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Hair-care guide

Curly hair (type 3)

TheWashDay editorial · Updated · From Wikipedia and the American Academy of Dermatology · How we compare

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Curly hair forms full loops, from big loose curls at 3A to tight corkscrews at 3C. Curls often tangle and frizz more than waves, so the usual wash day lets conditioner do the detangling, adds a gel or cream (often over a leave-in) to hold curls together, and leaves them alone to dry after styling on wet hair. What your curls do after a wash tells you which part to change.

Start a wash-day plan for curly hair Leave-ins compared

Choose your next step

Curls frizz or separate

Style on wet hair, as your products’ labels say, put gel over your leave-in, and don’t touch until dry.

Fix frizz

Curls feel dry or rough

Check how much leave-in reaches the ends before changing products.

Fix dry hair

Curls look limp and stretched

Often too much weight or moisture; use less leave-in, or try a protein product.

Fix limp, mushy curls

3A, 3B and 3C

3A curls are big and loose, roughly the width of sidewalk chalk, and shiny when they clump. 3B curls are springy ringlets about the width of a marker. 3C curls are tight corkscrews about the width of a pencil or straw, packed closely together, with noticeable shrinkage.

Caring for 3A hair Caring for 3B hair Caring for 3C hair

A wash day built for curls

  • Cleanse the scalp and let the lather rinse through the lengths.
  • Use enough conditioner to feel slip, and detangle in sections with fingers or a wide-tooth comb while it is in.
  • Rinse, then put leave-in on wet hair as its label says; work section by section if your curls are tight or tangle easily.
  • Add a gel, or a cream then a gel, for hold; rake or smooth it in, then scrunch upward.
  • Blot or plop with a T-shirt for a short while, then air-dry or diffuse without touching.
  • Scrunch out the cast once dry. Between washes, refresh with water and a little leave-in.
Wash-day order, step by step Leave-in conditioners compared

Curly hair routine: what it costs

One product for each wash-day step, chosen only from products whose makers say they’re for curly hair (or for one of its letters), 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 56 products we list for curly 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 changes from 3A to 3C

Go by what your curls do rather than the letter. Loose curls that drop under weight, common with 3A, often do better with lighter products. Ends that frizz or feel dry are the usual reason to put a leave-in under the gel. Tight curls that shrink and tangle a lot, common with 3C, make sectioning and more conditioner matter more.

Between washes

Curls flatten after sleep. A satin pillowcase or bonnet, a loose pineapple on top of the head, and a mist of water with a little leave-in usually bring them back without a full wash.

How to refresh curls

Products whose makers say they’re for curly hair

These products’ own pages say they’re made for curly 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 curly hair or a range that includes it (37)

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 3A hair →

Caring for 3B hair →

Caring for 3C hair →

How to detangle curly hair →

All hair types →