Beauty Best Love Smoothing Vs Love Curl: Davines Love Compared
Two Davines Love shampoos lead the range, and they solve different problems. The Love Smoothing Shampoo tames frizz and softens coarse, unruly hair with Minuta olive extract. The Love Curl Shampoo defines waves and curls with Noto almond extract while keeping natural texture. Both cleanse gently and share the same eco-conscious Italian craftsmanship. This comparison breaks down their ingredients, feel and ideal hair types so you can pick the right bottle.
| Factor | Davines LOVE Smoothing Shampoo for Curly | Davines LOVE Smoothing Shampoo, Taming A |
|---|---|---|
| Key ingredient | Minuta olive extract for smoothing and elasticity | Noto almond extract for curl definition and softness |
| Best hair type | Frizzy, coarse, thick or unruly straight hair | Wavy, curly or coily hair needing shape |
| Main benefit | Tames frizz and adds sleek shine | Defines curls without crunch or stiffness |
| Texture | Lightly foamy cream that rinses clean | Creamy lather that keeps texture intact |
| Pairing tip | Add the Smoothing Perfector for heat styling | Scrunch into wet hair and air dry or diffuse |
Our Verdict
The Love Smoothing Shampoo wins if frizz is your main enemy. It softens coarse hair, adds shine and makes humid days far more manageable. The Love Curl Shampoo wins if definition is your goal, giving waves and curls bounce and shape without crunch. If your hair is curly AND frizzy, buy the Smoothing shampoo and the Curl conditioner as a hybrid routine. Both are concentrated, so one bottle lasts months. Either way, shampoo twice, condition well and style on damp hair. Your hair type makes the decision, not the marketing.
More Top Picks in This Category
Not sold on either of these two? Here are more bestselling options worth considering.
Best for: Wavy to curly hair that needs definition without crunch.
Davines LOVE Curl Shampoo for Wavy and Curly Hair, with Almond Extract, 8.45 Fl Oz
- Noto almond extract defines and hydrates curls
- Creamy formula that will not disrupt texture
- Boosts curl elasticity and volume
- Won't leave crunch or stiffness
Pros
- Curls look defined yet touchably soft
- Gentle enough for frequent washing
Cons
- Not enough moisture for very dry coils alone
- Pairing with the conditioner adds cost
Best for: Coarse, frizzy hair that needs heat protection and smoothing.
Davines LOVE Smoothing Perfector, Thermal Serum for Coarse or Frizzy Hair, 5.07 fl. oz.
- Leave-in thermal serum for coarse, frizzy hair
- Tames and nourishes without weight
- Adds heat protection before styling
- Smooths for easy combing
Pros
- Excellent frizz shield before blow drying
- A little product goes a long way
Cons
- Highest price per ounce in the line
- Too rich if over-applied on fine hair
Want the Full Picture?
Volume For Wavy And Curly Fine Hair
Fine wavy and curly hair needs root volume without the frizz that volumizing cleansers cause, a combination standard advice ignores. The problem is that strong volumizing shampoos strip the moisture curls need, creating frizz that looks like the opposite of volume. The solution is gentle volumizing formulas used with curl-friendly technique: shampoo focusing on the scalp, condition the lengths generously, and never skip leave-in. Root clipping while drying lifts roots mechanically without product weight. Diffuse on low speed rather than blasting, since high airflow separates fine curl clumps into frizz. Mousse beats heavy creams for fine curls: it provides hold and volume without the weight. The full buyer guide details how the two products divide the volume-versus-moisture labor.
Volumizing And Color-Treated Hair: The Tradeoff
Color-treated fine hair faces a genuine conflict: sulfates fade color, but the gentlest volumizers may not cleanse oily fine roots adequately. The resolution is strategic, not perfect. Use a sulfate-free volumizing shampoo as the daily driver, accepting slightly less cleansing power, and add a sulfate clarifying wash every two weeks to reset the roots. Purple shampoo users can alternate: toning wash one session, volumizing wash the next, since few shampoos do both jobs well. For fresh color in the first two weeks, prioritize color preservation over volume: the color investment exceeds the styling inconvenience. Dry shampoo at the roots between washes extends volume without additional cleansing stress on color. If roots stay limp despite the system, the color may simply be too dark or the cut too long: volume has structural limits that no shampoo overcomes.
Protein Overload From Volumizing Formulas
Many volumizing shampoos contain hidden proteins for the thickening effect, and the overload risk is real. The symptoms are stiffness, straw-like texture, and snapping that looks exactly like dryness, tempting users to add more moisturizing products in a worsening spiral. Volumizing formulas are a common hidden source because buyers do not expect protein in shampoo. The diagnosis is the wet stretch test: over-proteinized hair stretches little and snaps quickly, while dry hair stretches more. The recovery is pausing all protein for two to three weeks and switching to moisture-only products. Prevention is reading ingredient lists for hydrolyzed proteins high on the list and rotating protein-containing volumizers with protein-free ones. Fine hair overloads fastest due to lower mass. The background guide covers the LOVE line's formulation approach for buyers auditing their protein exposure.
Reading The Volumizing Mechanism On The Label
Volumizing shampoos work through two mechanisms, and the label reveals which you are buying. Cleansing-based volumizers remove weight and residue aggressively, using stronger surfactants: these suit oily fine roots but can dry lengths. Coating-based volumizers deposit polymers that thicken each strand: these add visible body but accumulate and need periodic clarifying. The ingredient clues are surfactant strength high on the list for cleansing types, and polymers like polyquaterniums for coating types. Many formulas do both, which is fine if you understand the maintenance: coating types need clarifying every few weeks, cleansing types need conditioning to offset the stronger cleanse. Match mechanism to hair: oily fine hair wants cleansing-based, dry fine hair wants coating-based with moisture support. Neither is universally better, but buying blind means the maintenance surprises you. Once you know your formula's mechanism, the entire routine, clarifying frequency, conditioning needs, product layering, falls into place logically.