Tight curls absorb moisture like magnet and sometimes they end up looking wild rather than glam. Styling aids like curl creams and lotions are required to build the base for beautiful curls.
Shorter length creates more volume and that is not necessarily a bad thing as long as you enhance your curls by scrunching it in curl cream of your brand choice.
Use define cream if you have fine and softer hair and calming type for thick and wound-up hair.
Use fingers to twist (a section at a time) around your hair and leave it to dry or use diffuser when blow-drying. Always finish your style with a mist of anti-frizz serum for protection and hold.
This will leave you with glossy and defined curls.