The Bountiful Benefits of Curly Hair Shampoo

Waves, curls, and coils have a life of their own. If you like to let your curls flow freely, then styling products alone aren’t enough to keep that bouncy hair healthy, happy, and, best of all, tamed. One crucial element to maintaining a gorgeous mane is regularly cleansing excess buildup and impurities with a tremendous curly hair shampoo. They’re formulated to take care of all that texture, so let’s take a closer look at why you should make them your preferred choice.

What Defines a Curly Hair Shampoo?

Think about the typical hair challenges that natural curls face. Dryness, maintaining curl pattern, frizz, and tangles are the primary suspects for a potentially unkempt look. They can all be addressed by starting with a shampoo that keeps curls intact. Here’s how.

• Dryness – Curly hair is prone to dryness for a few reasons. The first is from lack of brushing. It’s the ultimate hair paradox – The scalp produces its own moisturizing sebum, but it rarely moves down the hair shaft because brushing dry curls causes all sorts of chaos (and isn’t recommended by experts).
  The second is a domino effect of the first reason. Persistent dryness causes hair’s protective outer cuticle to lift, exposing each strand to losing moisture from within the shaft. Curly hair shampoos are formulated to cleanse and supply deep hydration. They also avoid harsh surfactants, like certain types of sulfates, that strip moisture. Shampooing should leave your hair feeling clean, soft, and ready for conditioner.
  
• Curl pattern – Speaking of moisturizing ingredients, they also support your hair’s elasticity. If your curl is not bouncing back after stretching it out, you need some serious haircare, or you’re headed for breakage island. Healthy elasticity means having vivacious, shiny curls, and who doesn’t want that?
• Frizz – Humidity and curls have never been pals, so moisturizing shampoo for curly hair is reentering the chat. When hair is sufficiently hydrated and moisturized, the protective cuticle remains sealed, thus preventing unwanted humidity from entering the hair shaft and causing frizz. This allows for more control over your style before heading outside.
• Tangles – This one’s easy, and so will detangling when you have strong, healthy strands that hold up to a wide-tooth comb or wet brush. The right shampoo will fortify hair with vitamins, minerals, and proteins for strength and vitality that will carry on throughout hairstyling and beyond.

What About All the Options?

Getting a high-quality curly hair shampoo also means using mindfully-crafted and carefully sourced ingredients on your scalp and hair. Once you notice the difference in your hair’s bounce, smoothness, and softness, there’s no going back. And no matter the curl pattern, there’s a fabulous shampoo for you. Take a look at these favorites. 

Replenish Moisture – If you suddenly feel like your hair isn’t living up to its potential, try R+CO’s Cassette Curl Defining Shampoo. It has the ideal balance of ingredients for getting your hair back into shape. Their featured Superseed Oil Complex uses flax and chia seeds for soft, shiny, nourished hair.

Additionally, aloe vera and red algae extract supply a wealth of nutrients, and jojoba esters and castor oil seals it all in while you’re getting a week’s worth of grime out of your hair and scalp. You’ll fall in love with this shampoo’s uplifting scent and leave the shower with more spring in your step.

Shampoo That Gives – Want a curly hair shampoo that will support your hair and your carbon footprint? Davines is a certified B Corp, and their LOVE Curl Shampoo reflects their holistic, environmentally-friendly principles.

This creamy shampoo uses the responsibly-sourced Italian Noto almond as the driving component to achieving robust, voluminous curls. These almonds are rich in nutrients, vegan protein, and protective fatty acids, making them ideal for a moisturizing formula. Waves and curls won’t get weighed down, and you’ll feel good that it’s made with 100% clean energy.

Low Lathering Luxury – Not everyone wants a sudsy lather, and Living Proof’s Curl Shampoo heard your desire for a color-safe formula that cleanses without all the fanfare. It utilizes the cleansing power of the tropical babassu seed and strengthens and moisturizes with shea butter and sunflower seed.

As with any good curly hair shampoo, you won’t find any irritating sulfates or other harmful ingredients. And you can begin to detangle hair with this low-lather shampoo that slides through hair like a conditioner.

Frizz’s Worst Nightmare – If avoiding dry hair is half the battle, then controlling frizz is the other. Come out with a win using Paul Mitchell’s Spring Loaded Frizz Fighting Shampoo. It cleanses and smooths curls without harsh surfactants and leaves you with more manageable tresses.

Use this shampoo for smooth curls and to extend the life of your color-treated hair. It’s vegan, free of parabens and gluten, and its light, fruity scent will take you on a temporary tropical vacation, without the humidity.

The Curl Experts – The search is over for a great all-purpose curly hair shampoo to support the all-important hydration that’s crucial to getting the healthiest hair. Ouidad’s Curl Quencher Moisturizing Shampoo is great for any curl type and features ingredients that cover all bases.

It has multiple vitamins that repair and protect hair, proteins to build strength, and plant oils to moisturize. This is often picked as the best shampoo for dry curly hair by salon experts. Hair is volumized and sealed with panthenol (provitamin B5) and arnica extract, making your wash day a hair therapy day as well.

Keep the Good Times Curling

For the most beautiful bounce, always follow shampoo with conditioner or a weekly conditioning hair mask for a deep treatment. Try to use the conditioner paired with the shampoo you choose, as they’re formulated to work in harmony with each other.

After showering, prepare your hair for added protection from heat styling, further detangling, and exposure to the elements with a great curl cream, like Aveda’s award-winning Be Curly Curl Enhancer. This naturally-formulated styling cream helps create definition, adds shine, and smooths frizz. Feel free to apply additional styling products, allow hair to air dry, or jump into heat styling without worrying about damage.

Curls may like to do their own thing. But with the best curly hair shampoo and their corresponding curly hair products, your locks can live up to their illustrious potential. And you don’t have to stop here if you want more of the latest hair and beauty advice. Browse our Beauty Resource Center for more information on caring for your curly hair. everything you need and find out why we’re talking about it.