What to look for in a curly hair cream, depending on your curl type

Multi-benefit stylers are the go-to for tricky-to-control curls, combining both hydrating and humidity-rejecting qualities. Here’s what to look for when choosing a hair cream for curly hair…

The best cream for curly hair

If you’re the blessed owner of textured hair, you’ll know how high maintenance curls can be. Not enough of the right styling product can leave you with a halo of frizz and tangles. Too much of the wrong kind can weigh your curl pattern down, leaving a crunchy finish that refuses to break down with scrunching.

A good curl-defining cream offers universal curl-enhancing qualities to deliver soft, bouncy hold for all curl types. The NEW Nexxus Curl Define Climate Control Gel Cream has your hair health in mind, providing hydration and definition to boost waves and curls. Advanced STYLEPROTECT technology provides the ultimate in humidity and heat protection, with 48 hours of frizz control.

Curls, or type 3

Stronger curl patterns require the maximum amount of moisture (and stylers that enable the hair to retain it), due to a more raised and “leaky” outer cuticle layer. If you want to enhance wavy hair (AKA type 2), check out What kind of styling cream does wavy hair need?. but curls that fall into the type 3 category range from springy ringlets to tighter s-shaped curls (for corkscrew coils, see below).

As with all curl types, try to avoid haircare containing higher-than-necessary levels of sulfates, which have the potential to strip strands and dry them out. You may also benefit from layering a mousse after your curling cream for added hold. Try Nexxus Volume Medium-Hold Mousse, which delivers four times more volume with a light and flexible hold.

Protective styling for curls

Each bespoke formula in the Nexxus styling range contains the NEW STYLEPROTECT Technology, engineered to encapsulate every strand with weightless protection and offer lasting power alongside long-term hair health. If you like to enhance your curls with a heat tool, many Nexxus styling products offer heat protection up to 450°, which is particularly important for curly hair. Why? The spiral shape of curly strands leaves the outer cuticle raised, exposing the cortex and leaving it more vulnerable to moisture and protein loss.

Coils or type 4

If you are the proud owner of densely packed, zig-zag-shaped coils, you’ll know how fragile and prone to shrinkage they can be. You may already layer your haircare to harness the moisturizing benefits of a cream, alongside the defining, firm-hold finish of a gel. Nexxus Curl Define Climate Control Gel Cream is a hybrid of the two, and can be layered with additional products to deliver maximum moisture, sealing it weightlessly into each strand.

The restorative Repair & Nourish Ultra Lightweight Hair Oil is infused with a blend of Rose of Jericho and Damascus Rose Oil, maximizing moisture, boosting shine and breathing new life into lifeless strands. Suitable for use on damp or dry hair, try scrunching a few drops into styled curls following the curl cream and mousse, if you want even more hold.

It's worth remembering that all curls are different (with many having more than one curl type!), so trial and error is key when perfecting your happy-curls routine.