A clarifying wash cleans well, so the next step should put moisture back. I go straight to a deep conditioner and leave it on a few minutes before I rinse.

Melanin Haircare Plumping Deep Conditioner has hyaluronic acid for dry, coarse or damaged hair, and it comes in a 14 ounce size. Curlsmith Double Hair Cream is a rich deep conditioner that is free of sulfates and silicones. Fenty Beauty The Richer One uses wild mango butter to reduce breakage and detangle, so it suits medium to thick hair. Bounce Curl Weightless Conditioning Mask is the lighter choice, with baobab oil and a tangle-free glide. Act+Acre Restorative Mask has two percent glycerin and shea butter for dry ends. Mane Hydration Hugs is a whipped mask that works in one to two minutes. amika The Kure is the strengthening option for damage, and amika Soulfood is a softening mask with jojoba seed oil and sea buckthorn.

How to use them: work the mask through soaking wet hair in sections, detangle with your fingers, and rinse when you feel slip.

What I would skip: a heavy mask on fine curls the day you want volume. Go for Bounce Curl or Mane instead.

Once hair is clean and conditioned, it is a fresh start for styling. PATTERN by Tracee Ellis Ross Palo Santo Curl Gel Crème is a medium-hold gel crème made for curly and coily hair, with a flake-free finish. PATTERN Curl Mousse is ultra light and quick drying, and it works for wash-and-gos and protective styles. Bumble and bumble Curl Light Defining Styling Cream is the lighter version for fine and medium hair. Verb Curl Foaming Gel gives gel definition with a mousse feel and no crunch. RŌZ Milk Styling Mousse is a hydrating mousse with heat protection to 450 degrees. Kérastase Curl Manifesto is a gel-cream that adds shape, volume and shine.

adwoa beauty Baomint Moisturizing Curl Defining Cream is the richest, a creamy styler for medium to thick curly and coily hair. Chris McMillan The Hair Gel is a buildable strong-hold gel with zero crunch and no residue, according to the brand.

How to use them: apply to wet hair in sections, scrunch upward, and do not touch it until it is dry.

What I would skip: layering a cream, a gel and a mousse all at once. Pick one or two, because piling on is how buildup starts.

The right schedule depends on your hair and your products. The brands mostly say to use a clarifying shampoo when hair feels coated, and Olaplex calls its version a weekly shampoo. My own habit is to clarify when my curls stop responding, which for me is about once a month.

Always follow a clarifying wash with a deep conditioner, and then restyle with a light hand. If your scalp is sensitive or itchy after a clarifying wash, stop and go gentler. Start with the shampoo that matches your scalp, add one mask you enjoy using, and keep your styler list short.