What 4A hair looks like
4A coils are small, springy and clearly visible, each forming an O or S. Check strand thickness and density separately: the pattern doesn’t tell you either.
Compared with 3C, the coils are smaller. Compared with 4B, the pattern is easy to see without styling.
A 4A wash day
The American Academy of Dermatology suggests washing Black hair once a week or every other week and using conditioner every time.
- Pre-poo, or loosen knots in dry hair with a little oil or conditioner before wetting.
- Wash in sections, cleansing the scalp.
- Condition every wash and detangle each section with conditioner in, ends first.
- Put leave-in on wet hair, then a cream, butter or oil to seal it.
- Define with gel or cream on wet sections, as their labels say, for a wash-and-go, or twist for a twist-out.
A 4A hair routine and what it costs
One product for each wash-day step, chosen only from products whose makers say they’re for 4A 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.
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
Middle of the price range
The product in the middle of each step’s prices per ounce.
- Shampoo or co-wash Bouclème Curl Cleanser 1 liter, $73.00 at Bouclème ($2.16/fl oz); 100 mL to try, $17.00 What a wash costs at your amount
- Conditioner Ouidad Curl Quencher Moisturizing Conditioner 33.8 oz, $60.00 at Ouidad ($1.78/oz); 8.5 oz to try, $24.00 What a wash costs at your amount
- 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
- Styler PATTERN Curl Gel 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
To try it in the smallest sizes: $72.00
In the sizes above: $267.00
37 of the 44 products we list for 4A 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
Breakage usually comes from detangling dry or in big sections. If your ends feel dry soon after washing, put a cream or oil over the leave-in, and keep most handling to wash day.
Products whose makers say they’re for 4A hair
These products’ own pages say they’re made for 4A 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 4A hair or a range that includes it (21)
- Bouclème Curl Cleanser · Shampoo · Bouclème: “Good for Curls & Coils”
- Bouclème Fragrance Free Curl Cleanser · Shampoo · Bouclème: “Good for Curls & Coils”
- Mielle Pomegranate & Honey Moisturizing and Detangling Shampoo · Shampoo · Mielle: “Designed for Type 4 hair”
- Ouidad Curl Quencher Moisturizing Shampoo · Shampoo · Ouidad: “Best for tight curls, 3C-4A”
- As I Am Curl Clarity Shampoo · Clarifying shampoo · As I Am: “The Coconut Collection is suitable for Type 3 & 4 hair”
- Camille Rose Clean Rinse Clarifying Shampoo · Clarifying shampoo · Camille Rose: “ideal for curly, coily, and textured hair”
- PATTERN Cleansing Shampoo · Clarifying shampoo · PATTERN: “formulated for curly hair types who have type 3 & type 4 curls”
- Mielle Pomegranate & Honey Moisturizing and Detangling Conditioner · Rinse-out conditioner · Mielle: “Designed for Type 4 hair”
- Ouidad Curl Quencher Moisturizing Conditioner · Rinse-out conditioner · Ouidad: “Best for tight curls, 3C-4A”
- PATTERN Medium Conditioner · Rinse-out conditioner · PATTERN: “geared towards both curly & coily hair textures”
- Cécred Moisturizing Deep Conditioner · Deep conditioner · Cécred: “Best for curly, coily, and zig-zag coiled hair”
- PATTERN Intensive Conditioner · Deep conditioner · PATTERN: “formulated for curly and coily hair types, primarily 3C through 4B”
- As I Am Leave-In Conditioner · Leave-in conditioner · As I Am: “especially beneficial for curly, coily, and dry hair types”
- Bouclème Curl Cream · Leave-in conditioner · Bouclème: “Good for Curls & Coils”
- Bouclème Fragrance Free Curl Cream · Leave-in conditioner · Bouclème: “Good for Curls & Coils”
- Camille Rose Curl Love Moisture Milk · Leave-in conditioner · Camille Rose: “bring new life to curly hair and coils”
- Mielle Pomegranate & Honey Leave-In Conditioner · Leave-in conditioner · Mielle: “If you have Type 4 hair”
- PATTERN Leave-In Conditioner · Leave-in conditioner · PATTERN: “curly, coily, and tight-textured hair (3B–4C)”
- Mielle Pomegranate & Honey Curl Smoothie · Styler · Mielle: “Type 4 hair products”
- Ouidad Curl Quencher Moisturizing Styling Gel · Styler · Ouidad: “Best for tight curls, 3C-4A”
- PATTERN Curl Gel · Styler · PATTERN: “every coil & curly hair type”
Made for every curl pattern (42)
- As I Am Coconut CoWash Cleansing Conditioner · Shampoo · As I Am: “Ideal for maintaining curls, coils, and waves”
- Curlsmith Essential Moisture Shampoo · Shampoo · Curlsmith: “designed for all curl types, even straight hair”
- DevaCurl No-Poo Original · Shampoo · DevaCurl: “For Medium to Coarse Waves, Curls, and Coils”
- Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Clean Slate Daily Shampoo · Shampoo · Not Your Mother's: “For all curl types”
- OLAPLEX No.4 Bond Maintenance Strengthening Shampoo · Shampoo · OLAPLEX: “Formulated for straight, wavy, curly, and coily hair types”
- OLAPLEX Nº.4CURL Bond Shaper Hydrating Curl Shampoo · Shampoo · OLAPLEX: “For all coils, curls, and waves, and all porosity levels.”
- SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Hair Shampoo · Shampoo · SheaMoisture: “wavy, curly or kinky, coily hair”
- Bounce Curl Gentle Clarifying Shampoo · Clarifying shampoo · Bounce Curl: “Pattern: wavy, curly, coily”
- DevaCurl Buildup Buster · Clarifying shampoo · DevaCurl: “For All Waves, Curls, and Coils”
- OLAPLEX No.4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo · Clarifying shampoo · OLAPLEX: “For straight, wavy, curly, coily hair types”
- Ouidad Water Works Clarifying Shampoo · Clarifying shampoo · Ouidad: “For all curl types”
- Aunt Jackie's In Control Moisturizing Softening Conditioner · Rinse-out conditioner · Aunt Jackie's: “Curls and waves become more elongated; smoother coils”
- Bouclème Curl Conditioner · Rinse-out conditioner · Bouclème: “Good for Waves, Curls & Coils”
- Bouclème Fragrance Free Curl Conditioner · Rinse-out conditioner · Bouclème: “Good for Waves, Curls & Coils”
- Cécred Hydrating Conditioner · Rinse-out conditioner · Cécred: “straight to coily and fine to coarse”
- DevaCurl One Condition Original · Rinse-out conditioner · DevaCurl: “For Medium Waves, Curls, and Coils”
- Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Clean Slate Daily Conditioner · Rinse-out conditioner · Not Your Mother's: “For all curl types”
- OLAPLEX No.5 Bond Maintenance Strengthening Conditioner · Rinse-out conditioner · OLAPLEX: “Formulated for straight, wavy, curly, and coily hair types”
- Bouclème Intensive Moisture Treatment · Deep conditioner · Bouclème: “Good for Waves, Curls & Coils”
- Bounce Curl Ayurvedic Deep Conditioner · Deep conditioner · Bounce Curl: “Pattern: wavy, curly, coily”
- DevaCurl Melt Into Moisture · Deep conditioner · DevaCurl: “For All Waves, Curls, and Coils”
- Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Deep Hydration Mask · Deep conditioner · Not Your Mother's: “For all curl types”
- SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Treatment Masque · Deep conditioner · SheaMoisture: “regardless of the wavy, curly, or coily texture”
- Bounce Curl Moisture Balance Leave-In Conditioner · Leave-in conditioner · Bounce Curl: “Pattern: wavy, curly, coily”
- Curlsmith Weightless Air Dry Cream · Leave-in conditioner · Curlsmith: “All curl types and textures”
- DevaCurl Leave-In Decadence · Leave-in conditioner · DevaCurl: “For Coarse Waves, Curls, and Coils”
- SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Leave-In Conditioner · Leave-in conditioner · SheaMoisture: “even in wavy, curly, or coily textures”
- Bouclème Curl Defining Gel · Styler · Bouclème: “Good for Waves, Curls & Coils”
- Bouclème Fragrance Free Curl Defining Gel · Styler · Bouclème: “Good for Waves, Curls & Coils”
- Bouclème Super Hold Styler · Styler · Bouclème: “Good for Waves, Curls & Coils”
- Bouclème Super Volumising Foam · Styler · Bouclème: “Ideal for loose waves and curls but perfect for giving hold to coils too”
- DevaCurl Ultra Defining Gel · Styler · DevaCurl: “For Medium to Coarse Waves, Curls, and Coils”
- Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Fragrance & Protein Free Defining Cream · Styler · Not Your Mother's: “For all curl types”
- Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Fragrance & Protein Free Sculpting Gel · Styler · Not Your Mother's: “Safe for all curl types (2A–4C)”
- Rizos Curls Curl Defining Cream · Styler · Rizos Curls: “Works great on all curls, coils & waves!”
- The Doux BIG POPPA Defining Gel · Styler · The Doux: “every curl type, from loose waves to tight coils”
- The Doux MOUSSE DEF Texture Foam · Styler · The Doux: “For all curl types”
- ApHogee Keratin 2 Minute Reconstructor · Protein treatment · ApHogee: “Hair Type:Straight, Wavy, Curly, Coiled”
- Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair! MegaStrength+ Rice Water Protein + Moisture Strengthening Treatment · Protein treatment · Briogeo: “Hair types: straight, wavy, curly and coily.”
- Bouclème Curl Defence Spray · Heat protectant · Bouclème: “Good for Waves, Curls & Coils”
- Curlsmith Curlshield Cream · Heat protectant · Curlsmith: “All Curl and Texture Types”
- Curlsmith Miracle Shield · Heat protectant · Curlsmith: “All Curl and Texture Types”
Updated · The sources for this guide are on our Sources page. Report a changed detail.