The best conditioner for curly hair, tested by beauty editors (2024)

published 14 March 2024

1. Shea Moisture Jamaican Strengthen & Restore Conditioner

RRP: £12.99

The Shea Moisture Jamaican Strengthen & Restore Conditioner offers phenomenal value and a luscious thick texture that intensely hydrates. Ahead of testing the best conditioners for curly hair, this was our Head of Shopping's go-to conditioner, and it's still a failsafe in her hair-washing routine.

One major bonus of this conditioner is its ultra-nourishing Jamaican black castor oil and Fair Trade shea butter from Ghana, while peppermint oil encourages hair growth and stimulates your scalp.

Buy if: You're looking for a good value option
Avoid if: You don't want a fragranced conditioner

2. Trepadora Quinoa Repair Deep Conditioner

RRP: £28

"I'm a huge fan of Trepadora's products" says w&h's Senior Beauty Editor Rhiannon Derbyshire. "They feel like a real treat to use and they're just brilliant - I save them for the wash days when I really need a good hair week. This makes light work of detailing my knotty, nest-like hair - my curls are always much more manageable, softer and smoother after use."

You can also use this conditioner as a masque or leave-in treatment, and we loved the tropical scent which lingered for days after use.

Buy if: You need a detangling treatment
Avoid if: You'd prefer a formula with protein

3. Charlotte Mensah Manketti Oil Conditioner

RRP: £26

Combining Manketti Nut and Ximenia oils to nourish and hydrate curls, this conditioner from Charlotte Mensah is ideal for textured hair types. Created and loved by one of the UK’s leading salons for afro and curly hair types, it's perfectly tailored to treat damage from root to tip.

To get the most out of this hydrating formula, let it soak in for a few minutes before rinsing. At £26 for 250ml it's quite an expensive option, but it certainly feels luxurious from the texture to the scent.

Buy if: You want a luxurious product that's created by the pros
Avoid if: You're on a tighter budget

4. Aveda Be Curly Conditioner

RRP: £32

Aveda's Be Curly Conditioner is responsibly packaged and manufactured, with a wheat protein and organic aloe blend that is designed to tame frizz and add shape back to lackluster curls.

We could recommend some more deeply hydrating options in this guide, but sometimes when curly hair is over-moisturised it can lose its definition, so if you're struggling to revive curls this taming blend would be our best bet.

Buy if: You want some curl definition
Avoid if: Your hair is seriously dehydrated

5. Imbue Curl Respecting Conditioner

RRP: £8.99

"Because you have to use so much conditioner as a curly girl, finding an affordable formula is wise" says Rhiannon Derbyshire, our Senior Beauty Editor. "This is my favourite - it's really well-priced for such a big bottle, and it works brilliantly. It's not too heavy or rich, so it works well even quite close to the roots, leaving my curls looking bouncy and defined. I always have a bottle or two stashed away."

Buy if: You're on a budget
Avoid if: You want a rich formula

6. Bouclème Curl Conditioner

RRP: £19

The Bouclème Curl Conditioner is designed to protect and strengthen dull and dehydrated curls. It's formulated with a myriad of healing ingredients such as Argan Oil, Aloe Vera Leaf and Virgin Coconut Oil, but is free from sulphates, parabens and silicones that can weigh down or damage curls.

We especially rate this option for hair that's perhaps heat-damaged or simply looking a little lacklustre, although its formula could be a little too heavy for especially fine hair. It features the protecting agent Vitamin E which will protect from heat and environmental stresses, too.

Buy if: Your hair is dull or damaged
Avoid if: You have fine hair

7. Virtue Curl Conditioner

RRP: £42

Virtue's Curl Conditioner is one of the most luxurious conditioners we tried, but at £42 for 200ml, it could be an expensive addition to your routine. There's a reason for the high price tag though - Virtue's Alpha Keratin 60ku is uniquely designed to hydrate hair while curl-optimising polymers improve hair health and repair damaged cuticles.

What's more, it's free from parabens, silicones, sulphates and synthetic colourants, meaning it won't inhibit on your hairs natural curl pattern or cause a build-up of nasties on your scalp.

Buy if: Your hair is damaged
Avoid if: You're on a budget

8. Umberto Giannini Thirsty Curls Conditioner

RRP: £9.25

The Umberto Giannini Thirsty Curls Conditioner is designed to prep your hair porosity for maximum absorption. With hyaluronic acid to drink in moisture, and Tremella Snow Mushroom for long-lasting hydration, it takes the edge off frizzy hair and reduces hair breakage thanks to the inclusion of black oat extract.

The formula is free of sulfates and silicone, too, and for under £10 it's a brilliant value buy that packs some serious hydration for the thirstiest curls.

Buy if: You struggle with frizz
Avoid if: You don't want a strong scented conditioner

9. Bread Beauty Supply Creamy Deep Conditioner

RRP: £26

You can use this Deep Conditioner from Bread Beauty Supply as a moisturising mask or detangling conditioner. Created without silicone, but rich in oils such as starflower oil and Kakadu plum, it's perfect for travel thanks to the unique packaging, which also ensures you're able to get every last drop of product.

If you're looking for a vegan or cruelty-free product, this is also a great option. It's created with dry hair in mind, but it won't be too heavy for regular use.

Buy if: You want a vegan, cruelty-free option
Avoid if: You want a scented product

10. Davines NOUNOU Nourishing Conditioner

RRP: £23.50

Intensely rich and creamy, a little goes a long way with the Davines NOUNOU Nourishing Conditioner. The emollient texture of this conditioner is perfect for detangling, leaving hair calmed and smooth to the touch.

As well as being good for the hair, this conditioner is also good for the planet. It's created using 100% clean energy and comes in fully recyclable packaging.

Buy if: You need some serious hydration
Avoid if: You're a sucker for pretty packaging

11. Adwoa Beauty Baomint Deep Conditioning Treatment

RRP: £40

Sometimes it feels like a conditioner isn't enough to treat seriously dehydrated hair. The Adowa Beauty Baomint Deep Conditioning Treatment is designed to be left to soak in for up to 15 minutes, making it perfect for occasional use when your hair really needs some TLC.

The cream features hair-loving ingredients from shea butter and prickly pear oil to zinc and a vitamin E, treating the entirety of your hair from scalp to head. And while it's expensive, you do get nearly 500ml of product which will last at least a few months.

Buy if: Your hair needs some serious hydration
Avoid if: You want an everyday conditioner

12. Living Proof Curl Conditioner

RRP: £31

Curls soak up conditioner far more than most hair types, and this option from Living Proof provides all the moisture your hair could need without weighing tresses down. It's formulated with the brand's exclusive Healthy Curl Complex which is designed to promote curl groupings for a smoother and more vibrant head of curls.

We thought this option worked wonders on frizz and provided a good level of slip when brushing in the shower. Extra points go to the luxe, soft-touch matte packaging, but it's an expensive option that won't last too long if you wash your hair every day.

Buy if: You need some extra help with curl grouping
Avoid if: You're on a budget

13. Amika Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Conditioner

RRP: £24

Designed for dry, textured, or coarse hair types 2a-4c, Amika's Hydro Rush range is infused with hyaluronic acid and squalane, two commonly-used hydrating agents in face creams and serums. These skin-loving ingredients also work wonders on your hair, with the shampoo and conditioner combined clinically proven to boost moisture for 72 hours after use.

This rich formula is also created with coconut water and blue algae to prevent hair breakage and create longer, stronger hair growth.

Buy if: You've got dehydrated or coarse curls
Avoid if: You'd benefit from a more gentle formula

14. Briogeo Farewell Frizz Conditioner

RRP: £24

Featuring Briogeo's rosehip, argan and coconut oils, this conditioner will restore shine to your lengths with a frizz-fighting blend of 98% naturally derived ingredients.

The conditioner is created with naturally derived ingredients that are free from parabens, sulphates, silicones and artificial dyes, meaning it's curl-loving from root to tip.

Buy if: You've got frizzy hair
Avoid if: You want a thick texture

15. Philip Kingsley Moisture Extreme Enriching Conditioner

RRP: £24

There's a lot to love with the Philip Kingsley Moisture Extreme Enriching Conditioner. It's is CO2 negative and cruelty-free, with fully recyclable packaging. That aside, its blend of wheatgerm oil, which is rich in fatty acids and vitamin E, and Babassu, which reduces frizz and adds shine, will leave hair noticeably softer after the very first use.

Buy if: Your hair needs a surge of moisture
Avoid if: You're on a budget

Keisha Jo Lawler