If your hair texture falls into the curly category, chances are you’re in constant pursuit of more definition, shine and bounce for your curls. Using the right hair care products and styling tools specifically made for curly hair types can make all the difference. Whether you’re blessed with undulating waves or serious spirals, read on to learn how to style natural curls like a pro in seven steps.

1. Switch to a Sulfate-Free Shampoo

Traditional shampoo cleanses the hair and scalp using sulfates that foam up to dissolve oil and dirt. However, sulfates (sodium lauryl sulfate being the most common in shampoos) can be too harsh for curly hair, resulting in dryness and frizz. ColorProof SuperRich Moisturizing Shampoo has a gentle, sulfate-free formula that moisturizes, strengthens and protects hair with soy protein, shiitake mushroom and yarrow.

2. Use a Leave-In Conditioner

A lightweight, leave-in conditioner will keep your curls hydrated without weighing them down. After gently towel-drying hair with a T-shirt or microfiber towel, spritz on Surface Bassu Moisture Mist Leave-in Conditioner for easier detangling. Babassu oil (extracted from babassu palm seeds) moisturizes while moringa oil (derived from moringa tree seeds) provides antioxidant protection against sun and environmental damage.

3. Apply a Moisturizing Styler

To define your curls and pump up the shine, apply a moisturizing styling product such as Virtue Moisture-Defining Whip to freshly washed, towel-dried hair. Virtue’s patented human keratin protein, Alpha Keratin 60ku, smooths hair strand by strand, repairing split ends and damaged hair cuticles. Baobab seed oil nourishes and moisturizes the hair, enhancing curl texture and definition.

4. Air Dry or Diffuse

After you’ve applied your styling product, you can best enhance your natural curls by air-drying or blow-drying with a diffuser. If you choose to air dry, remember these two words: hands off! Touching, combing or brushing can disrupt your curl pattern and cause frizz, so the less you mess with your hair as it dries, the better. To blow dry, fire up the Moroccanoil MO2000 Professional Series Tourmaline Ceramic Hair Dryer on the lowest setting, using the diffuser attachment to disperses hot air and gently dry curls. This dryer’s tourmaline ceramic technology reduces damage to hair while drying it up to fifty percent faster.

5. Heat Style for Touch-ups

After a night’s sleep, you might need a little touch-up to define fallen curls. The Usmooth Infinite Styling Iron features a unique clamp-less design with titanium plates for even heating. To create curls, you just insert a section of hair between the plates, rotate the iron 180 degrees and slowly slide it away from your head down the length of your hair.

Bonus: It can also be used to straighten hair or create a beachy wave look.

6. Add a Smoothing Product

If you’re still struggling with flyaways and frizz, L’ANZA Keratin Healing Oil Defrizz Cream will deliver an extra dose of smoothing shine. Keratin protein smooths hair cuticles, making your locks shinier, healthier and easier to detangle. Apply this cream to wet hair before drying, or dab a small amount to dry ends for an instant smoothing effect. As an eco-friendly bonus, ingredients such as coffee seed oil are all sustainably harvested.

7. Deep Condition Once Weekly

Taking the time to apply a deep conditioning treatment can make a dramatic difference in the health and appearance of curly hair. After shampooing, coat your hair with Kenra Professional Nourishing Masque, and leave it on for ten minutes before rinsing with warm water. Sunflower seed and sweet almond oils boost moisture while soy and hydrolyzed silk proteins strengthen your strands.

Looking for more hair help? Read about the best products for color-treated hair in our recent blog post.