Curly hair deserves thoughtful care, and the right products make all the difference! This Curlsmith gift guide is packed with the essentials to help curls stay hydrated, defined and full of bounce. Whether you’re shopping for someone with effortlessly loose curls or sassy and tight spirals, you’ll find gentle cleansers, moisturising treatments and styling favourites that work.
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What is important to consider with caring for curly hair?
Curly hair is undeniably gorgeous and absolutely full of personality, but oh my - it can be a challenge to tame some days! Between managing hydration, wrangling frizz, and finding that perfectly bouncy hold, dealing with curls can be quite the workout and leave you exhausted. Don’t sweat though, curlfriend! We have got you covered here.
Curly hair tends to be drier and denser, which means it thrives on moisture rich, curl enhancing products that nourish without weighing it down. Lightweight leave-in conditioners, flexible jellies, and hydrating gels that work together to deliver soft, defined, frizz-free curls.
We have the perfect selection of lightweight leave-in conditioners, flexible jellies, and hydrating gels that work together to deliver soft, defined, frizz-free curls and aid in calming that curly chaos. Whether you're shopping for your bestie, someone special, or treating yourself, Curlsmith has everything needed to bring those curls to life and help them feel fabulous!
Get to know the curly hair types
All types of hair textures - from waves, to curls, to coils - can be sorted into categories. Curly hair falls into type 3, which can be further broken down into 3a, 3b, and 3c.
Bouncy & Soft 3a curls take on the classic curly soft spiral shape; they’re loose, fun and flirty. While they offer movement and bounce, they can sometimes lack volume at the root and may need a lil extra help to avoid frizz in humid conditions.
Bold & Beautiful 3b curls get a bit tighter and more voluminous straight away from the root. With stunning spiral shapes making up the main body, you’ll find some clumps can take on defined corkscrews. As the hair gets curlier, it becomes thicker and drier and therefore more prone to frizz; nourishing leave-in conditioners paired with light flexible stylers will be your besties here to give your curls definition and that sleek chic style!
Lively & Fabulous 3c curls are densely packed, tight spirals and corkscrews that create beautiful body and volume. Being the most textured of the type 3 curls, the strands are on the coarser side; while there is a risk of frizz and shrinkage, they can most certainly thrive with rich moisturisers, serums and strong hold stylers.
Leave-in Conditioners for Curly Hair
A leave-in conditioner is a hydrating product that is applied to wet hair after washing. It helps to nourish the strands and smooth frizz, priming the hair perfectly for styling.
Below are our top picks to help curls pop:
Weightless Air Dry Cream
This dreamy leave-in cream is designed to moisturise those luscious locks, without any heaviness – sooo important to maintain bouncy curls. It absorbs super easily into the hair and leaves zero residue, making it perfect for frequent use (even on finer strands). Whether you’re rocking loose spirals or tighter coils, it helps keep frizz in check while letting your curls stay soft, bouncy, and silky!
Perfect for: Curls that are prone to dryness and frizz, those who prioritise a soft and light feeling
Hold Me Softly Style Balm
This buttery styling balm works double duty as a leave-in conditioner and soft hold styler, giving those curls the love they deserve with a boost of moisture and a gentle spring. It’s fab for helping curls clump together, which is the secret to that smooth, touchable finish. Even with the added styling power there is no crunch or cast, just a wonderfully whipped formula that leaves your curls feeling soft, bouncy, and totally natural.
Perfect for: Those who need to keep their curls hydrated through to their next wash day, those who want natural looking definition, improving definition and frizz control
Frizz Control Duo Conditioner
Frizz control in the form of some multi-use magic! This gorgeously silky formula contains goodies like blackcurrant seed oil and coconut butter to seal the cuticle and smooth things out. This means less frizz and more shine! This glides onto the hair like a dream, giving detangling power to help protect the lengths and create juicy curl clumps ready for styling and scrunching!
Perfect for: Those who want a balance of moisture and frizz control, those who need some extra detangling action, those who want shinier and smoother curls
Stylers that work best for Curls
Stylers are the secret weapon of any curly hair routine! It is the next step after washing and applying leave-in conditioner – and while it may be tempting to skip the styler, that’s often where frizz and lack of definition sneak in. A good styler helps lock in moisture, enhance curl definition, and provides the hold needed to keep hair looking fresh all the way to the next wash day. Below you’ll find our favourite stylers for curly girlies:
Hydro Style Flexi Jelly
Unlike traditional gel stylers that can feel harsh and heavy, the Hydro Flexi is an ultralight jelly formula that effortlessly glazes over the hair, offering a light and flexible hold - creating maximum definition with minimal flatness. It may create a light cast as it dries to lock in shape and hydration, but don’t worry - it’s super easy to scrunch out and reveal soft, shiny curls with loads of movement and bounce!
Perfect for: Those who want a flexible hold without stiffness, those who hate a heavy product feeling in their hair, 3a to 3b curls
Frizz Rescue Curl Retainer
A perfect pairing for the Frizz Control Duo Conditioner, this medium hold styler is packed with the same goodies, like blackcurrant seed oil and coconut butter, that help seal the cuticle, smooth the curls and enhance shine. It’s a game changer when it comes to frizz fighting - thanks to its humidity-resistant formula, your curls stay sleek and defined all day long! As it dries, it forms a light, invisible cast around the curl clumps to lock in moisture and shape, giving hold and structure without creating unnecessary weight.
Perfect for: Those whose main concern is frizz reduction, those whose curls react to humidity, 3b to 3c curls
In Shower Style Fixer
If you’re looking for next level hold and definition, we got you with this one! Our strongest gel, this Style Fixer provides insane styling power and resistance - maximum definition with long lasting frizz control. This little gem is not for the faint of heart, as it has the power to take your curls from 0 to 100 - that’s from meh to WOW! Just be prepared for some serious scrunching to release that gorgeous, voluptuous finish. And the best part? Despite its strong hold, it doesn’t flake or leave residue like other traditional strong-hold gels, making it ideal for keeping your curls fresh and healthy.
Perfect for: Coarser hair types, denser hair, those who are looking for a strong hold and super defined results, 3b and 3c hair
Shampoos for Curly Hair
Shampoos are where it all begins - so we want to make sure we’ve got it right from the get-go! Curly hair is naturally drier than straight hair due to how moisture and oil travel down the cuticle. A good shampoo will gently cleanse dirt, debris and product build-up without stripping away the precious natural oils that hair needs to stay soft and bouncy. Using a cleanser that isn’t right for your hair (especially one with sulphates or harsh ingredients) can leave your curls frizzy, puffy, or just a bit dry and lifeless. A curl friendly shampoo helps smooth the cuticle and keep frizz at bay.
Frizz Control Shampoo
This gentle cleanser is packed full of curl loving ingredients like blackcurrant seed oil, coconut butter, and watermelon seed oil to help seal the cuticle, smooth your strands, and keep frizz in check. It’s especially fab for those porous, coarse curls that need a little extra TLC as it leaves the hair feeling soft, silky, and super manageable (making detangling and styling a breeze). Plus, it keeps your scalp happy with a pH between 4.5–5.5, which helps your curls stay hydrated, healthy, and frizz-free from root to tip.
Perfect for: Coarse and porous hair types, those who prioritise frizz control, 3a, 3b and 3c curls
Full Body Weightless Shampoo
With a mild creamy foam texture that feels light on the hair, this shampoo provides a gentle cleanse that will revive flat hair and leave you with luscious, plump, bouncy curls. Curly hair can often experience shrinkage, which is when curls tightly coil up and look shorter than they are. This Full Body wonder helps your springy spirals stay defined, hydrated, and totally frizz-free, without weighing them down.
Perfect for: Those who want instant volume with a gentle cleanse, those who suffer with shrinkage
Detox Shampoo
Let’s be real; between all the gels, creams, oils, and serums, our curls go through a lot! Over time, all that goodness can build up and leave your strands feeling dull, dry, and maybe a little limp and disrupted. Now, this is where a clarifying cleanse comes in! The Curl Reset Detox Shampoo is a cleanser that is designed to be used every 4-5 washes to give your hair and scalp with a more intense clean to remove layers of product, dirt and debris. Even though it’s a detox, it’s still super gentle, so it won’t strip your curls of the moisture and oils they need to thrive. Just clean, happy curls ready to bounce back.
Perfect for: Use every few washes (not every wash), those who regularly apply product, hair in need of a breather and a reset
Treatments for Curly Hair
Frizz Rescue Serum
A trick to scrunching out the styler crunch and restoring shine and softness to the hair is to use an oil or a serum. This little bottle of buttery, balmy goodness will do the trick with just the tiniest amount slicked over your hands! It works wonders by taming frizz by up to 65% for 72 hours, even in humid conditions! Major slay alert.
Perfect for: curls that tend to puff up or lose definition after wash day, those who prefer a high shine and glossy finish, coarser 3b and 3c textures
Bond Curl Rehab Salve
No exaggeration here - the Bond Curl Rehab Salve is a godsend, a true miracle worker! Loaded with bond building ingredients, this powerhouse pre-shampoo treatment repairs the hair from the inside out, delivering exceptional moisturisation all the while. Say buh-bye to dry and damaged hair, breakage, and dull texture, and hello to shiny, soft, strong, healthy curls. What’s more, this treatment is customisable to all hair types - just adjust the frequency and duration of the application and anyone can get in on the magic!
Perfect for: chemically damaged hair, heat damaged hair, those dealing with dryness and breakage, those who need to give their curls a little TLC
Shake & Shine
This revolutionary hair refreshing spray is the go-to for restoring your glorious wash day style. With just a shake and a light spritz required, the Shake & Shine is an innovative bi-phasic oil that instantly reactivates juicy curls, locking in moisture and getting that definition popping once again! Its long-lasting 24-hour frizz control power makes it ideal for extending your wash day even further!
Perfect for: refreshing styles, dry hair, those who want to boost natural shine, those who want quick and easy frizz control
Curly Hair Accessories
Defrizzion Dryer
Your Curlfriends’ new bestie! This powerful hairdryer is engineered with curls in mind. A large 8” XXL diffuser covers more hair at once, and paired with a super efficient airflow, drying time is significantly reduced. With this, curls can set in a gloriously bouncy and defined pattern, helping to maintain volume and enhance shine.
Microfiber Towel
Microfibre towels are the secret weapon to help slay the drying routine, trust us. Traditional cotton towels can rough up the cuticle, create frizz and cause damage to delicate wet hair. A soft microfibre material to soak up excess water will not only help enhance that gorgeous curl pattern but will also reduce friction - am I hearing less tugging and breakage?! So important for when your hair is wet and in its most fragile state!
Vegan Silk Scarf
A total essential for curls! The silky texture helps reduce friction while you sleep, which means much less frizz and much fewer tangles - what a game changer for curls that love to do their own thing overnight and tend to be on high-frizz-alert in the morning. As a result of less friction and movement, you’ll find your style perfectly locked in place, so you wake up with bouncy, defined curls instead of a frizzy halo. This stylish wrap isn’t just for bedtime either, go ahead and rock it as a headband, a bow, or a statement accessory for a stylish look that also protects your curls from the elements.
Stocking fillers
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Mini Double Cream Deep Quencher - Coarser thicker hair calls for some serious hydration! Say hello to this Double Cream saviour; a mask that will effortlessly deliver unbeatable softness and moisture.
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Mini Miracle Shield – Heat protection, UV protection, and a shine boost in one little bottle? Yes please, what’s not to love?
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Clips - Curly hair is so much easier to style when we work in sections. These handy clips will help you work in layers while you work in the products.
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Bond Curl Rehab Salve - A miracle saviour in a bottle! This curl rehabilitating magic works by repairing weak protein bonds in the hair, restoring hair from right inside the cuticle. Add little more pampering to the routine every few washes by adding in the Rehab Salve!
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Gift Card - Struggling to pick that one perfect product for the curly queen? Grab a gift card and you can’t go wrong!
So, there you have it! Whether you're treating a curl queen to a self-care surprise, or maybe you’re just building your own dreamy hair routine, these picks are sure to deliver some serious curl love. From fierce, frizz control, to juicy hydration, to bond repair magic, every product is made to celebrate curls in all their gorgeous forms. Wrap up some curl joy and let those gorgeous curls sparkle!
