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16 of the very best curl creams for unreal definition
It's giving bouncy
Those among us with curly hair know that if we want even a hint of definition to our mane, a good curl cream is a must-have product essential. Not only can curl creams enhance your natural curl pattern, but they also help protect those delicate ringlets from damage by moisturising and conditioning fragile strands.
Whether you've experimented with curl creams in the past and are still searching for "the one", or aren't sure you're reaping the full benefits, we've asked the experts all the hard questions, so you can get the best out of your curls.
What's the purpose of a curl cream?
You might be thinking, "why exactly are curl creams better for my hair compared with oils or mousses?". It's a very fair question, and one that Keisha Jo Lawler, founder of Trepadora Curl Therapy, is happy to answer:
"Curl creams are fantastic, not just for curl control, but for locking in moisture, which is super important for naturally curly hair. Curl creams generally have no hold and create more weight than mousses, so if volume is important to you, skip the curl cream. High porosity or colour-treated curls of any pattern will feel a noticeable difference in using a curl cream than normal porosity curls, as it really helps to create a smoother, more silky appearance to your curls," she says.
These creams also play well with others and can happily be slotted in with your other hard-working curl products.
"As curl creams will usually be layered under a styling gel, you want it to be light but super moisturising so that it sinks into your hair shaft. This helps to prevent issues with product buildup. If you have high humidity conditions use your gel first then apply your curl cream on top. For low humidity conditions do the reverse," advises Keisha.
How should I use a curl cream?
Applying a curl cream to wet or damp hair after washing will help to lock in moisture and prevent frizzing as it dries and then, depending on the hold that your cream gives, will help to create soft, bouncy curls.
For extra definition post-wash, you can cocktail your cream with a curl gel – this’ll balance the benefits of both products. You get the hold of a gel (sans the crunch) and the moisture of a cream. Dreamy.
Keisha recommends adding a curl cream "lightly on wet hair for best results. Its job is to bind moisture to your curls".
Which cream is best for curly hair?
Curl creams are not one size fits all though, heavier creams can weigh down fine curls but thicker coils can benefit from a little more richness to rehydrate. And if we are talking in the curl typing system, type 2-3 curls will suit a lighter more fluid-like or whipped cream base where thicker type 3 to afro type 4 hair will need a denser butter-like curl cream.
Take a look are our top picks below for your curl type...
One of the standout launches from Fenty Hair — this curl styler gives soft, flexible hold without flaking or crunch. I like using it on damp hair to define curls while keeping them hydrated and bouncy. It layers well with leave-ins and works beautifully for refresh days too.
"A daily essential in my routine, this lightweight lotion hydrates and primes curls without weighing them down. I apply it on soaking wet hair before layering the matching gel for soft, defined, and frizz-free results. Bonus: the floral scent is divine, and the hydrating formula mixes easily with other stylers." – Kara Kia, Ecommerce Editor
This cream is super light and so a dream to apply for wavy to type 3/softly curled hair.
The balance of shea butter, coconut extract, kukui nut oil and castor oil calms frizz and adds bounce back into curls and waves. You can use on freshly-washed wet hair for soft hold or to remoisturise dry hair.
Camille Rose Naturals Curl Love Moisture Milk 240ml
This smells sweet and creamy enough to eat. It's brilliant for all curl types and for those with looser curls, it will do the job of both a leave-in conditioner and a curl cream, giving your hair everything it needs for a wash-and-go in one product. If you like your curls super defined or with a hold to them, follow with a curl gel.
With a consistency that sits between a gel and cream, this bad boy is lightweight but oh-so-nourishing. Ideal for finer hair types it won't way your hair down. Plus it's infused with Biotin to encourage growth, as well as repairing the scalp and hair.
This magical cream – and Cosmo Beauty Award Winner – can revive the dryest, saddest, curls into happy juicy nourished babies. And it's great for all hair types, just use less on finer hair. It's another one-and-done leave-in product and it smells divine thanks to its mango butter.
Coconut oil? Tick. Flax seed, chia seed, rice protein? Tick, tick, tick. Yes, all ingredients that you might find in a post-spin class smoothie but also the ingredient in this cream that’ll keep your curls hella smooth and healthy.
Apply to damp curls and the flax seed extract will help to strengthen hair, the rice protein locks in moisture, while the coconut oil and chia seed extract are a treat for your scalp so apply this one from root to tip (not mid lengths some curl creams) for the added benefits.
This styling cream is lightweight but great at minimising frizz in loosely curled to wavy hair.
The combination of wheat protein and organic aloe is a treat for curls, expanding in wet hair and retracting as it dries so the best way to create definition in this one is to apply to damp hair and use a diffuser to dry completely.
This vegan cream-gel hybrid is jam-packed with hydrating glycerin and castor oil, to leave strands looking as glossy as a glazed doughnut.
It provides all the holding powers of a gel, without leaving behind any crunchiness, making it the perfect cocktail for bouncy curls.
A complete classic for curls, this cream is lightly whipped and smells kinda like a Pinã Colada so we were on board immediately. It's best suited for thicker textured curls and coils and gives light hold for wash-and-gos as well as twist outs.
After testing this newbie brand from sisters Fleur and Keshia East we were instantly hooked. Born from the pair going back to their African roots for ingredients that Afro-textured hair absolutely lap up. This cream features African cocoa butter, hemp and avocado oils to quench thirsty locks.
Curls on the finer side of things? We've got you. This Nought creme is uber-light but moisturising thanks to the mango butter and sea kelp. It's best suited to waves and loose curls and should be applied to damp hair and raked through for bouncy definition.
If you have type 4 hair but it doesn’t react well to heavier styling creams this drop from Keracare might be the curl cream for you.
Infused with black castor oil and coconut oil it’s rich enough to moisturise and create hold when you’re doing twist outs and braid outs but won’t leave product build up on the hair. Win.
This whole range from As I Am is harnessed on the hyper-nourishing powers of Jamaican Black Castor Oil and also includes vitamin E and C to strengthen the hair.
The rich formula benefits tighter coils and thicker curls and any curls that are exceptionally dry as the ceramides in the formula aid moisture retention.
Keeks Reid is the Beauty Director at Cosmopolitan UK. While she loves all things beauty, Keeks is a hair fanatic through and through. She started her career in beauty journalism in 2013 as editorial assistant at Blackhair and Hair magazines working her way to Acting Editor of Blackhair magazine at 23 years old. She spent much of her career working in trade hairdressing media at Hairdressers Journal, Salon International and the British Hairdressing Awards. Which is why she is a regular contributor to Cosmo's Curl Up franchise. Now, alongside her Cosmo work, she presents, creates content on social media and works with a range of beauty companies; from magazines and websites to beauty brands and salons.
Charlotte Bitmead (she/her) is the Senior Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. She has over six years experience writing about beauty and has previously written for ELLE and The Sunday Times Style, covering everything from politics to sustainability to inclusivity within the beauty industry. When she’s not writing in-depth features, testing out the newest skincare fad or trying to decide what nail art to get, you can find her overspending in bookshops or shouting at Arsenal matches. Find her on LinkedIn
Elena Chabo is Cosmopolitan UK's former beauty writer, working on everything from buzzy celeb news and trending beauty, to sincere first-person reviews and engaging video content for social media. She also creates meatier features and expert-led how-to guides, for print and online. Her passion for Black beauty, textured hair, and the ways beauty interacts with culture, society, identity and relationships, quickly took over her writing career and led her into beauty journalism. Following an MA in Magazine Journalism in 2017, she cut her teeth across various roles at Stylist Magazine, before taking on a Digital Writer role at Good Housekeeping. It was here that beauty took centre stage and she launched and ran the site's first stand-alone beauty section. Remaining at Hearst, she joined the Cosmo beauty team in 2022. Find her on LinkedIn.
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