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Kinky/curly hair + dry scalp maintenance on a budget
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items My hair has multiple textures of curls and kinks (3c/4a/4b), my scalp is often dry with dandruff, and it's taken me 10 years to figure out what both like and don't like. These are products I like to have in rotation that don't make me second guess ke...
Sections
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Moisturizing leave-in conditioner
Curling products that bring definition
Oils & serums for your hair and/or scalp
Gel for your slick backs and baby hairs
Tools & things for styling my hair
Cleansing your hair and scalp
Moisturizing leave-in conditioner
The first thing I put in my hair after I wash it that gives it life, and revives it throughout the week!
I've tried several cheaper leave-ins, and always find my back to using and loving Cantu. I use their leave-in conditioner on the daily, and there's a dramatic difference in the moisturization of my curls before and after it's applied. It quite litera...
Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream
This jar smells like my childhood! It's great on the wallet, and the curls. The juiciness it brings is always surprising when you recall the price.
African Pride Olive Miracle Leave-in Conditioner
This leave-in is the first one I ever used when I started learning how to do my hair, and it still has a spot in my rotation from time to time. It smells so good, and it makes my hair feel so nice!
Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine Leave In Conditioner with Argan Oil
I love this stuff, but I hate how little comes in the bottle. It's quite moisturizing, and when used after the shampoo & conditioner from the same line, with a curling product, and the leave in hair serum from the same line, my hair truly thanks ...
Garnier Whole Blends Leave-In Miracle Nectar Honey Treasures Treatment
Curling products that bring definition
All it took was one time to convince me that a curling product would be one of the best things for my hair.
When they say use products in the same family, BELIEVE them! Their curling cream paired with their leave-in helps my curls stay moisturized and defined for *days* before I end up reapplying for a touch up.
Cantu Avocado Hydrating Curling Cream
I love spritzing my hair with this when I'm pressed for time, not feeling like putting a ton of time into my hair, want to give it some extra TLC, OR don't want to load it with product and deal with the build up. It moisturizes and defines my hair qu...
Cantu Comeback Curl Next Day Curl Revitalizer Spray
Their mousse is light, but just right for my mini twists and twist outs. It is *so* light to the touch, but quite noticeable once my curls soak it in.
Cantu Wave Whip Curling Mousse with Shea Butter
The name isn't a lie, this stuff really is a miracle worker. It detangles, adds shine, moisture, definition, and meets a lot of other claims on the bottle. I've even used it in weaves/wigs of the right texture. It's like liquid gold.
Hawaiian Silky 14n1 Miracle Worker
This stuff has done WONDERS to my hair since I was in elementary school! It's so darn good; it *always* makes my curls pop with shine. You can totally find this in your local beauty supply, but I've found it in Walmart versus online a number of times...
Lustrasilk Curl Max Curl Activator Moisturizer
Oils & serums for your hair and/or scalp
The way oils and serums have actually *saved* me should be studied. My hair hasn't been the same since I've incorporated them into my weekly usage.
I like to use this oil every 2-3 days, as needed, on the ends of my hair and around my hairline. A little bit seriously goes a long way; I've had the same bottle since the end of 2024 (I'll update this when I finally use it all). It doesn't take much...
Jamaican Mango & Lime Nourishing Island Oil Hair Treatment
Castor oil has been so good to me; it always lasts me a *good* while when I get some because it is SO thick. I use it maybe once a week or every other week. You really don't need to use much of it to reap the benefits. It's contributed to stronger st...
Jamaican Mango & Lime Pure Castor Hair Oil
Doo Gro has been applied to my scalp since before I could multiply, and for good reason! It contributes to the thickness of your hair when added to your routine, as it aids in reducing breakage, and strengthening your strands. A little bit goes a lon...
Doo Gro Mega Thick Hair Oil
It's not for your scalp, it's for your strands, and there was a noticeable difference in my hair after I started using this serum. It definitely reduces breakage and split ends because I see less dead hair when I'm styling or moisturizing; it also ad...
Garnier Whole Blends Honey Treasures Hair Honey Repairing Leave In Serum
Apparently this stuff is quite tricky to find, as I've been searching high and low to repurchase it myself without having to buy a two pack off of Amazon, or from a seller on eBay. This serum is for your scalp, and it's like a kiss to a screaming itc...
Hask Tea Tree Oil & Rosemary Scalp Relief Serum
Gel for your slick backs and baby hairs
I haven't always been very big on hair gel, but I love a good slicked back hairstyle, and the cherry on top really is some laid edges some days.
Eco style has seen me go through some things - I've been using it since the beginning! I originally started using it for the price, and kept going back to it for the quality. Walmart and a local beauty supply tend to have better prices (beauty suppli...
Eco Styler Olive Oil Styling Hair Gel
Maybe it's just me, but I've found it a little challenging to find a gel that I like that has a nice hold without the dreaded crunch *and* is alcohol free. This one (the avocado one specifically) is one of my favorites!
Cantu Avocado Styling Gel
Wet line has held me down for years, literally. The hold this gel has is unmatched, and the jar lasts for quite a while. I could be wrong, but I think you can find it a little bit cheaper at your local beauty supply.
Xtreme Professional Extreme Hold Hair Gel Clear Jar
Me and my edges have a love/hate relationship: I will risk full on forehead to not do them at times. I have to use some kind of wrap to lock them in, or using this stuff is pretty much pointless. It's great for the price, and it's a lot more gentle ...
Cantu Extra Hold Edge Stay Gel
I don't know how to explain it, but this edge gel has a great hold without feeling dry like a gel. I often prefer it over the Cantu edge gel, as its hold is stronger, and it overall *feels* better. But it's harder for me to find, and Cantu does have ...
Creme of Nature® Perfect Edges Firm Hold with Argan Oil
Tools & things for styling my hair
Brushes, hair ties, tools and clips, and whatever else I use to style my hair.
I always moisturize and style my hair when it's wet, starting with a good spritz from this bottle.
Equate Plastic Spray Bottle for Travel
I have yet to find a wooden boar bristle brush that is as good as the ones from my childhood, but this one is pretty darn good. Gives me a nice slick back, and the bristles aren't flimsy and weak.
Evolve Styling Brush
This edge brush hooks me up at a great price. The rat tail is great for parting, the comb for combing out my baby hair, and the brush for laying it down with some edge gel.
Evolve Triple Edge Styler Brush
The rat tails give me the cleanest parts when I'm doing my (or my toddler's) hair. And truthfully, I only use the comb when I'm straightening my hair, which isn't often.
Two Tail Combs
I prefer hair ties over rubber bands, and bonus points if they don't have that metal clasp to bind them together. These are also a lot less harsh on my hair, and when I keep up with them, they last me forever.
Goody Ouchless® Black Hair Elastics, No Metal Gentle Hair Ties
I quite literally live in a claw clip around the house and on days when I'm super active. I saw a lot of growth in simply moisturizing my hair everyday and throwing it in a clip because it was being cared for without a ton of tension and manipulation...
Gimme Rectangle Claw Clip
Cleansing your hair and scalp
Shampoos and conditioners that make my hair feel soft and clean, and my scalp refreshed.
As someone who occasionally deals with dry hair and a dry scalp, this stuff does a lot of the work for me before I even add any other products. It smells so good, it cleanses my strands without making them feel entirely stripped of moisture, and it m...
Garnier Whole Blends Honey Treasures Repairing Shampoo
This conditioner is like the holy grail of moisturization in the world of mindful spending (at least, for me!). Pairing it with the shampoo makes my hair feel *buttery* soft, and it smells delicious. I'll even use it as a deep conditioner!
Garnier Whole Blends Honey Treasures Repairing Conditioner with Royal Jelly Honey
I feel like you can never go wrong with Mane 'n Tail! I've used them all, and this paired with the shampoo is one of my favorite "flavors" if you will. I noticed my hair starts growing pretty quickly when I regularly use the Herbal Gro shampoo and co...
Mane 'n Tail Herbal Gro Shampoo
I'm a firm believer in pairing a product within its family when it makes sense, and the Herbal Gro shampoo and conditioner together is legitimately a dynamic duo I'll never forget about. They are part of what made my hair so strong and moisturized th...
Mane 'n Tail Herbal Gro Conditioner
I read that you should clarify your scalp at least once a month, and after one time, I saw the benefits of doing so. It's an elbow deep clean for the scalp. Some people do apple cider vinegar rinses, but I don't care for the smell or feeling. This st...
Suave Essentials Daily Clarifying & Cleansing Shampoo
The way this shampoo makes my scalp AND hair feel and smell so fresh and so clean makes me wish I'd discovered it sooner than I did Shea Moisture. It works so well without tangling my hair up or making me regret buying it (shout out to Wally World).
Creme of Nature® Argan Oil from Morocco Sulfate-Free Moisture & Shine Shampoo
If I could choose one word to describe this shampoo, it'd be "refreshing." Using it by itself isn't enough to put a cease to dandruff, but it will absolutely help with decreasing the frequency/amount (depending on your severity). Keeping a steady, ef...
Head and Shoulders Dandruff Shampoo
Hydrating deep conditioner
Conditioners/deep conditioners that absolutely pamper my curls and bring back the moisturization after a good shampoo.
There is a shampoo that pairs with this conditioner, but I will use this as a deep conditioner because it works just like one when you let it sit in your hair for a good ten to fifteen minutes.
Mane 'n Tail Deep Moisturizing Conditioner
I've used this one for years; I know there's one marketed for curly hair, but it's the same size and costs a little more. Plus, even after trying to curly focused one, I couldn't tell much of a difference between the two other than the smell. My hair...
Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist Detangling Deep Conditioner
It's hard to find a deep conditioning mask that is worth it and doesn't cost too much when you're literally pinching pennies, but this one doesn't hit me over the head as much as the other ones typically do. Plus it lasts me a while, so it feels more...
Mielle Rosemary Mint Strengthening Hair Masque
This stuff is a *deep* conditioner; it's like a spa treatment for my curls. While this stuff can be easier to find at a Wally World, you can save a couple of dollars if you keep a look out for it at Burlington, Ross, or Marshall's!
Urban Hydration Honey Health & Repair Deep Conditioner
Apparently, this stuff is a bit hard to find and often out of stock? Totally can find it in a Ross, Burlington, Marshall's, or a TJ Maxx, and for a little cheaper!
Garnier Fructis Nourishing 1 Minute Hair Mask with Avocado
Stuff your mama used to slap in your hair
I didn't list this section for the nostalgia; these products were good back then, and they can be good today! I do still love to use them when I can get my hands on them, but they can be a bit tricky to find in person outside of a local beauty supply...
Some of the stuff they used on us back in the day still works today, I'm telling you! Yes, it is pink, but once worked in to your hair, you won't even see it. It's moisturizing and defining, it doesn't cost an arm and a leg, and it takes me back.
Luster's Pink Original Revives & Protects Moisturizing Shine Enhancing Hair Styling Cream
I cannot explain it, but when I regularly use this stuff, I do see an improvement in the strength and moisturization of my hair. It's crazy that it doesn't cost much in comparison to most well known and proven hair treatments; I really think this stu...
African Pride Olive Miracle Anti-Breakage Formula Hair Creme
Listen: this stuff is small, but MIGHTY. One time, my mom put too much on my scalp and it started burning. She didn't believe me until I started trying to wipe it out. We had to wash it out. Twice. Aside from that incident, it is marvelous for a dry ...
Sulfur8 Medicated Moisturizing Dandruff Relief Deep Conditioner
Blue Magic is so hard to wash out, but it is so great to my hair. I love using it for protective styles (mostly braids), but I will use it for daily styling... Just not in huge amounts. Some folks don't care for the ingredients, and I totally get it....
Blue Magic Conditioning Hair Dressing
Blue Magic is stubborn to wash out, I'm going to tell you every time I have it listed so you can't say you weren't warned. This one smells so good, and it feels more moisturizing than greasy (but it does feel greasy though, I'm telling you now). Also...
Blue Magic Coconut Oil Conditioner
This stuff is a piece of work to wash out, but I went through a phase where my hair was so fried that it was literally falling out and I had bald spots *on top* of having dandruff and a really dry scalp. Between this, Sulfur8, and Softee hair food, m...
Blue Magic Originals Indian Hemp Herbal Hair & Scalp Conditioner
I don't know how they get away with calling it "natural," but it is most definitely an unexpected remedy. I've pulled this stuff out on multiple hair growth journeys, and it's delivered every single time with zero complaints. I use it sparingly as we...
Softee® Hair Food
Cover your crown
Highly recommend using some kind of bonnet or scarf at least when you sleep at night if you don't already! Honorable mention is a shower cap for your baths/showers (and deep conditioning!).
I wear this bonnet almost every single night, and when I don't, I regretfully pay the price. It protects my hair and keeps it from drying out or getting tangled up throughout the night. I do have a big ish head, so my bonnets get stretched out and sl...
Evolve Satin Wide Edge Bonnet Fuchsia
I love this bonnet, but I've got a big head... So the elastic doesn't hold up very well, and I have to replace it after several months of nightly usage if I want that snug fit (which is a huge part of why I alternate bonnets). I personally don't mind...
Evolve Products Satin Onyx Bonnet
Maybe this is extra of me, but I like to wrap my hair in a durag AND use a bonnet at night. I feel like it's that extra layer of protection that I can benefit from as someone who is prone to losing her bonnet at night (some, if not all the way). I li...
Mr. Durag Men's Solid Durag, 1 Count Wave Tie Cap, Black
Now, I do love these caps for a good 'ole deep conditioning sesh (& I can squeeze a few shower uses out of each one), but you can save yourself some coins by using those grocery bags you have piling up. I only buy some of I'm completely out of pl...
Adama Plastic Shower, Conditioning, Processing Caps
Protective style or an everyday style, I used shower caps so much, I went ahead and got a reusable one. I'm fairly short, so my hair practically gets drenched in the shower, and I don't like going to bed with absurdly wet hair. My hair does stick to ...
Siris Sensations Large PEVA Shower Cap
I use this shower cap faithfully! I know it's sick of me. It's my favorite one versus the terry cloth lined one I listed. The stretch does wear out over time though (took mine a year), and it can get a little humid in there if you take longer showers...
Evolve "Go Satin" Lined Shower Cap Ivory