This article originally appeared on InStyle.
Any curly girl will tell you—a styling cream is an essential part of the hair arsenal. They reduce frizz while bringing out your natural curves, and they couldn’t be easier to use.
Immediately post-shower, simply rake a dollop through the entirety of your strands, then let either your diffuser or the summer air do its thing.
Here, we put together a list of our seven absolute favorite curl creams on the market.
Ample amounts of shea butter ensure each and every ringlet is moisturized from root to tip, with the mirror-like shine becoming more prominent as your strands dry.
This argan-based formula coats each spiral in a hydrating veil, creating the perfect amount of definition and separation.
If the addictive gardenia and mango scent doesn’t convince you at first whiff, the magic it works on your curls definitely will.
Aside from the ample hydration it provides, Bumble and Bumble’s featherweight formula does double-duty as a UV shield, protecting your color from premature fading.
Do your curls seem to shrink whenever you allow them to air-dry? Opt for this rich cream, which somehow helps to elongate each ringlet to show off your new growth, without compromising the shape or your natural curl pattern.
Don’t be thrown off by the “mousse” description. It’s a far cry from the ultra-stiff scrunching formulas you used back in the ’90s, courtesy of the generous amount of coconut oil used in the mix.
Gone are the days of creative product cocktails and making a mess of your bathroom counter—the cream part of this hybrid styler leaves your ringlets frizz-free and soft to the touch, while the gel infusion gives them a defined shape without a stiff feeling.
