male: thick, curly hair. which product??

[den E]

Hi everyone. I've never really had long hair before, but i've decided to let it grow, and now i'm not quite sure how to style it. My hair is fairly heavy, thick and curly. I've tried using styling paste and hair gel, but haven't found the results i'm looking for. I don't want the hair to harden, i'd rather have it manageable throughout the day. It's difficult for me to keep my hair from curling upwards/outwards as well. Any suggestions?

Thanks.