“What should I do with my hair?” is a question as old as time—and sometimes we don’t want the answer to require wrestling with our hair texture in the morning. Luckily, there are hair products and accessories that work for every hair type to help make getting ready a little simpler. Finding the ones that work for you will not only make your routine easier, but also help you embrace your look.
Celebrity hairstylist and co-founder of Flawless by Gabrielle Union Larry Sims recommends finding the right ingredients to let your natural texture shine through. “If you’re looking to enhance your natural hair texture, you should always look for all-natural ingredients that will moisturize and hydrate the hair,” he tells Glamour. “Marula oil, Brazilian bacuri butter, shea butter, pequi oil, and moringa oil are all great for giving textured hair a boost.”
When it comes to styling his Black clients, Sims is all about working with your natural texture and elevating the look with accessories. “Some of my favorite ways to style natural hair are double-strand twist outs, Bantu knots, or with flexi rod sets as they’re all really quick and easy,” he says. He also has favorite accessories that work with any hair texture: “In terms of accessorizing, I’ve been seeing a lot of ribbons and scarves. Something I’m loving right now is if you go to a fabric store, you can find pendants that are typically for clothes, but they have a loop that you can use for an open-face pin. Throw them in your hair for a cool and unconventional look.”
Monae Everett, celebrity hairstylist and Texture Style Awards creator, turns to the classics for everyday styling. “Something simple like the half up and half down never goes out of style, along with the easy wash and go and high puffs,” she says. “I love adding braids to natural styles for directing the hairstyle.”
For both natural textured hair and wavy and curly hair types, Sally Beauty natural hair expert Antoinette Bullock says to look for ingredients like aloe vera, honey, glycerin, or carrier oils such as sweet almond oil, coconut oil, and jojoba oil. “These ingredients have fatty acids and vitamins that keep the strands thriving while retaining length,” she says.
To make the hunt easier, we’ve rounded up the best products and accessories for embracing your hair texture, from hair masks and leave-in conditioners to headbands and scarves. Ahead, celebrity hair stylists and Glamour share their favorite picks.
Flawless 5 Butter Masque
To keep your hair in top shape, apply a hair mask to restore moisture and strengthen strands. “I absolutely love this mask because it’s incredibly moisturizing and hydrating while also protecting against breakage,” says Sims. “The honey that’s infused in the mask adds shine and moisture.”
Moroccan Oil Leave In Conditioner
Everett loves this product for its versatility. “You can use it to nourish any hair style whether you’re going to add heat or style to air dry,” she says. Argan oil, amino acids, and a superfood blend of sunflower seed oil, quinoa and barley extract help hair retain moisture and increase shine.
Ouidad Curl Shaper Volumizing Jelly
If you’re looking for more volume or have problems with thinning, Everett recommends incorporating this volumizing jelly into your routine. “It’s great for natural hair that’s thin, because everyone forgets about our thin natural hair friends,” she says. “It plumps the hair and helps you to avoid frizz.”
Conair Curl Collective Dryer
This hair dryer for curly hair types is so good that it won a Glamour 2022 Beauty Award. “There are a couple of cool things about this blow-dryer: it has a lot of different nozzles on it, and you have a lot of options for low, high, cool, and heat,” says celebrity hairstylist Kim Kimble. “But it also comes with not only an atomizer, but also a comb that makes it easier to dry curls, which is particularly useful because my hair is very thick and kinky. It also has a very cool patterned design.”
SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Shampoo
Sally Beauty curly hair expert Biance Renee Adkins is a fan of this multi-tasking shampoo for it’s moisturizing and clarifying properties. “This shampoo is a personal favorite because it has shea butter for moisture, as well as peppermint and apple cider vinegar to clarify your scalp,” she says.
Glamour senior visuals editor Lauren Brown loves Pattern Beauty’s curl cream for the way it enhances her curl shape and seamlessly blends into strands. “I can’t say enough about how well this cream held and accentuated my curl pattern,” she says. “The proportions are massive, and the actual cream is thick, so you don’t need to use as much. When using it, I raked it into my hair in small sections and was nervous to see that the cream goes on white. Luckily, it doesn’t dry white or harden. My curls felt buoyant and healthy.”
Sienna Naturals Silk Scarf
For an easy and elevated look, Sims recommends using scarves to accessorize and protect hair. This scarf from Sienna Naturals is one hundred percent silk and can be used at night while sleeping to maintain curls and prevent tangling, or during the day as a chic fashion statement.
Flawless Restoring Exotic Oil Treatment
Formulated with coconut, avocado, and jojoba oil, this hair oil moisturizes dry skin on the scalp and adds shine to dull and parched strands. “These are the most absorbent and light oil drops I’ve ever used,” says Sims. “They also are really great for helping reduce frizz.”
Amika Power Hour Curl Refreshing Spray
To revive flat curls, Glamour art director Allie Folino will apply a few spritz of this refreshing spray from Amika. “Wow! Wow! Wow! I used this product to refresh my curls next-day, and talk about an instant revival!” she says. “It’s lightweight and gives my curls some hold, but doesn’t weigh my hair down the way other products have. BRB, making permanent space for this on my beauty shelf.”
Texture ID Edge Taming Gel
For perfect edges every time, Bullock turns to Texture ID’s Taming Gel. “It’s a go-to for me when I want a non-flaking edge control to tame my flyaways,” says Bullock. “It also contains silk amino acids to strengthen the hair and reduce breakage. It’s the perfect finisher to my looks.”
Emi Jay Halo Headband
Put volume on volume by topping your curls or waves with a padded headband. Preppy girl hair is back and better than ever, so there’s no better way to hop on the trend. The chic ivory shade ensures it will look great with any outfit in your closet.
