Sof N' Free UK.

Four ranges under one name

Sof N Free splits into distinct lines. Manuka Honey & Avocado is the moisture and repair side, with a shampoo, conditioner, deep mask, leave in and scalp oil. The Black Castor Oil range covers scalp comfort and styling, from the braid oil to the afro styling gel and foam wrap mousse. Flaxseed Oil & Rosewater handles curl definition. And n’Pretty is the children’s range.

Add to that the Coconut & Jamaican Black Castor Oil trio and a few older favourites like the Curl Activator Lotion and the Gold Dust Shimmer Oil lotion, and the collection covers a full wash day for coily and curly hair.

Which line suits your hair

Dry, dull, brittle hair that has been coloured or heat styled does best on Manuka Honey & Avocado. The deep conditioning mask and the moisture rich conditioner are the heavy hitters, and the leave in in the 325 ml bottle lasts a long time on medium length hair.

If your problem is definition rather than dryness, Flaxseed Oil & Rosewater is the one. The curl elongating gel gives a soft set without crunch and the curling mousse suits finer curls that get weighed down by cream.

The Black Castor Oil products are aimed at people in braids, locs and afro styles who want the scalp looked after while a style stays in. The braid oil in the 100 ml bottle has a nozzle that reaches the parts without soaking the hair.

The children’s range

n’Pretty is built for detangling small heads with as little fuss as possible. The Olive & Sunflower Oil CombEasy shampoo and conditioning treatment work as a pair, and the leave in detangler is the one that saves the argument. The Coconut Oil leave in conditioner and the curl defining cream cover styling.

Nothing in the children’s line carries strong hold, which is deliberate. Young hair does not need firm gel, and tight styles put strain on a fine hairline.

UK water and weather

Hard water in London and the south east leaves mineral film that makes curls feel rough and dull after a few weeks. A clarifying wash monthly, then the Manuka Honey Hydration Shampoo the rest of the time, keeps that under control.

British summers run 75 to 90% humidity, which lifts frizz and swells the cuticle, so the flaxseed gel or the foam wrap mousse hold better than a cream on their own. Winter heating near 30% humidity is the drying season, and that is when the Coconut & Jamaican Black Castor Oil strengthening oil and the deep mask are worth reaching for weekly.