We Spoke To 5 Curly-Haired Folks And Here's What They Recommend

Writer and avid traveller, Sunaina Patnaik uses minimal products and goes for a lot of homemade methods to keep her hair shiny and curly. She tells us that she doesn't have any daily regime to maintain her curls. She uses a homemade flaxseed gel and applies it from the root to the tip and leaves it on for half-hour. She also uses rice water to wash her hair twice a month. Apart from this, she uses a detangling comb to detangle and define her curls. 

Recommended Curly Hair Products: St. Botanica's Go Curl Shampoo, XO Curls Detangling Comb, Fix My Curls Leave-In Cream, and Garnier Hair Mask 

PR Consultant and Keralite, Saina Jayapal has long curly hair that we think is the poster child of what typical Malayali curls look like. She doesn't use a lot of product and owing to the volume and length of her hair, she mentions that she sometimes has to use off-the-rack shampoo to clean out the build-up on her scalp because other curly hair specific shampoos in the market don't work well. She uses a water filter on her shower head to remove hard water and opts for a satin pillow to ensure a non-Merida from Brave look when she wakes up. She also uses RO water to wash her hair. 

Recommended Curly Hair Products: Ashba Leave-In Conditioner and Curl Defining Gel, Clear Science Water Filter Shower Head, and Denman Brush. 

Pro-Tip: Saina says find your own curly hair regime and not overspend on the products. 

Marketing professional and home chef, Sreya Vittaldev has elaborate curly hair owing to the volume. She uses RO water to wash her hair and she tells us that her product usage is often a combo of various products to reduce the weight. She also mentions how the curls aren't the same always (relatability max) so she often switches between various products. She uses a brush to detangle and the handle to give definition to her curls. Since her hair dries up really quickly, she applies all the products in her hair when it's soaking wet. She tells us how she always carries her diffuser whenever she's travelling and a small spray bottle to perk up the curls. 

Recommended Curly Hair Products: All True Frog curly haired products, Plum Goodness Olive & Macadamia Shampoo, Cantu Curl Activator, Ashba Styling Gel and Leave-In Conditioner, and Denman Brush

Pro-Tip: She mentions researching all the products and to be more mindful about scalp health. Plus, cold water is good for washing as well

Content Manager at LBB, Ahalya Acharya's newfound love for her curls (she has a mix of wavy-curly hair) is something this writer fully approves of. She tells us that there's no daily routine that she follows and it took her a while to figure out the products that work best for her. She recommends that instead of using multiple products at one go, slowly ease your way into these products because sometimes they can cause allergic reactions. Like it did for her. She oils her hair with coconut oil once a week, washes it off with a clarifying shampoo (Pantene) and uses homemade flaxseed gel and serum on damp hair to lock in her curls. 

Recommended Curly Hair Products: True Frog Shampoo, Matrix Bioloage Hydrating Masque, The Body Shop Banana Conditioner, Nashi Argan Oil, Manetain Satin Pillow Case and Scrunchies, and XO Curls Detangling Comb. 

Pro-Tip: Use a soft, cotton t-shirt to dry your hair if you can't find a microfibre hair towel.

My hair regime is quite random and not in line with any CG methods out there. I apply coconut oil to my hair twice a week and leave it in for half-hour before shampoo. I use a detangling comb every alternate day because my hair gets knotted quite often. Off late, homemade flaxseed gel has made its way into my curly hair routine. I use a cotton t-shirt to dry my hair. I use minimal products and often only use them when I need to accentuate my curls more. 

Recommended Curly Hair Products: Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo No More Tangles, XO Curls Detangling Comb and Satin Pillow Cover, Curl Up Hydrating Conditioner and Curl Defining Gel