Best Curl Defining Products [Review] in 2022

When it comes to curling definition, people often get it confused. Those with straight hair assume that only wavies use curl-defining products for a little bounce, but there are many benefits of curl-defining products, such as frizz-free curls and manageability.

Using a curl cream or curl-defining product can help define limp curls, damaged hair, help reduce shrinkage of coils on thick hair. No matter what textured natural hair you have, having a curl cream in your hair care routine should be a staple.

There are countless products in the curly hair routine, sometimes more than you can count on one hand, but while some curlies only have the bare essentials, others (especially coilies) go all out with their curl cream, curl defining gel, leave-in conditioner, heat protectant, and even hair oil.

In this buying guide, I’m going to break down everything you need to know when using curl-defining products, including what to look for, how to use curl defining products, and how they work. It’s time to up our curl game together and understand the fundamentals of curly hair styling.

Let’s delve into the juicy bits, shall we?

Curl-defining products coat the hair with thin hair, which helps to smooth the hair cuticle; they allow hairs to freely move past each other while locking in moisture and promoting the natural curl shape and definition.

After using these products, curls should look springy and full of life; they should have some kind of bounce and definition while being frizz-free. Since natural curls are lacking in moisture, it is yet another hair care product that helps to seal in moisture.

After all, we curlies need as much moisture as we can get, am I right?

There are two different types of curl-defining products that you need to worry about: curl creams and curl-defining gels. They are not the same thing and offer slightly different advantages for curly hair and work differently on different hair porosities.

Defining Curl Cream:

So what is a curl-defining cream, and why is it different from a gel?

A cream is an emulsification of oil and water; the job of a curl cream is to both condition and moisturize the curl from the inside out. Curl creams work to enhance the natural curl pattern by improving the health of the hair and encouraging a healthy hair environment.

A defining curl cream uses natural ingredients which work to moisturize and encourage curl formation, so curls show the best version of themselves. Curl creams also work wonders for taming frizz as they help to smooth the cuticle and lock in moisture.

Curl Defining Gel:

Curl-defining gels work slightly differently as they work to provide long-lasting hold as well as define curls. They are ideal for those looking for a stronger hold and a style that will be frizz-free up until wash day.

People often underestimate the power of using hair gel on curly hair; it is often avoided out of the fear of hair going crunchy or leaving a greasy residue, but as long as you scrunch out the crunch, using a defining gel is extremely beneficial.

Those with high porosity hair benefit most from a curl-defining gel because the formulation creates a seal over curls to lock in moisture and allow the goodness of other styling products to work to the best of their ability.

When the gel is applied and styled into the curls, the water evaporates, and solid particles form a clear film around the shaft, referred to as a hard cast or hold. It provides a longer-lasting wash while sealing moisture underneath and controlling frizz.

All you need to do is scrunch out the crunch once fully dry with one or two drops of oils, scrunching in an upward motion to release the hard casting, and be left with super-defined, natural hair. The gel is ideal for those looking for a longer-lasting finish.

A lighter gel might be better than a heavier curl cream. Some curl creams contain coconut oil or shea butter, which can be too heavy on low porosity hair and just sit on top of the cuticle rather than being absorbed.

There are a few tips that are handy to know when learning how to style curly hair. One of the key ones is learning how to apply the products the right way so you can reap the most benefits and be left with the most defined curls possible.

Here is a set of tips on how to use curl styling cream on curly hair:

Only Apply To Sopping Wet Hair:

When styling your curls, you’ll want to use it in replacement of your leave-in conditioner (or use it as well as for extremely dry curls). Curls style best when products are raked through wet hair and when products are evenly distributed.

So what I found was the easiest method is to wrap your hair up in a towel (microfiber towels only here, please- thanks!) and then sit in front of the mirror and work in sections, spraying it down with one section with the water spray.

Smooth the cream through 2-inch sections and detangle using a wide-tooth comb or a styling/detangling brush (I personally love my Denman Brush for both). After smoothing and evenly distributing the cream to that section, I tend to go in with my curl-defining gel or mousse and a heat protectant.

The curl defining cream should help clump curls together, so instead of messy separated strands, you’ll be left with a defined curl clump in the natural curl pattern. Rake it through with your fingers before using the styling brush.

Use Like A Conditioner:

Don’t be afraid to use too much curl cream; use as much curl cream as you would conditioner. Plus, if you have to run your fingers through your curls a few times to get them detangled, smoothed, and clumped together, then that is also okay.

As I said before, working in sections will ease the detangling process and help define clumps using a styling brush. You can twist and twirl certain sections of hair to create a specific shape curl or clump too.

Don’t Towel Dry Hair Before Applying Cream:

You’ll want to apply curl cream when your hair is sopping wet; your curls are smoothest while wet so after detangling with your conditioner, rinse and then work in sections to apply curl cream and detangle. Spray down each section using the water spray.

The best way to get the most out of your curls is to style while completely sopping wet; there’s no chance of styling dry hair; it just leads to frizz.

Don’t Scrunch The Curl Cream:

Raking your soaking wet curls will help evenly distribute and detangle easily without snagging or pulling. I like to firstly rub a bit of curl cream in my hands and rake it through my curls to help with detangling before working in sections.

Rake the cream in using a wide-tooth comb, styling brush, detangling brush, or your fingers to ensure it is evenly coated; apply your other styling products, THEN scrunch, not before, as this can change the way that the curl looks.

Don’t Touch Your Curls While Drying:

After styling, if you are not diffusing or plopping, then leave those curls tf alone! Once you’ve got that frizz-free foundation set in your curls the last thing you want is to mess that up; after styling, try to touch your curls as little as possible.

If you are diffusing, then gently blow-dry; once your curls are dry, then you can shake and fiddle with your curls to your heart’s content. But in order to avoid frizz and have the most defined curl possible, then you must leave your curls alone when drying.

There we go; these are my top tips for applying curl cream before styling for the very best results on your curls.

Now don’t worry, I’ve covered a full guide of how to use hair gel for curly hair, and using defining gel is no different from your regular gel, as long as you apply it correctly. Hair gel is a brilliant product to use to tame frizz, define curls as well as offer superior hold.

There are two main steps to applying curl-defining gel on curly hair, so let’s talk about them in more detail.

Apply To Soaking Wet Hair:

Just like when applying curl cream, you should always apply your styling gel to sopping wet hair, but instead of being used first, it should be used as the final product in the curl routine. You can apply with curl cream or with a leave-in conditioner.

So once I’ve gotten out of the shower, I tend to sit in front of the mirror and work in sections, soaking each section with the water spray, applying my leave-in, heat protectant, and then followed by my styling gel.

Use a quarter-size amount of gel for each section of hair, more or less depending on thickness.

Between each application, I comb through to ensure even coverage and untangle, then when applying the gel, I will comb through but create tension with the brush and twirl the hair around the brush as I run it through the curl– this helps with curl definition.

Scrunch Out Excess Water:

Grab your trusty microfibre towel or cotton t-shirt and scrunch out all the excess dripping water and begin to scrunch upwards until you’re happy with the shape. Once I’ve finished, I like to lift the root and give it a little shake to add volume; this also helps with defined curls.

The next step is a bit of a waiting game; once you’ve finished scrunching your curls, you can either plop, diffuse or leave your curls to air dry. Don’t touch your curls until they are completely dry to prevent frizzy curls.

Once you’ve styled your curls, you can either plop your curls, use a diffuser or leave your curly-haired locks to air dry.

You should lookout for a few things when buying any conditioning products, especially when following the Curly Girl Method. You’ll want to try your best to avoid silicones, waxes, and mineral oils when on the hunt for a curl cream.

Silicones:

So let’s start off by talking about silicones. Silicones are forbidden for those following the Curly Girl Method, but that being said, they are not all created equal, and some silicones can seriously benefit curly hair and help improve the manageability of curls.

The silicones any curly girl (whether they are following the method or not) should avoid are non-soluble silicones. While they do lock in moisture into the strands, after a while, this moisture is lost, but the plastic-like firm on the outside means that moisture cannot penetrate through either, so your products do not work as efficiently, and your hair becomes dry and brittle.

This is bound to happen to curlies who use non-soluble silicones as they can only be removed with sulfates, which are far too harsh for curly hair. So as a result, these silicones build up, causing the driest hair type already to become even drier.

But not all silicones are bad; let’s talk about water-soluble silicones. Water-soluble silicones wash out with water and don’t build up on hair. They can help detangle, protect, and even define curls as they help with moisture retention. Despite not being strictly CGM approved, they can still be used on curlies without the worry of buildup or needing to do a clarifying shampoo.

Many brands like Olaplex and Morroccanoil have water-soluble silicones in their ingredients, so while they are forbidden on the CGM, they are actually extremely beneficial for curly hair. Want to know more? Well, I created a full guide of everything you need to know about silicones, so be sure to check that out!

Waxes and Mineral Oil:

Mineral oil and petrolatum are other ingredients you should try to avoid when doing the curly girl method or just caring for curly hair, they can weigh down your hair, and without sulfates to remove them, they build up like silicones. 

Some waxes use natural ingredients which are safe to style curly or kinky hair. However, most waxes are s non-hydrous, meaning they won’t wash out with just water or co-washing. 

If you find yourself accidentally using waxes or silicones, then you can use your reset shampoo to remove them, then go back to the Curly Girl Routine.

Low Vs. High Porosity Products:

Your hair porosity has a lot to do with how well products will work on your hair. If you’re using high porosity curl creams on low porosity, your hair cuticle will not absorb the product properly, and instead, it will just sit on top of the hair.

High porosity hair is highly porous, and while it has no issues with absorbing moisture, high porosity hair struggles to retain this moisture. So high porosity hair products tend to be much heavier and seal the cuticle as the cuticle is raised on high porosity hair.

Coconut oil and shea butter are excellent ingredients to look out for in a curl cream or gel for high porosity hair.

Low porosity hair, however has a flat cuticle and struggles to absorb moisture, but once the moisture is within the cuticle, it is easily retained. So when looking for a curl cream, you should look for a curl cream or gel with highly penetrating oils like argan oil while also being lightweight.

Now I’ve created a full guide of everything you need to know about hair porosity for more details.

How does curl cream work?

The best curl creams will coat your strands with a thin film that works to smooth the cuticle and prevent the hair from tangling. It also clumps curl strands together to promote the natural curl shape while maintaining its definition.

A curl-defining product is designed to sculpt, tighten, smooth, and define curls. It works to tame frizz without detrimenting your hair’s natural body and texture. A curl cream won’t leave your curls crispy but rather enhance the curl pattern and make it easier to style.

What does curl defining mean?

Curl defining is styling the curl that curls clump together rather than dry into individual messy curls. Curl defining is the process of smoothing your curls, so they follow their natural curl shape with minimal frizz.

This can be achieved using curl-defining products like gels and leave-in curl creams. They are often infused with coconut and avocado oils, shea butter, argan oil, and/or honey to help define the natural curl shape and revive dry hair.

Some curl creams even have silk proteins like rice amino acids that help restore protein loss in damaged hair and restore moisture loss caused by excessive heat styling and UV exposure.

Can you make your own DIY curl cream?

Absolutely, the key to enhancing the natural curl pattern is actually is to improve the condition of your hair overall and nourish your hair with vitamins, minerals, and moisture. Ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, honey, and aloe vera can create a great recipe. 

Giving your curls the TLC they deserve is key to nourishing curly hair. But I’ve created a full guide of my favorite DIY curl cream recipe for both high and low porosity hair, so be sure to check it out so you can enhance those luscious curls.

So there you have it, the best curl-defining products on the market for curls definition, whether you have loose waves looking for a bit more bounce or have the highest coils and looking for control over shrinkage and moisture retention.

Choose any of the curl-defining products I have selected for you today. You can even pair one of the creams with the gel for ultimate results and defined curls. Whether you have low porosity or high porosity hair, I have the product for you!

Everyone deserves a good curl day, after all.