Curly hair ranges in texture, from barely there waves to tight coils. Different curl types need different care, depending on where they fall within the spectrum. If your curls are tightly coiled, your care regimen may be a little different than one for looser curls and waves.

Do you know where your texture falls on the curl meter? 

More compact and tighter than the other curl types, type 4 ranges from zig zag shapes to tightly wound s-shapes. 

4a: Dense S-patterned coils with the diameter of a crochet needle 

4b: Dense kinked Z-patterned angles. 

4c: Ultra-tightly coiled or kinked strands that are more fragile than other patterns. 

If your hair has these characteristics, read on for styling tips and care! If you think you may fall under a different curl type, click here.

Caring for Coily Hair

Tight curls, coils and kinks tend to be on the dry side, can be more fragile and are often prone to damage and breakage. And where there's dryness, there's a higher chance of frizz!

Coily hair care starts overnight. Cotton pillowcases can roughen coily hair and even lead to damage. Try sleeping on a silk or satin pillowcase for less snags. 

Look for care systems with natural oils and butters to replenish moisture, keeping curls supple and increasing elasticity. Use a cleansing conditioner (also known as a co-wash) for regular cleansing and then periodically use a clarifying shampoo made for curls for a deeper clean to remove build-up. Follow with a heavy conditioner that is rich in moisture. 

Ones to try:

Ouidad Coil Infusion Drink Up Cleansing Conditioner

Contains açaí extract to help detangle hair, black castor oil for its strengthening properties and buriti fruit oil to nourish coils.

Ouidad Coil Infusion Triple Treat Deep Conditioner

Apply and leave on for 2 minutes to allow the deep blend of oils to saturate coils with moisture.

DevaCurl Buildup Buster Gentle Clarifying Cleanser

Use in place of your regular cleanser periodically to remove buildup.

KB Collection Satin Pillowcase

Sleep on satin for a good night's sleep that doesn't roughen or snag coils.

Styling Naturally Coily Hair

There are lots of ways to style coily hair, but we'll look at a few products that help you prep and wear coils naturally, to keep them healthy looking, moisturized and defined.

Ones to try:

DevaCurl Styling Cream Touchable Moisturizing Definer 

A cocktail of gel (for definition) and cream (for moisture) that holds your natural coil pattern without crunch.

DevaCurl Moisture Seal Hydrating Finishing Spray

Refresh moisture and bring back the bounce between wash days with this re-energizing spray.

Looking for more products to wow your coils? Shop all curly hair products here!