The Edit · Roundup
The Best Shampoos for Curly Hair
Seven cleansers that wash the scalp properly and leave the curl alone, from the drugstore to the salon shelf.
The Cover Story · The Method
The Wash Day Routine, in Order
Seven steps, from the first rinse to the final scrunch, and the reasoning behind each one.
Read the storyIn This Issue
The latest from the Society
The Science · Explainer
Hair Porosity, Explained
Why the same conditioner transforms one head of curls and sits uselessly on another.
Night · Roundup
The Best Bonnets and Sleep Caps for Curls
Five caps that stay on until morning, and what to do if you cannot bear to wear one.
The Edit · Roundup
The Best Shampoos for Curly Hair
The Edit · Roundup
The Best Mousses for Waves and Curls
The Edit · Roundup
The Best Conditioners for Curly Hair
The Edit · Roundup
The Best Leave-In Conditioners for Curls
Good curls are mostly technique. The products matter less than the order you use them in.
The Method · Guide
The Wash Day Routine, in Order
Seven steps, from the first rinse to the final scrunch, and the reasoning behind each one.
The Method · Guide
How to Diffuse Curly Hair Without the Frizz
Low heat, low speed and a great deal of restraint. The technique matters more than the dryer.
The Method · Guide
How to Plop Curly Hair
A T-shirt, fifteen minutes and a slightly ridiculous name. What plopping does, and how to do it properly.
The Method · Guide
The Second-Day Refresh
How to bring slept-on curls back in ten minutes, without washing and without piling on more product.
Type 2A – 2C
Wavy
S-shaped bends that sit close to the head and lose their shape under anything heavy.
Type 3A – 3C
Curly
Springy spirals, from loose loops to tight corkscrews, that want moisture and definition in equal measure.
Type 4A – 4C
Coily
Tight coils and zigzags with the most shrinkage, the most fragility and the greatest need for moisture.
The Science · Explainer
Hair Porosity, Explained
Why the same conditioner transforms one head of curls and sits uselessly on another.
The Science · Explainer
Protein and Moisture: Finding the Balance
Limp, mushy curls and stiff, brittle ones are opposite problems. Treating the wrong one makes it worse.
The Science · Explainer
Sulfates and Silicones: What the Labels Mean
Two ingredient families, a great deal of folklore, and a calmer way to decide what belongs in your shower.
Reviews · Review
The Denman D3, Considered
A brush designed in the 1930s has become the defining tool of modern curl styling. Whether you need one depends on your pattern.
Reviews · Review
SheaMoisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie, Considered
One of the best-known curl creams ever made is superb on the right hair and a mistake on the wrong one.
Night · Review
Is the Slip Silk Pillowcase Worth It?
The best-known silk pillowcase costs several times what a satin one does. What you are paying for, and whether curls can tell the difference.
Eight hours against a cotton pillowcase will undo a wash day. The fix costs less than a bottle of conditioner.
Night · Roundup
The Best Bonnets and Sleep Caps for Curls
Five caps that stay on until morning, and what to do if you cannot bear to wear one.
Night · Review
Is the Slip Silk Pillowcase Worth It?
The best-known silk pillowcase costs several times what a satin one does. What you are paying for, and whether curls can tell the difference.