A Guide To K-Beauty Haircare: Curly Hair Edition

We all know K-beauty best for its effective and high-quality skincare products, but there’s a whole other category of products that incorporates K-beauty: haircare.

But curly-haired folk are very particular when it comes to finding the best product to fit within our washdays and haircare routines. Korean haircare, or “K-hair” as it’s sometimes called, is primarily driven by scalp health, with products leaving a high-shine, glass-like finish. K-hair also tends to use more natural, gentler ingredients such as botanical extracts and fermented rice and soybean rather than synthetics, which can leave the hair feeling lighter. 

Curly hair of any type tends to be coarser in texture, drier, and a lot more prone to damage and breakage because of its fragile nature, so products that offer maximum moisture and aid in repairing damaged hair are ideal. The good news is that most K-hair products do just that and are available at major beauty retailers like Ulta and Sephora. Here are the basics of K-hair to embark on your new haircare journey. 

The essential item of any good washday. Similar to Mielle Organic’s viral rosemary mint line, AROMATICA’s Rosemary Scalp Scaling Shampoo is infused with rosemary, biotin, and caffeine and gently removes buildup and dandruff to promote scalp circulation (a method to support hair growth). 

The Dr. Groot line makes a multitude of shampoos serving different hair needs. The biotin in the Scalp Soothing Shampoo for Dry Scalp supports keratin bonds in the hair, which can reduce breakage while delivering moisture. The Hair Thickening Shampoo is great for those with fine and thinning hair by invigorating the scalp with rosemary oil.

The Culise Deep Hydrating Conditioner is the key to unlocking silky and moisturized hair. It has shea butter, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin, so you know that you’re getting the best ultra-hydrating ingredients. 

Looking for something more treatment-based? The Ryo Damage Care & Nourishing Conditioner works well for damaged color-treated hair and is made with all vegan ingredients, including Korean Ginseng, which is great for hair growth.

This is where K-hair shines best. Unove is Korea’s most popular haircare brand, and for good reason. The Deep Damage Repair Hydrating Hair Mask is the brand’s hero product, good for all hair types and hair textures. This keratin-infused hair mask is paraben- and sulfate-free and improves the bonds between hair cuticles with its DeepCore Bond Technology. 

To lock in all the moisture and shine, the Narka Straight Slick Hair Milk has a thick, curly-hair-friendly texture, provides frizz control and heat protection, and leaves a glass-like finish. Almond proteins in this leave-in conditioner are the product’s workhorse ingredient.