Best Treatments for Curly Hair: Pre-Shampoo Care, Bond Repair, Masks, and Heat Protection
If your curls are falling limp, feel dry, or are showing signs of damage, it might be worth adding some targeted treatments into your routine.
If your curls are falling limp, feel dry, or are showing signs of damage, it might be worth adding some targeted treatments into your routine.
A lot of people don’t have any of these products in their routine at all. They may be washing and styling consistently, but still feel like their curls don’t last, don’t feel as healthy as they used to, or never quite bounce back. Treatments are often the missing piece, especially when hair has been exposed to heat, tension, or long-term wear and tear.
This guide breaks down the different types of treatments for curly hair, how they fit into a routine, and how to choose the right ones based on what your hair actually needs. The goal is not to use everything, but to understand what each category does, when to use it, and how these products compare.
When I work with clients, the focus is on helping curls recover through the right transition plan and routine, not by piling on products. Treatments are tools within that system. They work best when they’re used intentionally and at the right stage of the routine.
Some treatments are meant to protect hair before damage happens. Others are designed to reinforce or repair weakened hair. Some are best for maintenance, and others are meant to replace steps like conditioner or a separate heat protectant. Using too many at once often leads to hair that feels soft but lacks structure, or results that don’t last.
In the sections below, treatments are organized by when they’re used and what role they play, so you can compare options without overcomplicating your routine.
Pre-shampoo treatments are used before cleansing, when hair is most vulnerable to friction and breakage. These products help improve slip, protect the ends, and make wash day gentler overall.
This category is preventative. These products do not repair damage, but they can make a noticeable difference in how hair behaves during and after shampooing.
Oils are multi-purpose products and can be used before shampoo on dry hair, or at the end of your routine on dry hair to soften and add shine. When using oils at the pre-shampoo step, you can detangle gently or simply apply the oil and let it sit. This will protect your hair from friction during shampooing. Do not use too much. A light coating is all that’s needed.
Use: Pre-shampoo or finishing oil
Weight: Lightweight
Unique Benefits: Adds shine and protects against breakage
Best For: All hair types
Use: Pre-shampoo or finishing oil
Weight: Lightweight
Unique Benefits: UV defense and breakage protection
Best For: All hair types
Primers are applied to wet hair before shampooing and provide more slip than oils. They’re especially helpful for hair that tangles easily or feels fragile during wash day.
Use: Pre-shampoo detangler on wet hair
Conditioning Level: Medium
Slip Level: High
Unique Benefits: Detangles, softens, and smooths the cuticle
Best For: All hair types
Pre-shampoo bond repair treatments are the most targeted strengthening products in this guide. They’re applied before shampooing so they can interact with the hair without interference from conditioners or stylers.
Not all bond treatments work the same way. Some are capable of repairing broken bonds, while others reinforce existing structure. Understanding that distinction helps determine which option is appropriate for your level of damage.
Use: Pre-shampoo treatment
Conditioning Level: Low
Protein Level: None
Unique Benefits: Rebuilds broken bonds
Best For: Severe damage or maintenance
Use: Pre-shampoo treatment
Conditioning Level: Low
Protein Level: Some
Unique Benefits: Reinforces existing bonds and supports curl structure
Best For: Moderate damage or maintenance
Use: Pre-shampoo treatment
Conditioning Level: Low
Protein Level: None
Unique Benefits: Peptide-based bond reinforcement
Best For: Mild damage or maintenance
Rinse-out bond repair treatments are used after shampooing and combine strengthening with conditioning. Because of this, they often replace the need for a separate conditioner.
These treatments are supportive rather than corrective. They help maintain strength and manageability, but they do not replace pre-shampoo bond repair for more severe damage.
Use: Rinse out treatment
Conditioning Level: Medium
Protein Level: Some
Unique Benefits: Reinforces weakened hair while conditioning
Best For: Moderate damage or maintenance
Use: Rinse out treatment
Conditioning Level: High
Protein Level: Some
Unique Benefits: Amino-acid based bond reinforcement with deeper conditioning
Best For: Mild to moderate damage or maintenance
Leave-in bond treatments are designed for maintenance, not intensive repair. They reinforce strength over time and are especially useful for people who diffuse or use heat regularly.
Use: Leave-in treatment
Conditioning Level: Low
Protein Level: None
Unique Benefits: Reinforces bonds over time and helps protect hair during heat styling
Best For: All hair types; maintenance
Deep conditioners focus on softness, slip, and manageability. While they can improve how hair feels, they do not repair or reinforce bonds.
Use: Rinse out
Conditioning Level: Low
Protein Level: None
Unique Benefits: Softens and deeply moisturizes
Best For: All hair types
Use: Rinse out
Conditioning Level: Medium
Protein Level: High
Unique Benefits: Softens, strengthens, and improves elasticity
Best For: All hair types
Heat protectants help prevent cumulative damage, especially for diffusers and frequent heat users. Some also provide slip or light conditioning, making them easy to incorporate without adding extra steps.
Use: Before stylers
Conditioning Level: Low
Protein Level: None
Slip Level: Medium
Unique Benefits: Protects from heat, UV, chlorine & salt water
Best For: All hair types
Use: Before stylers
Conditioning Level: Low
Protein Level: None
Slip Level: Medium
Unique Benefits: Lightweight heat and UV protection with added slip
Best For: All hair types
Use: Before stylers
Conditioning Level: Low
Protein Level: None
Slip Level: Low
Unique Benefit: Simple, lightweight heat protection
Best For: All hair types
Product | Use (When) | Conditioning Level | Protein Level | Unique Benefits | Best For |
Pre-shampoo or finishing oil | – | None | Adds shine and protects against breakage | All hair types | |
Pre-shampoo or finishing oil | – | None | UV defense and breakage protection | All hair types | |
Pre-shampoo detangler on wet hair | Medium | None | Detangles, softens, and smooths the cuticle | All hair types | |
Pre-shampoo treatment | Low | None | Rebuilds broken bonds | Severe damage or maintenance | |
Pre-shampoo treatment | Low | Some | Reinforces existing bonds and supports curl structure | Moderate damage or maintenance | |
Pre-shampoo treatment | Low | None | Peptide-based bond reinforcement | Mild damage or maintenance | |
Rinse-out treatment | Medium | Some | Reinforces weakened hair while conditioning | Moderate damage or maintenance | |
Rinse-out treatment | High | Some | Amino-acid based bond reinforcement with deeper conditioning | Mild to moderate damage or maintenance | |
Leave-in treatment | Low | None | Reinforces bonds over time and helps protect hair during heat styling | All hair types; maintenance | |
Rinse-out | Low | None | Softens and deeply moisturizes | All hair types | |
Rinse-out | Medium | High | Softens, strengthens, and improves elasticity | All hair types | |
Before stylers | Low | None | Protects from heat, UV, chlorine, and salt water | All hair types | |
Before Stylers | Low | None | Lightweight heat and UV protection with added slip | All hair types | |
Before Stylers | Low | None | Simple, lightweight heat protection | All hair types |
Treatments work best when they’re chosen based on what your hair needs right now, not when they’re all used at once. In many routines, one strengthening treatment and one heat protectant or multipurpose product is enough.
If you want help understanding how to use strengthening products without overdoing it, you can download my free How to Use Strengthening Products Chart, which visually breaks down where these treatments fit and how to rotate them.
If you want personalized help choosing and adjusting treatments over time, that’s exactly what we work through inside my Curl Coaching Membership, where routines are built around your hair, your goals, and how your curls respond.
If your curls are falling limp, feel dry, or are showing signs of damage, it might be worth adding some targeted treatments into your routine.
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