This Hair Cream Gives Me Defined Curls Without the Crunch

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My wavy hair is one of my favorite attributes, and curl maintenance used to be easy for me, but after I moved to Los Angeles... maintaining my natural texture got trickier.

As a man surrounded by sleek man buns or buzz cuts, I try to stand out by living a curl-forward lifestyle—even though I’m dealing with LA’s chalky, hard water in my showers and its dry climate.

Too many creams and leave-in conditioners formulated for men (and women, for that matter) are labor-intensive or require multiple steps, waiting, and additional hair tools to keep things under control.

I’m from the world of the splash and dash, with a little squish and squeeze thrown in.

I was grasping for hold, and my hair was styling flat.

Until I ran across a stylist with hair similar to mine: thick curls and natural waves, tousled just so, but never wet or crispy.

I asked what he used, and he hipped me to the game: STMNT Grooming Goods Curl Cream .

The curl-defining styling cream promises a simple solution to a common problem: enhancing natural curls with life and definition without leaving them flat or crispy.

I take about a quarter-sized drop of the cream in my hands, then rub it into damp hair, either after a shower or after wetting my hair with a spray bottle.

What jumps out to me about this formula is the crunch-free definition.

My hair is all shades of brown; other creams drown out that depth.