10 Best Conditioners for Curly Hair in the Philippines 2022 | Buying Guide Reviewed By Dermatologist

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.

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.

Here are some key points to consider:

1. Look for key ingredients that will combat your curly hair woes.
   
2. Beware of ingredients that may damage curly hair.
   
3. Know your curl type to rule which products are right for your hair.
   
4. Choose a formula based on your hair’s needs.
   

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:

1. Wash with a sulfate-free shampoo.
2. Know the type of curl you have, and use a conditioner accordingly.
3. Use your fingertips or a wide-toothed comb to detangle your hair and exfoliate your scalp.
4. Use products rich in emollients, like shea butter.
5. Dry your hair gently.

Don'ts:

1. Do not use styling heat styling tools, like hair blowers and curling irons.
2. Do not use brushes.
3. Avoid products with drying alcohol and silicones.
4. Do not use any hair products that contain sulfates.
5. Do not wash your hair too much. 2-3 times a week is ideal.

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.

1. Wash hair once a week or every other week.
2. Follow-up each shampoo with the use of a conditioner.

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.