I have extremely curly hair. Even when it is behaving, I still look like I have dreads because the curl is so tight! I feel your pain, sistah!
First of all, do not shampoo everyday and make sure you condition everytime you take a shower. Comb it when it is wet. Find a good heavy conditioner to use once a week (I like the All Soft one by Redken!) and let it soak in your hair for a good while.
I would also suggest a gel. Biolage makes a fantastic one. You only need a little bit to go a long way. If you're short on cash, the curly line by Pantene Pro-v works lovely. When applying the gel, start at the ends and work your way up to your roots to avoid the dreaded helmet hair (you know, when it sticks to you head at the roots and then BAM! poofyness!). Flip your hair to the front, side, and back to further combat the evil Helmet Hair denom. I would also suggest buying a hairdryer WITH a diffuser. They aren't too expensive; I picked mine up from Wal-Mart for under $20 and it works lovely.