? A short cut? Perhaps something from a black and white movie? The French bob is typically a blunt ear-length cut that can be accompanied by bangs but can be adjusted to fit your face shape and personality. More modern takes on the cut specifically focus on a lightweight length that encourages curls, waves, and fringe. As a classic Parisian haircut, it’s always associated with ultra-chic style and fun accessories like hair clips and a beret. The key to pulling off a French bob is maintaining the texture and avoiding an over-styled look, it’s meant to be effortless and easy.

Is It Curl-Friendly?

The French bob has evolved since its 1920 origins which means we’ve seen tons of variations of it across the natural hair spectrum. The misconception is that need straight or loose waves in order to truly pull off this look and that couldn’t be further from the truth. Having curls, coils, kinks, and waves allows for this style to have lots of volume and for your stylist to play around with layers versus just a blunt cut. Products like mousse and styling creams can add definition and dimension to the French bob and elevate it to a more textured look.

Inspiration comes in many forms and whether you’re looking to make it short, textured, layered, or a straight cut, we’ve compiled 15 French bob haircuts to save for your stylist.

Image Source: @shorthair_queen

Image Source: @glogovan

Image Source: @jayne_edosalon

Image Source: @iamaswann

Image Source: @bigcurlslittlecurls

These looks are stunning and can have you rethinking your currently curly style for the upcoming holiday season. If you’re ready to make the big chop and transform your curls, coils, and wave s into this chic French bob, you can show your stylist the following Instagram Reels and TikToks! The transformations are stunning and showcase the versatility of this unique cut on a variety of textures.

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A post shared by Gina Atinuke Knight (@ginaatinukeknight)

Image Source: @ginaatinukeknight

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A post shared by Kutana 🐐 Kreates (@edwardkutana)

Image Source: @edwardkutana

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A post shared by Heather Molina (@heatherisradder)

Image Source: @heatherisradder

https://www.instagram.com/p/CGBgpuxnqKp/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Image Source: @whitneyleehair

@amandarrwalker

a lil french bob in a lil French restaurant ✨ #curlyhair #curlyhairstyles

♬ DM Pretty – This Boy Be In My DM say I’m Pretty / Live OffBeat Session – Tank And The Bangas

Image Source: @amandarrwalker

@notkayleerose

#stitch with @yeslydimate yesly looks so good! #curlyhair #haircut #bob

♬ oops! – Yung Gravy

Image Source: @notkayleerose

@curlygirlmeg

Curly French bob ASMR #asmr #asmrhaircut #haircut #frenchbob #curly #curlycut #curlyspecialist #curlybob #chinlengthbob #asmrcurlyhair #asmrcuttingsounds #curlpro #curlyhairpro #hairprofessionals #curlyhair #curls #curlyfrenchbob

♬ LOVE. 70s remix by dustin garza – mo

Image Source: @curlygirlmeg

https://www.tiktok.com/@aasian/video/7136362478757301546?_r=1&_t=8epwPDWgaPz

Image Source: @aasian

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A post shared by Zendaya (@zendaya)

Image Source: @joycecrawfordhair

@beautyconamor

This heavily layered curly bob links haircut is very flattering or mini curly girls. Try going short for easier manageability and a shorter blow dry time. We used Unite Boing Curl Creme to style@unitehair . #CurlyHair#CurlyHairStyles#CurlyHaircut#CurlyLayers#CurlyBangs#CurlyGirl#CurlyGirlMethod#Mcallensalon#rgvsalon#rgbcurl

♬ we fell in love in october – girl in red

Image Source: @beautyconamor

@nataninixon

all hair lengths are beautiful. ❤️ shortcurlybob frenchbob shorthairsummer

♬ Her beautiful blue hair – Max

Image Source: @nataninixon

Which French Bob do you plan to try this season? If you’re looking for additional information to help elevate this cut, read how you can learn how to Diffuse Curly Hair Without Frizz.