ESSENCE's Best in Black Beauty 2020: Hair

By ESSENCE Beauty Editors · Updated November 4, 2020

From color to curls and everything in between, these are the products we’re using to keep our tresses laid and slayed year round.

Most Exciting Launch

It’s not every day that a beauty crush makes her tool kit available to the masses. So when Tracee Ellis Ross launched her hair care line, Pattern, we were eager to get our hands on it. We still fangirl her gorgeous curls, and now we can get ours just as juicy.

○ PATTERN BY TRACEE ELLIS ROSS (starting at $9)

Best Shampoo and Conditioner Duos

These wash-day essentials are better together.

○ EDEN BODYWORKS Hibiscus Honey Curl Hydration Shampoo and Conditioner ($9 each)
○ MY BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL Hydrating Shampoo and Fortifying Conditioner ($12 each)
○ MIELLE ORGANICS Moisture RX Hawaiian Ginger Moisturizing & Anti-Breakage Shampoo and Conditioner ($10 each)

Best Cowashes/Conditioners

Skip the suds and get straight to conditioning with these top- notch winners.

○ ORIBE Intense Conditioner for Moisture & Control ($49)
○ PATTERN Heavy Conditioner For Coilies ($25, 13 oz)
○ TGIN Quench 3-In-1 Cleansing Co-Wash Conditioner and Detangler ($15)

Best Hair Masks

Slather these on for hydrated and sensational strands.

○ DEVACURL Melt Into Moisture Mask ($36)
○ BEKURA BEAUTY Y.A.M Nectar Hydrating Hair Nourisher ($26)
○ CAROL’S DAUGHTER Rhassoul Clay Softening Hair Mask ($15)
○ MAUI MOISTURE Heal & Hydrate + Shea Butter Hair Mask ($9)

Best Hair Color Systems

We’re the queens of transforming our tresses—and eye-catching colors are just one way to do it.

○ DARK & LOVELY Color Gloss Ultra Radiant Color Crème ($6)
○ OVERTONE Golden Brown Complete System ($47)
○ CREME OF NATURE Exotic Shine Color with Argan Oil from Morocco ($8, walmart.com)

Best Curl Definers

These products will cut your styling time in half and give you high- definition curls in a flash.

○ PANTENE Gold Series Hydrating Butter-Creme ($8)
○ SHEAMOISTURE Coconut Custard Wash N’ Go Defining Gel-Oil ($13)
○ BRIOGEO Curl Charisma Rice Amino + Avocado Leave In Defining Crème ($20, briogeo.com)

Best Hair Perfumes

Who says scents are only for your pulse points? Drape your exquisite crown in an alluring aroma the way you embellish it with accessories. These tantalizing hair perfumes are exactly what you need to take your mane up a notch.

○ DOVE Go Active Hair Perfume ($5)
○ GISOU Honey Infused Hair Perfume ($83)
○ EX NIHILO Sublime Mist ($120 each)