Not that I ever doubted esteemed celebrity hairstylist Jonathan Van Ness, but I was genuinely surprised recently when I gave the hydration line a spin from his namesake brand, JVN. Not because I thought it wouldn’t be good, but mostly because my curly, low-porosity hair hates mostly everything—especially products labeled “for all hair types.”

Over the years, it’s been a challenge to find a good routine that provides the right amount of hydration to my hair that don’t contain silicones or coconut oil—two ingredients that always seem to dry my hair out to no end. I didn’t have any expectations when I decided to try JVN’s Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner because, well, let’s just say I’ve had some disappointing experiences in the past, even with products designed specifically for curls. But this was a huge hit for my hard-to-please strands.