15 Best Conditioners for Wavy Hair: Wave-Care Staples Await

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Wavy hair is a unique hair type with specific needs, such as more moisture to help prevent frizz and flyaways. Caring for it can prove a bigger challenge than its straight counterparts, but using the best conditioner for wavy hair can make your job much easier.

To help you choose the best product for your unique hair needs, we sifted through the hundreds of conditioners on the market. Below, you’ll find an overview of the top 15. 

#1 Best Conditioner for Wavy Hair

4.4

• Boosts hair growth
• Protects hair from thinning
• Improves the condition of the scalp and hair
• Can be used after bleaching or keratin treatments

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#2

4.3

• Moisturizing conditioner that does not leave a greasy feeling
• Includes nourishing ingredients
• Suitable for wavy, curly and coily hair
• There are no artificial fragrances

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#3

4.2

• Enhances shine and tames frizz
• Aloe vera and wheat protein helps to define curls
• The scent is 100% natural
• Can be used daily

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15 Best Conditioners for Wavy Hair

Whether you want to repair damaged hair or simply find a conditioner that will help your wavy hair shine frizz-free, these products can help. 

Below, you’ll find 15 of the best hair conditioners on the market, along with detailed information that will help you choose the best pick for your unique hair needs. 

#1 Moérie Ultimate Hair Growth Conditioner – Best Overall

Our rating:

4.4

• Promotes natural hair growth
• Prevents hair loss
• Contributes to improving scalp and hair condition, as well as the appearance of the hair
• Replenishes empty hair follicles with new hair

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Moérie’s Ultimate Hair Growth is a hair conditioner that is part of a subscription-based package offered by Moérie. Over 100,000+ people have used their products, and most are raving about the effects that it has had on enhancing hair growth while reducing shedding. 

Their conditioner is deeply nourishing while still offering a lightweight feel, which can be attributed to the various natural ingredients it contains, including nourishing coconut oil and lavender, grapefruit, rosemary, and peppermint essential oils. 

I also love that they decided to include essential amino acids, which are known for their benefits in improving hair structure, helping to naturally strengthen your hair and give it a noticeable shine.

#2 Blu Atlas Conditioner – Best for Men

Our rating:

4.3

• Lightweight conditioner that moisturizes without feeling greasy
• Includes nourishing ingredients like argan oil, avocado oil, and barley protein
• No artificial fragrances

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Blu Atlas is shaking up the world of men’s grooming by offering business-to-consumer grooming products like this lightweight conditioner. 

Made with 98% natural ingredients, the Blu Atlas conditioner contains avocado oil and argan oil to provide hair with deep hydration while still feeling light. When it comes to curly hair, this is particularly important.

Unlike many other naturally-derived hair conditioners, Blu Atlas’ scent is 100% organic, as it contains no artificial fragrances.

#3 Aveda Be Curly Conditioner – Best Eco-Friendly

Our rating:

4.2

• Aroma is made with certified organic lemon and a variety of other essential oils
• Made to tame frizz and increase shine
• Wheat protein and aloe vera enhances curly hair definition
• The perfumey scent is 100% natural

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Aveda is a company that prides itself on being eco-friendly. From their facilities to their products to the packaging they come in, you can rest assured that Aveda is doing everything it can to lower its carbon footprint.

Unsurprisingly, Be Curly is made with the same natural focus. This conditioner for wavy hair is designed to tame frizz while simultaneously increasing shine. It’s made from a natural blend that, when wet, enhances curl structure for perfect curls upon drying.

#4 DevaCurl One Condition Delight – Best for Coily Hair

Our rating:

4.2

• Creates waves and curls that are defined but still soft
• Sulfate, silicone, phthalate, and paraben-free
• The conditioner is nourishing but not too heavy

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DevaCurl offers a wide selection of products designed especially for wavy hair. There’s something for everyone, from leave-in conditioners to mid-lather cleansers made for thick curly hair.

One Condition Delight is a lightweight cream conditioner that is deeply nourishing but better suited for fine hair as it’s formulated to condition fine waves and curls with lightweight moisture.

#5 L’Oreal Dream Lengths Leave-In Conditioner – Best for the Price

Our rating:

4.1

• Leave in conditioner to hydrate your hair between the washes
• Helps reduce frizz on wavy and curly hair
• Made for wavy, curly and coily hair
• Leave-in conditioner to help restore dry and damaged hair
• Contains shea butter, hyaluronic acid, and fine castor oil for hydration

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L’Oreal Dream Lengths is made for everything from wavy hair to deeply coiled hair. This nourishing conditioner works regardless of your hair texture and promises to deliver hydration without leaving hair feeling crunchy or greasy.

Its formula contains hyaluronic acid and fine castor oil, which can help plump up dry and lifeless-looking hair without weighing it down.

#6 CurlSmith Essential Moisture Conditioner – Best for Curly Girl Method (CGM)

Our rating:

4.1

• Useful detangler
• Safe for chemically-treated hair
• Can be used with all hair types, including straight hair
• Free of sulfates, parabens, silicones, mineral oils, phthalates, and DEA
• Very nourishing for dry hair

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Essential Moisture Conditioner by CurlSmith is another eco-friendly and natural option, perfect for our more conscious shoppers. This moisturizing conditioner is loaded with organic ingredients like coconut and avocado oil and contains an essential herb blend that can help promote hair growth.

The formula is designed for every hair type, including straight, and provides a buttery post-use feel that will make you want to use it every day. It’s also perfect for dry hair or curly hair.

Features like being cruelty-free and using recyclable packaging also sold us on the company’s reputation.

#7 Giovanni Smooth as Silk Conditioner – Best for Color Treated Hair

Our rating:

4.0

• Color-safe formula
• Contains some certified organic ingredients
• Protects against split ends
• Designed to treat damaged hair

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Smooth as Silk by Giovanni is a deep conditioner that is specifically formulated for dry and damaged hair. Safe for both chemically treated and natural hair, the ingredient list is USDA certified as 100% organic.

Although not curl-specific, Smooth as Silk helps to alleviate frizz and calm unruly hair while infusing it with deep moisture to make it more manageable.

#8 Kérastase Curl Manifesto Conditioner – Best Lightweight

Our rating:

4.0

• Clinically proven to provide 80% conditioned hair with no weigh-down
• Suitable for all curly hair types
• Paraben and sulfate-free
• Contains ceramides to help strengthen hair

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Curl Manifesto by Kérastase is a super lightweight moisture-replenishing conditioner meant for every hair type, including fine to thick and wavy to coily hair.

It’s free of parabens and sulfates and packed with manuka honey and ceramides that help it deliver smooth, manageable curls that are protected from breakage.

#9 Ouai Thick Hair Conditioner – Best Cruelty-Free

Our rating:

3.9

• Has a beautiful floral scent
• Completely sulfate-free, paraben-free, gluten-free, phthalate-free, SLS & SLES-free, and also not tested on animals
• Contains hair-strengthening ingredients for defined waves
• Perfect for hydrating thick and coarse hair

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Ouia Thick Hair Conditioner is an ultra-moisturizing and nourishing conditioner designed to repair brittle hair and prevent frizz. It’s full of natural oils like avocado oil and shea butter and even contains a dose of keratin to help strengthen the entire hair shaft.

Most Thick Hair Conditioner users fall in love with the natural scent of Italian lemon, Turkish rose, jasmine sambac, iris, lily, and white musk and feel that it is best used in combination with their shampoo.

#10 HairBurst Longer Stronger Hair Conditioner – Best With Proteins

Our rating:

3.9

• Helps to enhance the coil of wavy and curly hair
• Contains amino acids to protect color-treated hair
• Safe for colored hair
• The formula includes proteins to boost hair strength

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Longer Stronger Hair, made by HairBurst, is a sulfate-free moisturizing conditioner made especially for curly hair. Users are noticing that it locks moisture into their curly locks, helping to enhance their natural coil, all while increasing their natural hair growth.

Formulated with proteins and amino acids, it’s designed to protect color-treated hair from damage and restore strength to dry and damaged hair.

#11 SheaMoisture Curl and Shine – Best for Hydration

Our rating:

3.9

• Helps to improve hair elasticity with hibiscus flower extracts
• Rosemary and aloe oils help to hydrate curly hair
• Loaded with coconut oil and fair trade shea butter

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This super popular and budget-friendly conditioner by SheaMoisture is loaded with coconut oil and fair trade shea butter to help restore hair’s natural shine. Free of harmful chemicals, its lightweight formula provides hydration and helps natural curls look their best.

In addition to providing shine to hair, coconut oil protects it against external damage while shea butter penetrates the hair cuticle.

#12 LUS Hydrating and Detangling Conditioner – Best for Sensitive Scalp

Our rating:

3.9

• Made for sensitive skin
• Uses natural oils

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LUS Brand is a company that specializes in creating products for curly and coiled hair that are designed to help you fall in love with your curly hair all over again.

The conditioner has a simple ingredient list that is free of harmful chemicals. It uses shea butter and moringa oil to leave hair and provide hydration while still maintaining a lightweight feel.

#13 Mielle Organics Babassu Oil & Mint Deep Conditioner – Best for Deep Conditioning

Our rating:

3.9

• Safe for chemically-treated hair
• Penetrates the hair shaft
• Contains lavender and peppermint oil for hair growth
• Has babassu, a super hydrating and lightweight oil perfect for wavy hair
• The ingredient list is mostly natural and full of certified organic ingredients

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This next conditioner is formulated for all types of hair, including thin and straight hair. It contains numerous lightweight oils – like babassu and acai pulp oil to nourish dry and frizzy hair. The addition of complex amino acids helps strengthen hair proteins.

This deep conditioning mask helps to penetrate the hair shaft, ensuring deep hydration.

#14 Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Conditioning Mask – Best for Hair Strengthening

Our rating:

3.8

• Safe for color-treated, keratin-treated, chemically-treated, and relaxed hair
• Restores moisture to chemically-treated hair
• Scientifically proven to strengthen hair 2x after three uses
• Contains numerous lightweight oils

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This deep conditioning mask, created by Briogeo, boasts a 97% natural ingredient list that is loaded with unique ingredients like rosehip oil, which is full of fatty acids, and antioxidant-rich algae extract. 

We love that Briogeo is formulated without the use of harsh chemicals and is safe to use on chemically-treated hair, helping restore moisture to dry and lifeless wavy hair.

#15 Davines LOVE Curl Conditioner – Best

Our rating:

3.7

• Protein-rich formula helps strengthen hair coils
• Designed to enhance elasticity and volume of wavy hair
• Contains nourishing almond extract

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Anyone looking for a lightweight conditioner for wavy hair will love Davines LOVE Curl. Their entire line is made especially for waivy, curly, and coily hair using renewable energy and ethically-sourced ingredients. 

The added almond extract is designed to restore the natural shine to dry hair without the residue that thicker oils can leave behind.

Comparison Table

Comparison Winner: Moérie

4.4

4.3

4.2

4.2

4.1

4.1

4.0

4.0

3.9

3.9

3.9

3.9

3.9

3.8

3.7

Visit Moérie

Visit Blu Atlas

Visit Aveda Be Curly

Visit Deva Curl

Visit L’Oreal Dream Lengths

Visit Curl Smith

Visit Giovanni Smooth As Silk

Visit Kérastase Curl Manifesto

Visit Ouia Thick Hair Conditioner

Visit HairBurst

Visit SheaMoisture Curl and Shine

Visit LUS Hydrating and Detangling Conditioner

Visit Mielle Organics Babassu Oil & Mint Deep Conditioner

Visit Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair!

Visit Davines LOVE Curl

Brand

Moérie

Blu Atlas Conditioner

Aveda Be Curly Conditioner

Deva Curl One Condition Delight

L’Oreal Dream Lengths Curls Cream

Curl Smith Essential Moisture Conditioner

Giovanni Smooth As Silk Conditioner

Kérastase Curl Manifesto Conditioner

Ouia Thick Hair Conditioner

HairBurst Conditioner

SheaMoisture Curl and Shine Conditioner

LUS Hydrating and Detangling Conditioner

Mielle Organics Babassu Oil & Mint Deep Conditioner

Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask

Davines LOVE Curl

Pros

Non-GMO and 100% cruelty-free

Can be purchased through Amazon- Free 30-day returns

Site offers a quiz to help you find your perfect product

Vegan and cruelty-free

Offers a money-back guarantee

Very eco-friendly company

Bulk purchases are discounted by 20%

100% cruelty-free

Leaping Bunny-approved

Developed alongside dermatologists

Cruelty-free

Bottle made from 50% recycled plastic

Super budget-friendly

Paraben-free formula

Budget-friendly option

Save 10% when purchasing multiple products

Refunds offered for up to 60 days

Relatively budget-friendly

Can be purchased through Sephora

Free shipping offered for some purchases

Offers a 15% discount for first-time purchases

Can be purchased through Amazon

Offers discounts for subscription users

Sulfate-free- Budget-friendly

Natural ingredient list

Fairtrade and cruelty-free

Budget-friendly

Company specializes in products for wavy hair

Free of harmful chemicals- Budget-friendly

Has over 5,000 positive reviews

Budget-friendly

Can be purchased with after-pay

97% natural ingredients

Can be purchased through the official website using Amazon Prime

30-day returns

Some ingredients are ethically sourced

Made with zero-impact manufacturing processes

Cons

Retail sellers require a subscription

Some people may find it too light

Has a strong fragrance

More expensive than other options

Fragrance doesn’t smell natural

Not cruelty-free

Contains unnatural ingredients

Only sold in-store at Ulta

Leaves some residue

Doesn’t contain many natural ingredients

A little pricey

Conditioner is very thick

Doesn’t contain many natural ingredients

Oils can be heavy for thin hair

Too light for coily hair

Contains sulfates

On the pricey side

Should be used in combination with another conditioner

Only officially sold in salons

How We Tested the Best Conditioners for Wavy Hair

When deciding on the 15 best conditioners for wavy hair, we looked at 40 of the most popular products on the market. From there, we narrowed down our search using the following criteria to ensure that we only recommend the best of the best to our readers.

Quality

Obviously, the best conditioners in their class are going to do an outstanding job at doing what they’re designed to do – provide maximum moisture. 

However, we also prioritized choosing cruelty-free conditioners that are free of harsh chemicals and loaded with high-quality, natural ingredients. Consider using products with coconut oil, aloe vera, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, and other natural ingredients.

Price

When selecting products for our reviews, price is always a factor. We want to make sure that we provide our readers with budget-friendly choices and options that give them the best value for their money.

Brand reputation

When looking for high-quality products, we know certain brands will always deliver. From providing outstanding customer support to using only the best natural ingredients, we love recommending brands we know we can trust to supply top-notch products.

Effectiveness

When choosing a hair conditioner, it’s important to consider your hair type. Curly hair can benefit from a conditioner loaded with thick, moisturizing ingredients to prevent dryness and frizziness. For our review, we looked for hair conditioners that can deliver all the hydration that curly and wavy hair craves.

FAQs

Conclusion

There are dozens of different conditioners for curly hair that can help nourish hair, reduce frizz, and prevent breakage. The best of these products are those that deliver results while containing the majority of high-quality, natural ingredients like lightweight argan and avocado oils.

Of the dozens of products we tested, three stood out from the competition. The curly hair conditioners from Moérie, Blu Atlas, and Aveda offer the best results, and best of all, they are cruelty-free and produced with minimal environmental impact.