The Best Cream You Have Ever Used For Your Curly Hair?

Henvilla

Okay, I feel like I'm going crazy. I think I've tried SO many different kinds of creams, but Shea Moisture's famous Coconut and Hibiscus Smoothie Cream has always been my holy grail. It was the first product I would use in my hair when I started my curly hair transition years ago, and as the years passed, I've tried many different creams and smoothies. But NOTHING compares to this smoothie!

I'm the type to always stick to a product and never switch around (besides shampoo and conditioner, I'm always changing that). But lately I've been daring and experimenting. I got DevaCurl products for my birthday which I was EXTREMELY excited for, since I researched so much about their products. But their Super Cream was NO WHERE near as good as SM smoothie cream!!! (Even though the super cream definitely has a way better scent). This further lead me to continue to use SM and use the Super Cream just as a refresher.

Then just today, I wanted to keep experimenting and tried the Cantu Curl Activating cream (I've never tried any Cantu products before so I was little nervous/excited). My hair is still currently drying, but I can already tell it's not comparing to my Shea Moisture!! I don't understand, will anything be better than my smoothie cream???

Please let me know if anyone has this experience with a favorite product of yours, and just list some holy grails that you find way better than this smoothie cream!

bomega

Ages ago, I used to love the SM Coconut Hibiscus Style Milk. I used it along with the matching shampoo and conditioner and it was the only styler I needed. The SM Coconut Hibiscus line uses silk protein, which I always knew my hair loved. Silk protein benefits many different hair types for different reasons. Maybe that is also helping you? If you wanted to explore the idea, Raw Curls products have silk protein and I think the Oyin Honey Hemp products do too. I came across a couple others but I can't remember them because my hair has since become protein sensitive and so I can no longer use these.

bomega

My hair became protein sensitive as a direct result of using henna to color my hair. Although henna isn't protein, it acts like it because of the way the dye molecule bonds to the hair. Overall, it is strengthening to the hair, and has eliminated the need for styling products to control frizz, so I'm happy with the overall effect of using henna. But one side effect has been that any and all protein in products makes my hair act go weird and straightish.

In your case...it could be the coconut, or it could be the hibiscus, but my money is still on the silk protein. Most of my life my hair loved silk protein. I would go back to it if i ever gave up henna.

justkaty5

Have you tried the SM Sacha Inchi Oil Omega-3-6-9 Rescue + Repair Curl Defining Smoothie? I wonder if you'd have similar results with a different SheaMoisture product. I've never tried either, so I don't know how similar or different the 2 smoothies are.

Henvilla

bomega said:

Ages ago, I used to love the SM Coconut Hibiscus Style Milk. I used it along with the matching shampoo and conditioner and it was the only styler I needed. The SM Coconut Hibiscus line uses silk protein, which I always knew my hair loved. Silk protein benefits many different hair types for different reasons. Maybe that is also helping you? If you wanted to explore the idea, Raw Curls products have silk protein and I think the Oyin Honey Hemp products do too. I came across a couple others but I can't remember them because my hair has since become protein sensitive and so I can no longer use these.

Thank you for that! Maybe it is the silk protein? Or the coconut? I honestly never noticed. How did your hair become protein sensitive though?

WavyKfromNJ

Curl cream may not be the right type of product for you.  Not everyone benefits from that.  You may have "gel" or "mousse" hair.

Sometimes it is product, sometimes it is technique (that includes the amount of product you use).  There are lots of youtube videos with product application techniques, that would be a good place to start

It is also not unusual to need to change products with the weather.  Products that work in a cold dry winter, will probably not work in a hot humid summer.

Since you have not described your hair (porosity, width, etc)  it is hard to recommend products, since fine hair and course hair may react differently to the same product.

I would recommend clarifying your hair to give it a fresh start and experiment, while keeping a journal.  Don't forget to include weather.

Henvilla

justkaty5 said:

Have you tried the SM Sacha Inchi Oil Omega-3-6-9 Rescue + Repair Curl Defining Smoothie? I wonder if you'd have similar results with a different SheaMoisture product. I've never tried either, so I don't know how similar or different the 2 smoothies are.

Yes! I actually tried that smoothie over a year ago, so it's hard to remember what I thought of it. I do remember it being MUCH more thinner in texture than the Coconut and Hibiscus smoothie, which I didn't really like cause it made me feel like I wasn't putting anything in my hair. But, since I never bought it again, I'm sure it's safe to say that it didn't compare to the Coconut and Hibiscus smoothie.

Stillunsureonmycurltype

I love the Devacurl SuperCream! I also love the Camille Rose Naturals Moisture Milk, Shea Moisture CES, SM C&S Milk, though each would be used depending on the mood I'm going for.

With Devacurl (along with their B'Leave in & Gel) I get fluffy, defined and soft results that last me for days (6 if i push it) without needing to refresh in the morning at all.

With shea Moisture CES i pair it with the C&S milk as a leave in and a curl ehancer respectively, coupled with eco gel and i get smoother, shiny, crunch free results filled with moisture, but they only last me half of what i get with the DC SC.

With the CRN MM, I get the versatility that works with many other products and gels as a leave in, but it doesnt give me that great of definition, it does leave my hair the softest of all the milk/ creams I like.

I love all their smells. I however do NOT like the Cantu line at all, it was so weird. It went fine on my hair, was very moisturized, but when dry, it was greasy but dry at the same time, I don't know how to explain it, but it felt scratchy and looked dull, yet when i grabbed a section it left a greasy filmy residue on my hand, thats the best I can explain it. I tried to reuse it multiple times trying it differently (curl activator cream) and it didnt work , Cantu is a no from me.

I will say though, i have to remember that i have to use products differently, some i have to go a little light handed or a little heavy handed.

Edit: I will add, i would use the products interchangeably to ensure no protein or moisture overload. The CES has protein along the Supercream so one week i would go with the CRN Moisture Milk and a gel (CRN curl maker comes to mind) while another would be with the CES or the DC SC, whichever i feel for the week and weather.

bomega

@Stillunsureonmycurltype, The Cantu Leave-in Conditioning Repair Cream has silicones in it (and pretty high up on the list). I wonder if that is what is causing the problem. 

Stillunsureonmycurltype

bomega said:

@Stillunsureonmycurltype, The Cantu Leave-in Conditioning Repair Cream has silicones in it (and pretty high up on the list). I wonder if that is what is causing the problem. 

possibly, it would be the first time i ever came across that silicone, but i dont remember if it was their repari cream or their shea butter leave in, i tried many ways of using it, my hair just didnt like it.

Usually my hair dislikes a products the first time, it would take me a bit of time before my hair were to adapt. But i spent some time trying to figure it out and it didn't work, the curl cream, the leave in, the curl cream with another product, the leave in with something else etc. Still, felt dry, and greasy.

Typically, if i were to use a product with silicone, i would use the lighter ones that do not require me to use a very harsh Sulfate like cyclomethilsiloxane. Then again i steer clear from silicones in general if I have the option to, if cant go more to natural, ill allow a bit of the synthetic stuff, even then the water soluble ones(PEG) are the second best then the water insolubles (amodimethicone). They dont dry my hair out
(water insolubles), but they dont allow my oils to have a proper effect and i can see it, looks as if i had day 4 hair with frizz and such.

I use light oils like Grapeseed or a mix of EVOO and GS if you were wondering.

Aitana24

Stillunsureonmycurltype said:

I love the Devacurl SuperCream! I also love the Camille Rose Naturals Moisture Milk, Shea Moisture CES, SM C&S Milk, though each would be used depending on the mood I'm going for.

With Devacurl (along with their B'Leave in & Gel) I get fluffy, defined and soft results that last me for days (6 if i push it) without needing to refresh in the morning at all.

With shea Moisture CES i pair it with the C&S milk as a leave in and a curl ehancer respectively, coupled with eco gel and i get smoother, shiny, crunch free results filled with moisture, but they only last me half of what i get with the DC SC.

With the CRN MM, I get the versatility that works with many other products and gels as a leave in, but it doesnt give me that great of definition, it does leave my hair the softest of all the milk/ creams I like.

I love all their smells. I however do NOT like the Cantu line at all, it was so weird. It went fine on my hair, was very moisturized, but when dry, it was greasy but dry at the same time, I don't know how to explain it, but it felt scratchy and looked dull, yet when i grabbed a section it left a greasy filmy residue on my hand, thats the best I can explain it. I tried to reuse it multiple times trying it differently (curl activator cream) and it didnt work , Cantu is a no from me.

I will say though, i have to remember that i have to use products differently, some i have to go a little light handed or a little heavy handed.

Edit: I will add, i would use the products interchangeably to ensure no protein or moisture overload. The CES has protein along the Supercream so one week i would go with the CRN Moisture Milk and a gel (CRN curl maker comes to mind) while another would be with the CES or the DC SC, whichever i feel for the week and weather.

I have the exact same problem with Cantu Curl Activator cream. I have tried using it in so many ways, with leave-in, without leave-in, with gel, alone...etc. and nothing. It leaves my hair feeling "producty" and heavy. Last time I tried I watered down and used just a little, and even then my hair didn't like it. 

macher

Henvilla said:

Okay, I feel like I'm going crazy. I think I've tried SO many different kinds of creams, but Shea Moisture's famous Coconut and Hibiscus Smoothie Cream has always been my holy grail. It was the first product I would use in my hair when I started my curly hair transition years ago, and as the years passed, I've tried many different creams and smoothies. But NOTHING compares to this smoothie!

I'm the type to always stick to a product and never switch around (besides shampoo and conditioner, I'm always changing that). But lately I've been daring and experimenting. I got DevaCurl products for my birthday which I was EXTREMELY excited for, since I researched so much about their products. But their Super Cream was NO WHERE near as good as SM smoothie cream!!! (Even though the super cream definitely has a way better scent). This further lead me to continue to use SM and use the Super Cream just as a refresher.

Then just today, I wanted to keep experimenting and tried the Cantu Curl Activating cream (I've never tried any Cantu products before so I was little nervous/excited). My hair is still currently drying, but I can already tell it's not comparing to my Shea Moisture!! I don't understand, will anything be better than my smoothie cream???

Please let me know if anyone has this experience with a favorite product of yours, and just list some holy grails that you find way better than this smoothie cream!

When I use a cream which isn’t often my go to Cream is Aveda Be Curly Curl Enhancer.