- I have curly hair so searching for the ideal hair-care regimen has been expensive and frustrating. I recently came upon DevaCurl, a brand developed specifically for people with curly and wavy hair.
- DevaCurl’s How To Quit Shampoo ($35) is a great introductory kit that includes sulfate-free shampoo, conditioner, and a microfiber towel to cleanse, hydrate, define, and defrizz curls.
- I was so impressed with how defined and soft my curls were that I’ve decided to only use DevaCurl products from now on.
My hair is just wavy enough that it can become curly with some convincing, so I’ve been looking for hair-care products that can help bring out that definition with minimal scrunching. It’s also dry and porous, so products that are heavy can weigh my hair down but lightweight formulas won’t moisturize enough to keep my curls healthy. Needless to say, it’s been an expensive and frustrating trial-and-error process.
DevaCurl’s kit includes a sulfate-free cleansing conditioner, traditional conditioner, microfiber towel
In my search to find the perfect hair-care routine, I found DevaCurl, a dedicated line of shampoos, conditioners, styling products, and even hair dryers to satisfy the curliest of hair. In short, it’s serious about curls.
With tons of amazing reviews online, I wanted to try out DevaCurl but was intimidated by how many products it had. Thankfully, I found the How To Quit Shampoo Kit, is a great introductory kit with a cleansing conditioner (more on that in a bit), conditioner, and microfiber towel that dries hair without causing it to frizz up like traditional towels can.
Read more: The best conditioners for curly hair
The sulfate-free cleansing conditioner didn't make my hair feel "squeaky clean" and the conditioner hydrated my hair without weighing it down
Eric Schweiger, M.D., tells Self that sulfates are what create the lather in hair- and body-care products. They're common, but potentially irritating and can strip your hair and scalp of moisture. Curly hair is naturally drier than straight hair because the hair shaft is twisted, so the addition of sulfates can lead to dull, frizzy, and ultimately lifeless hair with no shine.
The DevaCurl kit includes an 8-ounce bottle of No-Poo Zero Lather Conditioning Cleanser and One Condition Daily Cream Conditioner, as well as a travel-sized microfiber towel. No-Poo is technically a cleansing conditioner and not a shampoo because the lack of sulfates means it doesn't lather. Instead, it's made with peppermint and grapeseed oils to cleanse your hair and scalp without pulling out all of its moisture.
The lack of suds meant that I did have to work the cleanser more into my hair and scalp, and my hair didn't feel that "squeak" that I'd get from traditional products. But it felt hydrated and not weighed down. Plus, there's an enjoyable scent of Turkish rose and peppermint.
DevaCurl has a "Low-poo" product line as well; it's still sulfate-free but according to the brand, it uses ingredients derived from coconuts to produce a light lather.
The conditioner is formulated with olive oil which made my hair feel soft but not weighed down, unlike conditioners I've used in the past that contained coconut oil or shea butter. The conditioner definitely left my hair soft and primed for my styling products.It also smells like lemongrass, light but not heavy or overwhelming.
The olive oil gets its softening properties from squalane, a molecule that behaves similarly to our skin's natural barrier so it doesn't just sit heavily on it. And just like how No-Poo has a low-sulfate version, there's a version for the One Condition too.
The purpose of the microfiber towel is twofold - curly hair shouldn't sit wet for too long because it can crunch up and lose definition, and the microfiber material helps dry hair without causing it to frizz. The kit said this was a travel-sized version of its bigger towel, but I found that it's definitely big enough to dry my medium-length.
Read more: The best leave-in treatments for curly hair
I'm so impressed with these sulfate-free hair-care products that I won't be trying other brands
One of the things that surprised me was how my scalp didn't feel itchy at all. I thought I would experience an itchy scalp covered in dandruff because of the lack of sulfates, but I haven't had any flakes since I started using DevaCurl.
After using the shampoo and conditioner, my curls are more defined yet soft, even on the second day. I noticed so many more actual curls instead of the frizzy and flat mess that my hair usually is.
Ulta was running a gift with purchase promotion when I bought the kit, so I got some travel-sized versions of their leave-in conditioner and curl creme. My hair looked even better after I used those; there was even more shine, softness, bounce, and definition. Now that I've used a few DevaCurl products, I know I'll probably enjoy everything else it creates so I'm never going back to another brand.
