Curly haircare has become so much more widespread these days, and everyone is sharing the latest and greatest tips, tricks, and products for their best curl days. However, if you’re like me and you have fine hair, you might find that once you get your hands on a curl cream or mask that everyone else is raving about, your expectations — and your hair — fall flat. So come along, my fellow fine-haired friends (and potentially my wavy girls, too), and let me share some of my secrets to the best hair days!
Shampoo & Conditioner
Every good curl routine starts in the shower. If you’re a gal with fine curls, then your top priority is keeping your hair clean and hydrated. The co-washes? Hard no. Heavy conditioners and masks? Pass.
After years of trial and error, I’ve learned that the key to happy, fine-textured curls is shampoo, not conditioner. No, you don’t have to splurge. Just make sure you’re using one that actually cleans your hair. If it’s marketed for dry hair or claims to be ultra-moisturizing, you might want to skip it. Also, don’t be afraid of sulfates! Your goal when washing is to remove product and oil buildup, not add more weight.
My favorite shampoo to use is the Verb Ghost Shampoo, which is specifically made for fine hair. The Ghost line is perfect for people with fine curly hair and won’t leave your curls feeling heavy or weighed down. Plus, it smells divine!
You can follow it up with their Ghost Conditioner (or any other lightweight conditioner of your choosing), but if your hair is protein-sensitive like mine, then you might prefer to reach for their Ghost Mask, which is still lightweight but adds the perfect amount of hydration. I use this as my normal conditioner, and curls absolutely soak this up.
Another great option is Ouai’s Fine Hair Shampoo and Conditioner. If you feel like your curls need an occasional moisture boost, their corresponding mask is worth trying as well!
If you haven’t caught on to the pattern here yet, I’ll go ahead and tell you my biggest hack when shopping for fine curls: skip products marketed specifically for curly hair. They’re often designed for thicker, coarser textures that need heavier moisture. Instead, look for anything labeled lightweight or that’s marketed for fine hair.
Leave-In Conditioner
Next up: leave-in conditioner. I ditched curl creams a while ago, and I haven’t looked back since. Most of them are too heavy for my hair and, honestly, unnecessary (for fine curls, at least).
My absolute favorite leave-in conditioner of all time is the Mizani 25 Miracle Milk Leave-In Spray. Any lightweight spray leave-in is a good bet, but this one has been an unchanging staple in my product rotation for years. It has so many benefits, like providing heat-protection, detangling, and it’s also perfect for next-day curl refreshing! I even use it on the rare occasions when I straighten my hair.
You can also use a cream leave-in if you prefer, but once I switched to a spray, my life and my curl routine was forever changed.
Spray Gel and Curl Foam
Speaking of sprays, I recently discovered the magic of spray gels. I got my hands on the Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Defining Spray Gel at their pop-up here at FSU, and I’ve been hooked ever since.
It’s not quite strong enough to fight off Florida humidity on its own, but layered with my favorite gel, it’s perfection. This does have a lot of protein in the ingredients, so when my hair feels a bit protein-heavy, I swap it out for a lightweight curl foam like Function of Beauty’s Zero Gravity Styling Mousse.
You could also reach for your favorite mousse instead, but I tend to find that most curl mousses leave my hair feeling dry and gross. Curl foams, in my experience, give the same soft and bouncy hold without the stickiness and heaviness.
Curl Gel
The star of every curl routine? Gel. Without it, I know I won’t have a good hair day.
The curl gel I reach for is the Umberto Giannini Curl Jelly. I think this brand is so unique and refreshing in its approach to curly hair and curly hair products, and the cute packaging is a bonus (the bottles are pink, are we kidding?). The formula gives long-lasting hold and great definition, all without being too heavy. I always have two bottles on hand in case I run out, because I genuinely can’t live without this stuff.
Another cult favorite for people with fine curly hair is Ouidad’s Climate Control Gel. It’s a bit too protein-rich for my hair personally, but it’s loved for a reason — it’s lightweight, frizz-fighting, and holds up in the Florida humidity.
Hair Oil
To scrunch out the crunch from the gel cast, I use Verb’s Ghost Oil. This oil lives up to its name and is extremely lightweight while still giving my hair softness and shine. It’s as weightless as the name implies, while adding the perfect shine and softness to my hair. Honestly, I’d recommend it to anyone — curls or not.
Other Necessary Curly Hair Add-ons
Fine hair needs regular clarifying to prevent buildup. I rotate between Olaplex’s Clarifying Shampoo, which gets rid of hard water and product buildup, leaving my hair feeling squeaky clean and ready for the week ahead, and Ouai’s Detox Shampoo, with apple cider vinegar for a gentle detox to refresh your hair and scalp.
If you deal with hard water (spoiler alert: if you’re in Tallahassee, you definitely do), the Malibu C Hard Water Wellness Packets are lifesavers. I recommend pairing this treatment with their Miracle Repair Mask for incredibly soft, rebalanced, buildup-free curls.
The brush you use is also super important! Some brushes are way too rough for my curls and cause breakage and added frizz. The Tangle Teezer Ultimate Detangler for Fine and Fragile Hair gently works through any tangles without ripping out my hair, and I find that it clumps my curls together nicely.
A curly hair routine is never one-size-fits-all. What works for one person might flop for another, and that’s completely okay. For my girls with fine curls, I hope these tips and product recommendations help you find what makes your curls thrive!
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