WonderBalm is all the promise of silicone, without the consequences. It gives you frizz-free shine and softness, but won’t break or dull hair.
Evolvh’s silicone-mimicking hair balm is so extraordinarily perfect you might assume that it’s gotta be bad for you. I know I did. How could something that makes hair look so unbelievably good not hurt hair down the road?
WonderBalm utilizes a brilliant ingredient called coco-caprylate, but more on that below. For now, all you need to know is that you can style your curls without an oil, crunchy gel, or heavy leave-in conditioner. There are other safe options. And this is one of the very best.
The problem with silicones
At first, silicone-based hair products will make hair appear shiny and smooth. But before too long, they’ll build up on the hair, even with regular shampooing. This makes once-healthy hair become dull and dry. And in curly hair, the natural curl pattern may even become disrupted.
Some common silicones you’ll see in hair products are dimethicone, cyclomethicone, and dimethiconol. These differ from “silicates” which are sometimes used in hair products as thickeners.
Which brings us to Evolvh’s new super-product: WonderBalm is silicone-free!
WonderBalm Magic: A Styling Product Unlike Any Other
Here’s why you should pay attention to WonderBalm:
- it allows hair to move and bounce
- there’s no buildup
- it doesn’t dry hair out
- it works on a wide spectrum of hair thickness and porosity
- there’s zero flaking
- it prevents and reduces frizz
- it makes hair look shiny, not greasy
- hair is less likely to get tangled
- there’s no strong smell
- hair is so unbelievably soft
- there’s no stickiness
- IT IS WEIGHTLESS
What WonderBalm does not do
Here’s what WonderBalm IS NOT:
- To be clear, it doesn’t create a stiff, structured curl. Even if it looks like a gel in the bottle, it most certainly isn’t in practice. It gives a silky slippy feeling. However, if you wish, you can spray a lightweight leave-in conditioner like the SmartStart Leave In Conditioner before applying for more curl definition.
- It doesn’t reduce the overall volume of hair, like many heavier gels, leave-in products, and puddings do. It maintains curly hair’s inherent volume and shape, but reduces frizz while making it insanely soft.
- This isn’t necessarily a product to repair damaged hair, although it won’t add damage or dryness. But if you’re on the lookout for something to repair damaged hair, be sure to check out this hair guide.
- It won’t work for edge control.
Our Path to Natural Curl Enlightenment
You see, my daughter Raquel has a head full of the most gorgeous 3B curls you’ve ever seen. (I’m biased, but humor me here.) Finding the right products for her hair has become a sort of mission of mine, and we’re always on the hunt for products to bring out the best in her hair.
We’ve fallen in love with Evolvh’s curl lineup. The SmartCurl Hydrating Wash, SmartCurl Hydrating Conditioner, the SmartStart Leave-In Conditioner, this WonderBalm I’m raving about…these products do more than work. They’re a delight to use.
And—best of all—Evolvh haircare is made with safe, quality ingredients. And when it comes to my daughter, I’m not messing around. Safety is of the utmost importance, especially since beauty products marketed to women of color have higher levels of harsh and problematic chemicals.
How to Use
(For enhanced curl definition, first apply some SmartStart Leave-In Conditioner to damp or dry hair.)
Apply 1-3 pumps of WonderBalm to wet or dry hair, roots to ends.
For reference, my daughter uses about 3 pumps.
Inside the Ingredients
Here’s the full ingredient list for the WonderBalm Magic for Curls: coco-caprylate, diheptyl succinate and capryloyl glycerin/sebacic acid copolymer, hydrogenated rapeseed oil, kiwi seed oil, castor oil, almond oil.
| Extremely Safe | Reasonably Safe | Proceed with Caution | Insufficient Data |
Coco-caprylate is a plant-derived ester of coconut alcohol, caprylic acid, and capric acid. It is generally regarded as a safe ingredient.
This product is fragrance-free.
The Straight Hair Hijack
Although this product is intended as a curl balm, I’ve been using it for my fine, straight hair as a finishing gloss. It’s lightweight, adds shine, and lays down flyaways. And it never looks greasy in my fine hair.
Don’t Forget the Shampoo and Conditioner!
Just because I’ve been raving about the WonderBalm doesn’t mean that I’m not equally impressed by the Evolvh SmartCurl Hydrating Wash ($32) and Hydrating Conditioner ($34).
Raquel’s hair has become softer and more manageable because of this shampoo and conditioner.
Where to Purchase
WonderBalm is $59 for a 3.4oz pump bottle.
And you can find the SmartStart Leave-In Conditioner that pairs with the WonderBalm beautifully for $28.
Highly Recommended
These products are part of my popular guide to natural hair care.
*This post is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.
**Products get makeovers too. Be sure to check if this product has been recently re-formulated before using it yourself.
