Looking for a product...HELP!!!!

I've recently decided to embrace my curly hair :D Except now the problem is, I'm having a hard time finding the right product for it. So here's the deal: It's not very long, thick, and I'm looking for that "soft curls" kind of look where the curls are well defined and not frizzy. I heard that the only way I can get that is with a curler. That can't be true, right? Someone please help, I'm ready to pay for a salon product, but I just want to make sure it'll work. Thanks.

I remember a while back you were thinking of cutting your hair really short and wearing it straight; what made you change your mind?

I recently found a great routine and products that work with my curls and i DO have defined, shiny and frizz-free curls most of the time. (Unless i'm in a hurry and get careless) I bought the book "Curly Girl" by Loraine Massey and have followed the routine for 3 weeks now. Basically it tells you that curly hair is usually dry and we know that dry curly hair=frizz, right? She typifies your curl type and tells you how to care for it.

The main idea is that most shampoos contain detergents (sulfates) that strip your hair of moisture so she suggests conditioner only wash and regular (gentle natraul) clarifiers.

A few other things i learned:

Never brush, only use a wide-toothed comb in the shower after applying conditioner. You can also comb thru after applying products but do so sparingly as it can disrupt your curl pattern or cause frizz.

Squeeze out excess water in the shower and after exiting (with a towel) never rub your hair (causes frizz)

Apply a leave-in conditioner if your hair is very dry.

I scrunch in my hair gel to keep from frizzing too much. My fave right now is a knockoff of Biolage gelee. Suave (professionals) Firm Hold Gel. I fan out my hair and scrunch in upsidedown, making sure to get the roots, too. I then scrunch a bit with a towel (or t-shirt) and let air-dry for 5-15 minutes before diffuse-drying. Now, DON'T TOUCH!

One of the best things i learned is that you can use an old, soft t-shirt instead of a towel to squeeze out excess moisture and scrunch with. It makes a huge difference in the amount of frizz (or lack of it).

Sorry this is so long and i really hope it helps.

frizzygurl, yup, I did want to relax and cut my hair short but after a while I realized that it's probably not going to look the way I want it to so I should just embrace the curly hair look, after all, I really like it, too.