The $68 Routine I Swear by for Fresh, Defined Curls 7 Days Straight

Either way, Reavey says conditioning curly hair after shampooing is crucial as it cannot regulate its own moisture. “So hydration is key to healthy, shiny, frizz-free curls,” she adds. 

Step 3: Curl Spray

Right after I hop out of the shower and quickly towel-dry my hair, I put toner on my face (specifically Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner, in case you were wondering) while it’s still damp and Curl Spray on my scalp and ends — as if it’s a toner for them. 

The fine, water-like mist is even infused with intensely hydrating and soothing ingredients often found in facial toners, like glycerin, aloe vera, and watermelon extract, to weightlessly boost moisture and provide hair and scalp with vital minerals to keep both happy and healthy, King says. The latter fruity extract is also key for restoring curl pattern and texture, Reavey adds.

Most of all, I love how the Curl Spray never makes my hair feel crunchy like a lot of other curl sprays tend to do. And it has a divine watermelon-mint aroma to it that reminds me of getting a massage at a fancy hotel while on vacation. 

As Reavey points out, Curl Spray was designed to double as a refreshing spray to “redefine and restore curls in between washes” but my hair soaks up the Soft Curl System products so well that I don’t have to constantly add more products to it. In fact, I only need to spray my second-, third-, and fourth-day hair with some plain old tap water in an empty spritz bottle to get my pillow-flattened ringlets bouncing back into action again. 

Step 4: Soft Curl Lotion

Act + Acre Soft Curl Lotion

The last step of my wash day routine is raking about six pumps of the Soft Curl Lotion through my ends and working it upward to my roots. 

You can’t overdo the amount you add to your hair, which is something I admittedly something I’ve often done with curl creams in the past. I’d end up with oily-looking, weighed-down waves. That’s never the case with the Soft Curl Lotion, though. It’s incredibly nourishing in all the right lightweight ways with the help of chia, linseed, and meadowfoam seed oils. “Chia seed oil is a source of omega-3 fatty acid for helping nourish curls, while linseed oil has antioxidant properties and can help improve hair strength,” King says.