The 15 Best Drugstore Shampoos and Conditioners for Curly Hair
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A curly hair requires different types of products than those used on straight hair.
While it’s undoubtedly beautiful, it will require a lot of effort to maintain since natural oils are blocked from reaching the scalp.
Therefore, you need shampoos designed for curly hair to help moisturize your curls and boost elasticity.
These products will be free from sulfates and other harsh chemicals that can damage your curls. You want products that will eliminate frizz and help your tresses to lock in moisture.
However, finding the perfect shampoo or conditioner for your curly hair can be challenging.
This article has come up with a list of 15 Best Drugstore Shampoo and Conditioner for Curly Hair. You can easily buy them in the local drugstore at a very affordable price.
We’ve also included a buying guide to help with your selection.
L’Oréal Paris EverCurl Hydracharge Sulfate-Free Shampoo
- Works great on color-treated hair
- Infused with coconut oil
- Doesn’t weight down your curls
Garnier Fructis Style Curl Nourish Conditioner for Curly Hair
- Infused with macadamia, coconut and jojoba oi
- Packed with nutrients, vitamins and minerals
- Sulfate and paraben free formula
Maui Moisture Curl Shampoo
- Plumeria extrac, papaya butter and coconut oil
- Feels and smells fresh and clean
- Free of silicones, mineral oil, gluten or parabens
What to Look for When Choosing the Best Drugstore Shampoo and Conditioner for Curly Hair?
There are different types of drugstore shampoos and conditioners designed to restore your curls’ health and shine.
To help you go home with the right products for your hair, we have compiled a list of important factors to keep in mind:
Creamy and Moisturizing Formulation
Typically, curly hair is usually dry.
This is because oil that is produced at the hair shaft does not reach the end of the tip.
For this reason, your hair will absorb water from the environment, and this will give it a frizzy look.
Curly hair tends to lose a lot of water, especially when in dry climates.
Therefore, you should look for ultra-conditioning moisturizing shampoos and conditioners that contain essential oils to rehydrate and rejuvenate your hair.
When washing, hydrating shampoos will lock in water in your hair so it doesn’t feel dry.
Porosity
Another key to finding the most appropriate shampoo is by first identifying your hair’s porosity.
Porosity is the ability of your hair to retain moisture.
- Low porosity curls don’t absorb oils easily and get weighed down by heavier shampoos and conditioners.
- On the other hand, high porosity curls soak up a lot of moisture and may require heavy hydration.
- Medium porosity curls have medium weight hydration and may not need a lot of maintenance like the other two.
You can submerge a strand of your hair in a cup of water to determine your hair’s porosity level.
High-Quality Ingredients
Like choosing any other product, you want to ensure that the drugstore shampoo and conditioner have high-quality ingredients.
Examples of such ingredients include coconut oil, jojoba oil, glycerin, castor oil, shea butter, organic argan oil, aloe vera, and Abyssinian seed oil.
These natural ingredients give your hair a smooth texture and add natural oils and vitamins to the scalp.
Additionally, there are ingredients that you need to watch out for when choosing products for your curly hair. The best products for curly hair should be sulfate-free and paraben-free.
Although these ingredients are useful, they are harsh agents that can be damaging to most curls.
You should also avoid products that use alcohol as an ingredient. This is because it can make your curls dry and frizzy.
Protein Level
Most hair products contain protein which can make your hair stiff and dry.
An example of such protein is wheat protein that reduces moisture on your hair.
Consequently, your hair will be dry, and you will have a hard time styling your curls.
Shampoos with Slip
Shampoos with slip help make your curly hair tangle-free and more manageable.
Because of the curls, you are most likely to have knots, tangles, and snarls on your hair. Detangling can be a painful and tiring process, and it may even cause hair breakage.
However, products with slip tend to make curls more lubricious, which will help reduce the detangling time. Plus, you will save a great deal on conditioners.
Related: The 21 Best Shampoos and Conditioners for Tangled hair
Top Drugstore Shampoo and Conditioner for Curly Hair
Here are the comprehensive reviews of some of the best drugstore shampoos and conditioners for curly hair in the market.
1. L’Oréal Paris EverCurl Hydracharge Sulfate-Free Shampoo
Product Overview
This anti-frizz and sulfate-free shampoo is designed for curly hair.
- Being sulfate-free, you can be assured that it doesn’t contain harsh surfactants and salts that can wreak havoc on your curls and color, which means that you can use it even on colored hair.
- This shampoo is lightweight and does not weigh down curls or make your hair greasy. Instead, it gives your hair anti-frizz hydration.
- It also contains coconut oil to ensure proper hydration and lock in moisture.
- Especially designed for curly hair
- Doesn’t contain harsh chemicals
- Works great with color-treated hair
- Infused with coconut oil
For more color definition, try using this shampoo together with the EverCulr Sculpt & Hold Cream.
Pros
- Provides deep cleansing and moisturizing
- Uses no harsh chemicals
- Gives your hair anti-frizz hydration
The Cons
- You might not like the scent
2. Garnier Fructis Style Curl Nourish Conditioner for Curly Hair
Product Overview
This might be one of the best curls strengthening conditioners in the drugstore.
It is a leave-in conditioner that is:
- Instilled with macadamia, jojoba, and coconut oils. These ingredients control frizz and lock in moisture to replenish your hair.
- Contains Active Fruit protein and vitamins B3 and B6 that strengthen the hair and make it stronger.
- Sulfate and paraben-free, it will not be harsh or stripping to your curly hair.
- Leave-in conditioner
- Macadamia, jojoba and coconut oils
- Infused with vitamins B3 and B6
- Sulfate and paraben free
It works best on dry, curly hair to give you 24-hour frizz-resistant curls.
Pros
- Won’t weight down your curls
- Controls frizz and locks moisture in
- Provides moisture for scalp
The Cons
- Too oily
3. Maui Moisture Curl Shampoo
Product Overview
Looking to define, detangle, and defrizz your thick, curly hair?
If so, this drugstore shampoo may be what you need. It particularly works best for high porosity hair that requires adequate hydration.
- Infused with plumeria extract
- Has papaya butter for extra nutrients
- Natural coconut shampoo
- Doesn’t contain chemicals
- The Maui moisture curl shampoo is formulated with plumeria extract, papaya butter, and is a coconut shampoo that work wonders to restore your curls’ shine and health.
- It is safe and does not contain silicones, mineral oil, gluten, parabens, synthetic dye, or sulfated surfactants.
Pros
- Restores hair’s health
- Makes your curls shinier and softer
- Provides adequate levels of moisture
The Cons
- Lacks nutrients
4. Design Essential Natural Shampoo
Product Overview
This is the best drugstore shampoo for detangling and achieving curly hair.
It is recommended to detangle your hair from time to time.
- Perfect formula for daily usage
- Almond and avocado oils
- Sulfate-free formula shampoo
- Safe to use for the whole family
- This shampoo has a sulfate-free formula nourishing and will cleanse your hair without stripping off the necessary hair oils.
- Impressively, it has detangling properties that will cut the detangling time by half. This makes it perfect for daily use.
- The shampoo is packed with natural ingredients like almond and avocado that easily penetrate the hair. It will leave your hair hydrated, feeling soft, and more manageable.
- Besides, it is safe to use for the whole family.
Pros
- Has good detangling abilities
- Nourishes the scalp
- Leaves your hair hydrated, soft and manageable
The Cons
- Can make your head itchy
5. Carol’s Daughter Coco Crème Curl Quenching Shampoo
Product Overview
This creamy moisturizing shampoo can do wonders for dehydrated curly hair.
- Infused with coconut milk and oil
- Has murumuru and mango butter
- Deep moisturizing effect
- Extra moisture protection
- It is a sulfate-free shampoo that provides adequate moisture to curly hair that requires extra moisture protection.
- The shampoo is infused with Carol’s Daughter Coco Crème recipe that adds deep moisture and enhances manageability.
- The formula contains ingredients like coconut milk, coconut oil, murumuru butter, and mango butter.
- The product is also sulfate-free and will give your hair that touchable softness.
Pros
- Deeply cleanses your hair and skin
- Uses natural oils to nourish your scalp
- Provides all the needed nutrients
The Cons
- You might not like the smell
See also:
6. DevaCurl One Condition Original
Product Overview
To make your curls soft and more manageable, proper hydration is essential.
The DevaCurl daily cream conditioner ensures this as:
- Moisturizing olive oil and botanicals
- Refreshing lemongrass scent
- Vegan-friendly and cruelty-free
- Makes your hair healthier
- It is made from moisturizing olive oil and botanicals. It does an excellent job of locking in moisture, leaving it soft, shiny, and healthy.
- The conditioner is cruelty-free and vegan-friendly and is free of parabens, sulfates, wheat, and silicones. It can be used to eliminate frizz on all types of curly hairs.
- Additionally, it comes with a refreshing lemongrass scent that will give your hair a nice smell.
Pros
- Provides healthier and thicker hair
- Deeply cleanses and hydrates
- Restores natural volume and thickness
The Cons
- Might get spilled
7. Moroccanoil Curl Enhancing Conditioner
Product Overview
If you are looking for a drugstore nourishing conditioner that will restore your curly hair’s shine and elasticity, consider the Moroccanoil conditioner.
This conditioner is designed to moisturise the curls while protecting and strengthening your sensitive scalps.
- Abyssinian and argan oil
- Concentrated formula
- Vegetable proteins for extra strength
- Safe for color–treated hair
Its highly concentrated formula contains ingredients like Abyssinian oil, argan oil and vegetable proteins.
All these ingredients help detangle, nourish, strengthen, and protect the hair. Argan oil moisturises the hair and improves its elasticity.
The conditioner is also a perfect choice if you want your hair to have more volume and definition.
It is safe for colored hair and comes with a pleasant Moroccan oil scent.
Pros
- Provides needed vitamins
- Deeply cleanses and detoxifies
- Leaves a nice moroccan oil scent
The Cons
- A bit pricy
8. SheaMoisture Curl and Shine Conditioner
Product Overview
Designed for thick, curly hair, the SheaMoisture Curl and Shine Conditioner help smoothen and restore dry hair.
It keeps hair hydrated and restores shine, giving your curls a beautiful and healthy look.
If you are struggling with tangles and knots, you will appreciate that this conditioner will eliminate them.
- Keeps your hair moisturized
- Contains coconut oil
- Hibiscus for extra vitamin C
- Packed with essential fatty acids
It is excellent for natural hair and will leave you with soft, shiny, and easy to style hair.
It is infused with both coconut oil and hibiscus to soften your hair and reduce frizz.
- Coconut oil features essential fatty acids to protect your hair from dryness.
- The other ingredient is hibiscus, which contains vitamin C to strengthen and promote hair growth.
Pros
- Provides dandruff-free hair
- Cleanses your pores and hair
- Fights dryness and frizziness
The Cons
- You might need a lot of this product
9. OGX Quenching + Coconut Curls Shampoo
Product Overview
If you are in the drugstore for an affordable shampoo that locks in moisture and gives you smooth, defined curls, then this shampoo may be what you need.
It is enriched with honey and hydrating coconut that will restore your curls and make them more manageable.
- Improves elasticity
- Works as an anti-frizz shampoo
- Ultra-rich formul a
- Honey and coconut extracts
The formula works best for frizzy, curly, and coarse hair types.
It improves elasticity and calms frizz to give you that curlier look that you have always desired.
The ultra-rich formula will also make your hair look smoother and fuller. Plus, it will give your hair a pleasant smell.
Pros
- Makes your hair silky smooth
- Increases thickness and strength
- Calms frizz and irritation
The Cons
- The shampoo might not work for all types of hair
10. Dove Amplified Textures Shampoo & Conditioner
Product Overview
This over-the-counter shampoo and conditioner is specially formulated to increase moisture to curly or wavy hair.
The combo is infused with aloe vera and is a great way to hydrate and add moisture to your hair.
- Infused with aloe vera extracts
- Works great with wavy hair
- Increases moisture in your curls
The hydrating cleanse shampoo comes in handy when you want to do a quick cleanse.
It removes product buildup and restores shine, giving you clean and sober hair. It does this without leaving your hair dry or brittle.
Pros
- Provides vitamins and proteins
- Helps repairing damaged hairs and split ends
- Gives your hair much needed moisture
The Cons
- Hard to lather shampoo
11. DevaCurl Low Poo Mild Lather Cleanser
Product Overview
This shampoo is formulated for curly hair that requires soft waves and weightless moisture.
- It produces a mild lather that gives a gentle cleanse and hydrates the scalp.
- It also provides moisture that effectively locks in hydration and leaves the hair soft, nourished, and thick.
- It works well for all curl types, whether wavy or curly.
- Nice, mild lather
- Works with all types of curls
- Provides much needed moisture
- Is silicone, paraben and sulfate free
After using this shampoo, your hair will be soft, shiny, bouncy, and easy to manage.
You also don’t have to worry about safety because it is silicone, paraben, and sulfate-free.
Pros
- Deep detoxifying effect
- Leaves your hair fresh and clean
- Provides all the needed nutrients
The Cons
- Doesn’t deep cleansing your scalp
12. SheaMoisture Baobab & Tee Tree Oils Shampoo
Product Overview
This drugstore shampoo is specially formulated for low porosity and protein-sensitive hair.
Since low porosity hair lacks the ability to soak in essential moisture, this clarifying shampoo cleanses and hydrates low porosity curls that resist essential moisture.
- Infused with tea tree oil
- Has shea butter and baobab
- Restores natural shiness
- Silicone-free formula
The shampoo is silicone-free and infused with organic shea butter, tea tree oils, and baobab, making the formulation highly concentrated for removing product buildup.
The shea butter enhances hydration and scalp health while the tea tree oil moisturizes and soothes the scalp.
Pros
- Gives your hair needed hydration
- Fights dandruff and itchy scalps
- Strengthens the existing hairs
The Cons
- No scent
13. Quidad Curl Quencher (R) Moisturizing Conditioner
Product Overview
Detangle and define your curls with this drugstore conditioner from Quidad.
The product helps to boost curl manageability without causing any heaviness.
This is because it hydrates the curls from within.
- Packed with vitamins and botanicals
- Has proteins for strength
- Works great with weak and dry damaged hair
- High-quality ingredients
- It is packed with protein, vitamins, and botanicals that get into your hair strands to seal in moisture.
- The high-quality ingredients are formulated to give different types of curls the hydration they need.
The conditioner also strengthens, softens, and protects weak or dry damaged hair.
If you want defined curls, this conditioner will do that for you.
Pros
- Deeply moisturizing effects
- Nourishing effect from all the nutrients
- Works perfect with tangled hair
The Cons
- Not the greatest product for frizzy hair
14. The Mane Choice Detangling Hydration Conditioner
Product Overview
This is a detangling hydration conditioner that’s filled with detangling properties to reduce knots and tangles. It is accessible on the curls and promotes retention and hair growth.
Furthermore, it is enriched with avocado oil and biotin that ensures longer, thicker, and healthier hair.
- Reduces tangles and knots
- Promotes retention and hair growth
- Ensures longer and thicker hair
- Removes product buildups
Apart from moisturizing, this product also removes product buildup to give you clean hair and scalp. It does this while leaving the hair soft and shiny so you don’t have that stripped feeling.
Unlike some conditioners for curly hair, The Mane Choice detangling hydration condition contains no paraben, sulfate, or mineral.
Pros
- Makes your hair shinier and softer
- Provides healthy-looking hair follicles
- Stregthen the skin and hair follicles
The Cons
- It doesn’t work with oily hair
15. Unite Boing Curl Conditioner
Product Overview
Unite’s curl conditioner is a lightweight conditioner that soften curls and works well with all types of curly hairs.
- It is packed with essential ingredients like rosemary and calendula which not only condition the hair but also support retain moisture.
- Also, chamomile moisturizes, soothes, and stimulates hair growth.
- The plant source oils and aloe vera helps hydrate the hair and enhance the curls. Hence, you will achieve curly hair that is easy to style.
- Chamomile extracts
- Plant oils and aloe vera
- Rosemary and calendula extracts
- Packed with vitamins and nutrients
This intense moisturizing conditioner penetrates deep into the hair shaft, allowing it to lock in moisture.
Pros
- Repairs the damaged hairs
- Will keep your hair nourished and healthy
- Makes your hair shinier
The Cons
- Doesn’t have proteins
Conclusion
If you have curly hair, you will significantly benefit from sulfate-free products that are infused with natural ingredients.
You want a product that will deeply hydrate your already dry hair and keep frizz at bay without stripping off essential hair oils.
We hope that these reviews can help you find the best drugstore shampoo and conditioner for curly hair.
L’Oréal Paris EverCurl Hydracharge Sulfate-Free Shampoo
Works great on color-treated hair
Infused with coconut oil
Doesn’t weight down your curls
Aida
Founder & Hair Beauty Specialist
I’m Aida and this is my blog where I write mostly about beauty and make up related stuff, but I like to spice it up a bit with lifestyle and photography posts. Or with whatever that comes to my mind. Hope you will enjoy the reading enough that we will ‘see’ each other more often!