The 17 Best Curl Creams to Achieve Healthy, Moisturized Hair

If your hair is drier than the Sahara desert and basically screaming for help, Briogeo's Curl Charisma line is where it's at. A little bit of this product goes a long way as it's incredibly moisturizing and has a strong hold on curls that will last for a few days (!!). Even if you use a large amount, it won't build up or weigh your hair down like other products tend to do.

Listen up, Curl Friend. If you're balling on a budget and need the best affordable curl cream ASAP, we'd like to introduce you to Cake Beauty. This vegan and cruelty-free option not only defines curls, but it adds shine and moisture to your hair — there's a reason it's rated 4.5 stars on Amazon, people!

"Having healthy, curly hair is a lifestyle — the more attention you give to your curls, the better they will look. Hydration is key throughout your whole routine," Brad Mondo says. He suggests using a gentle cleansing shampoo and deep hydrating conditioner to build the foundation for your style.

He explains that when XMONDO's Wavetech Wave Foam and Hydrating Wave Cream are used together, "they produce maximum waves and curls because you are getting the best of both products, definition, and hydration."

Looking for an affordable product that adds volume and hydration, smells great, and cooperates with any kind of curl? Look no further than Not Your Mother's Curl Talk, which has a 4.4-star rating on Walmart.com. "This product is light, it makes all of my curls beautiful, I can shape my curls with my fingers, and does NOT flake," one reviewer named Jewlz writes. "This product is not crunchy, and it makes me look like I have way more hair than I actually do."

Long story short, Verb is the reason I started believing in the power of curl cream. This moisturizing formula not only shapes and defines curls, but it has long-lasting wear that makes your style look fresh days later. Seriously — my hair lasts up to five days thanks to this stuff, and its light scent is oh-so-good.

Jen Atkin — a.k.a the mastermind behind the Kardashians' chicest hair looks — founded OUAI to diminish intimidation when it comes to finding the right hair products. While the brand is loved for its gentle formulas and signature North Bondi fragrance, its curl cream is seriously loved by reviewers at Sephora with a 4-star rating.

"This product has a really velvety texture as opposed to the slickness I usually expect from curl cream," one 4-star review reads. "I would recommend [following up] with a gel for definition, but if you're looking for a curl cream to moisturize your curls, this is it."

Seventeen's Assistant Editor, Jasmine Washington, loves The Doux's Bee Girl Curl Custard because it caters to her natural 4B coils. It's packed with nourishing natural ingredients like Aloe and Vitamins B, C & E for growth protection. "After styling my thick, textured coils with this product, they were defined and moisturized for days," she says.

Founded by Queer Eye's beauty and wellness expert, Jonathan Van Ness, JVN Hair has come through with an ultra-lightweight Air Dry Cream to help hydrate and maintain waves. One reviewer even claimed that they didn't feel like they were wearing any product while this was in their hair. The last thing you want is for your waves to be super weighed down, so this seems like it's a win-win situation.

Cantu prides itself on its natural ingredients catered to type 2 waves, type 3 curls, and type 4 coils. Not only does this product elevate and define curls thanks to its combination of shea butter and 7 (!!) essential oils, but it keeps it looking moisturized and healthy. One 5-star reviewer on Amazon named Adriana says that despite complaints about the product's thicker consistency, it works well with the Tik Tok-viral "curly girl method."

"I use a quarter or two sized amount on soaking wet hair before getting out of [the] shower," Adriana wrote in the review. "Scrunch in the product and use a T-shirt to scrunch out the excess. Air dry or diffuse dry."

Founded by Tracee Ellis Ross, PATTERN is catered to Black hair but works for all curl types. The brand's styling cream helps define curls with its nourishing ingredients like shea butter, cacay oil, and sweet almond oil. Whether you're letting your coils flourish or twisting your locs, this may be your next favorite product.

IGK's Rich Kid is a lightweight cream that'll hold up any hair type without that hard, crunchy feeling. Made with coconut oil and aloe vera extract, this cream is rich in moisturizing properties that will keep hair hydrated for days. Plus, it's formulated for air-drying, which means you don't have to bust out your blowdryer.

This lemon-fresh scented curl cream not only blocks out humidity and helps reduce frizz, but leaves hair soft and silky to the touch for less than $15 (!!). According to a 5-star Amazon review by Valerie Schuetz, Marc Anthony's Curl Envy Curl Cream goes on "so smooth" and doesn't weigh down hair at all. "I barely can tell I have it on. It allows my hair to dry nice[ly] leaving perfect curls, the way my hair looks naturally without the frizz of air drying and without the crunch of a curl cream/gel," Valerie wrote.

Founded by Harvard-trained dermatologist Iris Rubin, SEEN Haircare came about when she noticed breakouts after trips to the salon. She then discovered that haircare and skincare go hand-in-hand and created SEEN, which provides both fragranced and fragrance-free hair products that protect from heat, UV rays, and pollution, on top of taking care of your hair and skin. It's a win-win.

Davines' products are catered to giving your curls some TLC, hence the name of their ultra-moisturizing curl line. If you find your hair to be unpredictable, this rich product may just be your cure to taming those curls. A consumer named Heather Humphrey raved about Davines' Curl Cream in a 5-star review on Amazon, saying that it's the "perfect weight" and controls the frizz without the crunchiness you commonly find in curl products with stronger holds. "My hair is still soft to touch but holds the curls together without weighing them down," Heather wrote.

Garnier's curl system is a favorite of Nikkia Nelson's, and we can totally see why. Not only does this curl cream cost less than a latte, but it contains shea butter, which helps condition hair. "Products that contain aloe, argan oil, shea butter, and coconut oil are the best on curly hair," Nelson tells Seventeen. "These ingredients help keep hair tamed and moisturized."

Ouidad's Advanced Climate Control Featherlight Styling Cream claims to withstand any and every type of weather, but especially humid climates that infamously add frizz to curls. This lightweight formula is packed with nourishing natural ingredients that protect curls from heat and UV damage. Thanks to Ouidad, your curls will slay, rain or shine.

Over the years, Redken has been recommended by salons and hairstylists alike, and with good reason. The brand's Curvaceous line caters to all kinds of curls, but their Curl Refiner Cream takes the cake when it comes to achieving a lightweight, non-crunchy finish. "It is not sticky or viscous, and really does define and enhance curls whether blowing out with a diffuser or drying naturally," writes a 5-star reviewer on Amazon named Alba, who claims this product is so good that her daughter stole it from her.