The 6 Best DevaCurl Products to Prevent Damage and Define Curls

No-Poo Cleanser, Defining Gel, and more of the haircare brand's best products

products

Courtesy of Company / Design by Michela Buttignol

Editor’s Note: We reviewed this article on October 9, 2023. As per our editorial policy, we are constantly updating our content, to make sure it reflects the best of the best when it comes to beauty, wellness, and fashion. We want to assure our readers that we still stand by our recommendations, which we do.

If you wear your hair curly, you've probably heard about the brand DevaCurl at some point. The company makes curl-friendly products and accessories suitable for all textures. It's also known for its signature DevaCut that makes the most of natural hair, whether it's wavy, tightly curled, or somewhere in the middle.

I was fortunate enough to review six of the products in the line, as detailed below. There are videos on the DevaCurl website that show how to apply many of the products so that you can experience the best results. I highly recommend checking those out, even before you make any purchases.

DevaCurl

Founded: Lorraine Massey in 1994

Based In: New York City, New York

Pricing: $$

Best Known For: Curly hair essentials like low foaming shampoos, hydrating conditioners, and styling products

Most Popular Product: No-Poo Original Zero Lather Conditioning Cleanser, One Condition Original Daily Cream Conditioner

Fun Fact: Founder Lorraine Massey coined and developed the popular "Curly Girl Method," a technique used to wash and style curly hair.

Other Brands You’ll Love: Shea Moisture, Cantu Beauty, Kinky Curly

DevaCurl was founded in 1994 by Lorraine Massey, a hairstylist who first opened the Devachan salon with her business partner Dennis Da Silva. The salon specialized in curly hair and Massey's iconic Curly Girl Method, which involves embracing a "no-poo" lifestyle (aka no shampoo), avoiding heat, combs, brushes, sulfates, silicones, and alcohol. A classic Curly Girl Method routine involves cleansing your hair with a cleansing conditioner, rinsing and applying a hydrating conditioner, and applying a leave-in conditioner and hair gel to soaking wet hair. To dry, lean forward so your head is upside down, tie a microfiber towel or cotton T-shirt around your hair, and then air dry as needed. Heat is strictly discouraged, but if you need a bit more volume or if you have somewhere you have to be, you can use a diffuser on low heat.

Before I started testing the products, I wanted to begin with as clean a slate as possible. So I made sure to wash my hair thoroughly and give myself time for my hair to dry. I have a long drying time⁠—usually over three hours, to be exact. I also like to thoroughly detangle when deep conditioning with a comb.

Del Sandeen curls

These are the results of my wash and go with the DevaCurl products. Can I just say "curl definition?" This picture doesn't convey how full and bouncy my hair was. I've heard some bloggers/vloggers say their hair felt "coated" after using some DevaCurl products, but I didn't experience that. I did have a little bit of a "gel cast" or, as the company calls it, a "Curl Cast," but it was in no way hard or crunchy, and I scrunched it out easily. I pineappled my hair at night, and my second-day hair looked just as good as my first-day hair.

Needless to say, I love the products I tried.

Aside from products, tools, and accessories, you can find brand salons that perform their signature DevaCut. Check out the DevaCurl site for full product information and where to find a salon that can perform a DevaCut especially for you.

Keep reading for my honest review on DevaCurl’s hair products.

Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.

Editor's note: Since the initial date of publishing this story, DevaCurl has faced claims of hair loss, curl and texture damage, and scalp damage. Please practice caution when using these products.

DevaCurl No-Poo Cleanser

DevaCurl No-Poo Original Zero-Lather Cleanser

Courtesy of Amazon

The No-Poo Original ($24) is a conditioning cleanser (not to be confused with typical co-wash products) that doesn't lather at all. Unlike a cleansing conditioner that focuses only on the hair, No-Poo cleans the scalp and hair. It contains peppermint oil (along with other goodies like hops and amino acids), and I could feel the tingle on my scalp when I used it.

DevaCurl One Condition Original Conditioner

DevaCurl One Condition Original Rich Cream Conditioner

Amazon

I followed up the No-Poo with the One Condition Original Conditioner ($24), which was just as rich and creamy. I didn't need a comb while using these products. I applied a generous amount, enough to make sure each hair strand was covered, and I finger combed throughout. There's plenty of slip, so I was able to work through tangles quickly.

DevaCurl Heaven in Hair Divine Deep Conditioner

DevaCurl Heaven in Hair

DevaCurl

Everyone with curls out there needs a great deep conditioner in their life. I'm a big fan of thick, creamy deep treatments, and Heaven in Hair ($28) fits the bill. After shampooing, I slathered my hair with this conditioner, combed through, covered it with a plastic cap, and sat under my bonnet dryer for 30 minutes. I didn't need a comb using this product, but I like to fully detangle when deep conditioning. After rinsing, my hair was tangle-free and felt very clean and soft. (Note: I used this deep treatment on a different day than styling my wash and go).

DevaCurl Ultra Defining Gel

DevaCurl Ultra Defining Gel

Walmart

The Ultra Defining Gel ($24) is a thick gel offering plenty of hold, which although firm, didn't leave my hair feeling heavy at all. Instead, it formed a cast over my curls that kept them looking super defined but not crunchy. That's definitely a huge win for me.

DevaCurl Styling Cream Touchable Curl Definer

DevaCurl Styling Cream

Courtesy of Walmart

The Styling Cream Touchable Curl Definer ($28) is a creamy styler that I used in conjunction with the gel. I didn't apply it to my dry hair to control any frizz or add definition because I didn't need it. I only used it on damp hair. Jojoba oil helps increase softness, while tapioca starch helps control the frizz.

DevaCurl Mist-er Right Dream Curl Refresher

Mist-er Right Dream Curl Refresher

DevaCurl

The Mist-er Right Dream Curl Refresher ($20) is great to use on those in-between wash days when your hair needs a boost of hydration, but you don't want to load your hair up with more product. Lavender oil helps soothe and nourish the scalp (plus, it smells great). I love to use it after a workout or whenever my curls need a bit of love.

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