Hair Pros Swear By These Products for Anyone With Fine, Curly Hair (2024)

It's no secret that washing your hair is a chore. To extend time between your wash days Chloe Homan (she's a curly hair expert and founder of The Curlfriend Collective) recommends using this shampoo to give hair an extra-deep clean without drying out your curls. The magic ingredients? A combo of probiotics, apple cider vinegar, and mallow flower. "You need to clarify your curls one to three per month to ensure you don't end up with product build-up weighing down your hair," she says. "This works for every type of curl from 3A TO 4C."

Glowing customer review: "I have natural curly hair and lately they were not curled like they used to… probably a build up of products so this shampoo was a nice refreshing cleanser that gave back life and volume to my curls! Seriously after months of struggling I got my curls healthy again."

This conditioner (which was specially designed for those with fine hair, score!) is super lightweight yet also incredibly nourishing thanks to a blend of biotin, hydrolyzed keratin, and chia seed oil. Along with softening hair, it also plumps each strand to help your strands look fuller. And if you're a fan of the curly girl method, this can also be used as a cleanser for soft, shiny coils.

Glowing customer review: "I love this conditioner so much. Thick formula but doesn't weigh down my baby fine hair at all. Leaves my hair feeling hydrated, clean, and helps tame the frizz from the humidity. After my shower, no tangles. Easy to comb through. It smells amazing too. Definitely recommend!"

Ever feel like you have endless products and steps in your curly girl routine? Because same. Professional hairstylist Stephanie Tineo says this lightweight spray can simplify your regimen with its multitasking abilities. She loves that it "refreshes curls between wash days by hydrating and minimizing frizz," but also mentions that it's a stellar detangler that makes brushing out and styling your curls on wash days a more enjoyable process. Naturally moisturizing ingredients including coconut oil, aloe vera, and shea butter make hair gleam, and help it feel soft to the touch.

Glowing customer review: "I’ve been using this product for about three months now, and it’s now a must-have in my hair arsenal. It does a great job putting life back into my second/third day curls or even just to touch up freshly dried curls. Very pleased!"

The phrase 'strong hold' might sound scary for those with fine hair, but strong doesn't always equal heavy, which is the case with this pick from Homan. "I always recommend this to fine hair curlfriends, because you want the strong hold for staying power throughout the week, but it's still light to keep your curls bouncy, not stringy." Scrunch a small dollop into freshly washed, damp hair and let air dry or diffuse for beautifully defined, shiny ringlets.

Glowing customer review: "I have biracial curly hair and this has been really great. I usually am constantly on the hunt for new hair products, but after having this I'm forcing myself to stop getting new stuff because if it ain't broke don't fix it!"

Curl creams are a must-have for all the curly girls, but so many of them are too rich for fine hair. That's not the case with this formula. Tineo says it "gives hair a soft and defined look without weighing it down," courtesy of lightweight coconut oil and shea butter that infuse curls with much-needed hydration and shine.

Glowing customer review: "Smells great! Easy to apply! Controls my frizzy curls! I even put it on my granddaughters thick easily knotted hair and this made brushing her hair way EASIER! Highly recommend."

To really combat frizz, you'll want to use a leave-in conditioner on damp hair, like this one from Jennifer Aniston's line Lolavie. Infused with rose of Jericho and a superfruit complex, this seamlessly smoothes and softens strands while helping define curls. You may be tempted to go overboard with the application, but celebrity hairstylist Travis Ogletree urges that a little goes a long way. All you really need is one small pump for fine curly hair. "Make sure you're rubbing it between your hands before finger raking/scrunching it into your hair for the best results," he adds.

Glowing customer review: "I lean toward water-based spray leave-ins but this is a very good lotion-y leave-in. It smells great and doesn't make my hair greasy. I use it after using the glossing detangler and my hair feels and smells amazing."

When your coils are feeling extra dry, this mask swoops in like a superhero to restore bounce, shine, and softness—and best of all it only takes five minutes. The rich cream transforms into a silky butter as you work it through your curls and drenches them in reparative moisture from chia seeds, mango butter, avocado butter, and rice protein. Using it once a week minimizes split ends and keeps curls resilient, no matter how tight your texture is.

Glowing customer review: "I have thinning, curly hair. It still needs moisture, but everything I try only weighs my hair down. This has given new life to my curls. A little goes a long way. It has revived my curls without weighing them down or making my hair overly oily. It is quick to use and smells amazing."

If mousse, creams, and gels are still too heavy for your fine hair, may we suggest this magical spray? The multitasking mist is filled with nourishing botanicals like onion (yep, onion) and apple extract that boost moisture and plump your strands for luscious volume. Spritz this on damp hair before diffusing for the best hair day. It even offers heat protection up to 450 degrees.

Glowing customer review: "This product is a game changer for me, it really gives the volume that my hairs need!! Plus it is heat activating so I use it before I style my hair and I love the smell too!!"

Oil and fine hair don't mesh well together, right? Well, babes, that's not always the case. Hair oil is important for curly hair—whether it's fine or thick—to refresh coils and give you glass-like shine. The key for fine strands is using a lightweight oil, and this one is one of the best. A combination of safflower seed, coconut, sweet almond, avocado, and grape seed oils deeply hydrates and prevents frizz while the spritzer delivers just enough product to your ringlets so you don't go overboard and end up with a greasy mess.

Glowing customer review: "The is a MUST HAVE hair product! I do not travel without! Smells amazing and works like a charm! I love that it protects against heat! I use this spray even if I don't dry my hair!"

Do you feel like your fine hair is always tangled? Turns out this hair type is more prone to tangles, but having a trusty detangling brush can make a major difference and breathe new life into your curls. This brush goes above and beyond to not only detangle but also help clump and define curls for hair commercial-worthy ringlets. We also have to call out the handle for being sturdy and grippable, a much appreciated detail when detangling in the shower.

Glowing customer review: "I love using this product. It gets every tangle out of my hair even ones that I can’t normally get out with my other brushes. This is my favorite brush I own and it is a great brush for wavy and curly hair to get every tangle out."

Okay soooo we're all about embracing your natural curls, but when you want to switch up your look it's important to find a hot tool that won't completely fry your hair or wreck havoc on your curl pattern. Ogletree says there's no better option than this high-tech flat iron. "This has built-in heat regulation to ensure burnt hair doesn’t occur for optimal hair health," he explains. "I use this tools on myself and my clients and am always happy with the results."

Glowing customer review: "I am not usually one to spend a lot of money on hair tools because my hair is naturally curly and I am worried about heat damaging my hair. This one is amazing! It is super lightweight and heats up quickly. Another plus is it cools down quickly so that makes it great for traveling."

It's a tale as old as time: You go to sleep with gorgeous ringlets and wake up with a frizzy mess. Is there any way to prevent this?? According to Homan, all you need is a large silk scrunchie. "If you have an issue with your curl pattern falling out overnight or throughout the days after you style, one of the biggest things you can do for yourself is having a good night time curl care routine," she says. "This normally looks like putting your curls up in a pineapple with an XL Silk Scrunchie, like this one, to prevent pull out, frizz, and knots while you sleep." This pick is made from 100 percent mulberry silk and comes in a variety of colors so you can find one that matches your personality.

Glowing customer review: "I decided to invest in these high quality silk hair accessories—I am not disappointed! These are so thoughtfully designed-the elastic inside the silk feels more substantial than traditional scrunchies, also, the denier (weave) of the silk feels luxurious, definitely a higher quality than what I have traditionally expected. Finally, NO DENTS! When I wear the larger scrunchie overnight in a 'pineapple', I can shake out my hair in the AM—curls intact!"

Crafting a routine that works for you and your hair can make a major difference in the health of your curls—and it can ultimately make styling your ringlets less stressful.

Ogletree says that the perfect routine starts with wash day. "I recommend using a wash system that can cleanse your hair thoroughly without weighing it down. Fine hair is more susceptible to feeling oily and weighed by conditioners that are intended to repair the hair. if this is an issue for you, I’d incorporate the '60 to 100' method when washing and conditioning. Count to 60 while the shampoo/conditioner sits in the hair to make sure your hair is getting the benefits of the product, and count to 100 while rinsing it out so that you don’t have any residue in your hair."

Once your hair is squeaky clean, Homan suggests sticking with lightweight detanglers and stylers that won't feel heavy on hair. Plus, she emphasizes that less is more. "Fine curls can get weighed down super easily, so it's important when applying product (especially a new product you're testing) that you opt for less." Start with one pump or spritz. You can always add more but you can't take away!

This process requires some trial and error, but it's all worth it to find a routine that makes your curls shine!

• Chloe Homan is a curly hair expert and founder of The Curlfriend Collective.
• Stephanie Tineo is a New York, NY-based professional hairstylist and curl expert.
• Travis Ogletree is a based celebrity hairstylist based in Hollywood, CA.