The 18 Best Natural Hair Products in 2023

Remember: Your curls are your crown.

young female athlete with natural hair against clear blue sky
(Image credit: Getty)

For women with curly, coily, and kinky hair, it's of tremendous importance to invest in high-quality products that keep those strands healthy and full of life. This not only means investing in moisturizing shampoos and conditioners, but it also means finding silk or satin hair wraps, leave-in treatments, hair masks, hair oils, and other products with formulas that are specifically crafted for natural hair. 

And why is the care and keeping of natural hair important? Taking care of your natural hair so that it can look and feel its best is a tremendous act of self-care and self-love, especially for women of color. In fact, according to a study published in the Journal of Black Studies, there was a "significant positive correlation between a higher internal locus of control and [African American women] who choose to wear their hair in a natural state." In other words, embracing your natural hair is good for your strands and for your confidence.

But how do you identify the right products that will keep your curls looking their best? We spoke to Antoinette Bullock, a natural hair expert for Sally Beauty, along with board-certified dermatologist Dr. Rebecca Marcus, about taking care of natural hair and how to shop for the best natural hair products money can buy.

What to Look for in Natural Hair Products

According to Bullock, finding the best products for natural hair is all about balance. "Women with natural hair should look for products that are perfectly balanced with moisture and protein," she advises, going on to say that too much of either can produce damaging results. 

"Using moisturizing products will cause your hair to be too soft and have no elasticity," she explains. "On the other hand, only using protein-based products will cause your hair to be stiff and will eventually dry it out." Instead, products that contain both moisturizing and protein-based ingredients "will help maintain your hair’s health and keep your curly and coily hairs thriving."

And what exactly are some of the most common water-based and protein-based ingredients? According to Bullock, water- or moisture-based ingredients can include water (of course), honey, aloe vera, glycerin, shea butter, avocado oil, and argan oil. Protein-based ingredients, on the other hand, include hydrolyzed (wheat, oat, and soy) protein, hydrolyzed keratin, amino acids (such as silk, milk, and wheat), and hydrolyzed collagen. 

Best Shampoos for Natural Hair

Best Conditioners for Natural Hair

Best Leave-Ins for Natural Hair

Best Styling Products for Natural Hair

Best Hair Masks for Natural Hair

Meet the Experts

hair expert Antoinette Bullock
Antoinette Bullock

Antoinette Bullock is a hair expert devoted to educating people about how to care for their natural hair. In addition to being a haircare expert for Sally Beauty, she is also a prolific content creator on Instagram, Tik Tok, and Youtube.

Dr. Rebecca Marcus
Dr. Rebecca Marcus

Dr. Rebecca Marcus is a board-certified dermatologist who has almost twenty years of experience. She completed her residency training as well as a clinical research fellowship at Columbia University, and went on to found Maei MD, a line of skincare products made with sensitive skin in mind. 

Gabrielle Ulubay
Beauty Writer

Gabrielle Ulubay is a Beauty Writer at Marie Claire. She has also written about sexual wellness, politics, culture, and fashion at Marie Claire and at publications including The New York Times, HuffPost Personal, Bustle, Alma, Muskrat Magazine, O'Bheal, and elsewhere. Her personal essay in The New York Times' Modern Love column kickstarted her professional writing career in 2018, and that piece has since been printed in the 2019 revised edition of the Modern Love book. Having studied history, international relations, and film, she has made films on politics and gender equity in addition to writing about cinema for Film Ireland, University College Cork, and on her personal blog, gabrielleulubay.medium.com. Before working with Marie Claire, Gabrielle worked in local government, higher education, and sales, and has resided in four countries and counting. She has worked extensively in the e-commerce and sales spaces since 2020, and spent two years at Drizly, where she developed an expertise in finding the best, highest quality goods and experiences money can buy.

Deeply political, she believes that skincare, haircare, and sexual wellness are central tenets to one's overall health and fights for them to be taken seriously, especially for people of color. She also loves studying makeup as a means of artistic expression, drawing on her experience as an artist in her analysis of beauty trends. She's based in New York City, where she can be found watching movies or running her art business when she isn't writing. Find her on Twitter at @GabrielleUlubay or on Instagram at @gabrielle.ulubay, or follow her art at @suburban.graffiti.art