If You Straighten Your Curly Hair, Try These 21 Products
We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
Coming from someone who always does a blowout but made a 2024 resolution to leave her hair naturally curly more often. Whoops.
1. A WEN blower brush styling tool has become my absolute favorite tool for blowing out my naturally curly hair. I even pack it for vacation!
Chaz Dean, Elizabeth Lilly / BuzzFeed
By now, I’ve tried nearly every kind of brush blow dryer on the market, and this is hands down my favorite. (Yep, I’ve even tried the Dyson Airwrap and think the WEN is superior, though the Dyson *is* very good!)Â I’ve been using it for a few months at home after grilling Chaz Dean about it IRL and asking about all the product attributes that set it apart from other tools. Suffice to say, I’m impressed! Here are some standouts that I haven’t experienced in many other versions of brush dryer stylers: a cord that *actually* swivels; thick/plentiful brush bristles that keep your hair farther away from the hot metal parts of the brush; a removable vent cover on the bottom of the base so you can clean out lint; an anti-rolling heat-resistant mat; a tool for removing lint and hair; and a VERY GOOD locking mechanism for the attachments. (One dryer I’ve tried recently had a poor locking mechanism that made attachments fall off in mid-blow-dry…which can be dangerous!) For these recent travels, I packed the base and the smaller brush attachment, which sufficed for my hair looks!Â
Get it from WEN by Chaz Dean or QVC for $247.98.
2. Elizavecca Collagen Coating Hair Protein Treatment goes on like a hair mask, except it’ll give you even more dramatic results thanks to Ceramide 3 and collagen. Any time I use it, my hair looks and feels more moisturized, and is easier to blow out.
Bek O’Connell / BuzzFeed
Promising review: “And I have curly hair that I often blow dry and straighten. My hair was previously dyed blonde, and I dyed it back to black. This all damages my hair a lot, so Iâve been looking for a good mask. I have been using Itâs a 10 Miracle Mask for the past two years every time I wash my hair. I have gotten keratin treatments to try to make my hair more manageable, but they are expensive. And they smell bad. This simple product (under eight dollars!!!) did more for my hair than any of that stuff. I wish I had found this sooner. If youâre considering buying this, please do yourself a favor! Just donât use more than once a week as it is a protein treatment, and overuse can weigh hair down and damage it. I have had no frizz since using this, and my hair breaks a billion percent less.” âmaria Nastasi
Get it from Amazon for $7.40.
Read our review of Elizavecca CER-100 Collagen Coating Hair Protein Treatment to learn more about why one former BuzzFeeder calls it “the miracle product I’ve been searching for.”
3. LâOrĂ©al Paris Elvive 8 Second Wonder Water gives hair a major dose of moisture in â like the name suggests â a mere eight seconds!Promising review: “I bought this to try it after seeing it on The Today Show bargain tips. I have naturally curly hair and live where itâs very humid. This stuff is amazing. It really cuts down on the frizzies and flyaways, and keeps my hair straight if I straighten it. My hair is now soft and light, not oily and heavy after using it. I will be purchasing more.” âBambiLyon
Get it from Amazon for $10.97.
4. Crave Naturals Detangling brush glides through your hair without tugging or ripping out your strands. Tangled curls, meet your match.
Promising review (for natural hair):Â “I never write reviews, but I had to for this one. This brush cured my cancer, paid my rent and revived Jesus from the dead. This. is. a. holy. grail. I have the tangliest (IDC if that’s not a word) terribly hard to manage curly, natural hair. But this brush gave me shine brighter than a haole baby’s bottom and glided through my hair with ease. 100% RECOMMEND.” âAmazon Customer
Promising review: “I love this brush so far. I have very dry, coarse, curly hair. I used this with my hair straightened, and it reduced frizz and breakage and seemed to add shine, distributing oils well. Iâve yet to try it on wet hair, but I love it so far!” âAshley
Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in 10 colors and multipacks).
5. A thermal-barrel blowout brush helps you FINALLY get a smooth “after” that other brushes just haven’t been giving you.Â
Osensia is a small biz specializing in hairbrushes.Â
Promising review: “Ladies, this brush is amazing for straightening naturally curly hair and adding a little body at the ends. I have stopped using my flat iron because I donât even need it anymore! It takes a little practice, but once you get the hang of it, itâs amazing. And thereâs less heat damage because no more flat iron! I donât write many reviews, but I had to for this brush. Best $13 I spent in a while. I got the 2â for my long hair.” âDeb
Get it from Amazon for $17.99+Â (available in six sizes and bundles).
6. Or a boar- and nylon-bristle brush tips reviewers now understand as to *why* people make such a big deal about boar bristles (they’re great for creating volume in fine hair). But! At a totally affordable price point.Â
GranNaturals is a small biz selling boar-bristle brushes.Â
Promising review: “This brush is a game changer. I have very thick curly hair, and it allows me to straighten my hair with little issues in no time!” âDanielle
Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in two sizes).Â
7. Redken Quick Blowout Heat Protection Spray is a total lifesaver when your normal drying routine doesn’t seem to be getting your hair smooth and shiny like it used to. I also use this on my thick curly hair and it helps smooth out and straighten my curls, while cutting down on my blow-drying time. If I don’t use a product made to cut down on drying time, I can spend waaaaay too much time on it.
Get it from Amazon for $14+Â (available in two sizes; suphate- and paraben-free).
8. Hair Proud Glass Hair gives your ‘do a serious sheen after spraying it on and then blow-drying.Â
Walmart
I use this and am able to get my naturally curly roots super smooth with a round brush blow-dryer like I’ve never been able to get them before.Â
Get it from Walmart for $8.98.
9. Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray works to stave off frizz and give you a glass-like sheen thanks to its anti-humidity powers. Even in the nastiest of weather. AND it’s formulated for its effects to last through several washes. (Something to which I can attest.)Â
Promising review (for pic on the left): “LOVE this product sooooo much! Iâm obsessed! I am of mixed race and have very curly frizzy hair naturally. Even with relaxer my hair has always had dry looking frizzy ends. I have tried so many different products but nothing else compares. Best by far!” âAmazon Customer
Promising review (for pic on the right): “I NEEDED to try this product after all the positive hype. It certainly did live up to my expectations. I went from balayage to a medium brown color with my hair. The bottom part of my hair was still very porous from the bleaching. After blow drying my hair where the blonde was it was never smooth. Not anymore! My hair is so smooth and healthy looking. I absolutely love this product and I highly recommend it. It has completely transformed my hair.” âLori
Get it from Amazon for $12+Â (available in two sizes; sulfate-, gluten-, alcohol-, and paraben-free).
10. Verb Ghost Oil makes quick work of taming frizz and flyaways. This is THE BEST hair oil if you have coarse, thick hair like me. Reviewers with hair textures up to 4c rave about it! It’ll make your hair look sleeker *and* feel softer â especially after the roughest blow-dry session of your life.Â
I got turned onto this stuff after some colleagues put it in stories and after trying just about every hair oil out there, I can assure that this is the good stuff. It’s great for finishing off your look after heat styling (like with a curling iron or straightener) or helping your hair calm down post-blow-drying. I always keep a bottle in my medicine cabinet!
Promising review: “Love, love, absolutely in love! I have been looking for an oil hair product that doesnât leave my hair feeling greasy or too oily. I have curly, frizzy hair and stumbled upon this, which I am using on a daily basis. It leaves my hair very soft, and I use it after/before I straighten my hair. No issue so far!” âDeissy
Get it from Amazon for $20+Â (available in three sizes; sulfate-, gluten-, and paraben-free).
11. If you’re willing to spend a little more, Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil has more than 39,000 5-star reviews and some very glam reviewer pics to reinforce that praise. This weightless styling oil not only adds shine and pumps up your color’s vibrancy â it also adds heat protection for up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.Â
Promising review: “This is hands-down the best hair oil Iâve ever used! I have curly hair that I straighten often, and I always have to use oil to help with frizz and dryness. This product is a game changer. Most oils are heavy and weigh my hair down, giving it a greasy look. This oil is the complete opposite. It is so lightweight and makes my hair so soft, and a little goes a long way. I canât get enough! I wish it was sold in a bigger bottle though because it is pretty small, but itâs still worth the money to me.” âErica
Get it from Amazon for $30 (cruelty-free).
12. Kenra Platinum Blow-Dry Spray seriously cuts down on your heat-styling time â like 50%! It also tames frizz and keeps your hair protected during said heat-styling. Oh, and it’s all over TikTok.Â
Psst! The brand recommends using this spray on medium to coarse hair types. And for fine to medium hair, try the Kenra Platinum Blow-Dry Mist!
Promising review: “I have natural curly hair that I straighten. Without this product it would never get straight or stay that way! Also protects it from the heat tools. Plus, it smells nice.” âCandygirl70
Get it from Amazon for $16+Â (available in three sizes and in multipacks; cruelty-free).
13. A satin-lined Hairbrella keeps your hair looking perfect, no matter the forecast. So that blowout you gave yourself can LAST. Hairbrella / YouTube
Hairbrella is a Black-owned small business established in 2016 that specializes in hats combining fashion and function to protect against all types of weather. FYI, this is included in Prime Try Before You Buy so you can test it out before committing if youâre a Prime member!
Promising review: “I got my natural hair straightened right before five days of rain. This kept my hair together! Normally, my hair just gets bigger any time I step out during or after rain if itâs straight. It doesnât matter if I have a rain jacket, umbrella, or whatever. Everything failed until this. My silk press lasted through the rainy days and more! I keep it in my car now! It does look a little silly, but I just covered it up with the hood to my rain jacket until I got where I was going. I got XL because I have big hair.” âJohn Smith
Get it from Amazon for $49+ or Hairbrella for $49+ (available in 13 colors).
14. K18 Leave-In Repair Hair Mask Treatment is a tried-and-true leave-in treatment ready to help rejuvenate bleached or chemically treated hair. This small but mighty bottle’s patented peptide formula contains 50 uses. So you’ll be good awhile. BTW, it works for all hair types.Â
Melanie Aman / BuzzFeed, Amazon
My colleague Melanie Aman swears by this stuff. Here’s what she has to say:Â
“I bleach my dark brown-black Asian hair blonde every six to eight weeks, so I was immediately intrigued when I first heard some stylists at my salon raving about K18. And it turns out the rest of the world loves it too, because it was sold out at Sephora the first time I tried to buy it. I eventually snagged a mini bottle on Amazon and was gobsmacked at how much softer my hair was. Seriously. I spent the whole day touching my hair, and even my boyfriend agreed that my mane was noticeably silkier.”
Promising review: “Buy this. NOW. I have naturally curly hair, and I straighten it often. My hair is finally showing some growth because of this product!! I have been using this for over a year and will continue to use it. IT WORKS Y’ALL!! â€ïž” âJess
Get it from Amazon for $29Â (available in two sizes).
15. Redken One United All-In-One Leave In Conditioner protects hair in heat styling and delivers sleek, moisturized results â which is especially great if you’re looking for a product that can pull off several uses without weighing down your hair. Amazon
Promising review: “I have curly and frizzy hair. I find this product adds shine and softness to my hair without being greasy and really makes my hair manageable when a good shampoo and conditioner do not really do the full job. I really recommend it, especially for those who like me, prefer to wear their hair straight and must use a blow dryer and straightener for a glossy finish.” âAMM
Get it from Amazon for $14+ (available in three sizes; sulfate- and paraben-free).
16. A scalp massager helps relieve you of itching and dandruff, and make your shampoo sooo much more effective of clearing your scalp of days’ worth of dry shampoo. Also, it’ll feel like a total treat.
Promising review: “I love this product. I wasnât sure about it while I was washing my hair, but I immediately felt like it was cleaner than I had been able to get it before I found this product while I was rinsing my conditioner. I have long, thick, curly hair, and I use dry shampoo a few times a week. I think this product was able to help me get that residue out. My hair was even easier to comb and once it had dried and I straightened it, it looked nicer than it had in a while.” âAmazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $6.98Â (available in three colors).
17. Herstyler Hair Repair Serum with hydrating argan oil, aloe vera, and vitamin E helps you tame flyaways and get on with the rest of your life. Or at least your day. HerStyler is a small biz.Â
Promising review: “This makes my hair sooooo soft! I use it before I blow dry and after IÂ straighten. I have very coarse, curly hair, and I also use it when I let it air dry! Love it!” âMarie Modawell
Get it from Amazon for $9.99Â (available in multipacks).
18. A pomade hair wax stick for a super easy-to-apply product that will keep all your flyaways and frizzies controlled whenever you put your hair up into a ponytail or bun.
Promising review: “Love it! Works great, doesn’t look greasy. Leaves the hair looking sleek. I have naturally curly hair and straighten my hair some days.” âNicole Woods
Get it from Amazon for $7.99 (available in four sizes/packs).
19. Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray is totally worth it according to reviewers…even ones who normally stick to a drugstore budget for haircare. It’s a great volumizing alternative to dry shampoo.Promising review: “I purchased this after reading a review of the best dry shampoo products. I have very curly hair that I wash every fourth day and then straighten with a flat iron. By day three, my roots are a little bit greasy, and my hair has lost the bounce. This spray completely revives my hair. I just do a few quick sprays on my roots and rub it through with my fingers before it dries. (Yes, I know it is a dry spray, but there’s still a bit of moisture). I then comb my hair and touch it up with the flat iron, and I am good to go! Love this!!!! I will buy it again without hesitation.” âLyn
Get it from Amazon for $26+Â (available in two sizes; gluten-free).
20. A hair-straightening brush with 20-second heating, dual-voltage, and five temperature settings.Â
BTW, the above reviewer has 3c hair.
Promising review: “Make life easier! I was so used to the regular irons that I was hesitant to try something new â do it, this is LIFE CHANGING how easy it is to straighten thick, curly, wavy hair. I have very thick hair and can use this to straighten my hair in one pass, not even on the highest setting. This thing gets hot, use the included glove. It has a cute velvet bag included and it a good deal, I would buy this again and I think it’d be a good gift. It also makes my hair really smooth. I do a number of passes to make it even flatter but wow, just try it you’ll see what I mean. Good luck!” âAddled
Get it from Amazon for $39.97+Â (available in three colors).
21. A dual-voltage straightener brush with tons of reviewers kicking their regular straighteners to the curb.Â
Promising review: “I have mid-level curly hair with frizz. This worked so easily and well. Smoothed and straightened my hair, calming the frizz. I was surprised and impressed. Leaves my hair with a shine, too. I didnât use any heat protecting product this first time either â pictures show overall didnât give the normal ‘heat-treated damaged’ look that a traditional straightener gives when not using hair products.” âElena l
Get it from Amazon for $38.90+Â (available in two colors).
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
