There are several stops on the wayward hair scale from kinky to curly, but there are products for everyone which will make the most of your particular kind of curly hair, and minimise the problems common to it. If you want products that will maintain the structure of curls, minimise frizz, nourish hair and combat humidity, look no farther.
Lush Jasmine and Henna Fluff-Ease (€15.25): I've loved this unassuming-looking hair mask for years. If you don't like the scent of jasmine, avoid this, because you can smell it for days. Rich and intoxicatingly scented, it leaves all types of hair, including curls, soft, tamed and bouncy.
OGX Nourishing Coconut Milk Weightless Hydrating Oil Mist (€9.99): A light, fragrant leave-in oil that doesn't weigh hair down, it calms fuzz and conquers flyaways. OGX is one of the best pharmacy haircare brands available.
Kerastase Discipline Masque Curl Idéal (€24): A weekly mask is key for any hair prone to dryness, but curly hair needs hard-hitting moisture. This mask is rich enough to spread on toast (but don't). For extra impact, apply it an hour before your shower and place a warm towel or shower cap on top. For defined curls, use the cleansing conditioner in the same range.
VIKTOR&ROLF Bonbon Hair Mist (€44.88 from feelunique.com): There's something about the sweet, summery scent of Bonbon that makes it particularly good on hair with lots of natural volume. As your curls bounce, the whole room is treated to soft wafts of sugary fragrance.
Garnier The Delicate Smoother Shampoo and Conditioner (€5.95 each): This is designed to be gentle on delicate scalps, but it also keeps curls happy with its gentle, non-drying formula. It won't cut the mustard on corkscrew curls, but if you have a disobedient kink or wave, it's perfect.
Shu Uemura Art of Hair Essence Absolue Nourishing Cleansing Milk (€40): Co-washes – a sort of cleansing conditioner – are becoming more widespread. Perfect for curls, they cleanse gently without the foam that can leave curls fragmented and fuzzy. Leave on wet hair for about five minutes, then rinse for intact, glossy curls.
Bumble and Bumble Bb. Curl Anti-Humidity Gel Oil (€35.50): This new leave-in gel/oil hybrid is getting rave reviews online, and my curly-haired testers agree. A little of this acts almost like hairspray to keep curls intact, and protects them from pesky humidity.
Aveda Be Curly Conditioner (€27.50): Aveda's Be Curly range is the Dyson of curly haircare. It does wonders for very tight curls and afro hair, conditioning richly to respect the structure of curls without frizzing them. The co-wash in this range is excellent for the thickest and curliest hair.
LAURA’S PRODUCT OF THE WEEK
NARS Lip Cover (€24): These incredibly chic matte liquid lipsticks are the most comfortable I've tried. With amazing pigment and lasting power, they are the best matte lip offering of the season.
