I stared into the mirror, a smoking straightening iron in hand while the girl with the crispy, frazzled hair stared back at me. Straight and sleek, as promised on the packaging of the thermal protectant on my dressing table, was definitely NOT what was happening on my head! So I made a decision to ditch the heat and brave my naturally curly hair for a while, to allow my flat-lining hair a chance to recover.
That was a few months ago and since then, I have been on the search for good hair care products to help me manage my curly mane. I have learnt the value of sulphate free shampoos, DIY protein and moisture masks and protective hair styles. These are my favourite curly hair products at the moment:
Dr Miracle’s Conditioning Shampoo and Leave in Conditioner
Out of all the shampoo and conditioner combo’s that I have tried, this one is my favourite at the moment. The shampoo doesn’t leave my hair feeling dry. In fact, true to its name, after rinsing, my hair feels as though it has already been through conditioning. I have also found that most leave-in conditioners that provide enough moisture to be able to hold back the frizz-demons feel great when my hair is still wet but they also can make my curls hard after my hair and the product has dried. Dr Miracle’s Leave-In Conditioner holds my curls, tames the frizz and my hair still feels soft to the touch. And they are sulphate and paraben free! A huge Rox Starr thumbs up to this combo!
Plus they smell awesome too, which means I smell awesome on hair-wash day!
Marc Anthony Strictly Curls Curl Envy Perfect Curl Cream
Despite its unnecessarily long name (we get it, its for curls!) the cream is really simple to use. I have been using it for just over a month and I have noticed a definite improvement in the hold and texture of my curls. The overall health of my hair appears to be improving as it isn’t as dry as it was before and it doesn’t break as easily (although this completely contradicts what I have recently learnt about hair, in that it is dead and you can’t “fix” damaged hair. You can only try to grow healthier hair. Ummm… confused!) Regardless, I recommended this product to another curly haired lass and she also reported loving the results so this one stays!
Moroccanoil’s Moroccan Oil Treatment
Another redundantly named product with excellent results. The first time I used this product was when I was still heat-styling my hair. On first application, I immediately noticed an improvement in the condition of my hair as it was sleeker and softer. Clearly my hair just sucked up all the yumminess in the product. I still found though, that despite continued use of the argan oil (another name for Moroccan oil), my hair also needed the break from the heat. I now use it as part of my curly hair routine on the very dry parts of my hair and on the ends to prevent breakage and improve moisture. I love that despite the fact that it is an oil, it doesn’t leave my hair feeling oily afterwards unlike olive oil and coconut oil which are also good for hair. The only downside is that it is quite pricey and can only be bought from obscure salons that are so well hidden you need a treasure map and the assistance of Indiana Jones to find it.
With the help of these products, a truckload of others, some eggs, coconut oil, occasionally honey and apple cider vinegar, my comatose hair is beginning to show signs of life again! *happy face*