Creme of Nature UK.

Where Creme of Nature fits

The UK range here runs across five families. Pure Honey Hair Food for moisture and definition, Double Duty for elongation and slip, Acai Berry and Keratin for strength, Coconut Milk for hold and shine, and Clay and Charcoal for a heavier cleanse. Most of it is built for curly and coily hair, from loose 3a waves through to 4c coils.

The styling side leans towards twist outs, braid outs and wash and gos rather than blow dried styles, so the textures are creams, puddings, jellies and custards more than sprays.

Choosing between the ranges

If your hair is dry and drinks product, start with Pure Honey. The Curl Creator Pudding and the Curl Defining Cream both give definition with a soft finish, and the Leave In Treatment is the one people reach for under braids and wigs.

If your hair is fine, weak, coloured or relaxed, the Acai Berry and Keratin shampoo and masque are the strength side of the range. Alternate them with a moisture wash rather than running protein every week, because too much protein leaves hair stiff and snappy.

Double Duty is the stretch range. The Elongate and Define Jelly and the Stretch and Define Pudding pull length out of shrinkage prone coils, and the Detangle and Slip conditioner doubles as a rinse out and a leave in.

Building a wash day

A workable order: cleanse with the Double Duty Detangle and Slip shampoo, or the Creamy Hydration Co Wash if your hair is very dry. Deep condition with the Acai Berry and Keratin masque or the Eden Conditioning Treatment. Seal with the Coconut Milk Essential 7 Treatment Oil while the hair is still damp.

Style on soaking wet hair rather than towel dried. Rake the Curl Definer and Booster or the Twist and Hold Defining Custard through in small sections, then leave it alone until it dries. Fluffing a half dry wash and go is what turns definition into frizz.

UK water, weather and the honest bit about buildup

Hard water across London and the south east leaves a mineral film that dulls curls and stops conditioner doing its job. The Clay and Charcoal Conditioner and the Scalp Refresh cleansing treatment both help clear that between washes, and a proper clarifying wash once a month is worth building in.

Summer humidity of 75 to 90% swells the cuticle and lifts frizz, so a gel or custard with real hold beats a light cream in July. Winter runs the other way. Indoor heating near 30% humidity dries hair quickly, which is when the 24 Hour Nourishing Cream Oil and the heavier butters make more sense.