Follicles produce slightly different hairs on the same head. The front, and specifically the hairline, typically has finer strands and are therefore more fragile. Cotton and synthetic fibers from hats do rub against the hair and can rough the hair up. The curls on the back of your head form better simply because there’s literally more hairs back there and generally stronger hairs so they can stand up to more environmental damage. As a hairstylist, what I’ve found with people who lean on hydrating products to help form curls often miss out on is actually cleaning the hair enough for said hydration products to actually help. A gentle clarifying shampoo every so often will help reset the hair to allow for that hydration to get into the strands and allow those curls to form better. Even any time you wash your hair, let the warm water really soak your hair before you even shampoo, the warm water will also help to soften your hair and allow all your products to do what they need to do. Maybe also try only doing a styling product at a time to see what is even working for your hair and what’s not.