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Hair-care guide

3C hair

TheWashDay editorial · Updated · From Wikipedia · How we compare

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3C hair forms tight corkscrews about the width of a pencil or straw, packed closely together, with lots of volume and noticeable shrinkage. If yours tangles easily, as tight curls often do, the wash day works best in sections: detangling with conditioner in, a leave-in (a richer one if the ends feel dry), and a gel or cream to hold curls together while they dry.

Start a wash-day plan for 3C hair

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Tangles and knots

Detangle only with conditioner in, in small sections, ends first.

How to detangle

Hair looks shorter than it is

Shrinkage is normal for 3C; stretch with twists or banding if you want length.

Work with shrinkage

Tiny knots at the ends

Usually from dryness and handling; trim them and handle ends less.

Single-strand knots

What 3C hair looks like

3C curls are tight spirals with many curls in each section, often mixed with 4A coils at the nape or crown. They shrink a lot as they dry.

If the coils are smaller than a pencil and form an O or Z shape, the 4A and 4B pages may fit better.

A 3C wash day

  • If detangling is hard, pre-poo dry lengths with conditioner or oil.
  • Wash in sections, cleansing the scalp and keeping the lengths twisted or clipped.
  • Condition generously and detangle each section with conditioner in, ends first.
  • Put leave-in on wet hair, a richer one if your ends feel dry, then a gel or cream, section by section.
  • Air-dry or diffuse; once dry, separate curls gently with oiled fingers if you want volume.

A 3C hair routine and what it costs

One product for each wash-day step, chosen only from products whose makers say they’re for 3C hair, priced at each maker’s own store. The left column takes the cheapest per ounce at every step; the right takes the one in the middle. We haven’t tested them, and how your own hair responds matters more than the price.

Lowest price per ounce

The product at each step that costs least per ounce.

  1. Shampoo or co-wash As I Am Coconut CoWash Cleansing Conditioner · its maker says every curl pattern 16 oz, $8.99 at As I Am ($0.56/oz) What a wash costs at your amount
  2. Conditioner Aunt Jackie's In Control Moisturizing Softening Conditioner · its maker says every curl pattern 15 oz, $10.95 at Aunt Jackie's ($0.73/oz) What a wash costs at your amount
  3. Leave-in PATTERN Leave-In Conditioner 25 fl oz, $49.00 at PATTERN ($1.96/fl oz); 3 fl oz to try, $12.00 What a wash costs at your amount
  4. Styler The Doux BIG POPPA Defining Gel · its maker says every curl pattern 16 oz, $14.99 at The Doux ($0.94/oz) What a wash costs at your amount

To try it in the smallest sizes: $46.93
In the sizes above: $83.93

Open this routine in the planner

Middle of the price range

The product in the middle of each step’s prices per ounce.

  1. Shampoo or co-wash Curlsmith Essential Moisture Shampoo · its maker says every curl pattern Full 12 fl oz, $26.00 at Curlsmith ($2.17/fl oz); Mini 3 oz to try, $12.50 What a wash costs at your amount
  2. Conditioner Bounce Curl Super Smooth Cream Conditioner 32 fl oz, $70.00 at Bounce Curl ($2.19/fl oz); 8 fl oz to try, $21.99 What a wash costs at your amount
  3. Leave-in Bouclème Curl Cream 1 liter, $85.00 at Bouclème ($2.51/fl oz); 100 mL to try, $19.00 What a wash costs at your amount
  4. Styler Bouclème Curl Defining Gel · its maker says every curl pattern 1 liter, $73.00 at Bouclème ($2.16/fl oz); 100 mL to try, $17.00 What a wash costs at your amount

To try it in the smallest sizes: $70.49
In the sizes above: $254.00

Open this routine in the planner

38 of the 55 products we list for 3C hair at these steps had a size in stock at the maker’s store when we read it, so only those are ranked. Some makers print “oz” without saying fluid or weight; we compare them as printed. Prices checked between and ; stores change them. Every price per ounce.

What usually goes wrong

With 3C, most trouble starts with tangles: detangling dry, skipping sections or rushing breaks strands and causes single-strand knots. Dry ends come next. A longer conditioner step, or a mask on some wash days, often does more than a new styler.

Single-strand knots Breakage Deep conditioners compared

Products whose makers say they’re for 3C hair

These products’ own pages say they’re made for 3C hair, or for a range of curl patterns that includes it. The words are the maker’s; we haven’t tested these products, and how your own hair responds decides more than the label.

Named for 3C hair or a range that includes it (36)

Made for every curl pattern (42)

Updated · The sources for this guide are on our Sources page. Report a changed detail.

Your next step

Caring for 3B hair →

Caring for 4A hair →

Curly hair →

All hair types →