Curly hair has a unique beauty, but it also requires specific care to maintain its health and shape. Among the essential products for curl care, styling creams play a crucial role, not only in detangling after washing, but also in final definition.
Why does curly hair need styling creams?
Curly hair is naturally drier due to its spiral structure, which makes it difficult to distribute the scalp's natural oil along the strands. This makes them more prone to dryness, frizz and breakage.
Styling creams for curly hair were developed to meet these specific needs, providing hydration, definition and frizz control, as well as facilitating detangling, preventing breakage of the delicate strands.
Benefits of styling creams for curly hair
You may wonder whether it is really worth investing in a good styling cream, and the answer is YES! So that you understand why, I have separated the main benefits they can offer that will make your daily life easier:
- Intensive Hydration: Styling creams usually contain moisturizing components that penetrate the hair, providing deep hydration. This is essential to combat dryness common in curly hair.
- Curl Definition: One of the main points that you should pay attention to when choosing a styling cream is whether it indicates that it has active ingredients that help define curls. This will transform your modeling process!
- Frizz Control: Frizz is a constant struggle for those with curly hair. Most styling creams help seal the hair cuticle, reducing frizz and providing a more polished look.
- Ease of Combing: Detangling curly hair can be challenging, and making this process easier is the main benefit of styling creams. By performing this action more gently, you also avoid hair breakage.
- Thermal protection: Many styling creams contain ingredients that offer thermal protection, helping to protect strands from the heat of a diffuser, for example.
How to choose the ideal styling cream
Before investing in a good cream, understand a little more about your goals. Ask yourself about the items below and always read the manufacturer's recommendations:
- Curl Type: Consider the curvature of your curl when choosing a styling cream. Some products are specifically formulated for more open curls, while others are ideal for tighter curls.
- Hair Texture: Curly hair can vary in thickness and porosity. Choose a cream that meets the specific needs of your hair texture.
- Assets and composition: Opt for products that contain moisturizing ingredients such as glycerin, coconut oil, shea butter and aloe vera. Avoid products with heavy silicones that can accumulate in the hair.
- Sulfate and Paraben Free Formula: Choose styling creams that are free of sulfates and parabens to avoid the accumulation of harmful and irritating residues in your hair.
The nine best on the market
With the help of some curly friends and influencers, I selected the nine best styling creams that will leave your curls extremely defined!
1. Intense Definition Styling Cream – Salon Line
Firstly, the price caught my attention, as it is a great value for money option. With a price of around 30 reais (as of 11/03/2023), you receive a 1 kg pot of cream, which is quite generous. Delivery was also quick, arriving before the expected deadline.
What interested me in this product was the promise of providing definition and shine to hair, especially for those with curly, frizzy or wavy hair. Furthermore, it is recommended for controlling frizz and making it easier to untangle your hair.
It works very well for my 3A hair, helps control frizz and makes detangling easier.
2. Widi Care Combing Cream Curling the Mane
I had the opportunity to try this Widi cream and I was very pleased with the results. It is aimed at curvatures 3a, 3b and 3c, that is, it is aimed at curly hair. The product is enriched with active ingredients such as organic murumuru butter, golden linseed oil and hazelnut extract.
Furthermore, an interesting feature is that it has thermal protection, which means that, after application, you can use a hairdryer or diffuser without worrying about adding an extra thermal protector. Honestly, I think this is one of its biggest advantages.
3. Boom Definition Combing Cream – Seda
It is suitable for type 3A, 3B and 3C curls, weighs 350 grams and promises intense definition, hydration of curls for 72 hours and frizz control for longer. Plus, it contains ingredients like aloe vera and avocado oil to nourish and define curls. There is also argan oil in the formula.
The smell is pleasant, it has a floral touch that reminds me of a soft perfume. The texture of the cream is medium, not too liquid, not too thick. It spreads well and does not leave a white residue on the hair. I was surprised by the list of ingredients, as, for a market cream, the amount of vegetable oils is considerable. This demonstrates Seda's effort to offer a quality product.
My hair was defined and shiny, with a light touch. However, the texture of the product on the hair was a little rough, similar to the “pineapple” texture, which may bother some people. This occurs due to a feature in the product formula. For my hair type, which needs more fixation, this aspect is not a big problem.
The Day After showed that the cream held the curl well throughout the day, with just a little more frizz and a slightly reduced definition in some curls. Overall, the result was satisfactory.
4. My Curl, My Crush Combing Cream – Inoar
“Meu Cacho Meu Crush” from Inoar is a cream that promises complete definition, treatment and definition of curls. It also promises softness, shine and thermal protection. The bottle is 500 ml and costs around R$ 39.
Inoar cream is easy to apply and has a light texture. I started finishing with the help of the brush, fixing it and rotating the brush. It's a different finish than I'm used to, but I always like to vary my finishing techniques.
After application, I noticed that the cream leaves my hair defined, but also a little heavier. The performance is a weak point of this product, as I'm almost at the end of the bottle after just a month of use.
5. Extraordinary Curls Oil Combing Cream – L'Oréal Paris Elseve
It contains coconut oil and promises 48 hours of definition and moisture without weighing it down. Furthermore, it is indicated to combat frizz and provide softness and shine.
The cream has a coconut scent, but a little sweeter, which is pleasant. As for the texture, it is creamy, but not too thick. When finishing my hair with it, I noticed that it was a little stiff, but not in all areas. I was satisfied with the definition that the cream provided. Furthermore, the cream was easy to remove after drying, which is a positive point.
6. Curls styling cream – Beautiful by Nature – Yenzah
In relation to the styling cream itself, it stands out in terms of hydration and softness of the hair. My hair felt noticeably softer after using it. However, in terms of definition and frizz control, it didn't completely meet my needs.
I believe this cream is best suited for wavy or curly hair with more open curls. My friend, for example, has more open curls than mine and appreciates the lightness that this cream provides. However, for thicker hair with tighter curls, like mine, it may not provide the desired definition.
7. Siàge Combing Cream Reveals Curls – Eudora
The cream has a creamy consistency that I like. It's not too thick, which is great as extremely thick creams don't work well on my hair. I normally apply it from the middle of my hair to the ends, and the consistency of the cream allowed for a smooth application, which is excellent for defining curls.
Furthermore, the cream has a pleasant smell and is not cloying. This is really important to me because we spend the day with our hair, and it's nice when it smells good.
8. Miracle Combing Cream – Lola Cosmetics
If you are looking for a product to yield, this is the choice you should go for. The product yields A LOT and has a relatively affordable price. It's not what works best on my hair, but many of my friends love the results it gives on theirs.
9. Intense Curl Cream – Moroccanoil
Moroccanoil Intense Curl Cream is a styling cream from the Moroccanoil brand, known for its high quality products. This cream is designed for curly and wavy hair, with the aim of intensely conditioning, hydrating and nourishing the strands. It also has antioxidant properties that protect curls against external aggressions and provide body and shape to the hair.
Moroccanoil Intense Curl Cream is a quality product, but its high price in Brazil may make it inaccessible for most people, right...
These creams were selected taking into account their properties and benefits for curly hair, however, it is important to try the products and choose the one that best meets your hair's needs. Keep your curls beautiful and healthy with the right products!
