This is how much my curly hair routine *actually* costs

Okay, hear me out with this one: curly hair care is cheaper than you think.

I’m a curly girl and it’s taken forever to get to a point where my hair is healthy, to know what it wants, and to gauge how it’ll react to variables out of my control. It has been a lifetime of learning and I’m sure there’s more to unravel on my curl journey, but for now I’m proud of where I’m at.

I’m completely aware of how hard it can be to maintain the curls. and finding the perfect routine with products that work is a process. Heck, it took me a good two years of regular haircuts and product testing, and when I properly commit to the bit, it can take upwards of three hours to get my hair perfect.

But once I had it figured out for the most part, I found ways to have insanely good wash days without the slog of a three-hour routine. Now, it can take as little as a five to 15 minute refresh — I swear on the curly hair gods that this is true — for my hair to look slay all day, and that’s while using affordable products to do so.

I tend to do a big haul of curly girl essentials every two to three months depending on how much product I go through, but it’s so worth it. The golden rules of “less is more” and “a little goes a long way” really apply here. 

So, I’m here to help the curly community out with my product recs, noting that your curls can look as good as mine for under $50, as most of these recs are available either at Priceline or Chemist Warehouse.

Marc Daniels’ Go Curly Gel, $8.50 from Chemist Warehouse

I love this gel for a soft hold, looser curl vibe. She’s my go-to for winter when it’s not super windy and the air is a little cooler, so less frizz! I use it as the final step in my refresh routine on damp hair. This is available at any Chemist Warehouse in the curly girl section — and it’s LESS than $10.

CPR Hair’s Products, $23-33 from CPRHair.com

I LOVE this brand so much. I was gifted this for my birthday last year and it changed my hair game completely, I can’t recommend it enough. I swear by the leave-in moisturiser and the defining créme in particular.

Garnier Fructis Hair Food, $12 from Chemist Warehouse

These hair food masks are SO good, especially during the hotter seasons. They’re available literally everywhere — from Chemist Warehouse to Kmart — and are super affordable. Plus, you can pick the flavour you want – but personally, I’m a watermelon and goji girl.

Natalie Anne Hair’s Hydrating Repair Mask, $52 from Natalieanne.com

Speaking of super hydrating hair masks, this is personal my favourite. Charcoal masks are always all the rage, but this Natalie Anne one works wonders. She’s a tad pricey, but I always reach for this when I need to give my curls a little extra TLC (and it lasts so well).

Marc Anthony Hair Care’s Products, $8-22 from Priceline

When I’m looking for go-to hair care at my local Priceline, Marc Anthony has my back. From the intense moisture treatment to the seven-in-one foam and the strong-hold curl defining lotion, majority of my two-to-three month hauls are filled with Marc Anthony products. They’re super reliable and work for my hair no matter the weather!

Schwarzkopf taft spike styling gel, $10 from Coles

Another personal favourite, since my hair needs stronger-hol gels, is this Schwarzkopf styling gel from Coles?? Hear me out: this works for slicking your hair back when styling, but ALSO as a gel to scrunch in during your curl routine. This is the newest addition to my mental affordable collection list, and it holds REALLY well.

Maui Moisture’s hair masks, $26 from Priceline

Since discovering this brand, I’ve been having SUCH good curly hair days. This is one of my favourite hydrating hair masks to use as part of my curl routine, but also when refreshing my hair. It’s buttery, light and smells great — all wins in my book.

Shea Moisture’s hair products, $23.50-30 from Priceline

Personally, I LOVE this brand and so do my curls. They love the formula as it’s made from organic ingredients, and while this is usually great for the girls who don’t have dry scalps, I do and it still works really well for me!

Written by Nishika Sharma, a proud curly girl who’s always on the hunt for affordable products that ACTUALLY work. You can follow her at @nishikasharma_ on socials.

Image credit: Instagram, Schwarzkopf, Natalie Anne Hair + Punkee