Best Products for the Wet Look on Natural Hair (Without Crunch)

Doing the wet look on natural hair yields flirty & shiny curls that are surprisingly easy to create once you have the right products. The secret to getting that touchable, glossy wet look is layering products that keep your hair soft while freezing everything in place.

If you have ever tried it and ended up with stiff curls or flakes the next day, you’re going to want to try some of my product recommendations.

Below are the best products I recommend for achieving the wet look on type 3 and type 4 curls without the crunch.

A Solid Leave In Conditioner

Your leave in is the foundation for this style. It hydrates your curls and keeps them soft underneath all that gel.

Good options to try:

• Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave In Conditioner – It’s lightweight and smooths the cuticle beautifully
  [Shop Kinky Curly Knot Today here]
• Curls Blueberry Bliss Reparative Leave in Conditioner – Creamy and nourishing, which is great for dry hair
  [Shop Curls Blueberry Bliss here]
• Kinky Tresses Avacado Infusion Hair Milk – Strengthens and softens curls; a great detangler too!
  [Shop Kinky Tresses here]

Mousse

Mousse helps your gel set evenly and gives a little lift at the roots, so your hair does not look flat.

Good options to try:

• The Doux Mousse Def Texture Foam (my top choice) – Lightweight with great slip for smooth curls
  [Shop The Doux Mousse here]
• Design Essentials Compositions Foaming Wrap Lotion – Adds light hold and shine without residue. It’s sold as a “lotion” but comes out of the bottle like a mousse
  [Shop Design Essentials Wrap Lotion here]
• Lotta Body Coconut Oil and Shea Wrap Me Foaming Curl Mousse – Affordable and perfect for wash and go styles
  [Shop Lotta Body Mousse here]

Strong Gel

This is where the magic happens. A strong gel will lock your style in place and give that glossy finish that lasts all day.

Good options to try:

• EcoStyler Olive Oil or Argan Oil Gel – Affordable and perfect for creating a sleek finish. A level 8 hold gel works well for extremely fine hair.
  [Shop for EcoStyler Gels here]
• Wetline Xtreme Professional Styling Gel – Serious hold and incredible shine
  [Shop Wetline Xtreme here]
• Kinky Curly Curling Custard – Softer hold but great if you want a more natural feel
  [Shop Curling Custard here]

Glossing Spray

Glossing spray is optional, but it adds that extra shine that makes the style pop. I don’t typically use glossing spray because I get a lot of shine from my mousse. However, if you are struggling with that “dusty” look, this is one product you want on hand when you are trying to make a statement that says, “She tried and she did that thang!”

Good options to try:

• Kenra Platinum Silkening Mist – A salon quality shine spray that is super lightweight. Pricey but truly delivers
  [Shop Kenra Shine Spray here]
• ORS Olive Oil Nourishing Sheen Spray – drugstore brand, but a great choice that nourishes too
  [Shop ORS Sheen Spray here]
• Chi Shine Infusion Spray – Smooths frizz and adds high gloss
  [Shop Chi Shine Infusion here]

Lightweight Oil

Add a drop or two of oil to your ends once your hair is fully dry will help break up any hard cast that causes your ends to feel rough.

Good options to try:

• Grapeseed Oil – Light and absorbs quickly
• Argan Oil – Adds softness and shine without being greasy
• Sweet Almond Oil – Smells amazing and doesn’t weigh the hair down
• Melanin Haircare Pure Oil Blend (available at Ulta Beauty or at www.melaninhaircare.com) – a blend of lightweight oils that smell really good too

Hair Spray (Optional)

If your gel doesn’t have the holding power you are looking for and you want the style to last through humidity, use a flexible hair spray to hold everything in place.

Good options to try:

• Redken Control Hairspray 28 For All Hair Types – Provides Long-Lasting Anti-Frizz Protection, is humidity resistant, and offers up to 24 hours of style memory
  [Shop Redken Hairspray here]
• Lock It Weather Control Hairspray – Use just a small amount. It is super holding
  [Shop L’Oreal Hairspray]
• Got2b Glued Blasting Freeze Hairspray – An extreme hold spray that fights against extreme humidity. Caution with this one. It will keep your hair “frozen” in place for days. Great if you want to rock the wet look for days on end.
  [Shop Got2B Glued Hairspray here]

Tips for the Best Results

While you may have all the right products in your arsenal, the way you apply them will determine the success of achieving the wet look style. Here are my tips:

1. Start with fully detangled hair.
2. Work in small sections so every strand gets product.
3. Layer your products in this order:
   • a very small amount of leave-in conditioner
   • mousse (if you use a moisturizing mousse like The Doux, you can skip the leave-in)
   • Gel – a semi-generous application (Define your edges – optional but super cute!)
   • Light oil to the ends only (if needed)
   • Glossing spray to finish it all off
4. Smooth through with your fingers while simultaneously ensuring your hair remains tangle free, working downward as if you are plastering your hair to your head.
5. Tie your hair down with a scarf until it is nearly dry.
6. Most importantly, do not touch your curls until they are fully dry or you will lose that slick finish.

The wet look is the perfect way to show off your curls while keeping them protected and defined. When you use the right product combo and technique, you’ll do just that.

Looking for step by step instructions on how to apply these products for the best results? Check out my full guide: How to get the wet look on natural hair.