Best Products for Curly Hair

It's been a long road to get my hair looking like it does. There was the awful frizzy hair phase in middle school and the constant straightening in high school. Now, I just use these products right after a shower, wait the 10 or so hours it takes my ridiculously thick hair to air dry, and voila. There are certainly days when my hair still looks disgusting and frizzy, but this routine works well 99% of the time. I love when people ask if my hair is natural, because I certainly do not want to take the time to straighten then curl my hair (that's probably what it would take someone to achieve my curls). This may seem like a lot of products but my hair is never crunchy or looks like it's filled with products.

1. Use 2 conditioners. I hate shampoo. There, I said it. I haven't used it for about 3 years and have noticed such a difference. Shampoo is very stripping for curly hair, which is the driest type of hair. Instead, I use two different conditioners. I start with one formulated for curly hair (Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Conditioner is great), then follow with a moisturizing/reparative one (OGX Renewing Argan Oil Conditioner).

2. Anti-frizz serum (Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum). You can use any sort of smoothing/anti-frizz serum, but I've found this one doesn't make your hair greasy and really does help lock in frizz. Be cautious if you use this on dry hair because that does make things look a little gross.

3. Mousse (Paul Mitchell Sculpting Foam). I'm not really sure how mousse works but it's a magical product. This not only defines curls but also helps combat frizz. I already have voluminous hair, but this would be great for those who want to add more bulk to their strands.

4. Curl Cream (Ms Jessie's Pillow Soft Curls). First of all, this stuff has such an awesome pillow-y texture, it's enough to reassure you it's working wonders on your hair. This fluffs out your curls and defines them without looking like Diana Ross, and works for the wavy haired to the tight coily curls.

5. Defining Spray (Bed Head Foxxy Curls). Most sprays make your hair crunchy looking, but not this one. It smells like skittles, defines your curls, and moisturizes. Nothing compares to this, I've been using it for years.

6. Seal everything in with a dry oil (L'Oreal Total Repair Dry Oil). I lightly mist some sort of hydrating/repair oil to lock in everything. These products add shine and can usually be used wet/dry. I'm not a huge fan of this one but am just trying to use it up--my current favorite is actually OGX Sea Mineral Moisture Spray.

With the exception of the dry oil, I've been using all of these products for over a year and am constantly repurchasing. However, I'm always down to try something new. Curly haired people--what do you use? I'd love to see pictures!

Also, for those of you heading back to school soon (like me, less than two weeks!), here's a great post from The Sunday Girl on budget-friendly products great for back to school. Some of these are only available in the UK but can be found on ebay.