It is essential to have a proper hair care routine, especially for folks with curly hair. Since this hair type is prone to frizz and damage, it requires optimum care that conditioners for curly hair can offer. These conditioners are not your regular ones, as they are specifically formulated to correspond to various curly hair woes.
They do an excellent job of boosting your hair's moisture, taming frizz and tangles, and enhancing your curls for a more defined finish. However, you may find yourself unsure what to choose with the several options available. To help you, we have jotted some recommendations below! We also included some guides and tips from Dr. Katrina Habaluyas Luz that will surely help you!
Dr. Katrina Habaluyas Luz is the face behind Ask Your Derma. She is also a board-certified dermatologist in Metro Manila.
She is also an educator and digital creator on all things skin, hair, and nails. She is a Diplomate of the Philippine Dermatological Society and offers online video consultations. You can also catch her on her Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube channel.
Disclaimer: These products are recommendations made by our team at mybest Philippines. Our expert, Dr. Katrina Erika Habaluyas Luz, is not affiliated with, nor is she endorsing any of the brands we mention below.
**Prices may vary depending on the website and their campaign period**
The products we introduce below were carefully curated by the mybest team using the points mentioned in our detailed and thoroughly researched buying guide. For ranks 1 to 3, in addition to the buying guide, we also referred to more than 100 reviews in Lazada and other EC sites to come up with their respective rankings.
From ₱1,280
mybest Rating | 4.8★★★★ |
---|---|
Key Ingredients | Rice Amino, Avocado, Soybean Oil, Tomato Extract, Coconut Oil |
Sulfate-Free | Yes |
Silicone-Free | Yes |
Drying Alcohol-Free | Yes |
Conditioner Type | Leave-In Conditioner |
Best for | Maintaining and Redefining Curls |
Net Weight | 170 ml |
Suitable for | All Types of Curly Hair |
From ₱450
mybest Rating | 4.7★★★★ |
---|---|
Key Ingredients | Avocado and Tea Tree Extract |
Sulfate-Free | Yes |
Silicone-Free | Yes |
Drying Alcohol-Free | Yes |
Conditioner Type | Deep Conditioner |
Best for | Repairing Damage-Prone Hair like 4C. Suitable For All Types of Curl |
Net Weight | 300 g |
Suitable for | All Types of Curly Hair |
From ₱1,475
mybest Rating | 4.6★★★★ |
---|---|
Key Ingredients | Coconut Oil, Neem Oil, Shea Butter, Hibiscus |
Sulfate-Free | Yes |
Silicone-Free | Yes |
Drying Alcohol-Free | Yes |
Conditioner Type | Rinse-Out Conditioner |
Best for | Hydrating and Moisturizing Curly Hair |
Net Weight | 710 ml |
Suitable for | Spiral Curls, Coily |
Image | 1 ![]() Briogeo | 2 ![]() Zenutrients | 3 SheaMoisture |
---|---|---|---|
Name | Curl Charisma™ Rice Amino + Avocado Leave–In Defining Cream | Curls Avocado & Tea Tree Protein-Free Deep Conditioner | Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Conditioner |
Features | A Sulfate-Free Conditioner to Achieve Defined Curls | Get Nourished and Hydrated Curls With Avocado Oil and Tea Tree Extract | An All-Natural Conditioner That Keeps Frizz and Tangle at Bay |
Price Starts at | ₱1,280 | ₱450 | ₱1,475 |
mybest Rating | 4.8★★★★ | 4.7★★★★ | 4.6★★★★ |
Key Ingredients | Rice Amino, Avocado, Soybean Oil, Tomato Extract, Coconut Oil | Avocado and Tea Tree Extract | Coconut Oil, Neem Oil, Shea Butter, Hibiscus |
Sulfate-Free | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Silicone-Free | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Drying Alcohol-Free | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Conditioner Type | Leave-In Conditioner | Deep Conditioner | Rinse-Out Conditioner |
Best for | Maintaining and Redefining Curls | Repairing Damage-Prone Hair like 4C. Suitable For All Types of Curl | Hydrating and Moisturizing Curly Hair |
Net Weight | 170 ml | 300 g | 710 ml |
Suitable for | All Types of Curly Hair | All Types of Curly Hair | Spiral Curls, Coily |
Link |
We have more product recommendations in store for you! Listed in no particular order, here are seven more of our recommended products carefully chosen by the mybest team.
From ₱189
Key Ingredients | Coconut Oil, Glycerin, Moringa Extract |
---|---|
Sulfate-Free | Yes |
Silicone-Free | Yes |
Drying Alcohol-Free | Yes |
Best for | Repairing Damage, Controlling Frizz, Strengthening Hair |
Conditioner Type | Rinse-Out Conditioner |
Net Weight | 250 ml |
Suitable for | Not Specified |
From ₱6,100
Key Ingredients | Aloe Vera, Wheat Protein, Glycerin, Sunflower Seed Oil |
---|---|
Sulfate-Free | No |
Silicone-Free | Yes |
Drying Alcohol-Free | No |
Best for | Hydrating and Nourishing All Types of Curly Hair |
Conditioner Type | Rinse-Out Conditioner |
Net Weight | 1000 ml |
Suitable for | All Types of Curly Hair |
From ₱319.75
Key Ingredients | Coconut Oil, Aloe Vera, Glycerin, Avocado Oil |
---|---|
Sulfate-Free | Yes |
Silicone-Free | Yes |
Drying Alcohol-Free | Yes |
Best for | Repairing Hair's Protein Structure |
Conditioner Type | Deep Conditioner |
Net Weight | 150 g |
Suitable for | Not Specified |
From ₱2,050
Key Ingredients | Ceramide, Manuka Honey |
---|---|
Sulfate-Free | Yes |
Silicone-Free | Yes |
Drying Alcohol-Free | No |
Best for | Replenishing Moisture, Detangling Knots, Enhancing Curl's Bounce |
Conditioner Type | Rinse-Out Conditioner |
Net Weight | 250 ml |
Suitable for | Curly to Very Curly Hair |
From ₱699
Key Ingredients | Coconut Oil, Honey, and Citrus Oil |
---|---|
Sulfate-Free | Yes |
Silicone-Free | No |
Drying Alcohol-Free | Yes |
Best for | Softening Hair, Taming Frizz, Curl Enhancing, Hydrating Curls, Boosting Shine |
Conditioner Type | Rinse-Out Conditioner |
Net Weight | 385ml |
Suitable for | All Types of Curly Hair |
From ₱499
Key Ingredients | Coconut Oil, Argan Oil |
---|---|
Sulfate-Free | Yes |
Silicone-Free | Yes |
Drying Alcohol-Free | Yes |
Best for | Retaining Curls, Defining Curls, Moisturizing Hair |
Conditioner Type | Deep Conditioner |
Net Weight | 198 ml |
Suitable for | All Types of Curly Hair |
From ₱260
Key Ingredients | Gugo |
---|---|
Sulfate-Free | Yes |
Silicone-Free | Yes |
Drying Alcohol-Free | Yes |
Best for | Promoting Hair Growth, Strengthening Hair |
Conditioner Type | Rinse-Out Conditioner |
Net Weight | 200 ml |
Suitable for | Not Specified |
Image | ![]() Aveda | Be Organic | ![]() Human Nature | ![]() Kérastase | OGX | ![]() Zenutrients | Hask |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Be Curly™ Conditioner | All Natural Moringa Conditioner | Natural Hair Revival Coco Mask | Curl Manifesto Conditioner | Quenching Coconut Curls Conditioner | Gugo Strengthening Conditioner | Curl Care |
Features | A Blend of Wheat Protein and Organic Aloe to Tame Frizz and Boost Shine | Moringa-Enriched Conditioner That Repairs Damaged Curls | Infused With Coconut Oil to Help Replenish Hair's Moisture | Detangle Even the Most Stubborn Knots With a Blend of Manuka Honey and Ceramide | Manage Unruly Curls With a Hydrating Blend of Coconut Oil, Honey, and Citrus Oil | Contains Gugo to Give You Strong and Enhanced Curly Tresses | Boosted With Curl-Activating Complex to Provide Added Definition to Your Curls |
Price Starts at | ₱6,100 | ₱189 | ₱319.75 | ₱2,050 | ₱699 | ₱260 | ₱499 |
Key Ingredients | Aloe Vera, Wheat Protein, Glycerin, Sunflower Seed Oil | Coconut Oil, Glycerin, Moringa Extract | Coconut Oil, Aloe Vera, Glycerin, Avocado Oil | Ceramide, Manuka Honey | Coconut Oil, Honey, and Citrus Oil | Gugo | Coconut Oil, Argan Oil |
Sulfate-Free | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Silicone-Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Drying Alcohol-Free | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Best for | Hydrating and Nourishing All Types of Curly Hair | Repairing Damage, Controlling Frizz, Strengthening Hair | Repairing Hair's Protein Structure | Replenishing Moisture, Detangling Knots, Enhancing Curl's Bounce | Softening Hair, Taming Frizz, Curl Enhancing, Hydrating Curls, Boosting Shine | Promoting Hair Growth, Strengthening Hair | Retaining Curls, Defining Curls, Moisturizing Hair |
Conditioner Type | Rinse-Out Conditioner | Rinse-Out Conditioner | Deep Conditioner | Rinse-Out Conditioner | Rinse-Out Conditioner | Rinse-Out Conditioner | Deep Conditioner |
Net Weight | 1000 ml | 250 ml | 150 g | 250 ml | 385ml | 200 ml | 198 ml |
Suitable for | All Types of Curly Hair | Not Specified | Not Specified | Curly to Very Curly Hair | All Types of Curly Hair | Not Specified | All Types of Curly Hair |
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Here are some key points to consider:
For more detailed information, read through our buying guide below.
To ensure that you're buying a conditioner that will combat your hair curly problems, it is essential to know what ingredients should be in it. Learn more about the common ingredients found in conditioners for curly hair and what benefits they can offer your hair:
Curly hair is prone to frizz and dryness. And these hair woes typically arise when your hair lacks moisture. Thus, you'll want to look for conditioners that contain ingredients, like coconut and avocado oil, that can seal in moisture to keep your hair hydrated throughout. You can also find ones with humectants, such as glycerin and manuka honey that add moisture.
If your hair strands are thick, you'll benefit from heavier emollients, such as cocoa butter, olive oil, jojoba oil, castor oil, and shea butter that can entirely coat them. Meanwhile, if you need lighter emollients, look for argan oil, sweet almond oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, and mango butter in your conditioner.
Maintaining the rings and curls is another challenge. If you use the wrong products, you can end up with unruly curls that look rather disheveled. One way to prevent this is by searching for conditioners that contain ingredients, like rice amino acids and tomato fruit ferment that penetrate and seal the hair cuticle to produce consistent and defined curl patterns.
A balance of protein and moisture is crucial to keep your hair healthy and strong. Hence, aside from ensuring your hair is well-hydrated, you must also supply it with ample protein. This ingredient helps replenish nutrients, repairs damages, and reduce breakage.
Apart from protein, your hair may also benefit from ceramide. It acts like cement that keeps your hair intact and more resilient to damage. Other ingredients to spot in your conditioner if you're after hair resiliency is gugo and tea tree extract, as they are known to strengthen hair and prevent breakages.
Apart from knowing what ingredients to look for, it is equally important to know which ones to avoid. Ahead, we'll shed some light on the ingredients people with curly hair should steer clear of.
Sulfate has the potential to strip off your hair's natural oil, which makes it extra harsh to curly hair that is already more prone to dryness and damage as is. It is best to avoid sulfate in your conditioner if you wish to achieve strong and hydrated curls.
To ensure that the conditioner you're buying doesn't have it, check the ingredients list. Watch out for ingredients, like sodium laureth sulfate, ammonium laureth sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, and other elements that end in "-ate," as this typically indicates that it is a form of sulfate.
Silicones are usually used in hair products because they provide slip to your hair and calm frizz. However, it is best to avoid them on your conditioner, especially the non-water-soluble ones. They may cause buildup that can weigh down your curls and diminish their definition. Worse, they might even straighten your curls.
Additionally, they might be difficult to remove. Most of the time, they can only be washed off by sulfates, which are harsh for your curls too. Some of the "bad" silicones you should decline are trimethylsilylamodimethicone, dimethicone, and cetyl dimethicone.
Since curly hair is already drier than average, it is also advisable to stay away from ingredients like alcohol that may further dry your hair. However, it is crucial to note that not all alcohols are bad for your hair. The only ones you have to be cautious of are the drying alcohols, such as ethanol, propanol, isopropyl.
These drying alcohols can cause your curly hair to dry out and start to frizz. In worst cases, they might even cause them to get brittle and break off. Thus, if you wish to purchase a conditioner that will do your curls good, avoid ones that list drying alcohols on their ingredients.
When buying hair products like conditioners, it is also essential to know the type of curl you possess. Although most of these conditioners do not necessarily classify whether they're for type 2 or type 3, it will help to at least know if you have wavy, curly, or coily hair.
Doing this will help you figure out the proper routine and products for your hair. And this way, you can also avoid wasting money buying conditioners that are either too strong or too weak to manage your curls.
Hair conditioners come in different kinds of formulas depending on your hair needs. So whether you need one that will simply moisturize, treat, or deeply nourish your curly hair, there is one for you.
This type of hair conditioner is used after shampooing. It helps close the hair cuticle and replenish moisture that has been stripped off during the washing process. To use it, simply apply to the hair after shampoo and wait for a few minutes, rinse out, then you are good to go.
It usually has a thicker consistency than leave-in ones, as it is meant to provide some "slip" to your hair for calming frizz and easier detangling too. Some of these rinse-out conditioners also contain ingredients that may protect your hair strands against future damage.
A leave-in conditioner has a lightweight and watery-like formulation that provides extra moisture and shine. Unlike rinse-out ones, this one doesn't require water. To use it, simply apply it to your hair and comb it into the strands to lessen frizz and tangles along the way. You can also use it to make your hair more malleable before styling and shaping.
Your hair tends to be drier when you have curly hair because the natural oils on your scalp have trouble reaching the ends of your strands. As a solution to this, you can use deep conditioners to boost your hair's hydration and supply them with essential nutrients to make them healthier, softer, and more robust.
To use a deep conditioner, simply massage it onto your hair and leave it for 10-30 minutes for noticeable results. Since it tends to penetrate deeper and intensely nourish your hair, it is only advisable to use it just once or twice a week.
If you've been actively looking for routines that will make your curly hair happy, it is likely that you have already come across the Curly Girl Method (CGM). It is a hair care routine that focuses on gentle cleansing, conditioning, and natural styling with less manipulation. Below, Byrdie and Real Simple share some essential dos and don'ts to keep in mind when doing the CGM.
Dos:
Don'ts:
Below, Dr. Katrina answers some of the web's most asked questions, so before you hit that check out button, have a read to make sure you make informed decisions!
It is best to always follow-up shampooing hair with a conditioner. Also, make sure to apply the conditioner till the ends of the hair strands as these typically tend to be more brittle and fragile.
Depends on how much hair you have. Just a sufficient amount to adequately spread and coat the hair from the scalp to the tips.
Knots, brittle, easily broken hair are common problems associated with curly hair. To address that, use a wide-toothed comb to prevent any additional friction or traction on the hair shafts. The unique appearance and structure of curly hair make it especially fragile and prone to injury and damage.
Conditioners are meant to restore softness, shine, and manageability to hair. Choose the right conditioner for your hair to reap the best results!
To achieve healthier hair inside and out, you will need more than just a hair conditioner. Instead, upgrade your crowning glory's overall appearance by trying some of our recommended hair care products that will not only repair damages but will also maintain your hair's natural beauty.
With their vulnerability to damages and their natural dryness, curly hair is indeed a lot harder to maintain than a straight one. However, their overall look and finish are worth all the hassle. Fortunately, you can save your crowning glory from damages by using a hair conditioner suitable for your hair type and condition.
Author: E. Hubilla
Re-Editor: R. Victoriano
Reviewed by: Dermatologist Dr. Katrina Erika Habaluyas Luz
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Curious to know how we chose the products on our list? Our buying guide was carefully crafted by the mybest team of writers and editors, so we used it as a basis for choosing and rating. For the top 3 product recommendations, we also looked at reviews from Lazada in addition to the buying guide.
*Please note that we did not test the products and were not paid by any of the brands to include their product on the list.
Ratings and Reviews
For each product on the top 3, we looked at and referenced more than 100 reviews, as well as product ratings in Lazada.
Look for Key Ingredients That Will Combat Your Curly Hair Woes
To address curly hair problems such as dryness, frizziness, breakage, we looked at the ingredients list of the conditioners and checked if they contain key or beneficial ingredients like natural oils, proteins, ceramide, and amino acids.
Beware of Ingredients That May Damage Curly Hair
For this criterion, we checked the ingredients list of each of the products to determine whether they include do not include damaging ingredients for curly hair such as sulfates, silicones, and alcohols.
Know Your Curl Type to Rule Which Products Are Right for Your Hair
Although the best type of conditioner would depend on the type of your curl, we gave a higher rating to products that are suitable for all types of curly hair, compared to those that cater to only a specific type.
Choose a Formula Based on Your Hair's Needs
We did not include this criterion since the formula depends on what the user would want to address or achieve.
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