These Products are Causing your Curl Problems + Alternatives

Could you be using the wrong products in your routine, causing your curls to not last, frizz up quickly, or fall?

Here I am sharing some of the most common products that you are using that need to be swapped out and suggesting alternative products. I also am including what to look for so you can avoid these issues when shopping, or select the right products from your existing stash.

Just because I mention products that could be causing your problems, doesn’t mean that they are “bad” products, it’s just that I often find people with the wrong hair type are using them. 

This list is compiled based on my coaching sessions where I have seen repeat products that when replaced, people get better results.

Problem: Shampoos that are too gentle

Some shampoos are not strong enough to fully cleanse your hair. How do you know if your shampoo is too gentle? You may notice buildup, an oily scalp, your roots are weighed down or your hair has signs of being over moisturized; such as:

Examples of gentle shampoos:

• Shea Moisture shampoos (has mild cocamidopropyl betaine, shea butter, and coconut oil)
• Jessicurl Shampoo (non-ionic surfactants Decyl Polyglucose)
• DevaCurl No Poo (co-wash, cetearyl alcohol)

Alternatives:

Mid-strong cleanse

Gentle cleanse

Problem: Deep conditioners, conditioners, creams, and leave-ins that are too heavy

You may notice your hair feeling weighed down, or appearing limp, there is no cast and curls don’t last. You may also have frizz and/or your hair looks greasy or oily.

These products may be too heavy for your hair:

• Shea Moisture deep conditioners
• Shea Moisture curl creams
• Cantu curl cream
• Pattern curl cream
• Fenty curl cream

Alternatives:

• Use less of your deep conditioner and make sure you fully rinse it
• Use less curl cream or leave-in
• Skip curl cream and just use moisturizing gels
• Opt for leave-ins over creams

Lightweight creams & leave-ins

Medium-weight creams

Problem: Stylers/gels that don’t have enough hold

If you product is not providing enough hold, your curls will be frizzy, not last and have a dry look. You won’t feel a cast and will need to do a lot to refresh your hair.

Some examples of products that do not provide much hold are:

• TreLuxe Hi Definition Gel
• TreLuxe Reflex Serum
• NYM Curl Talk Gel, level 3
• LUS Irish Sea Moss Gel
• Aveda Be Curly Advanced Gel

Alternatives:

Problem: Stylers that are strong hold but don’t last

If your styler is strong but the hold does not last then you will have a strong cast but still see frizz, even after scrunching out the cast. By the end of the day you will have a lot of frizz and the curls fall. Your hair may also require a lot of effort to refresh, and cannot withstand humidity.

Some examples of these non-lasting stylers:

• Innersense I Create Definition
• Innersense I Create Curl Memory
• Innersense I Creat Hold
• Uncle Funky’s Daughter Magic Curl Stimulator

Alternatives:

Strong Hold

Medium Hold

Anti-humidity ingredients checklist

If you are dealing with humidity and want a full list of ingredients to look for, download the free chart below.

Still stuck?

If you’ve tried these alternative products, and your curls are still not turning out, then I recommend meeting with me in a curl coaching session so we can walk through every step of your routine and pin point what’s going wrong. 

Sometimes it’s not the product that’s the problem, it’s how you’re using it. Most of the time, you all have products in your stash that you can use so you don’t have to buy new ones.

You can reach out to me by sending me a message on IG or Facebook with the word “coaching” or email [email protected] to discuss if you’re a fit and which package you need.

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