As I entered my 30s, I was determined to find a product that would help me revive my curls—and the Cantu Coconut Curling Cream is it. For context, I consider this decade my all-natural era, and I want to celebrate my natural curls. But it’s easier said than done, since I have very coarse, dry, and frizzy hair, not to mention a very inconsistent curl pattern from my many attempts to perm my hair straight as a teen. In my search for insight, my mom recently shared her curly-hair routine with me. Her curls were popping—and that reason was the Cantu Coconut Curling Cream.
The Cantu Coconut Curling Cream is made with pure shea butter, which helps nourish, soften, and reduce frizzy hair. Its consistency is thick but still creamy and soft; it easily glides onto my hair without leaving any residue. The formula, which doubles as a leave-in conditioner, is easily buildable without making my hair feel heavy, so I can reapply it as a styling cream to refresh my curls throughout the day too. Even so, my favorite part about it is the subtle coconut scent—mentally, I’m on a beach in Hawaii every time I get a whiff.
Maybe the best part? The product is under $10. I’ve always been a fan of the drugstore brand—the Cantu Tea Tree & Jojoba Hair & Scalp Oil has been my go-to hair oil for some time now—and its affordable prices and organic, cruelty-free ingredients are a major selling point for me.
Now, I’m using this curl cream to train my curls: After I shampoo and condition, I slightly dry my hair with a microfiber towel, since I want my hair to still be pretty wet when applying the product.
Next, I part my hair into a few sections. I grab small strands of hair from each section, apply the cream from the root to the end, then begin to finger-coil that strand of hair, repeating until I’ve gone through each section. The under-layers of my hair have a nice 2C curl pattern, so I focus on the outer layers, which have more of a 2A curl pattern.
After wrapping my hair in the microfiber towel and letting it sit for ten minutes, I flip my hair upside down and scrunch it with the towel, then stand up and scrunch it some more. This method has always given me more volume than scrunching with only my fingers. I go about my day, let my hair air-dry and, shortly after, get to see the volume and curl definition.
Since adding this staple into my curly-hair routine, I’ve had great volume, minimal frizz, and more bounce—not to mention more defined curls. Compared to some of the other luxury curl creams I’ve previously tried, this one doesn’t feel crusty or oily once it dries. If anything, the formula replenishes my hair, helping it feel soft and giving it a natural-looking shine.
Ultimately, this is the best $7 I’ve ever spent on a hair care product, and will continue to stock up on it. For all my fellow people with medium-to-thick wavy, curly, and coily hair: This one deserves a spot in your hair-care routine.
