Conditioner gives your strands the moisture and care they need to make your curls pop. If your old conditioner isn’t cutting it anymore and you’re looking for an upgrade, we’ve rounded up the best conditioner for curly hair from the L’Oréal portfolio of brands. Whether dealing with dry curly hair, frizzy curls, breakage, or damage, these conditioners will put the spring back in your curls.
Is it good to use conditioner for curly hair?
It’s more than good to condition your curls—it’s one of the most important steps in your hair care routine.
As breathtaking as your spirals are, the tighter your pattern, the harder it is for scalp oils to naturally travel down your strands to moisturize your mane. This means that those with curly hair often deal with parched strands. What’s more, the unique shape of ringlets, complete with all their bends and twists, makes them more fragile and vulnerable to elements that weaken and break the hair (think: pollution, dry weather, chemical treatments, heat styling, and even hard water). It is vital to condition your curls to keep them hydrated, strong, and protected against everyday stressors.
Good hair day by @rondah.shaskey.hair.
Does conditioner enhance curls?
The key to soft, touchable curls and a defined curl pattern is moisture retention, which is the conditioner's ultimate goal. Consider conditioner to be curly hair’s best friend!
That said, be wary of over-conditioning your coveted curls. Using too much product or picking the wrong formula for your hair type can backfire by making curls appear greasy and weighed down. In addition to choosing a suitable conditioner for your hair’s needs, be sure only to apply conditioner to the mid-lengths to ends of hair, and reach for a clarifying shampoo every so often to wash away build-up.
What type of conditioner is best for curly hair?
When searching for the best conditioner for curly hair, moisturizing, reparative, and strengthening components will keep curls bouncy and full of life. The ultimate goal is hydration, definition, shine, and stronger-feeling hair. While all conditioners do moisturize, the best conditioner for curly hair is one that will address your specific curl’s needs. Keep scrolling for 16 of Hair.com’s top picks.
Our Best Conditioners for Dry Curly Hair
Ultra Hydra Source Conditioner
An intensely hydrating conditioner for very dry, coarse hair.
Biolage Professional Ultra Hydra Source Conditioner
If the high porosity of your curly strands prevents your hair from retaining the moisture it desperately needs, you’ll love Biolage Professional’s Ultra Hydra Source Conditioner. This intensely nourishing conditioner is infused with the moisture-retaining aloe plant that never seems to dry, optimizing hydration levels in very dry, coarse hair.
All Soft Argan-Oil Enriched Conditioner for Dry Hair
A moisturizing and hair-softening conditioner for dry, brittle hair.
Redken All Soft Argan-Oil Enriched Conditioner for Dry Hair
Do your curls often feel dry at the end of the day? You’ll likely need a nourishing product to bring them back to life. Redken’s All Soft Argan-Oil Enriched Conditioner for Dry Hair is made with argan oil to moisturize and soften hair without weighing it down.
Curl Manifesto Fondant Hydratation Essentielle Conditioner
A lightweight, moisturizing conditioner for curly & very curly hair.
Kérastase Curl Manifesto Fondant Hydratation Essentielle Conditioner
Featuring manuka honey and ceramides, Kérastase’s Curl Manifesto Fondant Hydratation Essentielle Conditioner infuses ringlets of all shapes with lightweight moisture and helps detangle even the most stubborn knots.
Our Best Co-Washes for Curly Hair
A Curl Can Dream Co-wash for Curly and Coily Hair
Sulfate- and silicone-free co-wash for curly and coily hair infused with Manuka honey extract.
A Curl Can Dream Co-Wash for Curly and Coily Hair
Co-washing is the act of cleansing hair with conditioner instead of shampoo, which can be especially helpful to revive curls between wash days without drying them out. Matrix’s A Curl Can Dream Co-Wash for Curly and Coily Hair is infused with manuka honey extract, a natural humectant known to moisturize hair, helping to define and preserve curl patterns.
True Textures Cream Cleansing Conditioner
A luxurious shampoo and conditioner in one, for curls.
Mizani True Textures Cream Cleansing Conditioner
Mizani’s True Textures Cream Cleansing Conditioner uses coconut, marula, and olive oils to cleanse and condition strands in one fell swoop. After washing your hair, it’ll be noticeably softer, shinier, and more hydrated, and your natural curl pattern will be intact.
Our Best Conditioners for Frizzy Curly Hair
Redken Frizz Dismiss Smoothing Sulfate-Free Conditioner
Curls and frizz can go hand in hand, but the right products can end that. Banish frizz before it begins with Redken's Frizz Dismiss Smoothing Sulfate-Free Conditioner. The gentle, sodium chloride-free formula and sustainably sourced babassu oil help to tame frizzy hair, increase smoothness, and enhance shine.
Smooth Proof Anti-Frizz Anti-Humidity Conditioner
A smoothing, anti-frizz, anti-humidity conditioner.
Biolage Professional Smooth Proof Anti-Frizz Anti-Humidity Conditioner
Biolage Professional’s Smooth Proof Anti-Frizz Anti-Humidity Conditioner is another reliable option to kiss frizz goodbye. This paraben-free conditioner, which takes inspiration from nature’s water-resistant camellia, detangles and defrizzes strands while providing static control, so hair is smoother and easier to deal with.
Total Results Mega Sleek Frizz Control Conditioner
A smoothing conditioner that provides frizz control.
Matrix Total Results Mega Sleek Frizz Control Conditioner
Smooth away unwanted, rude flyaways and frizz with Matrix’s Total Results Mega Sleek Frizz Control Conditioner. It's a superstar even when humidity is working against you and can help nourish damaged, color-treated, and natural hair.
Our Best Conditioners to Combat Curly Hair Breakage
Inforcer Strengthening Conditioner
A hair strengthening conditioner to protect hair prone to breakage.
L’Oréal Professionnel Inforcer Strengthening Conditioner
Do you ever feel like no matter what you do, you can’t get your curls to reach your desired length? If it seems like your hair just won’t grow, you may be dealing with breakage. Swap out your old conditioner with L’Oréal Professionnel’s Inforcer Strengthening Conditioner with a reinforcing formula infused with vitamin B6 and biotin. Hair is stronger, more resistant, and easier to brush with continued use.
Extreme Strengthening Conditioner for Damaged Hair
A strengthening, detangling conditioner for damaged hair and split ends.
Redken Extreme Strengthening Conditioner for Damaged Hair
One of Redken's best-selling products, the Extreme Strengthening Conditioner for Damaged Hair protects shine, repairs your hair, and leaves it supple and shiny. A smart, targeted delivery system, the exclusive RCT Protein Complex treats hair from the root to the core to the tip.
Biolage Professional Hydra Source Conditioner
If your detangling routine leaves you with a hairball that can rival your cat’s, you need a conditioner to make combing hair a breeze. Biolage Professional’s Hydra Source Conditioner helps target the source of tangled hair: lack of manageability due to dryness or damage. The aloe formula hydrates dry, damaged strands and seals in moisture, so hair is nourished, easy to detangle, soft, and shiny.
Resistance Fondant Extentioniste Conditioner
A length-strengthening conditioner for weakened and damaged hair.
Kérastase Resistance Fondant Extentioniste Conditioner
There’s no need to let breakage stand in the way of your mermaid-length hair goals. Simply add Kérastase’s Resistance Fondant Extentioniste Conditioner to your hair care routine. This length-enhancing conditioner for hair fortifies hair for reduced breakage.
Our Best Conditioners to Repair Curly Hair Damage
Acidic Bonding Concentrate Sulfate Free Conditioner for Damaged Hair
All-in-one concentrated conditioner for damaged hair
Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Sulfate-Free Conditioner for Damaged Hair
Whether damaged from coloring, hot tool use, or overprocessing, Redken’s Acidic Bonding Concentrate Conditioner for Damaged Hair will help strengthen your mane and rebalance hair’s natural pH levels for healthier-looking, stronger hair.
Hydrate Conditioner
A hydrating, softening conditioner for medium to thick dry, color-treated hair.
Pureology Hydrate Conditioner
Recently dye your curls? Chances are good you’re dealing with some damage, and you’ll need a conditioner to keep your locks feeling healthy and your color looking its best. Protect your salon hue while nourishing your dryness-prone strands with Pureology’s Hydrate Conditioner. This conditioner is formulated with the brand’s AntiFade Complex to protect color vibrancy while giving your ringlets intense moisture.
Ultimate Reset Conditioner
A strengthening conditioner for very damaged hair.
Shu Uemura Ultimate Reset Conditioner
Shu Uemura Art of Hair’s Ultimate Reset Conditioner provides extreme strength repair for hair very damaged by bleach, color, perm, or straightening. Infused with Japanese-sourced rice extract, renowned for its protecting virtues, this conditioner deeply repairs the fiber from roots to tips, protecting hair against breakage.
Advanced Keratin Dose Strengthening Conditioner
A Keratin strengthening conditioner for overprocessed, damaged hair.
Biolage Professional Advanced Keratin Dose Strengthening Conditioner
A keratin conditioner like Biolage Professional Advanced Keratin Dose Strengthening Conditioner transforms weak and overprocessed curls into a more silky and touchable mane.
Looking for more expert products to add to your shower shelfie? Find all the pro-loved essentials at Hair.com.
Ultra Hydra Source Conditioner
An intensely hydrating conditioner for very dry, coarse hair.
All Soft Argan-Oil Enriched Conditioner for Dry Hair
A moisturizing and hair-softening conditioner for dry, brittle hair.
Curl Manifesto Fondant Hydratation Essentielle Conditioner
A lightweight, moisturizing conditioner for curly & very curly hair.
A Curl Can Dream Co-wash for Curly and Coily Hair
Sulfate- and silicone-free co-wash for curly and coily hair infused with Manuka honey extract.
True Textures Cream Cleansing Conditioner
A luxurious shampoo and conditioner in one, for curls.
Smooth Proof Anti-Frizz Anti-Humidity Conditioner
A smoothing, anti-frizz, anti-humidity conditioner.
Total Results Mega Sleek Frizz Control Conditioner
A smoothing conditioner that provides frizz control.
Inforcer Strengthening Conditioner
A hair strengthening conditioner to protect hair prone to breakage.
Extreme Strengthening Conditioner for Damaged Hair
A strengthening, detangling conditioner for damaged hair and split ends.
Resistance Fondant Extentioniste Conditioner
A length-strengthening conditioner for weakened and damaged hair.
Acidic Bonding Concentrate Sulfate Free Conditioner for Damaged Hair
All-in-one concentrated conditioner for damaged hair
Hydrate Conditioner
A hydrating, softening conditioner for medium to thick dry, color-treated hair.
Ultimate Reset Conditioner
A strengthening conditioner for very damaged hair.
Advanced Keratin Dose Strengthening Conditioner
A Keratin strengthening conditioner for overprocessed, damaged hair.
