The 21 best moisturizers for natural hair

The 21 Best Moisturizers for Natural Hair: Get Soft Long-Lasting Curls

I’ve been a natural hair girl since my big chop in 2012 and as a wash-and-go queen, I’ve been through many natural hair products to moisturize my curly hair. I do have my favourites so I’m going to list them all here along with the best moisturizers for natural hair that is type 4 like my munchkin’s hair. 

The 21 best moisturizers for natural hair. If you suffer from dry natural hair, try one of these moisturizing natural hair products and learn how to properly moisturize natural hair. #naturalhair #curlyhair #moisturizer #hair

What works for me doesn’t always work for her so this will be a great diverse list of moisturizers for different curly hair types. 

But first…

How do you keep natural hair moisturized?

I like to use my DIY aloe vera mask to deep condition my hair weekly. This provides it with deep hydration that needs minimal moisturization during the week. It has some of the products listed here in it. 

I list my complete hair routine for moisture in this post but to summarize: 

  • Cleanse weekly, even if it means co-washing instead of using a shampoo since using a shampoo so often can strip your hair of its natural oils
  • Deep condition at least twice per month using my DIY conditioner linked above or this deep conditioner (my fave store-bought brand
  • Layer on my leave-in conditioner and stylers listed below
  • Seal everything with an oil or butter-based product (or natural oils and butter)
  • Style into a protective style and repeat after a week

If I’m wearing it out in a wash and go for the week then I will spray it each morning with a hair spritz to refresh my style or with a DIY spray full of goodness

How do you keep natural hair from drying out?

It’s important to keep adding moisture to your hair often to keep it healthy and moisturized. I deep condition weekly, eat my greens, drink my water, and try not to manipulate my hair too often. 

Your hair will also benefit from coverage at night time, away from the elements like air conditioning and cotton sheets. Use a satin pillowcase or satin bonnet to keep your hair tucked away for the night, holding on to the moisture you’ve added to it and its own natural oils.

You also want to make sure you’re sealing in moisture with an oil or butter-based product after you’ve added your favourite moisturizer to your hair. This helps to keep the moisture from evaporating too soon.

You’ll see me reference sealants in my list below, this is their purpose and why the sequence that you add your products to your hair is very important. 

L.C.O Method for Moisturizing Natural Hair

The popular sequence of adding products to natural hair to keep it from drying out is the L.O.C method which is applying a liquid-based moisturizer to your hair, then oil then a cream-based moisturizer to seal it all in. 

I’ve personally found that adding my cream then my oil works better for me so I’ve flipped it to the L.C.O method and it’s been working fine all these years. 

Try them both out for a month at a time and see which works best for your hair type. Let’s get into some moisturizers. 

The Best Moisturizers for Natural Hair

I will list these according to my preferred way of adding these to my hair. Liquid, aka leave-in conditioners first, then my cream-based moisturizers and what I like to call stylers, and then oil or butter-based (cream) moisturizers. 

Stylers help to define your style, adding deep moisture with another, heavier layer of moisture over your light liquid leave in. 

I will also have a section with my favourite deep conditioners because deep conditioning your hair often is crucial to having soft, moisturized natural hair. 

Cantu Leave-In Conditioner Review – The Best Natural Hair Leave-In Conditioner?

Liquid: The Best Leave-In Conditioners for Natural Hair

1. Kinky Curly Knot Today – This is my favourite leave-in conditioner still, after all these years, because it has the perfect slip to control just out of the shower wet hair. It doesn’t drip and it does exactly what it says it will, helping to detangle your hair. Both my type 3 curly hair and munchkin’s type 4 hair love this product. It is very light and definitely cannot be used on its own. If you’re a minimalist and looking for a single product to moisturize your hair, this ain’t it. 

2. Carol’s Daughter Goddess Strength Leave-In Conditioner with Castor Oil for Natural Hair – I love the slip of this leave-in conditioner as well as the scent. It’s really creamy and lightweight and helps with detangling.

3.  Oyin Handmade Hair Dew Daily Quenching Hair Lotion – this is another great lightweight product perfect for that fresh out the shower detangle. I like that the ingredients in this product are natural and very kind to my hair. 

4.  Camille Rose Naturals Curl Love Moisture Milk – this is a great product to try if you have 4c type hair. It’s a deeply moisturizing product that really gets into munchkin’s strands and makes her hair soft and manageable. I don’t mind it on mine either so it’s a good one to travel with since it works on both our hair. I can’t use coconut oil in my hair so I love that there’s none in this. 

5.  CURLS Blueberry Bliss Reparative Leave-In Conditioner – Another great light leave-in for thick curly hair. It has coconut oil in it so I stay far away but munchkin hair loves it. 

Creamy Stylers for Deep Moisture

6.  Jane Carter Solution Curl Defining Cream – An oldie but a goodie, this remains my favourite styler to define my loose curls. It must be added over a leave-in conditioner or else it will leave your hair a bit crunchy so if you’re looking for that one product, skip this one. However, it works beautifully with a leave-in for soft, defined curls. It has quality ingredients and does what it says. I love a reliable product. 

7. Cantu Argan Oil Leave-in Conditioning Repair Cream – this is a great cheapie styler that works great on its own. It’s light enough to use often, won’t wear your hair down and moisturizing enough to act without the use of a leave-in. It will need follow-up refreshing in the days after if you do choose to use it on its own. 

8. tgin Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer – The Thank God Its Natural line of products comes highly rated and I concur. I gave this one a try and it did a great job of moisturizing and defining twist outs. Don’t use too much of this product to avoid buildup.

9. Alikay Naturals – Shea Yogurt Hair Moisturizer – I’ve yet to use this product for the main reason that it has coconut oil in it (and all the other products in the line from the looks of it) however it ranks really highly in reviews on Amazon and another Jamaican natural hair influencer is an ambassador of the brand it seems. Her hair is always poppin’ and she seems to love the brand so give it a try if you’re looking for an all-natural moisturizer for your hair. 

10. As I Am Double Butter Rich Daily Moisturizer – This is a product I’ve only used once as a trial from a friend and only remember it because it left enough of an impression on me to add it to my Amazon cart…only to forget about it. Thanks to this post I’ve just ordered a jar because it was really good! No coconut oil, rich and creamy and a dream on my wet hair even without adding leave-in first. 

Oils and Oil Based Moisturizers for Natural Hair

11.  Avocado Body Butter Raw Fresh Natural Cold Pressed – I’m obsessed with avocado oil and avocado butter for my hair. The benefits of avocado oil are so good that I’ve now started to also include avocado butter in my DIY whipped shea butter mixture. This is my favourite mixture to use to seal in moisture in my hair once I’ve added in my leave-in and styler.

12.  Jamaican Black Castor Oil with Lavender – Jamaican black castor oil mixed with lighter oils and essential oils for scent and added benefits is my favourite way to finish off my hair. This brand is awesome. It’s a quality product and I love that it already comes mixed with lavender oil, one of my favourite essential oils for skin and hair. 

13. Cantu Tea Tree and Jojoba Hair & Scalp Oil – I love this product. It’s a gel-like substance that is best applied on wet hair and gives incredible hold and shine. I use this to slick edges and seal ends when my hair is wet. 

14. Viva Naturals Sweet Almond Oil – There aren’t many finished products in this section because I like to use pure raw oils mixed together or whipped with natural butter to seal in moisture and finish my hair. Sweet Almond oil is one of the oils always in my arsenal because of just how nutritious it is for natural hair. 

15. Organic Argan Oil Cold Pressed and Natural – Again one of the best oils that you can use in your hair is Argan oil. This is also a great oil to use on your skin too, if you’re looking for a great anti-aging moisturizer for your face and hands, give this a try. I use it as is or you can add it to your favourite store-bought moisturizer. 

16. Raw African Shea Butter – Finishing out this section is the raw African shea butter that I just could not live without. You’ve gotta try my whipped shea butter recipe and use it to finish your hair AND on your skin. Mixed with cocoa butter, avocado butter and your favourite essential oils for scent, it is amazing for your skin and hair.

The Best Moisturizing Deep Conditioners for Natural Hair

17. Every Strand Argan Oil Hydrate Hair Masque – My favourite store-bought deep conditioner when I’m too lazy to make my DIY aloe vera recipe is this Every Strand Deep Conditioner or the Coconut one. It hydrates my hair and I’m left with soft tresses that are silky and manageable after. 

18. ArtNaturals Argan Oil Hair Mask – You may be noticing a trend here but yes Argan oil is seriously that good for my hair, next to only aloe vera which is a staple in my DIY concoctions. This product also contains my beloved aloe plus keratin making it a good treatment for my coloured tresses. 

19. Silk18 Natural Hair Conditioner Argan Oil – Ok, I’m beginning to sound like a broken record but there’s more to this deep conditioner. It also contains aloe vera, jojoba oil and was marketed as good for colour-treated hair so I had to try it. Happy to report that it smells great, is an awesome natural product with organic ingredients and works wonderfully at leaving the hair well moisturized and frizz free. 

20. tgin Honey Miracle Hair Mask – This brand makes another appearance on the list thanks to the inclusion of honey and no coconut oil in the ingredients list of this product. That sparked my curiousity and I was pleasantly surprised. 

21.  Deep Conditioning Heat Cap – Cordless, Microwavable – Shout out to this cap for making life easier for natural and home-based beauty gurus everywhere. 

Did I miss your favourite product? Let me know in the comments below what your best moisturizer for natural hair and also let me know if you found something new to try on this list! 

Some images from Depositphotos. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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9 Comments

    1. Because it causes my hair to become trashy and it makes my skin break out. Coconut oil blocks pores so I stay away unless I’m using it as a treatment that u wash out but not as a leave in

    2. Hi IrieDiva, I enjoyed reading your article on best moisturizers for natural hair. I also wanted to add that one of my favorite moisturizing conditioner right now is the creme of nature pure honey hair mask. You should try it and add it to your list! 😊

  1. Thank you for this list, especially the coconut oil info. I’m allergic to coconuts so you’ve saved me some time looking for new products.

  2. Thank you so much for sharing your natural hair ideas. I did the big chop and have been natural for 5 years My dry hair is a struggle.
    You name it I buy it
    So much money spent
    So many hair products.
    I am looking for a good table top hair steamer Do you have any good suggestions. It is so many choices.
    I have a Qredew it does not have enough steam
    I have a Afro cap just get hot.
    V P ATL

  3. Hello I have been natural for year , a hair dressser was taking care of my hair , and now I feel see did not do a good job my hair is 4c I need to know what step I need to do on wash day. And I am 58 and just starting to take care of my own hair. It is dry and coarse and short. I want it to be soft and healthy. I just need to know what products to use and step in apply

  4. I am a older black woman and now that I am it is very hard to keep my hair moist. I have shoulder length hair accept in the back of my hair. I have my hair trimmed about once a month and take care of my own hair,because bueatican’s don’t seem to know how to handle my hair. So at this point I take care of it. I use Jamaican castor oil, Aegean oil,but my hair drys out. It there something else I can do. I will appreciate any suggestions. Thank you for your time.

  5. I am with New Natural Hair, and this Information is Crucial for me. Thank you so much for sharing I already know what I will be in Need of. Much Appreciated