Getting your hair to do exactly what you want it to do can be a confusing (and at times seemingly impossible) thing for everyone, but it’s especially true for women with curls. As effortless as they may look, the reality is that our curls can only be as good as the products and methods we use on them, and finding the right ones is easier said than done. To help cut through the conflicting recommendations and hundreds of products on the market, we thought: Why not do a little crowdsourcing? Here you’ll see what a handful of real women—with all different curl patterns and textures—vow as their absolute favorite curly-hair products, from buzzy creams to DIY remedies (plus a few why-didn’t-I-think-of-that tips).
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There’s no getting around this: Styling curly hair can be a challenge. (Looking at you, triangle hair.) It’s inherently dry, often coarse, and prone to frizz. Not to mention the fact that a large number of us have multiple curl patterns on our very own heads. But here’s the great thing: With the right tricks and products, you can get a halo of soft, healthy curls—just the way you want them. We know, because we talked to 15 different women—all with curls of varying types—who’ve not only embraced, but mastered, their natural texture. Click on through to discover their best curly hair tips.
Michelle Obama took the stage at the Essence Festival in New Orleans on Saturday (July 6) to have a conversation with Gayle King—and dispense some great advice about dating and marriage. We’re always here for whatever pearls of wisdom Obama has ready to share, but fans of the former First Lady were here for another thing, too: her natural curls, topped off with golden ombré highlights.
We don’t often see Obama’s hair worn like this. She’s openly spoken about having to adopt a “hair strategy” in the White House as part of a deeply frustrating but all-too-real reality about navigating her role as a Black woman in politics.
“Well, you know, the first thing you’ve got to worry about is how to keep [your hair] healthy,” Obama shared on the 2 Dope Queens podcast. “My whole goal was, I want to end this with hair on my head. And so now you’ve got to think about, How do you do that, you know? What are you doing? And are you swimming? Are you working out? But this wasn’t just a first lady journey. This is a black professional women’s journey.”
The strategy was so involved, she said she was “sure a lot of white women are sitting over there going, ‘Man, I didn’t know all that was going on.'”
“Natural haired Michelle Obama is the good luck charm I needed today,” one fan wrote.
One of the last times we saw Obama with her natural curls was on the cover of Essence in 2018. She was also pictured with her natural texture in 2017, a few months after leaving the White House. Here’s hoping we see more of her curls in the future.
Go to sleep with a perfect head of curls and wake up with a flattened mess. I know I’m not alone in the fight to keep my spirals looking perfect overnight. The truth is that we can’t all just simply wake, shake, and go (you do not want to see my #iwokeuplikethis hair). But the struggle doesn’t have to be so real if you put in a little extra effort before you hit the sheets. Here are a few pre-bedtime techniques that will ensure a happier, bouncier, and less frizzy morning (and even a few extra minutes of precious weekday sleep).
How to Keep Curls Overnight
For defined curls try… BANTU KNOTS
“Bantu knots allow your hair to remain elongated and keep its definition,” says hairstylist Daryce Brown-Willis. “There is no need to make them perfect or small, and eight to 10 knots depending on density will do the trick.” Start by prepping your hair with a setting product. (We love Creme of Nature Pure Honey Texturizing Setting Lotion.) Then use a wide-tooth comb to make small or large sections, depending on your length, throughout your hair. Twist each section from root-to-tip and wind the twist into a taut coil that won’t easily budge at the base. Secure each with a bobby pin, and put on a silk bonnet to protect the knots from getting too messy as you sleep. How long will this take? No more than five to 10 minutes, tops. When you wake the next morning, unravel each knot, give your curls a shake, and you’re good to go.
For wavier curls try… BRAIDS
This quick and easy technique can replace quality time with your curling iron in the morning, giving you one more chance to hit the snooze button. If you have wavy hair, a basic two-strand braid will help maintain that not-so-basic beachy texture. “Loosely braid or twist your hair and apply a wave spray or sea-salt spray to help it set,” says celebrity hairstylist Ursula Stephen. “When you wake up, take the braids out and you should still have your original curl pattern.”
For voluminous curls try… A PINEAPPLE
Nope, we’re not talking about food. Pineappling is such a game-changing technique for preserving your curls overnight that you’ll wonder how you got this far without it. For really full, natural curls, simply pulling all your hair up and over near your forehead will allow you to keep your hair from literally falling flat. Lots of volume and plenty of bounce guaranteed for the A.M. Here’s how hairstylist Gabrielle Corney describes how to do it. “You pull your hair up to the top of your head and put it into a loose ponytail to prevent indents. Then you leave your natural curls out on the ends and secure the ‘pineapple’ with a headband, clip, or sleep cap. The next morning, give hair an extra pick-me-up with a curl refreshing spray, and style as desired.”
For soft curls try… PIN CURLS
If you have a softer hair texture, but still want “big hair, don’t care” bragging rights, pin curls might be the method for you. Gather each curl from the bottom around your index finger, roll it upward, and flatten it onto your scalp. Secure with a bobby pin overnight, and gently release each in the morning for big and bouncy ringlets.
For long, loose curls try… A TOPKNOT
When it comes to preserving longer curly hair at night, it can be time-consuming when you’d rather be in bed (or watching just one more episode on Netflix). “If you’ve got longer hair, opt for a lightweight curl mousse,” says celebrity hairstylist and Dove curl expert Cynthia Alvarez. Scrunch the mousse into your strands, flip your head over, and twist your hair into a high topknot, making sure it isn’t pulled too tightly around your scalp. Secure with a hair tie and pins. In the morning, take your hair down and reinforce some of the waves with your fingers or a curling iron for extra hold. For tighter waves and more volume, create multiple buns on your head. Put a soft silk scarf over the buns to keep them in place, without the friction of your pillowcase rubbing on them.
You could argue that Michelle Obama has been on a roll her whole life, but this past year has been an especially exceptional one for her. After eight years of holding up to the constant pressure of the White House, we’ve seen the former First Lady finally be able to let down her hair—so to speak.
Although Mrs. Obama has graced the covers of magazines a countless number of times (including Glamour), this is the first time she’s worn something other than her signature waves—and I’m here for every moment of it.
During her time in the White House, the former FLOTUS didn’t discuss her hair all too much, but she didn’t have to. Black women got it. It’s something every professional women of color has faced—just, you know, not on such a national scale. Since her departure, though, she’s slowly been opening up about the experience and how she had to develop “a hair strategy” during her time in the spotlight.
“Well, you know, the first thing you’ve gotta worry about is how to keep it healthy,” she shared during an interview on the 2 Dope Queens podcast. “My whole goal was I want to end this with hair on my head. And so now you’ve got to think about how do you do that, you know? What are you doing? And are you swimming? Are you working out? But this wasn’t just a first lady journey. This is a black professional women’s journey.”
She also said the strategy was so involved, that she’s “sure a lot of white women are sitting over there going, ‘Man, I didn’t know all that was going on.'”
It’s refreshing to see her curls looking so hydrated, full of life, and the most important of all: naturally textured. She’s worn it natural before, which was also met with much fan fare. And her hairstylist Johnny Wright actually revealed back in 2015 that she’s been completely natural for years now—meaning there were no chemicals like relaxers or texturizers used to straighten her hair.
But as a fellow black girl from the South Side of Chicago, every sighting of her curls gives me hope. It’s still difficult for black women to wear our hair the way it grows naturally from our scalp—Mrs. Obama is proof of that. Each time a powerful black woman pushes back, though, stereotypes or media criticism be damned, it tells the rest of us that our hair is magical. And that it can be “professional.”
Sure, the natural hair movement has been around for awhile and some might consider it taboo (or policing) to keep bringing attention to these instances. I hope that soon we won’t have to celebrate a moment when a prominent black women wears her hair in it’s natural state. But until then, I’mma be here to point it out and cheer it on every chance that I get. And if these tweets are any indication, I’m surely not alone.
There are few things quite like the betrayal of a beauty product, especially one that you love. A few examples: Foundation that looks phenomenal, only to leave your skin a mess. Lipstick that’s the prettiest color you’ve ever seen, but migrates around and leaves you with Joker-face. Or, like we’re here to talk about today, hair gel.
Finding a curl gel that gives you beautiful definition is a triumph—but tons of good, even great curl gels pack a level of alcohol that dries out your hair over time, leaving it dehydrated even as nothing in your routine changes, says Ouidad stylist Jessica O’Brien. The situation is frustrating, so nip it in the bud with a moisturizing curl gel that doesn’t play games. Check out 13 of our all-time favorites ahead.
