1.
A deeply hydrating leave-in spray packed with phytonutrients (such as spinach, chia seeds, and cocoa seed butter), vitamins, and antioxidants. It’s sort of like a super green smoothie for your hair.
Promising review: “Holy grail! This literally made my hair so so glossy, and my hair looks so healthy! i always get compliments when using this product in my hair. it also helps define my curls, which is awesome!! if you’re curious about this product, just give it a shot!” —Candence
Get it from Ulta for $25.
2.
A hair bond repairing treatment if you’ll only splurge on products that do everything they promise for hair and more. From the first use, reviewers say they notice their curls look and feel smoother, more defined, and frizz-free. And it only gets better with continuous use.
Promising review: “I have 3c curly hair I am in transition from dark to very light blonde. This has been a lifesaver! I apply a generous amount evenly to damp hair, focusing more on the chemically treated parts. I put my hair up and let it sit for about an hour and then I rinse and follow with a deep conditioner. I have done this twice a week and my hair has been able to keep its integrity throughout my transition. I have even found that my curls are more defined and feel stronger than they did before I started applying chemicals.
This is not a deep conditioner, but it does help reinforce and bridge the gap between broken bonds in your hair’s structure. The bonds are broken any time we apply chemicals and/or heat and the damage intensifies if you are not caring for your hair by giving it the proper moisture and maintenance. This Olaplex will help repair that damage but the stove ingredients do not provide the exact same thing as deep conditioners. If you understand what, exactly, it does and can use it in a system with other products for your hair type and problems then I think you will find that it is a holy grail!” —Kaila Hamilton
Get it from Amazon for $30.
3.
A famous anti-frizz treatment for curly hair that moisturizes and clumps curls (amongst other things). This is a one-and-done spray for curly-haired folks that replaces the use of a ton of products like gels and creams and will leave your hair shiny and bouncy.
Promising review: “This stuff is the holy grail for me. Enough so I did a picture. I use this and theorie marula oil. My hair feels like butter. It curls so much better. I just ordered another bottle. I bought a bottle in May of both this and Marula Oil. I have enough left to last till halfway through August, maybe September. But I don’t want to run out.” —BooksDevoured
Get it from Amazon for $24.
4.
An all-around strengthening hair oil that nourishes hair follicles, supports hair retention, and prevents dry scalp. Shoppers report that you’ll see real results with consistent use — not to mention the mintiness feels amazing on your scalp.
Promising review: “I have SUCH a dry scalp it’s god awful and this stuff is my holy grail. Works amazingly and feels SO nice on my scalp when my hair is dry. I’ve tried a couple of other products out there for dry scalp and this product is like no other!! My holy grail product. I could not live without this stuff!” —Marilyn Fuentes
Get it from Amazon for $8.89.
5.
A lightweight, intense moisturizing curl primer and detangler you’ll obsess over from just one whiff simply because it smells like an exotic fruit salad. From providing your hair with natural shine to making detangling a breeze, there are so many things to love about this leave-in — consider your hair routine transformed forever.
Promising review: “Holy grail—I’ve been using this moisturizer for over a year now. I usually blow dry my hair and it does the job. Sometimes I can even sleep down my hair (it’s not perfect btw) with this products. And okay, the bottle is pink and it smells amazing so it’s a win win! Love it!” —Okiki Sokoya
Get it from Amazon for $12.
6.
A detoxifying shampoo to get your hair and scalp squeaky clean (even after using countless products to style your curls). Featuring apple cider vinegar, this shampoo breaks down dirt, oil, and product buildup to promote a healthy scalp and hair. Consider this clarifying shampoo a total reset button for your hair in shampoo form.
Sephora
Promising review: “Holy crap this stuff is so good! I bought this because I felt like I had a lot of buildup from dry shampoo, sweat from working out, etc and this stuff cured that and more! I also have a sensitive dry scalp and my scalp feels clarified and no longer itchy. I washed my hair with this and used a deep conditioner and my hair feels like I just left a salon! Holy grail status.” —lailasurangel
Get it from Sephora for $14+ (available in four sizes).
7.
A curl-enhancing cream that smells so good you’ll wish it was an actual smoothie. This clean cream formula is made without sulfates or silicones to provide superior curl definition while controlling frizziness. You’ll instantly notice your hair is shiny and bouncy after use.
Promising review: “I have high porosity thick 3b hair. My hair loves heavier products. And is really prone to frizz. This really helps to calm down the frizz,while bringing a lot of moisture. Also I love the smell I wish they sold a hair fragrance with this exact scent. I’ve used it for wash and gos and it works well for that . But I most often use it for braid outs ,twist outs, everything under the sun. Sometimes things are overhyped, and they don’t deserve that much popularity when the product is mid. But this is a holy grail, this is my eighth time repurchasing it and it never fails to amaze me. Over and over I looked for better products, but came back to it because this is the best of the best for a leave in conditioner. Especially if you have thick hair.” —Celina
Get it from Amazon for $15.98+ (available in two sizes).
8.
A Ouidad heat and humidity gel since frizz has an annoying way of ruining your curly do’ in a flash. Keep your curls in check all day long with this ultimate styling weapon, rain or shine.
Promising review: “I live in an area of the country that is very humid and hot during the summer. I always struggled to get my curl pattern to stay and to not become a frizzy mess during the summer months. I finally stumbled upon this product and instantly fell in love. My curl pattern returned instantly and the anti-frizz factor was incredible. It is now my holy grail product in the summer. It can be used alone or I layer a hard hold gel, like Aussie Instant Freeze, over it for more days without a refresh. It also seems to hold up well for most other months as well, until the humidity drops too low and the glycerin in it doesn’t do well.” —hodagkins
Get it from Amazon for $10+ (available in three sizes).
9.
A bottle of Verb Ghost oil to scare off flyaways and frizz. This paraben and sulfate-free oil is weightless and designed to smooth hair while locking in shine.
Amazon, amazon.com
Promising review: “Solid option for keeping my kinky curls from drying. Not my favorite scent but not bad, doesn’t linger Reasonably priced. All that said, I’ve stumbled upon a great combination: I use ghost oil to cut/add more moisturizing nutrients to (far more expensive) Oribe gold lust oil and have found the combination something of a ‘holy grail’ for adding sheen and moisture. I generally combine in 2:1 ratio or 1:1 when hair is really dried out.” —Ready Eddie
Get it from Amazon for $20+ (available in two sizes).
10.
A water-like hair treatment that’s designed for damaged hair but most importantly for lazy folks that complain about not having enough time to give their hair the attention it needs. It literally only takes *eight seconds* for this product to transform your hair into something silkier, shinier, and healthier looking. Do both you and your hair a favor and stop making excuses. K?
Promising review: “I have 2b/2c hair type. Super long, curly, thick, high porosity hair that is incredibly difficult to manage. I’ve tried everything from the curly girl method (which I now use a modified version of) to salon treatments. I’m always on the hunt for something with lots of slip to help detangle my hair. Not only does this create the perfect amount of slip to easily detangle my hair, but afterwards it leaves it detangled, soft and super easy to manage. It’s pretty magic. I’ve gone through at least seven of these bottles and it’s my holy grail. This stuff is a game changer for curly hair. 10/10 would recommend.” —Allison Schild
Get it from Amazon for $9.47.
11.
An Act+Acre Cold Processed Hair Cleanse and Hair Conditioner for those dealing with a dry, itchy scalp that just won’t seem to let up. These trichologist-developed products are perfect for those curlies who have suffered through product buildup on the scalp from all the custards, puddings, and oils used as a recipe for defined curls.
12.
Or a curl-safe anti-dandruff shampoo made with 1% ketoconazole to stop stubborn dandruff and scalp fungus in its tracks.
Promising review: “This is the holy grail of shampoos for dandruff. Literally read the review of someone else saying this gets rid of your dandruff the first use. THEY WERE NOT LYING! If you have been struggling with dandruff for years, this shampoo is what you need to invest in. PLEASE!” —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $14.70
13.
A quick-acting Elizavecca hair protein Treatment just in case your over-processed, damaged hair needs some TLC but you’re crunched for time. In as little as five minutes, this ceramide 3 (intense moisturizing agent) and collagen (key for protein building) packed formula begins deeply repairing hair of all textures.
Promising review: “I am a hairstylist and have tried everything. I went from black, to blonde, to black, to purple, back to black and my hair was FEELING it! This stuff smells AMAZING and my hair has never felt better. I use it once a week with Olaplex shampoo and Olaplex leave-in and my hair is like new hair. It is growing and not breaking off anymore. It is actually shiny and my friend couldn’t stop saying how soft my hair looks and feels. I have never had that. I rarely leave reviews….but needed to with this holy grail.” —kyleagogo
Get it from Amazon for $6.70.
14.
A detangling brush that *actually* works for thicker and coarser hair textures. If you’re sick of going to war when detangling your curly locks, then adding this brush to your cart is a no-brainer.
Amazon
Promising review: “This brush is the Holy Grail. My hair is VERY thick and coarse and long. It gets tangled so easily, and for my entire life I have endured brushes that pulled and ripped out my hair. I dreaded brushing my hair out after a shower. It was awful. I searched for the best brush for thick hair and found this. I thought it would be too good to be true, but it is not! This brush is strong enough to get to the bottom of my hair, and there is absolutely no pulling and no pain. I want to buy 10 more.” —Summer Patterson
Get it from Amazon for $7.17+ (available in four colors).
15.
A Moroccanoil conditioning hair treatment you can use on both wet or dry hair to tame flyaways and reduce frizz while adding life back into limp hair. This treatment also wins in the definition department which is why many curl havers are so obsessed.
Reviewers also can’t stop talking about how amazing this product smells. 10s all across the board!
Promising review: You can definitely tell the difference when you START using this product and when you STOP! Tried to experiment with other oils (i.e josie maron, macadamia natural oil) but NOTHING compares to this! I have dry, naturally curly hair and I find that this product really helps with the frizz and with locking in some moisture. Holy grail product, for sure!” —Mirna Mikhail
Get it from Amazon for $16+ (available in two sizes).
16.
A Shea Moisture hair-defining mousse just in case you have finer hair that’s easily weighed down by curling creams. This will give you all the definitions you desire without the weight or crunch.
Promising review: “I use this mousse in freshly showered hair and it gives enough structure to ensure my curls coil together instead of frizzing, but doesn’t leave my hair with a crunchy, thick coating. I use 3–4 pumps at a time in different sections of damp hair, allow to air dry, and finish with a light oil at the ends and I end up with soft, bouncy definition. This has definitely become a holy grail product for me! Only complaint it that the scent isn’t *spectacular* —borninthedoorway
Get it from Amazon for $10.42.
17.
A deep conditioning mask made especially for dry type 3c–4c hair. If you’ve been struggling to find a deep conditioner that really penetrates dry strands and leaves them feeling hydrated when the product is long gone, let me introduce you to this.
This conditioning mask leans on the power of raw honey, olive oil and jojoba oil to noursh and repair hair from the inside out.
Promising review: “This product has no comparison that is how great it is in my hair. I have read tons of reviews and YouTubers have raved about this so I decided to give it a try and my only regret is not getting more than one. I have thick kinky 4c hair and this is a holy Grail deep conditioner. My hair has been soft and manageable ever since I used this. If I have to write about the greatness of this product it will be too long. If you want the best deep condition experience give this honey mask a try.the smell is amazing, the moisture is unbelievable and the price is worth the product.” —Twirls
Get it from Amazon for $14.69.
18.
An aloe and coconut oil-based pre-shampoo treatment so you can start the process of detangling before hopping in the shower. If you have super curly hair, you know just how important detangling before shampooing is, save yourself the trouble (and knots) by adding this into your wash day routine.
19.
A hair diffuser designed with curly hair in mind just in case you needed a reminder that not all superheroes wear capes. This diffuser will help you dry your hair in record time while keeping your fabulous curls intact.
Promising review: “Holy grail diffuser. I have thin hair but it’s extremely curly. (I’m mixed black and white) This works wonders for me. I’ve had a traditional blow dryer with a diffuser before but it just blasted my hair with too much air, which made it frizzy and it was hard to hold and maneuver. This diffuser is lightweight and the air flow can be adjusted lower than my blow dryer would allow and it also has better heat/cold settings, which is important for me because hot air makes my hair poof up. I love it. It dried my hair in less than 10 minutes with zero learning curve.” —Syren
Get it on Amazon for $27.85
20.
A pack of flexi rod curlers for when you want to rock your curls but also want to stretch them a bit because…shrinkage. Flexi rods allow you to get the best of both worlds without ever putting heat on your curls. According to reviewers, these work wonders on short hair.
Promising review: “There is a reason these have such a high rating. They’re cheap, foolproof to use, do exactly what they advertise, and are a time-tested product to use for curling hair. What you see advertised in the picture are exactly what you get. The foam is dense but soft. Absolutely a holy grail hair product.” —Megean N
Get a pack of 42 from Amazon for $14.99
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.