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We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
Tools and treatments to zhuzh up your routine.
This citrus-scented shine pomade moisturizes the hair and scalp with the help of cocoa butter and lavender and sunflower oils. Plus! It can be used to smooth edges and control frizz.
Carol's Daughter is a Brooklyn-born, Black woman–owned business. Encouraged by her mother, Carol, the creator, Lisa Price, started making homemade haircare recipes in the early '90s right from her kitchen. Fast-forward to today, and Lisa is still creating naturally derived products with a complete line in hair-, body-, and skincare.
Promising review: "I absolutely love this oil. I have really fine hair that is unfortunately dry and damaged. I noticed a huge difference in my hair after just one use. It left my hair feeling really soft, shiny, and healthy looking without feeling weighed down and greasy. I will definitely be purchasing again!" —Target Customer
Get it from Target for $11.99.
Cute Sass is a woman-owned Etsy shop based in California that sells a range of mulberry silk accessories.
Promising review: "It shipped fast and was well packaged. The curling ribbon and scrunchies are beautiful and high quality! It creates beautiful loose curls/waves and my hair is so shiny, smooth, and frizz free after wearing this overnight. It’s such a fast and effortless way to wake up to beautiful hair. The waves last all day and the curling ribbon is easy to sleep in." —Tiffany M Doc
Get it from CuteSass on Etsy for $23.80+ (available in two colors and with the option to add two matching scrunchies to the set).
Eden BodyWorks is a woman-owned business founded by Jasmine Lawrence in 2004.
Promising review: "This curl cream is a godsend! It truly defines my 3b–3c curls as well as the hair on the crown of my head that isn't as curly (which is everyone's struggle). It doesn't have much of a scent, which I like, and it really moisturizes your hair. Be careful with how much you use cuz it's thick and creamy." —Target customer
In this set you'll get: shampoo, conditioner, champagne spray (for texture), and Blowout Bombe (for taming flyways while heat styling).
See that GIF above? That's BuzzFeed Writer Ali Faccenda — she loves this kit and tell us: "This is the perfect travel set, it has everything you could need for haircare all in one handy travel case. All the products smell AMAZING. These products feature champagne extracts and truffle extracts for a silky, hydrating finish and the scent lasts post-styling hair. I have a lot of bleach in my hair and struggle to get it looking and feeling healthy and these products made my hair feel definitely healthier after a few washes."
Get it from Cuvee Beauty for $55.
BuzzFeed Editor Elizabeth Lily uses this and raves: "I have this dry shampoo and it really does work so much harder than regular dry shampoo formulas. When you spray it on, it's more likely to look stark white (don't freak out about it like I did!), but you simply rub it in like you would a normal dry shampoo before you hit the hay. Waking up with degreased roots definitely gives me a head start on trying to pull myself together these days when, TBH, I'm only (regular) washing my hair once a week. Because this stuff is so potent though, you should really only use it before bedtime. If you're curious about their regular dry shampoos, they're great! The Unicorn scent in particular smells lovely."
Get it from Walmart for $6.38.
They have a helpful guide to aid you in selecting your hair profile and you can base your care on the hair goals you're looking to achieve. What's more? This brand is vegan and cruelty and gluten free!
Promising review: "I am loving this shampoo and conditioner. It smells amazing and my curls have never looked better. My hair was extremely damaged and dry, but now it’s on the path to recovery." —FOB Customer
Get the set from Function of Beauty for $29.99+ (prices vary depending on your selections).
Grace Eleyae is a woman-owned business that makes pillowcases, caps, and other hair accessories.
Promising review: "Excellent quality. First used the cap while walking on the beach on a cold windy day. Cap kept me warm and the satin lining protected my natural hair from the ocean spray. Highly recommend! I was so impressed that I purchased additional caps as gifts." —Deborah G.
Get them from Grace Eleyae for $24 (available in two sizes).
BuzzFeed Editor Rebecca O'Connell tried this kit and raves: "It comes with under-eye gels and stress putty so you can take a screen break while you let the dye do its thing. I tried the rose-gold option and loved it! It comes with really cute orange and purple hair clips, and I actually used the putty instead of just staring at my phone for 30 minutes. The dye comes as a foam so it's easy to distribute over your hair. Tip: Use the entire bottle to make sure your hair is completely saturated. You can click through to see how the colors would look in your hair. Since my hair was dirty blonde, the result is a slightly lighter blonde with a pink tint. It's nice and subtle!"
Get it from Hally for $25 (available in five shades).
Promising review: "I'm not one to leave reviews...but this product deserves it! Holy cow! I was going to go into the salon to brighten my hair up, but after discovering this product I cancelled my appointment. I'm totally in love! This shampoo is not drying at all and just after two washes I achieved my desired results! I can't recommend it enough!" —Rachael B.
Get it from Amazon for $11.83+ (available in three sizes).
And check out our highlight of the Fanola No Yellow shampoo here.
BuzzFeed Editor Heather Braga says: "I recently received samples of this shampoo and conditioner and, honestly, wasn't sure if it was only for people who had dyed their hair dark. In fact, it is not! It's for brunettes of all kinds — natural and all!"
Promising review: "I purchased this John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Shampoo and my hair looks golden brown instead of brown with a lot of gray underneath. I didn't want the mess of coloring my own hair nor did I think I could do as good a job as my hairdresser, so I was so pleased that Frieda's shampoo did the job. I definitely recommend this shampoo along with the Brilliant Brunette Conditioner." —Dan Cremeans
Get it from Amazon for $8.94.
Promising review: "No matter what conditioner or detangler I used, my hair was still hard to comb through after shampooing. I barely mist the Honest detangler on my freshly shampooed hair and the comb slides right through. I also find that my second day bedhead hair isn't a tangled bird's nest either." —Fazy
Get it from Honest Company for $5.95 (available in two scents).
Promising review: "This product smells great and it really helps keep ends healthy...I love it. I swear by Aunt Jackie's flaxseed line of hair products. They are the best and very affordable compared to other natural hair products." —Jay From Trinidad
Get it from Amazon for $8.50.
Pattern Beauty is a Black woman–owned company that creates haircare products that empower and celebrate every hair pattern and texture.
Promising review: "This brush is the best thing that has ever happened to my hair. The hype is REAL. My curls are defined, my conditioner is now evenly distributed; now I won't waste so much piling it on. Initially I looked at it and was unsure. After a few strokes, I was confident I had made the right purchase. I like it so much I sent both of my sisters a gift card so they could get one too. I already foresee myself wearing this brush down to nothing. Dare I buy another just in case?!" —Michelina R.
Get it from Pattern Beauty for $17.
Apply this directly to wet hair, avoiding the roots, massage it in for eight seconds, then rinse. Effort required = practically zero. You can use one dose for fine- to medium-textured hair, two to three doses for thick- to curly-textured hair, and add one more dose if you have long hair.
Promising review: "I have very thin, dry, and damaged hair due to constantly dyeing it blonde. I’ve tried so many hair products and different types of shampoo and conditioners, and nothing seems to really help my hair. BUT this stuff literally is magic. I’ve used it three times and I haven’t seen my hair look this good (shiny, healthy, hydrated)." —Nikki Minnis
Get it from Amazon for $8.97.
Oh! This includes six featherlight oils, including coconut, macadamia, and argania kernel, and can be applied to both damp and dry hair for heat-styling protection or just protection from the drying effects of the sun.
Promising review: "This stuff is a lifesaver. I have platinum/silver hair that gets bleached to death every month and therefore I was told not to wash it every day. At night I sleep with a humidifier next to me and when I wake up my hair is a total mess. It’s frizz city. So I spray this all over my dry hair and comb it through. My hair is instantly back to normal! I also use on damp hair just before drying. I never get any build up and my hair is never weighed down no matter how many times I use it. I’ll be buying this again and again." —Sephora Customer
Get it from Sephora for $13+ (available in two sizes).
Another thing: These bristles are infused with charcoal, so they're perfect for freshening up two-day hair!
Promising review: "First, let me start off with saying I have always HATED styling my hair. I’m not good at it and it takes WAY too long to do. My hair is fluffy/frizzy, and I have a lot of it. It takes me about 20–25 minutes to dry it with a normal blow-dryer. When I’m done with drying, it’s normally so frizzy and crazy that I MUST flat-iron, or else it looks like I just woke up. Flat-ironing would take me another 20 min or so, so we’re looking at 45 min total to do my hair. Nope. I don’t have the time or patience for all that, unless I’m going out at night. And then I discovered this Hot Tools miracle. I’ve only been using this a little less than a week, but it’s changed my hair life and I am telling all my girlfriends. It’s reduced my time from 45 minutes to 10. TEN!! Not only that, I don’t have to flat-iron my hair, which saves time and heat exposure to my fine hair. The end result is SO smooth." —BayAreaShopper
Get it from Amazon for $54.88.
The barrel is designed to protect your fingers from getting burned so you enjoy an ouchless curling sesh. It also has an auto-shutoff feature and even a feature that pauses the iron if you put too much hair into the chamber to curl at once.
Promising review: "Love it!! I have fine-textured hair — very straight hair. I have trouble not only curling it, but keeping it curled. For example, the other day I left rollers in my hair for 45 minutes and got a minor wave that fell out in 10 minutes. This tool is easy and fast to use, adds shine, and the curl stays." —Alexandria
Get it from Amazon for $78.99+ (available in six colors)
This moisturizing mask formula provides feather-like conditioning you can really feel, and it sets hair up for success so it'll be a little less sopping when you step out of the shower. AKA prepped hair for a faster dry time!
Promising review: "Does what it says for a good price. Made my hair feel really soft after just one use. I use it twice a week just to keep up with the heat styling I do." —Blonde44
Get it from Target for $6.99.
Promising review: "I am growing out a perm, just at the ends, but I also color my hair. My hair was very dry and breaking off when trying to style it. This product has saved my hair and made it manageable to style with no more dry ends breaking off. Great product that does exactly as advertised. I will use this product daily, especially with blow-drying and styling on colored hair. I am extremely pleased." —Customer
Get it from Aveda for $12+ (available in two sizes).
Promising review: "I use this oil as a frizz control for my wavy/curly hair. I use it after diffusing and to refresh my Day Two hair. Works great at controlling frizz and I love the shine it adds to my strands without weighing them down or making them look greasy. The smell is a nice bonus, too! I will be buying again and would recommend to friends." —Sarahs
Get it from Ulta for $18.
Read our Verb Ghost Oil review for more info!
This antioxidant-rich formula contains rose hip oil, B-vitamins, and algae extract to restore essential moisture and hydration.
Briogeo is a Black woman–founded biz, started by Nancy Twine who has had her hand in making homemade beauty products since she was 5. She has now developed a popular haircare line that specializes in texture-specific products: from repair to volume to curl care, you'll find something here to meet your needs.
Promising review: "I recommend this to literally anyone whose hair is looking a little dry or lifeless. Adds so much moisture to the hair without getting greasy at the root and detangles like a dream. 10/10 would Recommend to anyone needing a good hair mask." —Briogeo Customer
Get it from Briogeo for $38 (available in two sizes).
BuzzFeed Editor Heather Braga has tried this and tells us: "I have naturally wavy (but frizzy) hair and after trying many products this is where I've happily landed. Ouai is the first brand I recommend to my fellow wavy-haired ladies. It's light, doesn't leave your locks feeling crunchy, doesn't have an overpowering smell, and keeps hair looking fresh. My only complaint is it doesn't come in a massive-sized bottle! Ouai also recently came out with a curl cream that I'm a huge fan of — it's lightweight and also does the trick (though the wave spray is still my favorite)."
Promising review: "I’d say this product is the best for people with naturally wavy hair. I wasn’t expecting much when I got this and most products like this don’t work with my hair or make my ends tangled or dry. First time trying it I just sprayed it in after my leave-in conditioner and scrunched it a bit. Let it air-dry and they’re such defined and shiny beach waves! Does exactly what it says. And it literally doubles as a perfume because this stuff smells AMAZING. I put my hair in a hair clip for the day and when I took it out it still smelled so good! I feel like it added quite a bit of volume also. I’m excited to stop using the heat tools for a bit!" —Sephora Customer
Get it from Sephora for $12+ (available in two sizes).
BuzzFeed Editor AnaMaria Glavan has given these a whirl and says: "If you have hair that gets greasy a mere 12 hours after bathing, please hear me out: The Headquarters for oily roots line is your new holy grail and it costs less than $8 per product. To give you a little more context, my hair is best described as boring. It’s thin! It’s straight! I literally have to use dry shampoo every single day of my life! Which is why I was so damn excited about this exfoliating scrub and cleansing wash.
"First off, the grapefruit and basil scents are fantastic. I would bathe in it. I want a candle that smells like it. The scent is distinct without being overpowering, and it provides *just* the right amount of aromatherapy without overwhelming my very small, very poorly ventilated bathroom. The scrub feels like putty in your hands and doesn’t feel harsh on my scalp; the shampoo lathers beautifully, even though it doesn’t use sulfates or silicones. Once my hair was dry, I immediately got that just blown-out bounce that you leave the salon with — when your hair is so clean that it feels like air. The best part…it’s extended the time I can go between washing my hair and my scalp genuinely feels clean. I can usually get away with washing my hair every other day (thank you, Aveda dry shampoo powder) but can now go two days *without* relying on dry shampoo! And with dry shampoo? Three days! And if you have oily hair like me…you know how ludicrously good that is.
"TL;DR: this line has been my favorite new haircare find in a while, and the brand itself has dedicated lines for oily, balanced, and dry scalps (their tagline is being ~obsessed with roots~) to ensure you’re getting the most targeted treatment possible. AND IT’S AFFORDABLE."
Get the shampoo and conditioner from Headquarters for $7.50 each.
P.S. They also make collections for balanced and dry scalps too!
And one more thing: just look at that elastic strap to secure the towel end — you could probably do cartwheels while your hair dries and never have to worry about it toppling off!
Crown Affair is a woman-owned small business specializing in beautiful handcrafted hair tools.
BuzzFeed Editor Melanie Aman has one and says: "When I bleached my hair, I switched from drying it with a bath towel to drying it with a T-shirt because I read that my rough bath towel was too harsh on my already stressed strands. The one downside to my new method is that I was stretching out the necklines of my shirts :'( Enter this talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, showstopping, spectacular towel. It's incredibly soft and dries my hair super quickly, which is great because I hate wet hair but would prefer to avoid drying it with heat."
Promising review: "This is the best towel to use after washing your hair. It absorbs the water better than a bath towel. Wraps nicely and has a hook on the back that keeps it secure — no falling open or leaning to the side. Your hair does not go frizzy. It falls in soft, wavy curls. I loved it so much I bought one for my daughter. After her second use she was hooked. You will love this towel!" —Crown Affair Customer
Get it from Crown Affair for $45.
I have been incorporating this colorful gem into my haircare routine for a couple of months now, and not only do I love the look of it in my shower, but I love the results and how it makes my hair look and feel, too. It's not a thick, overly creamy consistency so I tend to add an extra dollop to my ends after the initial application since they can get particularly dry. Post-shower, my hair feels light, never weighed down, soft, and shiny.
Get it from Revolve for $34.
BuzzFeed Writer Ali Faccenda uses this and shares: "I purchased this a few months ago and I AM OBSESSED. I was always fond of the 'spritzing some perfume under your hair' trick (aka the back of your neck) so it would last longer but this product has changed the game for me. A few quick spritzes of this on my hair since I've lightened it in color helps tame a bit of my frizz while adding a heavenly scent that I would genuinely eat (but I won't LOL)."
Get it from Sephora for $44.
Founded by three Latinx sisters and their mother, Terra Beauty Bars has a mission to craft consciously made skin-, hair-, and nailcare for efficacy and wellness.
I have been lucky enough to test out this wonderful clean beauty product that not only looks beautiful (peep the petals in the bottle!) but takes care of my frizzy flyaways, dry cuticles, *and* chapped skin — all without leaving a greasy residue. There's a light herbal scent, which I personally love because it lets me know I'm using only natural ingredients. And I just love me a multitasking product so I don't have to store as many products on my small bathroom counter!
Promising review: "This is literally my favorite full-body and hair oil ever! For the price, I thought maybe it would be full of filler ingredients, but it is not. It is 100% natural and not greasy at all. I use it on my legs, hands, and arms. My daughter, who has very curly hair, uses it as a hair oil daily and it does wonders on her coils (3c). Highly recommend." —Olivia
Get it from Ulta for $24.
Bounce Curl is a woman-owned business that uses naturally derived ingredients to treat kinky, coily, curly, and wavy hair. Their range of products include shampoos, conditioners, deep treatments, and post-shower creams to keep curls hydrated.
No matter what I use, anti-dandruff shampoo etc., my scalp never feels *totally* clean after a shower. And because I can get an itchy scalp during the cold and hot seasons (so fun!) I always notice the texture of my scalp feels a little off. But ever since I started to use the Bounce Curl Clarifying Shampoo, my roots and scalp feel so clean — and for days! This stuff smells like an orange Creamsicle, gets super sudsy to create a thick lather, and — because of the tip applicator allowing me to apply the product straight to my scalp in straight rows — it seems to really break down leftover residue from dry shampoo and whatever else I've subjected my hair to that week.
Promising review: "Super gentle!! Love how well this shampoo cleans my hair without being harsh. It works well with my curls and doesn't fade my color treated hair." —Vicki
Get it from Bounce Curl for $19.99 (originally $22.99).
Bread Beauty Supply is a Black woman–owned business that excels in creating haircare for not so basic hair. And they cater for curl types 3a to 4c.
BuzzFeed Editor Kayla Boyd loves this, here's what she has to say: "I recently started using Bread products and I really love how lightweight and easy they are to use. Since I have mixed textured hair that's been frequently dyed, it tends to get very dry. After using this deep conditioner my hair felt so much better and softer. In addition to that, the smell is A-MA-ZING. Definitely one of my new favorite wash day products."
Promising review: "I love this product! The hair mask to beat all other hair masks — leaves my hair feeling soft and luxurious. I try to use it once weekly — let it sit on my dry hair for 20 minutes or so, then rinse it out and VOILÀ! Soft, happy hair that feels like its thirst has been quenched. Smells great too :-)" —Cynthia
Get it from Bread Beauty Supply for $28.
TPH by Taraji is a haircare line created by actress Taraji P. Henson. The products take a scalp-first approach to promote healthy hair growth for all textures.
Promising review: "I absolutely LOVE the way this made my scalp feel. It has a tingly cool sensation. A lot of products say this but this one delivers. It left my hair feeling very conditioned and soft to touch after the rinse out. I can't wait to try the other products in this line." —Humbleeyes
Get it from Target for $11.99.
Promising review: "Nexus anti-frizz sheets are effective and convenient. Throughout the day, my hair tends to get frizzy or dull looking. With these sheets I can grab one out of my purse and glide it right over my hair and bam, no more frizz. The sheet helped my frizz and made my hair shiny. I absolutely love the convenience of this product. You can keep a few in your purse and use one half way throughout the day for a touch-up." —Walmart Customer
Get it from Walmart for $11.28.
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.