For curly hair types, a curl cream is a true multi-tasker — a one-stop shop for styling and nourishing benefits. The right formula should smooth, define, and hydrate the curls without weighing them down, as well as encourage the hair’s natural curl pattern. TL;DR, the right curl cream should leave hair looking and feeling like the best, healthiest version of itself.
The More You Know
“Curly hair is more fragile — and, because of its shape, it’s a challenge for curly haired people to have definition (in their hair). It’s also challenging for curly hair to retain a moisture balance from root to end. An integral part of a curl cream formula is some type of styling element, in addition to some type of emollient conditioner or hydrator.” —Kerry Yates, trichologist
Over six weeks, the PEOPLE Tested team — including individuals with hair types from 2 to 4C — tested 22 different curl cream formulas. Our testers incorporated the creams into their haircare routines to evaluate each product’s performance, hydrating effects, consistency, and overall results.
PHOTO: Sephora
Oribe’s Silkening Creme impressed our tester so much that after applying it for the first time, she nearly gasped; her curls looked and felt amazing, with better-than-ever structure, definition, and softness — all without any added weight. Throughout the six-week testing period, she also noted that the product helped her curls last longer between washes.
Our tester added that the medium-thick cream worked effectively on her type 2 hair (the brand formulated it with type 2 and 3 hair types in mind) and that a little went a long way — a plus that, for her, made its higher price point worthy of the investment. Bonus: it has a subtle, luxurious scent.
Key Ingredients: Avocado, apricot, and coconut oils I Size: 5 ounces
PHOTO: Rite Aid
Star Qualities
Lightweight feel
Smoothing and nourishing
Budget-friendly price
Our tester, who has 2b/c hair, said that this drugstore curl cream left her hair feeling nourished and voluminous — a huge win, especially given that she often struggles with dryness and frizz. After completing the six-week testing period, she felt excited about wearing her hair curly instead of straightening it.
In terms of texture, she felt this product was a true cream but was also slightly watery, which made it feel more lightweight than other creams during the application process. She didn’t experience any leftover residue or flaking, though — it left her hair smooth and refined.
Her one sticking point, however, was scent. The product contains an added fragrance, which she said was slightly strong and unsavory — especially when using an ample amount on the hair.
Key Ingredients: Avocado, shea butter, and vitamin E I Size: 6 ounces
PHOTO: Melanin Haircare
Star Qualities
Creamy consistency
Nourishing and hydrating
Excellent value
Our tester, who has type 4a/c hair, used Melanin Haircare’s Twist-Elongating Style Cream cream for the first time after washing her hair, when she was preparing to style it in mini-twists. Pre-application, she noted that her hair was dry and dull-looking, but afterward, her curls/twists were smooth, shiny, and moisturized.
Over the testing period, she kept her hair in twists and used this cream, along with a leave-in conditioner, to rehydrate it whenever it felt dry. She noted that it made them feel as if they’d been freshly washed, moisturized, and twisted — that the product significantly reduced the visible frizziness of her hair while adding shine.
She also loved its thick, creamy texture — she noted it was possible to turn its jar upside down without any spilling — but even still, it left zero residue or flakes in her hair, and it layered well with the other moisturizing and styling products she used.
Key Ingredients: Shea, mango, cocoa, kokum, and cupuacu butters; avocado, sweet almond, and argan oils; vitamin E I Size: 14 ounces
PHOTO: Sephora
Star Qualities
Smoothes the hair
Adds shine
Nice floral scent
Ouai’s curl cream was perfect for thick, coarse, curly hair, according to our tester — that it helped her reduce frizz and add serious shine to her type 3a/b hair.
During testing, she found herself using a bit too much of the product — when she used any more than a pea-sized amount, her curls felt a bit weighted down — but after refining her application strategy, she said her hair felt smoother and a lot less brittle (a concern she often struggles with).
She also loved the product’s scent, which she described as light, floral, and lingering (but not obnoxiously so). Her boyfriend enjoyed it, too!
Key Ingredients: Coconut, babassu, chia, and linseed oils I Size: 8 ounces
PHOTO: Sephora
Star Qualities
Hydrating and smoothing
Adds shine
Excellent value
Pattern’s styling cream added significant moisture and shine to our tester’s hair. It also didn’t flake after drying, even when she used it with other products in her regular haircare regimen.
Even though its texture was thicker than other curl creams, it wasn’t an issue; the product never left her scalp feeling itchy, greasy, or irritated. Our tester did flag that when she used too much, it made her 3c/4c hair feel crunchy, but the right amount — for her, a quarter-size dollop — left her with soft, touchable curls.
Our tester also noted that it was an excellent value for the price (15 ounces for under $30) and that it had a pleasant clean, floral scent.
Key Ingredients: Shea butter, cacay, and sweet almond oils I Size: 15 ounces
PHOTO: DevaCurl
The first time our tester used DevaCurl’s SuperCream, she noticed an immediate difference in her type 2 hair. Without the cream, her curls were wavier and had too much body; after just one application, they were tighter, more defined, and smooth — virtually no frizz in sight.
The key, she said, was not to use too much product — it’s on the thicker side — and to distribute it evenly throughout the hair. (Regardless, the product never left any residue.) Overall, our tester felt that DevaCurl’s offering was one of the best curl-defining creams she’d tried and that she planned to continue using it in her haircare routine.
Key Ingredients: Coconut oil, jojoba protein, and corn starch I Size: 5.1 ounces
PHOTO: Amazon
For our tester, the thing that stood out most about Amika’s Curl Corps defining cream wasn’t just how hydrated her hair looked after her first application — it was how much healthier it felt after a full six weeks of testing. In particular, she noted that after testing, when she straightened her hair for a photoshoot, her 4c curls reverted much more quickly and were less brittle.
Also, during the testing period, she used this cream while styling her hair in Bantu knots; when she took them out, her hair felt smooth and soft when she combed it with her fingers. She plans to continue using the Curl Corps Defining Cream during the summer months, for more natural styles and twist-outs.
Lastly, she noted that the product (which had a creamy gel consistency similar to body butter) also came with a nice but not overpowering floral scent.
Key Ingredients: Tapioca starch, oat peptide, and sea buckthorn berry I Size: 6.7 ounces
PHOTO: Amazon
According to our tester, Bumble and Bumble’s Curl Defining Cream 100 percent delivered on its promise to provide bouncy, flexible curls. After six weeks of using it, she said her type 3b curls felt nourished, hydrated, and more defined than before.
Another plus was that it worked incredibly well with her type 3b hair and that it melted right onto it but felt very lightweight — no crunchiness or stickiness in sight. It also had a light, clean scent that she said didn’t linger on her hair.
One thing to note: Although she said the Curl Defining Cream also helped make my hair smoother, it didn’t do much in the detangling department. (Not a game-changer for everyone, though.)
Key Ingredients: The brand’s proprietary HydraSculpt Blend; avocado, coconut, and jojoba oils; shea butter I Size: 8.5 ounces
PHOTO: Ulta
Star Qualities
Improves styling
Smoothing and hydrating
Detangling benefits
After six weeks of use, our tester noticed that her 3c/4a hair was much smoother and noticeably softer. She also said the product made it easier to style her hair; this curl cream made her braid-outs, in particular, look and feel exceptional. The product made her hair feel less tangled, and she even noticed less breakage on a daily basis.
One drawback for our tester was the product’s texture, which she described as a wet, mucus-like gel, though she maintained the results made it worth the slight discomfort. Also, she noted that some people may not love its honey-like scent (although it fades quickly).
Key Ingredients: Coconut, sweet almond, and avocado oils; corn starch I Size: 12 ounces
PHOTO: Amazon
Moroccanoil’s Curl Defining Cream was a pleasant surprise: Our tester’s wavy, 2c/3a curls looked more defined when she applied this curl cream versus her regular Act+Acre Cold-Pressed Curl Lotion. Her curls were bouncier and they also lasted longer, she said.
However, she did have to scrunch and flip her hair a bit more — otherwise, the heaviness of the cream (which felt almost like toothpaste when it came out of the packaging, she said) weighed her hair down at the roots. She also noticed a bit of flaking after a few days of wear, but it didn’t leave her hair crunchy or sticky.
Overall, our tester felt that this product worked seamlessly with her wavy hair texture — it never failed to give provide full, defined curls every time she used it.
Key Ingredients: Argan oil, polyquaternium-11, hydrolyzed vegetable protein I Size: 8.5 ounces
PHOTO: Walmart
No matter what age, everyone’s curls are worth caring for — and this gentle curl cream from Cantu is the perfect option for kids. Styling curls, waves, and coils is a breeze with this hydrating, frizz-controlling formula made with shea butter, honey, and coconut oil (which gives the product a delightful scent, too).
We brushed a nickel-sized amount through wet curls and let them air-dry, which kept them intact and ultra-soft, even after a day on the playground. Plus, the bottle is on sale for just $4 if you buy at Amazon right now.
Editors Say
“I have tried so many hair products on my 4-year-old’s type 3 curls over the years. Some made his hair crunchy, while others did nothing at all. This Cantu Styling Custard is the one I’ve stuck with for the last year and repurchase the second it’s empty.” —Kayla Kitts, Shopping Editor
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Curl cream secured. Now check out these other PEOPLE-Tested hair and beauty products. Our team thoroughly tests each product we feature to ensure only the best make the highlight reel.
What to Know About Curl Creams
Ingredients
Aronson and Yates agree that the best curl creams should contain ingredients that nourish and hydrate the hair. “I would look for products that contain some natural oils — like coconut oil or shea butter — which help improve the hair’s suppleness and softness,” says Yates. “(This type of ingredient) also helps tame frizz.”
Aronson also recommends avocado oil, which “replenishes the hair and deeply conditions.” (Many products on this list — including our Best Overall, Oribe’s Curl Control Silkening Creme, and our Best Budget, Marc Anthony’s Strictly Curls Curl Cream — contain certain combinations of these natural oils.)
Additionally, Yates says that a type of styling resin is essential for helping with curl definition. “If you’re leaning more towards natural ingredients, look for bamboo extract or some type of sugar complex,” she says.
Consistency
No matter a product’s original texture, what’s important is to look for a formula that thins out easily in the hands. “You’re looking for something that easily breaks down with the heat of your hands and with friction so that you can easily apply it — and distribute it evenly — in your hair,” Yates explains.
People / Michelle Edelbaum
Behind the Scenes
To identify the best curl creams on the market, our PEOPLE Tested team spent 396 hours with 22 formulas over six weeks, carefully investigating their performances and assessing their hydrating effects, consistency, effectiveness, and overall results.
Each reviewer used their products 1-2 times per week during the testing period. In each application, testers applied a dime-sized amount to towel-dried hair, evenly distributing it from root to tip with their fingers before scrunching to encourage curl definition. They then allowed their hair to air dry or used a blow dryer or diffuser.
Performance: To evaluate performance, our testers observed how their curls looked and felt after applying each product for the first time, as well as after using it consistently over the full six-week testing period. They paid special attention to whether the product helped define their curls or made them appear bouncier; if it helped their hair appear smoother, shinier, or less frizzy; and if it helped repair any damage.Hydration: Our testers also evaluated if each product was hydrating — if it kept their hair feeling moisturized, nourished, smooth, or less tangled.Consistency: We also asked our testers to describe the consistency of each product, noting if it was a true cream (or if it had a gel-like texture); if it was watery or thicker; if it left any residue in the hair; and if it left the hair feeling flaky, crunchy, or sticky. They also noted whether or not the product worked with their hair type and texture.Overall Results: Finally, after the testing period, our reviewers assessed each curl cream to see if they were satisfied with its performance and whether they planned to continue using it in their routine. They also noted if the product had any unique features, like a particular scent.
Why Trust PEOPLE?
Avery Stone is a contributing writer for PEOPLE and was previously the Commerce Editorial Director for Byrdie and Brides at Dotdash Meredith. Her work has also appeared in The Cut (NYMag), The Hollywood Reporter, Bustle, Billboard, Elle, GQ, Vice, Eater, Nylon, Refinery29, and more. When covering the best curl creams, Avery thoroughly inspected the PEOPLE Tested team’s insights to learn more about their individual experiences and make note of any noteworthy results. She also connected with trichologist Kerry Yates and Carolyn Aronson, a stylist and the founder of It’s a 10 Haircare, to learn more about how curl creams work, their benefits, and what to look for in their formulas.
Our Expert Panel
Kerry Yates is a trichologist and the founder of Colour Collective, which develops brands across the haircare, hair color, cosmetics, skincare, and personal care categories, including Madison Reed and Unilever’s family of brands.
Carolyn Aronson is a hairstylist and the founder/CEO of the It’s a 10 Haircare line.
Kayla Kitts is a Shopping Editor at PEOPLE with a background in lifestyle and home content.
What Is PEOPLE Tested?
We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.
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