How many products do you actually need for curly hair?

We rank the essentials in this order:

1. Shampoo
2. Conditioner
3. Gel

These three products are usually enough for a healthy curly hair routine. It’s better to have one quality shampoo, conditioner, and gel than ten different cheap products that won’t help your hair in the long run. Curl care doesn’t have to be complicated or overwhelming. When you come to the Curl Clinic, I won’t tell you to buy a dozen new products or follow a super complex routine where you twist every single curl around a brush handle.

My usual advice? Wash your hair with shampoo, leave the conditioner in for a few minutes, then apply gel to wet hair. Scrunch it all together, and either diffuse dry or let it air dry naturally. How much time and how many products you want to use is totally up to you, based on your personality and lifestyle. Most clients just want the simplest, easiest way to manage their curls - and I’m happy to show them that, because honestly, I’m one of those who can’t be bothered to spend half a day on a 10-step curling routine with twisting and shaking every strand until it looks perfect.

Curly hair care doesn’t need to be a pain or a complicated routine. We often see crazy detailed routines on Instagram or in ads, where every curl is twisted on a finger and a mountain of products is recommended - as if you can’t have beautiful curls without them. But remember, a lot of that is marketing trying to make curl care look like rocket science.

If you love experimenting, have the time, and want to spoil your hair, go for it! Serums can add shine, mousses bring volume, and masks nourish your curls. But none of this is absolutely necessary. Let’s keep things simple and healthy. Contrary to popular belief, caring for curly hair really isn’t more complicated than straight hair. 😊