The best conditioner for curly hair, tested by beauty editors
Our expert guide to the best conditioner for curly hair, coils, and kinks
The best conditioner for curly hair can bring some much-needed moisture to parched waves, curls and coils. Curly hair needs a lot more hydration than most other hair types, which is why you may often find yourself getting through your conditioner faster than the best shampoos for curly hair.
Your hair may drink up curly hair conditioners from root to tip, providing some much needed calming to frizzy or damaged tresses, but it also needs some emollient conditioner with plenty of slip to detangle and remove the knots that can develop between wash days. As opposed to the best conditioners for fine hair, which will be packed with lightweight ingredients that don't weigh down more sensitive follicles, conditioners for curly hair are often packed with natural oils such as shea butter and coconut oils to lock in moisture and prevent breakage.
Luckily, we've got you covered. Whether you have waves, curls or coils, this is your complete guide to the best conditioner for curly hair and all the best ways to take care of your beautiful natural texture. Next up? The best hair dryers for curly hair to complete your look.
Best overall
RRP: £12.99
The Shea Moisture Jamaican Strengthen & Restore Conditioner offers phenomenal value and a luscious thick texture that intensely hydrates. Ahead of testing the best conditioners for curly hair, this was our Head of Shopping's go-to conditioner, and it's still a failsafe in her hair-washing routine.
One major bonus of this conditioner is its ultra-nourishing Jamaican black castor oil and Fair Trade shea butter from Ghana, while peppermint oil encourages hair growth and stimulates your scalp.
Buy if: You're looking for a good value option
Avoid if: You don't want a fragranced conditioner
Best for smoothing
RRP: £28
"I'm a huge fan of Trepadora's products" says w&h's Senior Beauty Editor Rhiannon Derbyshire. "They feel like a real treat to use and they're just brilliant - I save them for the wash days when I really need a good hair week. This makes light work of detailing my knotty, nest-like hair - my curls are always much more manageable, softer and smoother after use."
You can also use this conditioner as a masque or leave-in treatment, and we loved the tropical scent which lingered for days after use.
Buy if: You need a detangling treatment
Avoid if: You'd prefer a formula with protein
Best for damaged hair
RRP: £26
Combining Manketti Nut and Ximenia oils to nourish and hydrate curls, this conditioner from Charlotte Mensah is ideal for textured hair types. Created and loved by one of the UK’s leading salons for afro and curly hair types, it's perfectly tailored to treat damage from root to tip.
To get the most out of this hydrating formula, let it soak in for a few minutes before rinsing. At £26 for 250ml it's quite an expensive option, but it certainly feels luxurious from the texture to the scent.
Buy if: You want a luxurious product that's created by the pros
Avoid if: You're on a tighter budget
Best defining
RRP: £32
Aveda's Be Curly Conditioner is responsibly packaged and manufactured, with a wheat protein and organic aloe blend that is designed to tame frizz and add shape back to lackluster curls.
We could recommend some more deeply hydrating options in this guide, but sometimes when curly hair is over-moisturised it can lose its definition, so if you're struggling to revive curls this taming blend would be our best bet.
Buy if: You want some curl definition
Avoid if: Your hair is seriously dehydrated
Best for coarse hair
RRP: £8.99
"Because you have to use so much conditioner as a curly girl, finding an affordable formula is wise" says Rhiannon Derbyshire, our Senior Beauty Editor. "This is my favourite - it's really well-priced for such a big bottle, and it works brilliantly. It's not too heavy or rich, so it works well even quite close to the roots, leaving my curls looking bouncy and defined. I always have a bottle or two stashed away."
Buy if: You're on a budget
Avoid if: You want a rich formula
Best for dull hair
RRP: £19
The Bouclème Curl Conditioner is designed to protect and strengthen dull and dehydrated curls. It's formulated with a myriad of healing ingredients such as Argan Oil, Aloe Vera Leaf and Virgin Coconut Oil, but is free from sulphates, parabens and silicones that can weigh down or damage curls.
We especially rate this option for hair that's perhaps heat-damaged or simply looking a little lacklustre, although its formula could be a little too heavy for especially fine hair. It features the protecting agent Vitamin E which will protect from heat and environmental stresses, too.
Buy if: Your hair is dull or damaged
Avoid if: You have fine hair
Best luxury
RRP: £42
Virtue's Curl Conditioner is one of the most luxurious conditioners we tried, but at £42 for 200ml, it could be an expensive addition to your routine. There's a reason for the high price tag though - Virtue's Alpha Keratin 60ku is uniquely designed to hydrate hair while curl-optimising polymers improve hair health and repair damaged cuticles.
What's more, it's free from parabens, silicones, sulphates and synthetic colourants, meaning it won't inhibit on your hairs natural curl pattern or cause a build-up of nasties on your scalp.
Buy if: Your hair is damaged
Avoid if: You're on a budget
Best for frizz
RRP: £9.25
The Umberto Giannini Thirsty Curls Conditioner is designed to prep your hair porosity for maximum absorption. With hyaluronic acid to drink in moisture, and Tremella Snow Mushroom for long-lasting hydration, it takes the edge off frizzy hair and reduces hair breakage thanks to the inclusion of black oat extract.
The formula is free of sulfates and silicone, too, and for under £10 it's a brilliant value buy that packs some serious hydration for the thirstiest curls.
Buy if: You struggle with frizz
Avoid if: You don't want a strong scented conditioner
Best vegan
RRP: £26
You can use this Deep Conditioner from Bread Beauty Supply as a moisturising mask or detangling conditioner. Created without silicone, but rich in oils such as starflower oil and Kakadu plum, it's perfect for travel thanks to the unique packaging, which also ensures you're able to get every last drop of product.
If you're looking for a vegan or cruelty-free product, this is also a great option. It's created with dry hair in mind, but it won't be too heavy for regular use.
Buy if: You want a vegan, cruelty-free option
Avoid if: You want a scented product
Best deep conditioner
RRP: £23.50
Intensely rich and creamy, a little goes a long way with the Davines NOUNOU Nourishing Conditioner. The emollient texture of this conditioner is perfect for detangling, leaving hair calmed and smooth to the touch.
As well as being good for the hair, this conditioner is also good for the planet. It's created using 100% clean energy and comes in fully recyclable packaging.
Buy if: You need some serious hydration
Avoid if: You're a sucker for pretty packaging
Best treatment
RRP: £40
Sometimes it feels like a conditioner isn't enough to treat seriously dehydrated hair. The Adowa Beauty Baomint Deep Conditioning Treatment is designed to be left to soak in for up to 15 minutes, making it perfect for occasional use when your hair really needs some TLC.
The cream features hair-loving ingredients from shea butter and prickly pear oil to zinc and a vitamin E, treating the entirety of your hair from scalp to head. And while it's expensive, you do get nearly 500ml of product which will last at least a few months.
Buy if: Your hair needs some serious hydration
Avoid if: You want an everyday conditioner
Best detangling
RRP: £31
Curls soak up conditioner far more than most hair types, and this option from Living Proof provides all the moisture your hair could need without weighing tresses down. It's formulated with the brand's exclusive Healthy Curl Complex which is designed to promote curl groupings for a smoother and more vibrant head of curls.
We thought this option worked wonders on frizz and provided a good level of slip when brushing in the shower. Extra points go to the luxe, soft-touch matte packaging, but it's an expensive option that won't last too long if you wash your hair every day.
Buy if: You need some extra help with curl grouping
Avoid if: You're on a budget
Best for coarse hair
RRP: £24
Designed for dry, textured, or coarse hair types 2a-4c, Amika's Hydro Rush range is infused with hyaluronic acid and squalane, two commonly-used hydrating agents in face creams and serums. These skin-loving ingredients also work wonders on your hair, with the shampoo and conditioner combined clinically proven to boost moisture for 72 hours after use.
This rich formula is also created with coconut water and blue algae to prevent hair breakage and create longer, stronger hair growth.
Buy if: You've got dehydrated or coarse curls
Avoid if: You'd benefit from a more gentle formula
Best for frizz
RRP: £24
Featuring Briogeo's rosehip, argan and coconut oils, this conditioner will restore shine to your lengths with a frizz-fighting blend of 98% naturally derived ingredients.
The conditioner is created with naturally derived ingredients that are free from parabens, sulphates, silicones and artificial dyes, meaning it's curl-loving from root to tip.
Buy if: You've got frizzy hair
Avoid if: You want a thick texture
Best moisturising
RRP: £24
There's a lot to love with the Philip Kingsley Moisture Extreme Enriching Conditioner. It's is CO2 negative and cruelty-free, with fully recyclable packaging. That aside, its blend of wheatgerm oil, which is rich in fatty acids and vitamin E, and Babassu, which reduces frizz and adds shine, will leave hair noticeably softer after the very first use.
Buy if: Your hair needs a surge of moisture
Avoid if: You're on a budget
How to pick the best conditioner for curly hair
There's a lot to take in when choosing the best conditioner for curly hair, because while curly hair is easily dehydrated, it can also recieve too much moisture which will lead to a lack of definition and easier breakage.
Jamaican-born, Keisha moved to England in 2003 and saw a huge space in the market for women with curly hair who wanted a premium product offering and needed help understanding how best to care for their curls.
Keisha’s journey into the industry began with an online platform, offering tutorials, a forum and a store full of products such as Shea Moisture, Miss Jessies and Kinky Curly, sourced from the US – which were the leading brands at the time, but not readily available in the UK. In 2015, Keisha launched both the Trepadora flagship salon and her own range of vegan-certified products - designed for all curl types from corkscrews to gentle waves, and suitable for all ages from three up.
"Conditioning is the holy grail foundation for all curl types. We love hydrating formulations" says Keisha Jo Lawler, founder of Trepadora. "Choosing the wrong one can lead to lacklustre limp curls with no shine or bounce. You want to look for conditioners that contain ingredients like esthers, light butters Cocoa Seed and Mango Seed butters are favourites and Behentrimonium Methosulfate which works incredibly well on frizzy hair to seal the cuticles down.
I recommend avoiding conditioners overloaded with too many proteins, and be very careful in how often you use them as they can have the opposite effect intended and over-strengthen your strands which can lead to breakage."
How we tested the best conditioner for curly hair
We tested the best conditioners for curly hair from our own homes. To keep things fair we tested these products on a selection of different hair types, from wavy to tight curls, to make sure we were recommending the right products for the right users.
We also consulted with a number of curly hair experts and talked to our own expert beauty team who have been reviewing these products for decades to bring you professional insights into which ingredients and formulations are right for which hair types.
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Millie Fender is Head of Ecommerce at Woman&Home, and was formerly Head of Reviews across a number of Future Plc's leading Homes titles such as Ideal Home and Homes&Gardens. As our head of all things shopping, Millie is committed to giving readers honest, expert advice when it comes to spending their hard-earned cash.
Millie has always had a personal interest in fashion and beauty and has (almost) ditched the straighteners since learning how to look after her curly hair. In her free time, she loves to knit and bake, and has a 200-strong bucket list of London restaurants she's desperate to try out.
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