Curlvana Products Review – India’s first Glycerine Free Curl Care Brand

If you’ve been blessed with curls, you’d know the struggle behind finding the right products for maintaining your mane. When it comes to curly hair the natural oils produced in the scalp cannot travel down the hair shaft easily, because of the various kinks present in the hair’s structure. Therefore, unlike straight hair, curly hair experiences extreme dryness. To add to this, humidity aggravates the frizz making the hair look like an absolute mess. Products for Indian curly hair, help in this regard to tame the frizz and rejuvenate the curl pattern.

A few years back, it was a struggle to find CG-approved products in India that were dedicatedly formulated keeping the Indian weather in mind. I remember trying a plethora of shampoos, only to diss them after a couple of uses. Fortunately, times have changed there are quite a few brands that have started catering to curly hair needs with a range of products crafted keeping Indian curly hair and weather in mind.

One such brand is Curlvana! For starters, I like the name, sounds too cool. It’s a brand that believes in embracing curly hair and being in a state of zen with them. What’s unique about them is that they are India’s first glycerine-free curl-care brand. Glycerine is a humectant, which attracts moisture from the air. While curly hair is already dry, the humidity in the air attracts the strands making the shaft swell, and causing frizz. Therefore, glycerine can be one of the reasons why curly hair is prone to frizz.

So, let’s start with the Curlvana products review, shall we? Curlvana has launched 5 hair care products specially designed to maintain wavy, curly, and coiled hair. All of them come in bright coloured tubes, with 200 ml of product. Here’s what the range comprises of:

Shampoo: Fortify Curl Cleanse

Conditioner: Curl Shine Gentle Conditioner

Leave-in conditioner: Moisture Lock Curl Styling Leave-In Cream

Gel: Curl Defining Styling Gel

Mask: Deep Nourish Double-Cream hair mask

Here’s My Take on Each Of The Products

Fortify Curl Cleanse:

This is a sulfate-free, gentle shampoo that works decently well to cleanse the hair. The range doesn’t contain artificial fragrances, so don’t expect your hair to smell all perfume-y after using the shampoo. It doesn’t lather very much, but it performed a pretty decent task of cleansing my hair. My scalp didn’t feel dry after using it, however, I had to use it twice to clean up all the build-up and ensure a squeaky-clean scalp. It contains Jamaican Black Castor Oil, plant protein, and shea butter which are excellent for moisturizing the hair.

Curl Shine Gentle Conditioner:

No Indian curly hair routine is complete without a good conditioner. The conditioner has to be one of my favourite products in the range. It provides great slip and spreads easily across the hair. I keep it on for about 5 minutes before washing it off. I must say, it made my hair very soft and smooth. My curls looked well defined without being weighed down. Vitamin B5 and Coffee; the two unique ingredients in this conditioner are known to add bounce and sheen to the hair. I use it on days when I don’t have time to apply the hair mask and it works amazingly to keep my curls manageable

Moisture Lock Curl Styling Leave-In Cream:

I am very selective about the leave-in creams that I use. I have thin hair, and a heavy leave-in cream can make curls looks flat and lifeless. I was a little wary before using this product because I was presuming that it would be heavy in texture. I am glad to report that I was wrong. I distributed a very small amount evenly throughout my curls and it gave an amazing definition. The brand claims that it provides a soft hold, and they are right about it. I was surprised that my hair did not look flat even after air-drying it. It contains fermented rice water extract which is known to smoothen the cuticles and Geranium which adds volume to the roots.

Curl Defining Styling Gel:

Again, I am too choosy about hair gels, because I hate the crunchy feel. With Flax Seed as its prime ingredient, Curlvana’s hair gel has a very silky feel. It easily glides on the strands and has a light hold. The best part is that it doesn’t make the hair crunchy, so I don’t have to perform the additional task of breaking the gel cast, with an oil. Plus, I’ve noticed that my curls stay in place for much longer every time I use this gel. A combination of the leave-in cream along with the gel makes my curls smooth and extremely defined. I received a variety of compliments on my hairstyle the first time I used this combo and I have not stopped using it since then.

Deep Nourish Double-Cream hair mask:

I used to consider hair masks to be a big hassle, but they’ve helped me change my hair game for the better. My Sundays are dedicated to self-care, where I light a candle, apply a sheet mask, scrub my body and use a hair mask. This entire ritual helps me relax and gets me ready to face the upcoming week. Curlvana’s hair mask has a whipped consistency, which doesn’t weigh the hair down. Plus, I’ve noticed less product build-up on my scalp, ever since I started using this range. Coming to the product, it’s a great way to deeply moisturize the hair every week. I don’t use the conditioner on days I use the mask as the two steps seem redundant. Enriched with aloe vera, glycolic acid, and mint, it nourishes the scalp and s hair. I notice my curls have an improved pattern and look more defined every time I use the hair mask. Plus, it makes my hair so addictively soft!

So, what’s my verdict on the range?

I am beyond glad, that so many hair care brands are coming up with products for Indian Curly Hair. The glycerine-free claim gives Curlvana an edge over other brands because I’ve noticed less frizz on day 2 and day 3 after my hair wash. Earlier I used to wet my hair and re-style it again to rejuvenate my curls, but after using the Curlvana range, I’ve noticed my curl pattern remains intact on the 2^nd and 3^rd day after hair wash (something I’ve never noticed before). Plus, the smoothness quotient of my hair has improved, and I’ve received compliments from colleagues stating my hair looks bouncier and voluminous.

The pricing of each product is pretty decent, and the fact that they have an entire range that works in conjunction with each other makes it easier for people who are new to the Curly Girl Method to purchase the correct products from the same brand, without any confusion.

To be honest there is not a single product in this range that I don’t like. I do have my favourites like the conditioner, the mask, and gel, but the other two products are also pretty good. The best part is, that the brand has kept Indian weather in mind while formulating the products which gives it an edge over the others. Overall, it’s a great beginner-friendly CG-friendly hair range, and I’d highly recommend it. Plus, the brand is offering every product that is required to improvise the Indian Curly Hair Routine, making it much easier to select the correct products.