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1. Curls Blueberry Bliss Control Jelly with organic blueberry extract and raw castor oil is made for 2a—4c hair types and is great for wash and gos, twist outs, braid outs, and roller sets. So...it'll give you LOTS of gorgeous options that don't even require a blow-dryer.
2. Bellissima Italia Diffon Supreme Diffuser & Curly Hair Dryer is, perhaps, the largest at-home diffuser I've seen in case you love your curly texture but find the drying process very annoying. Sometimes you don't have hours to let it air dry!
3. Some Bunzee Bands are made for Afro puffs, locs, dreads, and thick ponytails. They're super strong and built to up to two years (that's a really long time for a hair tie), but they won't harm your hair. Plus the adjustable bands mean that they'll stay put.
Though they may not be very visible with some hair styles, these hair bands are super cute and come in some vibrant shades!
Bunzee Bands is a small business dedicated to providing pain-free hair ties for people of all hair shapes and sizes.
Promising reviews: "Sent from the HEAVENS!! This. Is. Everything. During the summer time my hair was placed in time out. The curls that came out in the morning from my braid out would succumb to humidity the minute I stepped out. So I was left to just do puffs, and I'm was used to using the typical headband to do so. It would cause major headaches and being prone to headaches, it wasn't fun. So this product was a complete godsend! I can rock my puffs on my busy class days and forget I even have a puff in because there's no headache! 😍😍" —Mikaylia
"I absolutely love this. It does the trick. My locs are long and thick and so rubber bands take too much to try to get them on, and usually I can't get them tight enough. Finally I found something that works." —Karen
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $15.95 (available in eight colors, a single pack, and a smaller size).
4. Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Primer is a godsend whether you're blowing out your hair or trying to keep it breezy by letting it air dry. Gotta love a product that'll let you do both.
^ This curly haired reviewer calls it their curly holy grail product!
Promising review: "I spritz this on after I’ve washed and conditioned. That’s all I need to do. Hair turns out beautifully with just an air dry." —Conkyboyd
Get it from Amazon for $26.
5. Verb Ghost Oil makes quick work of taming frizz and flyaways. This is THE BEST hair oil if you have coarse, thick hair like me. Reviewers with hair textures up to 4c rave about it! It'll make your hair look sleeker *and* feel softer — especially after the roughest blow-dry session of your life.
I got turned onto this stuff after some colleagues put it in stories and after trying just about every hair oil out there, I can assure that this is the good stuff. It's great for finishing off your look after heat styling (like with a curling iron or straightener), helping your hair calm down post-blow-drying, or making your natural curls glossy and moisturized without weighing them down. I always keep a bottle in my medicine cabinet!
Get it from Amazon for $20 (sulfate-, gluten-, and paraben-free).
6. BondiBoost Sonic Hair Blow-Dryer gives you a verrrrrrry quiet blow-dry session without sacrificing speed so you can even have a convo, or listen to a podcast while you do the deed. This is great if you have the skill without a special kind of dryer, but don't have the patience to just sit and listen to a noisy hair dryer that long.
I recently got a blowout with one of these (BTW, I have a MANE of naturally curly, thick hair) and I was shocked by how efficient *and* quiet this was for a straightened blowout!
It comes with a diffuser and concentrator, and works on straight, wavy, curly, and coily hair textures.
Promising review: "Absolutely love this dryer! It’s super powerful and dries my hair super fast!! I like that I can adjust the temperature and airflow!! Also it’s a great size and has an easy handle! You can also lock the settings which I thought was really helpful! This dryer is also aesthetically pleasing and that makes me happy haha. 10/10! It is also quieter than my other dryers, not super quiet, but definitely less loud!" —lulu18276
Get it from Sephora for $199.
7. A satin-lined Hairbrella keeps your hair looking perfect, no matter the forecast.
Hairbrella is a Black-owned small business established in 2016 that specializes in hats combining fashion and function to protect against all types of weather. FYI, this is included in Prime Try Before You Buy so you can test it out before committing if you’re a Prime member!
Promising review: "I never carry an umbrella cause they’re too bulky, so when I saw the Hairbrella I was so excited. It keeps my hair dry and my curls nicely quaffed, rather than me looking like I stuck my fingers I a light socket. I’m telling everyone I know about it, it’s an amazing alternative to those wide-brimmed hats or a briefcase LOL! Truly it’s never going Read more about review stating Love it!!to leave my side from now on! I definitely recommend it." —Gina C.
Get it from Amazon for $49.99+ or Hairbrella for $44+ (available in five colors).
8. A Kitsch satin pillowcase feels oh so cool and luxe to the touch, but will also be kinder on your hair *and* skin that traditional cotton pillowcases that tend to pull and suck up moisture. And it'll help you get as much run time out of your blowout as possible by keeping it smooth while you're in Snoozeville dreaming about George Russell in The Gilded Age.
Kitsch is an LA-based, self-financed, woman-owned small business established in 2010 that specializes in hair accessories.
Check out a TikTok of the Kitsch satin pillowcase in action.
Promising review: "I'm really liking this pillow. I woke up today with nice wavy hair, not dry tangled hair. I've been trying to grow out the layer of hair on the top back of my head and it's been so stubborn! Keeps getting tangled and breaks here and there from bleaching and dye damage, but with this new pillow I notice it doesn't tangle, which means it can grow right without rubbing and tangling/pulling! So I'm excited to see what happens by the end of summer! Also the pillow is soft and is so much more prettier in person! 😍😍😍💖💖💖" —Amazon Customer 🌷
Get it from Amazon for $19+ (available in two sizes and in 11 styles).
9. TGIN Miracle Repairx Deep Hydrating Hair Mask For Damaged Hair nurtures and protects your natural hair texture after other products have failed you. Gotta love something that does major work for you before you even start styling.
Thank God It’s Natural (TGIN) is a small business founded by Chris-Tia Donaldson after she graduated from Harvard Law School, started her first job at a law firm and wore wigs out of frustration for the lack of hair products for natural hair. TGIN is now sold at a variety of retailers. Chris-Tia was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and until her passing in 2021, used her success to advocate for women experiencing financial difficulties and who are undergoing treatment, to highlight health disparities due to race and socio-economic factors and help through the TGIN Foundation. You can read more about her empowering story in her book This is Only a Test.
Promising review: "I LOOOOVE THIS PRODUCT LINE! I use the daily hair food to the hair mask! If you are protecting your hair and maximizing hydration these products will be your best friend!" —K Taylor-Cain
Get it from Amazon for $15.99.
10. Moroccan Oil Intense Curl Cream uses argan oil to do some serious work defining your gorgeous, gorgeous curls without leaving them sticky or crunchy.
When I go on a beach vacation, I don't bother with my intense blowout hair routine. I always pack this (a little goes a LONG way) and let my hair air dry.
Promising review: "This is a GREAT product for fine hair. I have a lot of fine hair that is between wavy/curly. I have always had a hard time finding a good product that doesn't give my hair the crunchy look when I let it air dry. I have found this to be the best moisturizing curl cream without weighing hair down, controls frizz AND defines curls. My advice is to shampoo (skip conditionor if your hair gets oily) apply the product in the shower, brush with a wide tooth comb to evenly distribute it then scrunch hair using a cotton t shirt. I think I finally found what I have been looking for and am so excited I can let my hair air dry now and not hate it!!!" —Lydia
Get it from Amazon for $36 (alcohol-free).
11. Bomba Curls Dominican Forbidden Volumizer Oil helps you embrace your natural hair texture and air dry while moisturizing and leaving the most divine scent on your locks. A little goes a very long way, so it's always the hair product I pack for vacation when I'd rather not clock precious time blow drying my hair. Below I'm on a February trip to Iceland where I knew I'd be wearing a winter hat so I used it to let the little bit of my hair I could see shine in its natural texture.
Bomba Curls is a WOC-owned business founded by Lulu Cordero and inspired by her Afro-Dominicana roots. The products are meant to help curly-haired folks naturally boost growth and achieve maximum length retention. This formula is infused with pure coffee seed and castor oil mean to moisturize your hair and scalp, while promoting hair growth and making your strands look glossier.
Yep, that's me in awe of merely *existing* in the frigid wonderland of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in Iceland. Anytime I was outside in Iceland I wore a bucket hat AND had my hood pulled over it. It was that chilly! And don't even get me started on the wind. So I knew that my skin and hair were going to need some major moisture. Enter the Bomba Curls hair oil. I used this as a leave-in treatment and styler on wet hair, and then let my natural hair texture do its thing. It was an excellent call as it helps curls form so beautifully and ended up being especially moisturizing for my post–Blue Lagoon dry hair. (I had to wash my hair FOUR TIMES post-Lagoon because of all the minerals in the water.) In case you're wondering, I also pack this for hot, humid trips when I embrace my natural hair texture.
Get it from Target for $26.99.
12. A CurlCap backless adjustable cap with plenty of room for your natural hair or updos while giving your face some extra shade and getting your sweaty hair up and off your neck.
CurlCap is a Black-owned apparel company founded by Britney Sade that specializes in caps designed for natural hair with an open back and flexible scrunchie design.
Promising review: "This hat is comfortable, well made, and cute! It is now my go-to hat for casual days when I put my hair in a ponytail. I have also worn it playing tennis and found that it's more comfortable than wearing a visor. The back elastic really keeps the hat secure without feeling too tight. I have the black twill, and would love to see it in other colors in this fabric for walking, running, and tennis. Love." —Me
Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in 11 styles).
13. Living Proof No Frizz Instant De-Frizzer instantly smooths and moisturizes when you don't want to use hair oil. It tames up to 92% of frizz on dry hair and really zhuzhes your hair in between washes.
Promising review: "I personally am not a fan of how the hair oils feel on my hands and have found this product to be a great alternative! I like to braid my hair at night and then pull it out and wear it wavy. But if I comb through it, it’s a frizzy mess! This product definitely tames it down!" —Sarah Thielke
Get it from Amazon for $33.
14. An I Dew Care "Tap Secret" mattifying powder shampoo tackles greasy roots without the aerosol formula. I've been packing this for flights where I carry on only and this little puff is EFFECTIVE. Like, I went to New Orleans recently in late May with a blowout I was trying to make last. This kept my oily roots matte again! It's LEGIT.
Promising review: "I was looking for a dry shampoo that would be easy to use on the go for a trip I was taking. I had no issues taking this through TSA and it was so easy to use on the go. You literally just pat the poof on your scalp and then rub the powder in. I do have black hair so dry shampoo is usually very visible in my hair, but I didn't have any harder time than usual rubbing this powder in. It did a really good job of soaking up all the oil and giving my hair volume. I'm not a fan of the price for the amount that you get, but it is lasting longer than I thought it would. I would definitely recommend and will purchase again." —Teresa
Get it from Amazon for $16.
15. A Denman hairbrush has evenly spaced bristles to detangle and shape your curls because maybe your regular brush isn't cutting it for your curly texture.
Promising review: "I’m relatively new to the curly hair journey (I thought I just had frizzy, dry hair for decades) and was struggling to have frizz-free curls. I also wasn’t getting good curls with my wide tooth comb. After just two days with this brush, I’m getting defined curls! I regret not getting this sooner. My hair looks noticeably better!" —Sarah W.
Get it from Amazon for $18.05+ (available in five styles and eight colors).
16. DevaCurl Dry No-Poo Moisturizing Dry Shampoo gives you the twistable option of either blasting just your roots or your mid-lengths to ends because your roots always need a little bit more. This way you can get enough refreshment without making the bottom half of your hair look *too* dry.
Plus, it's made to reduce frizz up to 72 hours! This is currently in my bathroom and I've tried just about all the dry shampoos on the market. My hair is naturally curly but I blow dry it pretty often. In the past few weeks there've been some days that the humidity really brought out my natural curl but I wanted to put off shampooing another day. This has come in handy and I see it as a go-to for when I want to spray other parts of my hair with dry shampoo besides the roots.
Get it from Amazon for $31.96.
17. JVN Complete Hydrating Air Dry Hair Cream defines and lifts curls. But don't take it from me, take it from all the reviewers with fine hair who've previously had trouble finding products that do just that! Oh, and it helps protect hair from UV damage.
JVN is a hair care line from Jonathan Van Ness (yes, of Queer Eye and other wonderful things on the Internet!) created to help drive change in the beauty industry and celebrate each person's unique beauty. Cheers to that!
Promising review: "Leaves my wavy slightly graying hair soft, less frizzy and not weighed down. Great for my low maintenance wash and air dry ways. Love the packaging too." —megawf
Get it from Sephora or JVN for $26 (vegan, cruelty-free, and comes in recyclable packaging).
18. Kitsch Microfiber Hair Towel gently sops up water while you go about your day and gets you to mere dampness in what feels like record time so you aren't stuck in an even longer blow-drying session. Trust me, I own three. And! It'll speed up air drying dramatically.
Kitsch is an LA-based, self-financed, woman-owned small business established in 2010 that specializes in hair accessories.
I own this beaut in this pattern, a polka dot print, and a tropical leafy print. I swore by the Turbie Twist for awhile (which is closer to an actual towel) but this microfiber fabric is far gentler on hair. Plus it feels lighter on my head/neck, which is great news for someone like me taking lunchtime showers while working from home and putting off blow drying my hair for as long as possible. It has elastic along the edges that helps it wrap around my head comfortably, and a stretchy loop at the front that I can twist back and put on a large button at the back of my head. Suffice it to say, it's super user-friendly. I can easily throw it in the wash with the rest of my towels and hang it up on a bathroom door hook to let it dry between uses. I wish I bought three of these years ago.
My colleague Kayla Boyd (pictured here!) also owns and loves this towel.
Promising review: "I love this hair towel! It’s so easy to use and my hair dries so much faster than normal air drying. I haven’t touched my blow dryer since I got this. My only recommendation is to wring out as much excess water from your hair as possible before putting the hair towel on, there’s only so much water it can handle. Other than that it’s cute, easy to use and super soft I highly recommend this!" —kathryn
Get it from Amazon for $18.97.
19. L’Oréal Paris Elvive 8 Second Wonder Water gives hair a major dose of moisture in — like the name suggests — a mere eight seconds!
Promising review: "I originally bought this at Sam's Club and ended up loving it! I ordered my next bottle on Amazon because Sam's no longer carried it. I have long hair and I only put it on as if it were conditioner. I stay away from the scalp. I leave it in for eight seconds then rinse. My hair is so silky soft and it makes it not frizzy the next day when I let it air dry. It is very liquidity so what I do is just squirt it directly on the hair instead of putting it in my hands. You waste a lot because it drips if you put it in your hand. I highly recommend!" —Jenelle McNeely
Get it from Amazon for $8.85.
20. An ultra-fine continuous water mister refreshes your hair in the morning after you've slept on it. Let's keep that curly style looking fresh!
Promising review: "Another amazing product TikTok made me buy. Was looking for something for when I wet my hair in the mornings. My old typical spray bottles kept breaking or leaking. This one has a longer spray time and the mist is perfect when I don’t want to get my hair too wet. All in all worth it especially for the price." —M. Zuniga
Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in four sizes).
21. OGX Locking + Coconut Curls Air Dry Cream is a great, affordable scrunch-and-go option with legions of fans to back up that claim.
Promising review: "I put some in my hair for the first time today and I'm impressed! I towel dried my hair and then put about a quarter size in my palm and spread throughout my hair, scrunched my hair, and then let it air dry. I think it did a good job at defining my waves and eliminating the serious frizz." —ninjamommy
Get it from Amazon for $6.97.
22. SheaMoisture Curl Mousse problem solves for curly- and wavy-headed folks who've tried but just haven't been able to find the perfect air dry routine...until now.
Promising review: "I got tired of straightening my hair all the time so I bought this product and their conditioner for curly hair in order to tame my waves. With both these products, I just wash, condition, scrunch, let air dry halfway, apply mousse, and done. Instant waves. I absolutely love these products." —jollyfoxx
Get it from Amazon for $8.69.
23. SoCozy Curl Spray Leave-In Conditioner made for kids (and grownups) with curly hair and tender heads that'll provide some picturesque resuilts thanks to its hydrating and detangling formula of vitamin B5, jojoba oil, keratin, and more.
Promising review: "Amazing!! I had NO idea that my frizzy haired little girl had beautiful curls. I went down a Instagram rabbit hole and saw a similar girl show how her frizz was curls. I ordered this!! My mind has been blown!! This has changed our lives. It smells so good! It is easy to use and air dry. Before my daughter woke up with terrible bed head that looked like this! Now it is gorgeous soft curls. We will definitely buy again and tell everyone about this product!!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $8.25.
24. Bread Hair Oil Everyday Gloss adds shine to 3a–4c curls without making your hair feel greasy. The secret? Australian Kakadu plum. (Go ahead and memorize that phrase because you know your friends will ask about how to get in on the glossy fun.)
Bread is a Black-owned haircare company with products made with curls, braids, or however you want to wear your natural hair, in mind. It's particularly great for anyone with 3a–4c hair — and the packaging is the stuff you'll wanna show off on Insta.
Promising review: "My hair is about 1 1/2 inches long at the most and it is thick and healthy, unprocessed. I use about a nickel size dot of this after washing my hair while its towel dried, still damp. Then I let it air dry. My hair looks amazing the next day. Soft and silky. Not weighed down, not oily. If I use it on dry hair I think a nickel size must be too much because it will definitely look oily after using it on dry hair. To my nose it smells like lemon candy and good lord it is DIVINE. Not a huge fan of the packaging and screw top. I always have to wipe the excess off on my palm where it has dripped down the threads for the cap. But I think a pump would make it too easy to get too much or not enough product." —sirres
25. Crave Naturals Detangling brush glides through your wet hair without tugging or ripping out your strands. Tangles, meet your match.
Promising review: "This is the BEST detangler EVER!!! Do not use on dry hair though, if you have curly or wavy hair. It will straighten your hair and leave it frizzy. But, use this in the shower with your conditioner and you can finger comb your hair, air dry if possible, and your waves and curls will be the best ever!" —TDHokey
Promising review (for 4c hair): "I love this brush. I have 4c hair and it detangles my hair without a lot of hair loss. I do make sure my hair is wet when using it to detangle. The brush is pretty easy to clean, as well by just pullungbthe hair out and using running water. The only thing that could be better is the handle could be longer." —Nikki Jenks
Get it from Amazon for $8.49 (available in four colors).
26. Kitsch Spiral Hair Ties keep your strands outta your face but won't make weird dents like elastic bands.
27. John Frieda Frizz Ease Dream Curls Air Dry Waves Styling Foam as a low-effort option in case you have a preference when it comes to the consistency of your hair products.
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.