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We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
Shampoos, masks, and tools for those with hair that's kinda high maintenance.
This moisturizing mask formula provides feather-like conditioning you can really feel, and it sets hair up for success so it'll be a little less sopping when you step out of the shower. Aka prepped hair for a faster dry time!
Promising review: "Does what it says for a good price. Made my hair feel really soft after just one use. I use it twice a week just to keep up with the heat styling I do." —Blonde44
Get it from Target for $6.99.
Miss Jessie's is a Black woman-owned business that was founded by sisters Miko and Titi Branch in 2004. Inspired by their late grandmother, Jessie Branch, the sisters have built a very successful line of natural hair products consisting of styling cremes, moisturizers, and deep conditioning treatments for natural hair. They also own a salon in Florida that specializes in natural/curly hair textures.
Heads up, this gel is great for wavy, curly, tight curly, kinky, and transitioners.
Promising review: "I have tried more products than I can count to try and keep my curls looking nice and not frizzy, crunchy, weighed down, etc. I started using this a few weeks ago and it is amazing! My curls look better than ever — they are soft, shiny and frizz-free. This product is the absolute best!" —Caroline
Get it from Miss Jessie's for $14.
Promising review: "I love this oil! I use it everywhere — as a body moisturizer, a hair oil (it calms my wild, frizzy curls!), on my cuticles, and even on scrapes and cuts on my daughter. It's lightweight while being super hydrating." —Mandy
BuzzFeed Editor Bek O'Connell says: "This is the stuff of dreams, people! I put it on my face at night after serum and before my night cream, and wake up with bouncy, bright skin. The first time I used it, I had overnight results. I am constantly yelling about this product to everyone who will listen; I even convinced my dermatologist to try it."
Get it from Biossance for $48.
Pattern Beauty is a Black woman-owned company that creates hair care products that empower and celebrate every hair pattern and texture.
Promising review: "This brush is the best thing that has ever happened to my hair. The hype is REAL. My curls are defined, my conditioner is now evenly distributed, now I won't waste so much piling it on. Initially I looked at it and was unsure. After a few strokes, I was confident I had made the right purchase. I like it so much I sent both of my sisters a gift card so they could get one too. I already foresee myself wearing this brush down to nothing. Dare I buy another just incase?!" —Michelina R.
Get it from Pattern Beauty for $17.
BuzzFeed Editor Elizabeth Lily uses this and raves: "I have this dry shampoo and it really does work so much harder than regular dry shampoo formulas. When you spray it on, it's more likely to look stark white (don't freak out about it like I did!), but you simply rub it in like you would a normal dry shampoo before you hit the hay. Waking up with de-greased roots definitely gives me a head start on trying to pull myself together these days when, tbh, I'm only (regular) washing my hair once a week. Because this stuff is so potent though, you should really only use it before bedtime. If you're curious about their regular dry shampoos, they're great! The Unicorn scent in particular smells lovely."
Get it from Walmart for $6.38.
Another thing: These bristles are infused with charcoal, so they're perfect for freshening up two-day hair!
Promising review: "First, let me start off with saying I have always HATED styling my hair. I’m not good at it and it takes WAY too long to do. My hair is fluffy/frizzy, and I have a lot of it. It takes me about 20–25 minutes to dry it with a normal blow drier. When I’m done with drying, it’s normally so frizzy and crazy that I MUST flat iron, or else it looks like I just woke up. Flat ironing would take me another 20 min or so, so we’re looking at 45 min total to do my hair. Nope. I don’t have the time or patience for all that, unless I’m going out at night. And then I discovered this Hot Tools miracle. I’ve only been using this a little less than a week, but it’s changed my hair life and I am telling all my girlfriends. It’s reduced my time from 45 minutes to 10. TEN!! Not only that, I don’t have to flat iron my hair, which saves time and heat exposure to my fine hair. The end result is SO smooth." —BayAreaShopper
Get it from Amazon for $52.61.
Promising review: "I am growing out a perm, just at the ends, but I also color my hair. May hair was very dry and braking off when trying to style it. This product has saved my hair and made it manageable to style with no more dry ends breaking off. Great product that does exactly as advertised. I will use this product daily, especially with blow-drying and styling on colored hair. I am extremely pleased." —Customer
Get it from Aveda for $37.
Promising review: "I use this oil as a frizz control for my wavy/curly hair. I use it after diffusing and to refresh my Day 2 hair. Works great at controlling frizz and I love the shine it adds to my strands without weighing them down or making them look greasy. The smell is a nice bonus too! I will be buying again and would recommend to friends." —Sarahs
Get it from Ulta for $18.
Read our Verb Ghost Oil review for more info!
This antioxidant-rich formula contains rosehip oil, B-vitamins, and algae extract to restore essential moisture and hydration.
Briogeo is a Black woman-founded biz, started by Nancy Twine who has had her hand in making homemade beauty products since she was 5. She has now developed a popular hair care line that specializes in texture-specific products, from repair, to volume, to curl care, you'll find something here to meet your needs.
Promising review: "I recommend this to literally anyone whose hair is looking a little dry or lifeless. Adds so much moisture to the hair without getting greasy at the root and detangles like a dream. 10/10 would Recommend to anyone needing a good hair mask." —Briogeo Customer
Get it from Briogeo for $38.
BuzzFeed Editor AnaMaria Glavan has given these a whirl and says: "If you have hair that gets greasy a mere 12 hours after bathing, please hear me out: the Headquarters for oily roots line is your new holy grail and it costs less than $8 per product. To give you a little more context, my hair is best described as boring. It’s thin! It’s straight! I literally have to use dry shampoo every single day of my life! Which is why I was so damn excited about this exfoliating scrub and cleansing wash.
First off, the grapefruit and basil scents are fantastic. I would bathe in it. I want a candle that smells like it. The scent is distinct without being overpowering, and it provides *just* the right amount of aromatherapy without overwhelming my very small, very poorly ventilated bathroom. The scrub feels like putty in your hands and doesn’t feel harsh on my scalp; the shampoo lathers beautifully, even though it doesn’t use sulfates or silicones. Once my hair was dry, I immediately got that just-bown-out bounce that you leave the salon with — when your hair is so clean that it feels like air. The best part… it’s extended the time I can go between washing my hair and my scalp genuinely feels clean. I can usually get away with washing my hair every other day (thank you, Aveda dry shampoo powder) but can now go two days *without* relying on dry shampoo! And with dry shampoo? Three days! And if you have oily hair like me… you know how ludicrously good that is.
TL;DR: this line has been my favorite new haircare find in a while, and the brand itself has dedicated lines for oily, balanced, and dry scalps (their tagline is being ~obsessed with roots~) to ensure you’re getting the most targeted treatment possible. AND IT’S AFFORDABLE."
Get the shampoo and conditioner from Headquarters for $7.50 each.
P.S. They also make collections for balanced and dry scalps too!
Comes with a set of four.
Promising review: "You need them. I've wanted to buy these for years (LOL) but purchased alternatives instead to avoid paying the price. I finally bought them and nothing I bought previously works like these. They are literally clamps for your hair, and mimic the ones my hairstylist uses to partition my hair to get me the perfect blow-dry. I used the thin silver clips and flat silver clips and neither stay put. They make a mess when they slide down and I'm blow-drying another section. Since these help me achieve a glossy blowout and also can be used under my shower cap, they are worth the price and deserve 5 stars." —nyfashionista
Get it from Sephora for $16.
I have been incorporating this colorful gem into my haircare routine for a couple of months now, and not only do I love the look of it in my shower, but I love the results and how it makes my hair look and feel, too. It's not a thick, overly creamy consistency so I tend to add an extra dollop to my ends after the initial application, since they can get particularly dry. Post-shower, my hair feels light, never weighed-down, soft, and shiny.
Get it from Revolve for $34.
Founded by three Latinx sisters and their mother, Terra Beauty Bars has a mission to craft consciously made skin, hair, and nail care for efficacy and wellness.
I have been lucky enough to test out this wonderful clean beauty product that not only looks beautiful (peep the petals in the bottle!) but takes care of my frizzy flyaways, dry cuticles, *and* chapped summer skin — all without leaving a greasy residue. There's a light herbal scent, which I personally love because it lets me know I'm using only natural ingredients. And I just love me a multitasking product so I don't have to store as many products on my small bathroom counter!
Promising review: "This is literally my favorite full-body and hair oil ever! For the price, I thought maybe it would be full of filler ingredients, but it is not. It is 100% natural and not greasy at all. I use it on my legs, hands, and arms. My daughter, who has very curly hair, uses it as a hair oil daily and it does wonders on her coils (3c). Highly recommend." —Olivia
Get it from Ulta for $24.
BuzzFeed Editor Heather Braga has tried this and tells us: "I have naturally wavy (but frizzy) hair and after trying many products this is where I've happily landed. Ouai is the first brand I recommend to my fellow wavy-haired ladies. It's light, doesn't leave your locks feeling crunchy, doesn't have an overpowering smell, and keeps hair looking fresh. My only complaint is it doesn't come in a massive-sized bottle! Ouai also recently came out with a curl cream that I'm a huge fan of — it's lightweight and also does the trick (though the wave spray is still my favorite)."
Promising review: "I’d say this product is the best for people with naturally wavy hair. I wasn’t expecting much when I got this and most products like this don’t work with my hair or make my ends tangled or dry. First time trying it I just sprayed it in after my leave in conditioner and scrunched it a bit. Let it air dry and they’re such defined & shiny beach waves! Does exactly what it says. And it literally doubles as a perfume because this stuff smells AMAZING. I put my hair in a hair clip for the day and when I took it out it still smelled so good! I feel like it added quite a bit of volume also. I’m excited to stop using the heat tools for a bit!" —Sephora Customer
Get it from Sephora for $26.
And one more thing: just look at that elastic strap to secure the towel end — you could probably do cartwheels while your hair dries and never have to worry about it toppling off!
Crown Affair is a woman-owned small business specializing in beautiful handcrafted hair tools.
BuzzFeed Editor Melanie Aman has one and says, "When I bleached my hair, I switched from drying it with a bath towel to drying it with a T-shirt because I read that my rough bath towel was too harsh on my already stressed strands. The one downside to my new method is that I was stretching out the necklines of my shirts :'( Enter this talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show-stopping, spectacular towel. It's incredibly soft and dries my hair super quickly, which is great because I hate wet hair but would prefer to avoid drying it with heat."
Promising review: "This is the best towel to use after washing your hair. It absorbs the water better then a bath towel. Wraps nicely and has a hook on the back that keeps it secure — no falling open or leaning to the side. Your hair does not go frizzy. It falls in soft wavy curls. I loved it so much I bought one for my daughter. After her second use she was hooked. You will love this towel!"
Get it from Crown Affair for $45.
Bounce Curl is a woman-owned business that uses naturally derived ingredients to treat kinky, coily, curly, and wavy hair. Their range of products include shampoos, conditioners, deep treatments, and post-shower creams to keep curls hydrated.
No matter what I use, anti-dandruff shampoo, etc. my scalp never feels *totally* clean after a shower. And because I can get an itchy scalp during the cold and hot seasons (so fun!) I always notice the texture of my scalp feels a little off. But ever since I started to use the Bounce Curl Clarifying Shampoo, my roots and scalp feel so clean — and for days! This stuff smells like an orange Creamsicle, gets super sudsy to create a thick lather, and — because of the tip applicator allowing me to apply the product straight to my scalp in straight rows — it seems to really breakdown leftover residue from dry shampoo and whatever else I've subjected my hair to that week.
Promising review: "Super gentle!! Love how well this shampoo cleans my hair without being harsh. It works well with my curls and doesn't fade my color treated hair." —Vicki
Get it from Bounce Curl for $19.99 (originally $22.99).
"I purchased this a few months ago and I AM OBSESSED. I was always fond of the 'spritzing some perfume under your hair' trick (aka the back of your neck), so it would last longer but this product has changed the game for me. A few quick spritzes of this on my hair since I've lightened it in color helps tame a bit of my frizz, while adding a heavenly scent that I would genuinely eat (but I won't LOL)." —Allison Faccenda, BuzzFeed staff
Get it from Sephora for $44.
Bread Beauty Supply is a Black woman-owned business that excels in creating haircare for not so basic hair. And they cater for curl types 3a to 4c.
"I recently started using Bread products and I really love how lightweight and easy they are to use. Since I have mixed textured hair that's been frequently dyed, it tends to get very dry. After using this deep conditioner my hair felt so much better and softer. In addition to that, the smell is A-MA-ZING. Definitely one of my new favorite wash day products." —Kayla Boyd, BuzzFeed Editor
Promising review: "I love this product! The hair mask to beat all other hair masks - leaves my hair feeling soft and luxurious. I try to use it once weekly - let it sit on my dry hair for 20 minutes or so, then rinse it out and VOILA ! Soft, happy hair that feels like its thirst has been quenched. Smells great too :-)" —Cynthia
Get it from Bread Beauty Supply for $28.
TPH by Taraji is a haircare line created by actress Taraji P. Henson. The products take a scalp-first approach to promote healthy hair growth for all textures.
Promising review: "I absolutely LOVE the way this made my scalp feel. It has a tingly cool sensation. A lot of products say this but this one delivers. It left my hair feeling very conditioned and soft to touch after the rinse-out. I can't wait to try the other products in this line." —Humbleeyes
Get it from Target for $11.99.
Promising review: "This product is like memory foam for your hair. I have thick, heavy Indian hair that has trouble holding a curl longer than an hour. I’ve repeatedly bought this for the last six to seven years. Spray as you style and once again at the end. I’ve been able to retain the style for six to seven days or until I wash again. Feels light and you can even run a brush through it and bounces back. It’s one of the things I’m most asked about. The smell isn’t my favourite but does disappear a few minutes after you spray. Product lasts me a very long time. Overall would highly recommend." —Shivan
Get it from Sephora for $32.
A bonus? This stuff is free from parabens and provides a sulfate-free haircare system which is gentle for use on all curl types and textures to help improve strength.
My hair is the ~perfect~ combo of wavy, curly, and frizzy and this drugstore product has been a holy grail of mine for some time. I've found that it's the only formula that will give me soft, naturally curly waves come the a.m. I'm generally a nighttime hair-washer, so I have the perfect excuse to avoid blasting my hair with heat. Before hitting the pillow, I like to run my fingers through my towel-dried hair with a pea-sized amount of this, flip my mane over, and then give the ends a good scrunch. In the morn, my hair appears shiny with defined, wavy curls — we're not talking HD — but they have a nice, soft definition to them that doesn't require much styling.
Promising review: "Absolutely love this stuff! It's the one hair product I have to have. I rotate shampoos and conditioners but have never found anything to put on damp hair that I like as much as this. It says it's for curls, but works great on straight hair, too. I have had super straight to insanely curly over the years and have loved this on all hair styles." —Bunco Queen of the Universe
Get it from Amazon for $6.35.
Apply this directly to wet hair avoiding the roots, massage it in for eight seconds, then rinse. Effort required = practically zero. You can use one dose for fine to medium textured hair, two to three doses for thick to curly textured hair, and add one more dose if you have long hair.
Promising review: "I have very thin, dry, and damaged hair due constantly dyeing it blonde. I’ve tried so many hair products and different types of shampoo and conditioners, and nothing seems to really help my hair. BUT this stuff literally is magic. I’ve used it three times and I haven’t seen my hair look this good (shiny, healthy, hydrated)." —Nikki Minnis
Get it from Amazon for $8.97.
Grace Eleyae is a woman-owned business that makes pillowcases, caps, and other hair accessories.
Promising review: "Excellent quality. First used the cap while walking on the beach on a cold windy day. Cap kept me warm and the satin lining protected my natural hair from the ocean spray. Highly recommend! I was so impressed that I purchased additional caps as gifts." —Deborah G.
Get them from Grace Eleyae for $24.
They have a helpful guide to aid you in selecting your hair profile and you can base your care on the hair goals you're looking to achieve. What's more? This brand is vegan, cruelty-, and gluten-free!
Promising review: "I am loving this shampoo and conditioner. It smells amazing and my curls have never looked better. My hair was extremely damaged and dry, but now it’s on the path to recovery." —FOB Customer
Get the set from Function of Beauty for $29.99+ (prices vary depending on your selections).
Promising review: "Nexus anti-frizz sheets are effective and convenient. Throughout the day, my hair tends to get frizzy or dull looking. With these sheets I can grab one out of my purse and glide it right over my hair and bam, no more frizz. The sheet helped my frizz and made my hair shiny. I absolutely love the convenience of this product. You can keep a few in your purse and use one half way throughout the day for a touch up." —Walmart Customer
Get it from Walmart for $8.11.
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.