The 33 Best Curly Girl Method UK Products in 2023


When I first started my Curly Girl journey, I found it quite overwhelming at times. I didn’t know which products to use or where to buy them and I certainly didn’t understand which ingredients to avoid. I, therefore, compiled this list of 33 approved UK Curly Girl Method products.

Curly Girl Method UK

So, does the UK have many Curly Girl friendly products to choose from? Absolutely!

There are many UK products that can be used on the Curly Girl Method. These range from budget conditioners and gels from drugstores such as Boots and Superdrug and more high-end products from brands such as Umberto Giannini and Cantu.

It doesn’t have to be expensive to follow the Curly Girl Method and in my personal opinion, your goal should be to only use 2 or 3 products.

Wrong products or even too many products can cause your hair to turn dry, frizzy, or even damage it further. 

Please also remember that Curly Girl ‘approved’ means the same as Curly Girl ‘friendly’.

All of the products we buy in stores are made by different brands and with different ingredients, but none of them are ‘officially’ approved because the method doesn’t dictate any specific product.

‘Approved’ or ‘Curly Girl friendly’ simply means that these products do not contain any of the ‘bad’ ingredients listed by Lorraine Massey in her book, Curly Girl – The handbook and that they are completely safe to use.

If you would like to transform your curls too, check out my Curly Girl Method step-by-step guide.

This post contains affiliate links and we may earn if you click on them (at no extra cost to you). Please read our full disclosure policy here.

Curly Girl Method Approved UK Products

I have divided the products into the following categories:

The Curly Girl Method ‘technically’ doesn’t recommend the use of shampoo. However, many Curly Girls choose to use a clarifying shampoo once every month to get rid of build-up.

These are still silicone, sulfate, and alcohol-free so won’t harm your hair at all.

For some, co-washing is just not possible due to either work, disabilities, or sensitive skin.

It is completely a personal choice and you’re free to do whatever you want. Remember, at the end of the day, the CG Method should help you, not make things worse.

I’m not going to cover shampoo in this post, but definitely check out my top recommended UK Curly Girl friendly shampoos.

Below you will find a few of my personal favorites, as well as a list of all the UK-approved Curly Girl Method products I have been able to find.

Please note the list below is not exhaustive as I am constantly adding to it, but this is a great selection of the best and most popular choices.

The list includes cheap supermarket brands as well as high-end products and my aim is to make this product list as comprehensive as possible.

Conditioners – Curly Girl Method UK Products

When choosing a UK conditioner to use on the Curly Girl Method, the first thing you want to consider is whether your hair is protein sensitive, balanced, or over moisturized:

Curly Girl Method UK Products


Protein Overload

If you have protein-sensitive hair, you’ll want to go for products that do not contain protein or coconut.

Coconut is a protein mimic and will, therefore, clog your follicles and prevent moisture from penetrating your hair.

Many brands add protein to their hair products and you can quickly experience protein overload if you are not careful.

Hair needs both protein and water to become balanced and too much of either will damage the structure of your hair.


Protein Overload Symptoms

  • Dry and brittle hair
  • Hair breaks easily
  • Curls don’t stretch
  • Hair feels like straw
  • Curls won’t clump together


My Top 3 Protein-Free Conditioners

1. Faith in Nature Natural Aloe Vera Conditioner

Faith in Nature Natural Aloe Vera Conditioner


I love the Faith in Nature Natural Aloe Vera Conditioner as it contains active organic aloe vera and is suitable for normal to dry hair. Even better, it’s also cruelty-free!

Faith In Nature is a very popular Curly Girl brand as most of their conditioners are CG-friendly.

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2. Novex Mystic Black Conditioner

Novex Mystic Black Conditioner

The Novex Mystic Black Conditioner is also a fantastic choice.

It is an intense hydration conditioner that aims to rebuild and repair hair cuticles.

This conditioner is also cruelty-free.

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3. Giovanni Root 66 Max Volume Conditioner

Giovanni Root 66 Max Volume Conditioner

Finally, the Giovanni Root 66 Max Volume Conditioner is budget-friendly and works for all curl types.

This conditioner is formulated to help leave hair feeling soft, shiny, and manageable and is suitable for everyday use.

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If you are suffering from protein overload, I would also highly recommend doing an apple cider vinegar rinse once a month as it has completely transformed my hair.

Top 3 conditioners for Balanced Hair

If you have balanced hair, you won’t need to worry too much about protein or moisture overload.

Your hair is healthy and is exposed to the right amount of protein and water.

However, this doesn’t mean that every product will work with your hair and you may need to experiment.

But if you have healthy, bouncy curls, I would try to use products that are very similar to what you are used to.

1. Shea Moisture Coconut and Hibiscus Curl and Shine Conditioner

Shea Moisture Coconut and Hibiscus Curl and Shine Conditioner

Shea Moisture has a large range of Curly Girl approved products and so is one of the most popular brands within the Curly Girl community.

Their Shea Moisture Coconut and Hibiscus Curl and Shine Conditioner is a bestseller and is perfect for those with thick and curly hair.

The conditioner contains silk protein and neem oil and helps to restore moisture and smooth dry hair cuticles.

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2. Giovanni 50 50 Balanced Conditioner

Giovanni 50 50 Balanced Conditioner

The Giovanni 50 50 Balanced Conditioner instantly nourishes and detangles hair. It helps lock in shine and works for dry and normal hair types as well as colored hair.

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3. Love Beauty And Planet Volume & Bounty Conditioner for Fine Hair

Love Beauty And Planet Volume & Bounty Conditioner for Fine Hair

The Love Beauty And Planet Volume & Bounty Conditioner for Fine Hair is made from at least 91% natural ingredients and is great for increasing elasticity in your hair.

The conditioner also helps strengthen the roots of your hair, repairing damage from both chemical and heat

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Moisture Overload/ Hygral Fatigue

If your hair feels limp, soft, and stretchy and your curls have stopped forming, you may be suffering from moisture overload also known as hygral fatigue.

Hygral fatigue happens when the cuticles of your hair become swollen due to water retention and then deflate once water is removed from the hair.

Your hair then becomes weak and stretches more easily which leads to breakage.

Hygral fatigue or moisture overload can be caused by not using enough protein-rich products or washing your hair every day.

Best Conditioners For Moisture Overload

All of these products contain either protein or coconut and are Curly Girl favorites.

I suggest not washing your hair more than twice a week if you suffer from moisture overload.

List of UK Curly Girl Method Conditioner Products

Alberto Balsam Sun-Kissed Raspberry Conditioner - Silicone-Free

ASDA Apple Conditioner

Camille Rose Naturals Clean Rinse Conditioner

ASDA Apple Conditioner

Bouclème Curl Conditioner

Faith In Nature Aloe Vera Conditioner

 Camille Rose Naturals Jansyn's Moisture Max Conditioner

Camille Rose Rose Cleansing Milk

Camille Rose White Orchid Cleansing Milk

CurlMix Pure Grape Seed Conditioner with Ultra Slip, Fragrance-Free

CurlMix Pure Grape Seed Conditioner with Ultra Slip, Lavender Fragrance

CurlMix Pure Grape Seed Conditioner with Ultra Slip, Lemon Creme Fragrance

CurlMix Pure Grape Seed Conditioner with Ultra Slip, Vanilla Berry Fragrance

CurlMix Pure Grape Seed Conditioner with Ultra Slip, Watermelon Fragrance

CurlyWorld Terms & Conditions Conditioner

Eden BodyWorks Jojoba Monoi Revitalizing Conditioner

Eden BodyWorks Peppermint Tea Tree Natural Conditioner

Faith in Nature Aloe Vera Conditioner

Faith in Nature Fragrance Free Conditioner

Faith in Nature Hemp and Meadowfoam Conditioner

Faith In Nature Jojoba Conditioner

 Faith in Nature Lavender & Geranium Conditioner

Faith In Nature Lemon & Tea Tree Conditioner

Faith in Nature Watermelon Conditioner

Faith in Nature Wild Rose Conditioner

Garnier Ultimate Blends Argan Oil & Cranberry Illuminating Conditioner

Garnier Ultimate Blends Nourishing Hair Food Banana + Coconut Conditioner

Garnier Ultimate Blends Smoothing Hair Food Coconut & Macadamia Conditioner for Frizzy Hair

Garnier Whole Blends Vanilla Milk & Papaya Extracts Moisturizing Conditioner

Giovanni 2chic Frizz Be Gone Conditioner

Giovanni 2chic Ultra-Moist Conditioner

Giovanni 2chic Ultra-Revive Conditioner

Giovanni Root 66 Max Volume Conditioner

Giovanni Root 66 Max Volume Conditioner

Johnson's No More Tangles Conditioner

Noughty Rise & Shine Hydrate & Shine Conditioner

 Noughty Wave Hello Curl Defining Conditioner

Novex Mystic Black Conditioner

Only Curls All Curl Conditioner

Organic Shop Coconut & Shea Conditioner

Organic Shop Raspberry & Acai Conditioner

Ouidad Curl Immersion Low-Lather Coconut Cleansing Conditioner

Pantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal Foaming Conditioner

SheaMoisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Daily Hydration Conditioner

SheaMoisture Baobab & Tea Tree Oils Low Porosity Protein-Free Conditioner

SheaMoisture Purifying & Hydrating Lite Conditioner

SheaMoisture Red Palm Oil and Cocoa Butter Leave-In Or Rinse-Out Conditioner

Superdrug Extracts Conditioner Raspberry and Macadamia Nut

The Body Shop Banana Truly Nourishing Conditioner

The Body Shop Ginger Scalp Care Conditioner

The Body Shop Shea Butter Richly Replenishing Conditioner

Tresemme Botanique Nourish + Replenish Conditioner

Tresemme Botanique Restore & Shine Conditioner

Tresemme Perfectly Undone Weightless Moisturizing Conditioner

Tresemme Pro Pure Damage Conditioner

Tresemme Pro Pure Light Moisture Conditioner

Txtr by Cantu Leave-in + Rinse Out Hydrating Conditioner

Yes To Blueberries Smooth & Shine Conditioner

Yes To Cucumbers Volumising Conditioner

Yes To Tea Tree and Sage Oil Scalp Relief Conditioner

Deep Conditioners – Curly Girl Method UK Products

Deep conditioners are important when your hair needs a bit of extra care.

Personally, I like to deep condition once a week for a good half hour and then I carry on with my regular routine.

You can essentially use any conditioner as a deep conditioning product, but if you require significant moisture or protein boost, I suggest you choose wisely.

The  Garnier Ultimate Blends Almond Crush Yogurt Mask is a weightless deep conditioner that nourishes and softens normal hair. 

It gently cleanses for healthier, stronger hair and is made from 98 percent natural ingredients. 

It’s important to protect processed and damaged hair and the Eden BodyWorks Jojoba Monoi Deep Conditioner does just that.

Helps restore your hair’s natural beauty and provides optimal hydration for all curl types.

The As I Am Hydration Elation Intensive is a great moisturizing deep conditioner that restores strength and nourishment to your hair.

It works great on hair that easily tangles and makes curls very easy to style.

List of UK Curly Girl Method Deep Conditioner Products

 As I Am Hydration Elation

 As I Am Restore & Repair Jamaican Black Castor Oil Moisturizing Masque

 Aunt Jackie's Rescued Thirst Quenching Recovery Conditioner

 Boucleme Curls Redefined Intensive Moisture Treatment

 Bumble & Bumble Bb Curl Butter Masque

 Camille Rose Buritti Nectar Repair Cholesterol Treatment

 Camille Rose Nangai & Tsubaki Strength Restore Protein Treatment

 Camille Rose Naturals Algae Renew Deep Conditioner

 Camille Rose Naturals Coconut Water Penetrating Hair Treatment

 Camille Rose Naturals Moroccan Pear Conditioning Custard

 Camille Rose Oud Rich Infusion Moisture Treatment

 CURLSMITH Double Cream Deep Quencher

 Eden BodyWorks Almond Marshmallow Split End Repair Masque

 Eden BodyWorks Jojoba Monoi Deep Conditioner

 Garnier Ultimate Blends Almond Cream & Moroccan Argan Oil Enriching Hair Mask

 Garnier Ultimate Blends Almond Crush The Yoghurt Mask

 Garnier Ultimate Blends Hair Food Coconut and Macadamia 3-in-1 Frizzy Hair Mask Treatment

 Garnier Ultimate Blends Hair Food Papaya 3-in-1 Damaged Hair Mask Treatment

 Garnier Ultimate Blends Moisturizing Hair Food Aloe Vera & Coconut Hair Mask

 Garnier Whole Blends Almond & Argan Riches Rinse-Out Mask

 Giovanni 2chic Frizz Be Gone Hot Oil Hair Treatment

 Giovanni 2chic Frizz Be Gone Smoothing Hair Mask

 Giovanni 2chic Repairing Hot Oil Treatment

 Giovanni 2chic Ultra-Revive Intensive Hair Mask

 Giovanni NutraFix Hair Reconstructor

 Giovanni VitaPro Fusion Protective Moisture Treatment

 Innersense Hydrating Hair Masque

 Miche STRENGTHEN Protein Deep Conditioner

 Mielle Moisture RX Hawaiian Ginger Moisturizing Overnight Conditioner

 Mielle Organics Babassu Oil and Mint Deep Conditioner

 Mielle Organics Rice Water Clay Masque

 Noughty To The Rescue Intense Moisture Treatment

 Novex My Curls Movie Star Hair Mask

 Novex Mystic Black Hair Mask

 Organic Shop Coconut & Shea Hair Mask

 Sashapure Restorative Conditioning Masque

 SheaMoisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Overnight Perfecting Treatment Oil

 SheaMoisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Rehydration Treatment Masque

 SheaMoisture Coconut & Cactus Water Pick Me Up Lite Masque

 SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Hair Masque

 SheaMoisture Fruit Fusion Coconut Water Weightless Masque

 SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen, Grow & Restore Edge Treatment

 SheaMoisture Mongongo Hemp Seed High Porosity Moisture Correct/Seal Masque

 SheaMoisture Power Greens Reconstructor with Moringa & Avocado

 SheaMoisture Purple Rice Water Strength + Color Care Masque

 SheaMoisture Resilient Length Protein Masque

 SheaMoisture Sacha Inchi Oil Omega 3, 6, 9 Rescue + Repair Hair Masque

 Txtr by Cantu Strengthen + Restore Moisture Mask

Cleansers – Curly Girl Method UK Products

If you follow the Curly Girl Method, you’ll know that the use of shampoo is not recommended.

This is because most shampoos contain sulfates which strip your hair of its essential oils.

To get around this, a lot of brands promote sulfate-free shampoos, otherwise known as low poo shampoos.

These are also not recommended as manufacturers add additional chemicals, some of which may be even more harmful to your hair.

I wrote an article about why you shouldn’t use low poo shampoos if you’re following the Curly Girl Method.

The best way to clean your hair from build-up and pollution is to use a sulfate-free cleanser that doesn’t lather, meaning it doesn’t create bubbles.

Most cleansers will work for any hair type, but if you are protein sensitive I would recommend that you choose a cleanser without coconut or coconut oil.

The As I Am Coconut CoWash Cleansing Conditioner is a real favorite amongst Curly Girls.

It leaves my hair clean and washes out all oil and product build-up which normally is very difficult to do. My hair also feels moisturized afterwards, even after coloring!

A great co-wash that really does the job without leaving hair greasy or heavy. 

The Mixed Chicks Conditioning Cleansing Co-Wash is super cleansing and is able to do just as good of a job as shampoo. It leaves hair soft and manageable and smells amazing! 

I really like that it helps separate the curls and my hair always feels soft after a wash. 

The CURLSMITH Curl Quenching Conditioning Wash is a vegan co-wash for wavy, curly, and coily hair and definitely lives up to the hype.

Curls look less frizzy and feel softer and defined and this is a great alternative to harsh shampoos.

If you’re looking for a co-wash that restores damaged, limp curls and leaves hair feeling strong and healthy, this is it.


List of UK Curly Girl Method Cleanser Products

 Alikay Naturals CoWash Me Cleansing Conditioner

 As I Am Coconut CoWash Cleansing Conditioner

 As I Am Dry & Itchy Scalp Care Olive & Tea Tree Oil CoWash

 As I Am Olive & Tea Tree Oil Co Wash

 Aunt Jackie's Purify Me Moisturizing Co-Wash Cleanser

 Aveda Be Curly Co-Wash

 Cantu Complete Conditioning CoWash

 CURLSMITH Curl Quenching Conditioning Wash

 DevaCurl No-Poo Original Zero Lather Conditioning Cleanser

 Eden BodyWorks Coconut Shea Cleansing Co-Wash

 Hairitage Double Down Conditioning Wash Shampoo

 Inahsi Naturals Tropical Escape CoWash

 Keracare Curlessence Moisturizing Co-Wash

 Living Proof Curl Conditioning Wash

 Mielle Organics Detangling Cowash

 Mixed Chicks Conditioning Cleansing Wash

 Mo Knows Hair Curl Co-Wash & Conditioner

 MopTop Co-Wash Cleansing Conditioner

 Nubian Heritage Indian Hemp Vegan Co-Wash

 Oyin Handmade Ginger Mint Co-Wash Invigorating Cleansing Cream

 SheaMoisture Mongongo & Hemp Seed Oils High Porosity Moisture-Seal Co-Wash

 SheaMoisture Sacha Inchi CoWash

 SoCozy Kids Conditioner Based Cleanser Co-Wash

 True By Made Beautiful CoWash

GELS – Curly Girl Method UK Products

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Finding the right gel on the Curly Girl Method is like finding the holy grail. It is the product that will decide the fate of your day/night/refresh/curls aka basically life.

I don’t think you need to worry too much about protein and imbalance when it comes to gels but you can get protein-free gels.

Start out by finding the right one for you depending on your budget and how strong a hold you want and remember, you’ll always need more than you think.

One of my favorite gels is the Umberto Giannini Scrunching Jelly. It is Umberto’s best-selling product and is recommended over and over again for its quality, hold, and texture.

If you’re having issues with your current gel or simply fancy trying out a more high-end brand, this one is for you.

Do be careful to not purchase other UG products as only a handful of them are actually CG friendly. If you want to know more, check out my full list of Curly Girl approved Umberto Giannini products.

The first gel I ever used on the Curly Girl Method was the Eco Style Olive Oil Gel. This worked really well for me and provided a strong hold for my curls.

The only reason I started experimenting with other gels was to see if there was a cheaper brand that would work just as well.

And there was! The Boots Essentials Extra Firm Hold Gel worked just as well and I would highly recommend this gel if you’re on a budget or if your method includes double gelling.

By double gelling I’m referring to the method of adding gel on soaking wet hair, then dry with a t-shirt or microfiber towel, and then add gel again.

Doing the method this way can be a bit wasteful if you’re not careful as a lot of the gel will rub off on the towel.

I use a good handful of gel at every wash so I want something cheap and durable.

Finally, the Twisted Sista Amazing Dream Curl Gel is another popular gel and is great for tight curl patterns. It offers a lightweight feel with a strong hold.

I like to layer this gel with other products or even another gel as it doesn’t go flaky.

List Of UK Curly Girl Method Gel Products

As I Am Smoothing Hair Gel

Aunt Jackie's Don't Shrink Flaxseed Elongating Curling Gel

Aunt Jackie's Flaxseed Recipes Tame My Edges Smoothing Gel

Aussie Headstrong / Aussome Volume Gel

Aussie Headstrong / Aussome Volume Spray Gel

Aussie Instant Freeze Gel

Aussie Mega Gel

Aussie Miracle Curls Refresher Spray Gel

Aveda Brilliant Retexturing Gel

Boots Essentials Extra Firm Hold Gel

Boucleme Curls Redefined Curl Defining Gel

Bounce Curl Light Creme Gel

Bumble & Bumble Bb Curl Anti-Humidity Gel-Oil

Camille Rose Lavender Crush Defining Gel - Extra Hold

Camille Rose Naturals Aloe Whipped Butter Gel

Camille Rose Naturals Curl Maker Gel

Cantu Avocado Hydrating Styling Gel

Cantu Dry Deny Moisture Seal Gel Oil

Cantu Flaxseed Smoothing Cream Gel

Cantu Mega Hold Mixer Stay Glue Gel

Cantu Moisturizing Twist & Lock Gel

Cantu Shea Butter Maximum Hold Anti-Shedding Styling Gel

Cantu Shea Butter Maximum Hold Moisture Retention Styling Gel

Cantu Shea Butter Maximum Hold Strengthening Styling Gel

Eco Style Argan Oil Gel

Eco Style Black Castor Oil & Flaxseed Gel

Eco Style Coconut Oil Gel

Eco Style Colored Hair Gel

Eco Style Curl & Wave Gel

Eco Style Gold Gel

Eco Style Krystal Gel

Eco Style Olive Oil Gel

Eco Style Protein Gel

Eco Style Sport Gel

Eco Style Super Olive 10x Moisturizing Styling Gel

Eco Style Super Protein Gel

Eden BodyWorks Kids CocoShea Berry Natural Smoothing Gel

Flora & Curl Style Me Sweet Hibiscus Curl Defining Gel

SheaMoisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Daily Hydration Styling Gel

SheaMoisture Coconut and Hibiscus Curling Gel Souffle

SheaMoisture Coconut Custard Make It Last Wash 'n' Go Defining Gel Oil

SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Max Hold Gel

SheaMoisture Mongongo & Hemp Seed High Porosity Styling Gel

Shea Moisture Raw Shea & Cupuacu Frizz Defense Styling Gel-Cream

SheaMoisture Sacha Inchi Twist & Lock Gel

SheaMoisture Superfruit Multi-Vitamin 10-in-1 Renewal Soft Curl Gel

Tesco Essentials Gel

The Curl Company Anti-Humidity Curl Gel

The Curl Company Shape & Define Styling Creme-Gel

Twisted Sista Amazing Dream Curls Cream Gel

Txtr by Cantu Curls + Waves Defining Gel


Other UK Curly Girl Method Approved Styling Products

There are plenty of Curly Girl Styling products you can buy in the UK and they range from mousses to sprays and creams.

Mousse

For a while, I experimented with cleanser, conditioner, and mousse only but my curls did not hold. I now switch between mousse and gel and find this to be a winning combo.

Mousse can help firm your curls and give them bounce but it won’t seal in moisture the same way as gel will.

I also found it to dry out my curls a bit, but with gel, it seems to work. I also found it beneficial for combating frizz.

Check out my post on the best Curly Girl Approved mousses.

Recommended products:

Sprays

There are a couple of CGM-approved sprays which can help you style and moisturize your curls at the same time.

The As I Am CocoShea Spray helps separate your curls after you have washed your hair.

A few sprays on wet hair before you scrunch your hair with gel will give you much smoother curls and help detangle any stubborn clumps.

If you suffer from frizz, the Schwarzkopf got2b Twisted Styling Spray can help you manage it.

Best used on damp hair and applied using the praying method (rub the product between your palms and coat each curly as you move down from scalp to ends).

This is great to use on a refresh day as well.

Creams

If you want to use a curl cream for additional definition you have a couple of options.

The Cantu Natural Hair Moisturizing Curl Activator Cream is hugely popular within the Curly Girl community, especially since you only need to use a pea-sized amount.

For best use, rub between hands with a little bit of water after co-washing and scrunch your curls. Then gel and diffuse as per usual.

One thing to note is that this curl activator cream does contain coconut oil so if you’re protein sensitive, I would stay clear as it could cause your hair to go dry and become frizzy.

For a nurturing and moisturizing cream, try the AS I AM Twist Defining Cream. It contains many natural oils as well as organic extracts.

Rub a small amount between your palms before applying gel or use as a refresh product on next-day curls.

UK Curly Girl Method Styling Products

 As I Am CocoShea Spray

 As I Am Coil Defining Jelly

 As I Am Curling Jelly Coil and Curl Definer

 As I Am So Much Moisture Hydrating Lotion

 As I Am Twist Defining Cream

 Aunt Jackie's Frizz Patrol Anti-Poof Twist & Curl Setting Mousse

 Aunt Jackie's Ice Curls Glossy Curling Jelly

 Aunt Jackie's Slicked Flexible Styling Glue

 Aussie Aussome / Headstrong Volume Styling Mousse

 Aussie Instant Freeze Mousse

 Boucleme Curls Redefined Super Hold Styler

 Bounce Curl Avocado & Rose Oil Clump and Define Cream

 Camille Rose Naturals Almond Jai Twisting Butter

 Camille Rose Naturals Coconut Water Style Setter

 Camille Rose Naturals Fresh Curl Revitalizing Hair Smoother

 Cantu Avocado Hydrating Curl Activator Cream

 Cantu Coil Calm Detangler

 Cantu Comeback Curl Revitalizer

 Cantu Curl Activator Cream

 Cantu Define and Shine Custard

 Cantu Shea Butter Coconut Milk Shine & Hold Mist

 Cantu Wave Whip Curling Mousse

 Curls Blueberry Bliss Control Jelly

 CURLSMITH Hold Me Softly Style Balm

 CURLSMITH Hydro Style Flexi-Jelly

 CURLSMITH Weightless Air Dry Cream

 Eden BodyWorks Citrus Fusion Nourish & Style Mousse

 EDEN BodyWorks Coconut Shea Control Edge Glaze

 Eden BodyWorks Coconut Shea Curl Defining Cream

 Eden BodyWorks Coconut Shea Curling Jelly

 Eden BodyWorks Coconut Shea Styling Elixir

 Eden BodyWorks Kids CocoShea Berry Curly Cream

 Flora & Curl Style Me Sweet Hibiscus Curl Activating Lotion

 Garnier Fructis Style Curl Treat Curl Shaping Jelly

 Garnier Fructis Style Deconstructed Beach Chic Texturizing Spray

 Giovanni 2chic Ultra-Sleek Hair Styling Wax

 Giovanni 2chic Ultra-Volume Foam Styling Mousse

 Giovanni Magnetic Force Styling Wax

 Giovanni Mousse Air-Turbo Charged Hair Styling Foam

 SheaMoisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Daily Hydration Finishing Serum

 SheaMoisture Argan Oil & Almond Milk Smooth & Tame Blow Out Creme

 SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil On-The-Go Conditioning Hair Fragrance

 SheaMoisture Mongongo Hemp Seed High Porosity Finishing Elixir

 SheaMoisture Red Palm Oil & Cocoa Butter Curl Stretch Pudding

 SheaMoisture Sacha Inchi Oil Rescue + Repair Curl Defining Smoothie

 SheaMoisture Yucca & Plantain Anti-Breakage Thermal Protection Serum

 The Body Shop Cottonseed Curl Boost

 Txtr by Cantu Shine + Sculpt Control Paste

 Umberto Giannini Curl Jelly Scrunching Jelly

 Umberto Giannini Flowerology Orange + Rosemary Foaming Volume Mousse

 Wella EIMI Boost Bounce Curl Enhancing Mousse

Ingredients To Avoid

The chemicals we want to avoid on the Curly Girl Method are:

  • Sulphates (SLS’s)
  • Silicone
  • Waxes
  • Drying alcohols

These chemicals can be found in most shampoos and conditioners and can actively contribute towards damaging your hair. 

Sulfate is the lathering agent in shampoo which causes the product to create bubbles and gives you that squeaky clean feel.

Sulfates strip your hair of its essential oils, causing your hair to become dry and frizzy.

Furthermore, the lack of oils encourages your scalp to produce even more oil, contributing to build-up and greasy hair.

Silicone can be found in some shampoos but mainly in regular conditioners. The silicone acts as a film around each hair strand and embalms the follicles.

This prevents moisture from penetrating your hair, causing dehydration which in turn causes frizz.

Silicone is also not water-soluble and is only removed with, you guessed it, sulfates!

A regular shampoo and conditioner routine can, therefore, in the long run, prove to be quite damaging to curly hair.

Waxes are heavy and will weigh down your hair. Like silicone, they also coat the hair strands and will prevent moisture from entering and thus cause your hair to become dry.

Drying alcohols will dry out your hair. Simple as that.

There are some non-drying alcohols such as aminomethyl propanol, Cetearyl alcohol, and benzyl alcohol which are safe to use.

If you are ever in doubt about the ingredients of a specific product, I would recommend you use curlsbot.com to identify them.

And that’s it!

I hope you have found this post informational. If you have found any additional UK products which are Curly Girl friendly, then please do leave a comment below or email me via the contact form.

Curly Girl Method UK: Full List of Approved Products

Disclaimer: This site is not intended to provide professional or medical advice. All of the content on LovedByCurls.com is for informational purposes only. All advice should be followed at your own discretion. Ingredients may change at any time so always check the product label before using. Check our full disclaimer policy here.

63 thoughts on “The 33 Best Curly Girl Method UK Products in 2023”

  1. Really interested to see there are no Maui products on the list here – is there a reason for that? Do you not like them?

    • Hi Helen,
      I wasn’t familiar with this brand, will add to the list ASAP! Thank you for letting me know 🙂

      • Maui conditioners often contain an un-identified alcohol and waxes, which are not CG

    • So I started the curl girl method about 2 months ago and I’m still incredibly confused! The information that you have provided is amazing but the whole thing is still a mine field.
      My hair is a mixture of 2a/2b/2c waves, depending on the day. I have waves that are wavy at the top, straight in the middle and curly at the end sometimes. I suspect this could be damage. I’ve always looked after my hair, but it is dyed with semi-permanent colour. I’ve used sulphate and paraben free products for over a year now and I always use heat protection on my hair whenever blow drying or styling.
      My hair is fine, but there’s lots of it, and it’s high porosity, despite the moisturising products I use. My mums is the same so I think it’s more hereditary than it is due to damage or colouring (I’ve never boxed dyed, it’s always done professionally and it’s not been bleached in over 10 years).
      Also my hair is really long, down to the bottom of my back, but I recently had layers cut in to try and help the curls. I also get it trimmed every six weeks.
      My issues are that my waves are just sort of flat, not really defined, there’s not much volume and it’s incredibly frizzy. I also tend to get an oily scalp the day after washing.
      I literally follow the curly girl method to a tee but I’m not sure if I’m using the right products. I really don’t want to have to go through so much trial and error with a whole bunch of products that will eventually cost a fortune and have no pay off 😩
      So my method this far is –

      1. Wash just my scalp with Coily Curls Moisture shampoo by Umberto Giannini
      2. Then co-wash all of my hair and scalp with Curlsmith Curl Quenching Conditioning wash. Whilst this is on I brush my hair with a Denman brush (only time I brush my hair). Leave it on for 3-5 minutes and rinse using cold/slightly warm water.
      3. I then apply Curlsmith Defining Styling Soufflé through mid to ends, then top using praying hands method. My hair is sopping so I do the scrunch method.
      4. After this I plop my hair on a micro fibre towel and wrap it up for about 5-10 mins.
      5. I use Umberto Giannini Frizz Conditioning Miracle Styling Milk, put this through mid-ends gently using praying hands method.
      6. Add Aussie Mousse Turn Up The Curl using the scrunch method.
      7. Diffuse on a cold setting. Tend to put the curls gently into the diffuser whilst it’s off, bring the diffuser to my scalp and then switch it on. To avoid frizz.
      8. Scrunch out any crunch when my hair is fully dry
      9. Sleep using silk/satin wrap

      I’ve been doing this for 2 months and there’s clearly something wrong.
      If I diffuse a certain way, my hair gets frizzy. When I scrunch out the crunch, my hair gets ridiculously frizzy. When I wake up after sleeping, my hair is frizzy. I can’t even detangle knots gently with my fingers without it getting frizzy. It’s insane. My hair is really fine too so it ends up just looking like a static mess 😂
      Also once I scrunch out the crunch, my waves begin to drop, and not in a nice way. Essentially after all that work I end up looking like someone who has just woken up, decided to wave parts of her hair and keep some of straight, and then rubbed a balloon against every strand 😂
      I can’t seem to fathom where I’m going wrong.
      When I was younger I had ringlets. Once upon a time my hair was actually curly (pre-teen).
      I’m not sure if the sheer weight of my hair is pulling down on my wave and I’m loosing the wave because of it! Especially with having fine hair. I’m also wondering if having fine hair but lots of it is the reason it’s frizzing so much and maybe the products aren’t really working for my hair type. I’m also wondering if the weight of the products are pulling down on my hair. Which is a bit of a nightmare as it’s high porosity and I need the moisture locking in.
      I’d love some advice, any advice on where I go from here with my hair. As it’s starting to drive me mad.
      I have a chronic illness and my stomach is partially paralysed. I’m usually lacking in a lot of energy and it’s becoming difficult to maintain. So I desperately need help with it 🙈
      Also incredibly sorry for how long this is. Thank you! 🥰

      • Hi,

        That’s a lot of products you’ve got going! 🙂 Have you tried foregoing the shampoo and co-wash and just use a conditioner for washing? Perhaps go back to basics and find a conditioner for co-washing and conditioning (you can use the same product) and then really focus on mixing the product with water while you ‘squish’ your curls. At this point, lots of water is key. If your curls are frizzy before you leave the shower, you need more conditioner mixed with water squished into your curls. I’d also recommend you simply style your hair with gel when it is soaking wet. Then plop for 5 minutes and then use more gel if needed. In the beginning my hair was very frizzy but I found that I wasn’t using enough gel. Each curl should be cased in gel (or mousse) before you begin to dry.

        So try using only a couple of products and see how you get on. If your hair feels coarse and straw-like, you could add a weekly moisturising conditioning treatment to your routine. If it feels limp and very soft, then try a protein treatment like a rice water rinse.

        It really can be a minefield but if you experiment and keep at it, you should definitely see results! 🙂

        Dee x

  2. Have you ever used any of the body shops banana range ? I think my hair is lacking in protein and needs some banana based nourishment

    • Interesting you should say so, I’ve just bought this one so will provide an update. I’ve heard really great things! My hair generally doesn’t need protein but I seem to go through phases. I have to say I really like the Garnier Banana Hair Food mask but I know that Lorraine Massey recently added Sodium hidroxide to her list of no-go’s which is an ingredient in Hair Foods. Personally, I don’t worry too much. People have been using these for years without problems. I will dedicate a post to protein products as soon as I have time!

  3. Hi! I noticed that no hairspray’s were listed in the Other Products section? Is there any reason for that? FYI. I’m a newbie to the Curly Girl Method and just checking what products are good!

    • Hi Kelly,

      Hairsprays are not used on the Curly Girl Method as they can contain silicones and drying alcohols. If your hair is really frizzy, try using a bit of lube (trust me…) to smooth any stray hairs. It really does work 🙂 If you’re looking for hold, then I’d suggest root clips when diffusing and just a good amount of gel or mousse. You always need more than you think. Having said all this, it’s completely up to you if you want to use hairspray. I see the CGM as a guide and if you want to use hairspray I’d suggest getting one without silicone. But see how you get on first without, gel can really do wonders! Good luck!

  4. Hi Helen,
    What a relief it’s been to come across your website. I tried the Curly Girl method last year but I think I completely misjudged my hair type! I saw your photo of protein overload hair and I thought “bingo” that’s what happened to me last time! I have to admit I only tried a few products, the Garnier hair food banana conditioner/mask and Superdrug black castor and shea, both products left my hair feeling better to begin with but after a few more co-washes, my hair became product-clogged, heavy, lacking in shape, tangly and it had a dry-oil feel. I will give one of the conditioners on your list a go, I was just wondering if you had any other tips or product recommendations for what I think is hair that doesn’t like too much protein. When I get my hair wet in the shower it immediately transforms into curly locks (my hair is fairly thick with large waves on a good hair day, I believe I’m a 2a curl type) and in sea water it goes into even tighter curly-waves. Sorry for the info dump but any advise for a newbie would be greatly appreciated and give me a challenge during this isolation period! Many thanks and I hope you are well, Kate.

    • Hi Kate,

      Thanks so much for your lovely comments!

      I was actually a bit like you when I started out. Tried the method and had some success straight away. Then a few weeks in, during co-washing, my hair started to feel a bit oily as if it had a coating of silicone on it.

      The biggest difference I experienced, was when I did an apple cider vinegar rinse. I simply added half a cup of ACV to some water and poured it over my (wet) hair and massaged it in. Left it for a few minutes and then continued to condition as per usual. It made such a big difference so I would suggest you do that first. In regards to products, I find that I have better luck with thinner consistencies. So no thick conditioners or ones which contain a lot of oil. I have low porosity hair so my hair doesn’t absorb moisture very well. I really do like the Banana hairfood from Garnier even though it contains a bit of protein. It’s light and works great as a deep conditioner. Also give the Papaya one a go if you like the Banana one. My other go-to co-wash is the Pantene cleanse and reconstruct conditioner. It is SO light and smells amazing. Use this as a co-wash and then try a thicker product for deep conditioning once a week.

      Honestly, I think it’s down to how you tackle the entire process. Perhaps try mousse instead of gel. This is now my preferred way because my curls are so much softer. Sure I don’t get a super hard cast, but there’s so much less product build-up. Sometimes I add a bit of gel and then mousse. It’s all about trying different things. I wouldn’t go spending lots of money on products though, I really do believe it’s down to the method.

      Try the following:
      1) apple cider vinegar rinse
      2) deep condition with Banana hair food (seeing as you already have this) – or try a new one!
      3) Finish your wash with COLD water. I always find my curls are so much better when I do this
      4) Apply mousse on dripping wet hair in the shower, scrunch scrunch!
      5) Use T-shirt or microfibre towel and plop for 10 minutes while you get dressed, makeup etc
      6) apply gel to hair at this point – experiment with the amount
      7) either air dry or diffuse. I used to swear by diffusing (on cold setting) but now I kind of like air drying

      Even though it takes SO much effort and takes SO long, really try and master ONE good wash+dry. If you get it right, you’ll know that you actually CAN do it and that your hair responds well to the products you used. I find that I have a bad hair day when I didn’t really give it my all.

      Right now during isolation, I’m giving my hair a break. I co-wash and condition but then I don’t add any additional products. I’m not going anywhere so… 🙂 My hair gets a breather but I’m still following the method. And what I am finding is that even in its natural state, my hair is curling so much more than it did 12 months ago. I could probably just co-wash, condition, plop with no products and apply 2 pumps of mousse and I’d be OK.

      So to summarise, ACV rinse, deep condition with banana hair food, end the wash with cold water, scrunch your curls with mousse, apply gel after plopping and diffuse on cold or air dry. See how you get on! 🙂

      Remember it really does take time. You’ve spent years putting chemicals into your hair as well as ironing it….it’ll take time to heal.

      Also…scalp brush! A must! 🙂

      Good luck and let me know how you get on!

      Dee

  5. This article is a life saver, thank you so much for laying it all out so simply! I’m new to the CGM and was finding it hard to find UK product advice

    • Hi,

      It is actually not recommended to do a final wash if you want to follow the Curly Girl Method, but it is of course completely up to you. I wrote an article about why it’s not needed. You can read it here. Thanks! Dee

  6. Hi please can you recommend a clarifying shampoo that I can buy in the UK? Have just started CG and think I might have to occasionally use one

    • Hi,

      Unfortunately, there isn’t really such a thing as a clarifying shampoo if you want to follow the CG method to the letter. Lorraine Massey’s argument is that if you are using 100% water-soluble products (no silicone), then you shouldn’t need to.

      I have found that an apple cider vinegar rinse does the trick for me. I add a couple of spoonful’s of apple cider vinegar to some water and massage into my hair after co-washing. Really rub it into your scalp and hair. Then finish the wash with a deep conditioner. It did absolute wonders for me! You can also squeeze half a lemon into a bottle of conditioner.

      I’m 12 months on the method now and I never use shampoo. In the beginning, I did feel my hair was very sticky, but it resolved itself. Definitely get a scalp massager and use it vigorously and try a natural clarify such as the ACV rinse or lemon rinse. Of course, it’s your hair and many CG’s follow a modified version of the method. The only problem with clarifying shampoos is that although they don’t contain sulphate, they might contain other harmful chemicals to substitute the cleansing agent…which is sulphate. I, unfortunately, don’t know much about these but I have heard that people like the Johnson’s baby shampoo. Good luck!

  7. What an amazingly helpful article wow. Thanks so much for taking the time to do this. I have finally identified why my hair is so dry lately.. Too much protein. With your list I have a set of products I can try. Thank you!!!

  8. What do you recommend as a leave in conditioner for a hair suffering protein overload? Thanks so much x

    • Hi Emily,

      Sorry for the delayed response! I would suggest you do an ACV rinse first and then try Organic Shop Avocado & Honey Hair Mask or the Garnier Ultimate Blends Argan Oil and Almond Cream Dry Hair Treatment Mask. neither of these contains coconut oil 🙂

  9. ⭐️ Hey OMG thank you so much for your time and effort with this post! It’s been so confusing for me getting into cgm and I was so overwhelmed and nervous but this has helped so much! 🙂
    ⭐️ question: is condition and deep condition the same? So in my routine would I do
    -massage scalp with conditioner
    -? Then deep Condition? Or use the same conditioner?
    – also Acv would that be the last step or before the conditioner? Thank you 🙂 xxx

    • Hi Hamzah,

      Thank you so much for your kind words!

      There are three steps when washing your hair on the CG method:

      Co-wash (conditioner washing)
      Condition
      And if needed (maybe once a week), a deep condition.

      For co-washing, you should choose a lightweight conditioner. During this step you’re actually washing your hair, so treat it like shampooing but without shampoo of course! Wash your hair as you would normally and use the scalp massager to get product out of your scalp.

      Once you’ve co-washed, you then condition.

      You can use the same conditioner for this step if you want, but I mix it up and use a thicker product which might be more hydrating. I personally like the Banana Food hair mask for this. During this step, you want to try and get as much product mixed with water into your hair whilst squishing your curls. So flip your hair upside down and continue to pour water over your head whilst squishing the product up towards your scalp. Curls should begin to form.

      As you end the wash, switch to cold water and continue to squish your curls. I find cold water really helps my curls to form.

      You can then add gel or mousse on dripping wet hair and then use a microfibre towel or t-shirt to gently scrunch the water out of your curls. The goal is to keep the curls you have formed intact and seal in moisture with gel or mousse.

      I apply gel when dripping wet and then I use an old t-shirt to get rid of excess water. I then apply gel again and start diffusing.

      Don’t worry if you have frizzy curls to begin with. It takes a long time to get those big juicy clumps of curls in the shower if you’re just starting out.

      If you think you need an ACV rinse, I would recommend you only do it once a week for two weeks and then do it monthly. It is to clarify any dirt, excess product and oil from your scalp. It can also help massively if you think you may be suffering from protein overload. After you do the ACV rinse, finish off with a deep conditioner. So do a deep condition weekly but only do an ACV rinse every two or four weeks. Hope this helps! 🙂

      Dee

  10. Hello there! Fab post thank you so much. Can I just check the Pantene hair biology cleanse and reconstruct conditioner recommended for a moisturing cleanser – it’s the conditioner to use in that product range not the shampoo? Reason for asking is the picture shown is of the shampoo. Thanks so much.

    • Hi,

      Yes you’re absolutely right, wrong photo! Thank you for letting me know 🙂 It is the conditioner and not the shampoo which is OK to use. And it’s one of my favourites. Very lightweight and smells incredible.

      Thanks again,
      Dee

    • Thank you Dee! I’ve just been reading your blog and replies to everyone you are such a star 🌟 helping everyone to make sense of it and in such a clear, concise and easy to digest way. Thank you acainn

  11. 🌟Thank you so much for taking the time to really break everything down in your article! It’s helped me understand my hair and the method. I tried to start last year but felt totally overwhelmed and my hair wasn’t taking to it but seeing your protein overload picture and the explaination and what products I was using it all made sense.
    You have spurred me on to start the routine and given me confidence to try our products as I had thrown the towel in. I want my big bouncy curls I know are in here.
    Do you have any tips for your hair at night? Wrap it up? Use a scrunchie on the top of your head?
    Honestly thank you for putting this together, I’ve already had to share with my curly headed family and friends. 🌟☀️

    • Hi Amy,

      Wow thank you so much for your kind comments!

      So I do a mixture of things at night. Sometimes I wear a satin cap which you can buy for cheap on Amazon. I use this kind – https://amzn.to/2Vp2Jps but I noticed this seller only has a large left, so shop around if it’s not your size. It holds in your curls really well but it can be a bit slippery if too big.

      You can also use a hair buff. It’s basically a long fabric tube. You can also find this on Amazon.

      Sometimes I just put my hair in a pineapple, so exactly what you said -a scrunchie on the top of my head 🙂

      You’ve inspired me to add to this post – other CG products that are not actually conditioner or styling products but tools as well. I find that these are just as essential. Thank you!

      Wishing you the best of luck with your curls!

      Dee

  12. Hi there,

    I have been looking into the CG method for a while but I don’t see a lot of talk about products that can be used on colour treated hair. Can you use most of these products on coloured hair? If so, which ones are best.

    Thanks!

    • Hi Laurie,

      You can use all CG approved products on coloured hair. I have coloured my hair and haven’t had any issues. If anything, next time you colour your hair, you could try and go for one that is not too damaging for your hair. I haven’t personally gone down that route and have just used a box colour. But any products on this list can be used 🙂

      • Hi Dee,

        Thank you so much for your help! I am just about to start my CG journey and this was so helpful!!

  13. Hello! Firstly thank you for all of the information on this site. It is really helpful! I had been half heartedly trying the CCG method for a few months to no avail, until I realised I was suffering with protein overload. I found your site recently, snapped up a load of your recommended products and started to take it more seriously. For the first few days I couldn’t believe the difference! My hair had become increasingly curly and was starting to feel softer and healthier. Now however, over a week in, my curls are not forming despite using the same methods as the first few days and I wondered if you had any advice?

    The products I bought are:
    Pantene cleansing conditioner
    Almond crush garnier conditioner
    Argon oil hair mask
    Umberto garnier crunchy jelly
    (And I also did an ACV wash before I started)

    I doubt my hair could now be suffering with moisture overload because I dye my hair a lot and have bleached it extensively in the past, but I guess it is an option.

    My hair type is probably a 2b/2c on good days, but it had recently become a 3a in places around the front.

    I unfortunately have been having to wash my hair every day as my hair doesn’t like refreshing, so maybe that is it? I normally wash my hair very infrequently so it might be due to overwashing? I’m so confused.

    If you have any insights I would greatly appreciate it.

    I hope you and your family are staying safe and healthy during this time xxx

    • Hi Lianne,

      Thank you for following the blog! I’m so glad you had some success! Apologies for the delay in replying to you. I wanted to think carefully about my response because I didn’t want you to go out and buy new products and if you have already seen some changes, then maybe we can build on that.

      The first thing I would recommend is to continue to do an ACV rinse on a weekly basis. Perhaps 2 or 3 weeks in a row. That’s what I have been doing lately as my curls were becoming a bit stringy and I think it has helped.

      Another thing that may help, is to cut your curls a teeny tiny bit. I’m not talking inches, just the very tips. Sometimes this can make a huge difference. I recently cut my own hair and it really gave life back to my curls.

      A third tip (which I am sometimes now very good at following), is to use cold water when you condition. I hate this bit because I love a hot shower but I have to admit that my curls always come out much better with cold water.

      And this goes for heat too. I would sometimes cheat and use medium heat (or even high…ooops) on my hairdryer and I get no way near the same results as I do with a cold setting.

      The only product I might be inclined to swap is the Almond crush and this is ONLY because I’ve recently found it to no longer works with my hair. That doesn’t mean it won’t work for you, but seeing as we’ve had some of the same issues, maybe another product would work. I am currently in Denmark and I am actually using a super cheap supermarket brand called Elida. The expensive products are not always better so if you want to try something different, maybe go for Sainsbury’s Apple conditioner or the Superdrug Cherry and almond conditioner. If it doesn’t work, at least it wasn’t £10 out the window!

      I’ve had so many ups and downs with this (mostly downs…) but it’s worth it in the end. During lockdown, I’ve mainly just been washing my hair and not even styling with mousse or gel. And I am so surprised at how curly my hair au natural is! It was never like this before, so that’s why I know the CGM works 🙂 I still get frizz and I sometimes still struggle with the curls. But I am just so happy I no longer use harsh chemicals or straighten my hair.

      So to sum up:

      1) Continue ACV rinse (or squeeze a lemon into your conditioner) once a week for another few weeks
      2) Use only cold water when squishing to condish
      3) Only dry on cold setting
      4) Cut ends of hair
      5) Switch the almond crush conditioner

      You can also experiment with the amount of gel you use. I need a lot more than I am willing to admit….but then I sometimes mix gel with mousse.

      I also don’t like refreshing btw. I have switched from a wet refresh (it gave me horrible frizz) to a dry refresh. So now I simply just take a big dollop of mousse and squeeze my curls. It takes about 10 minutes and the curls feel a bit hard and then I scrunch the curls out 🙂

      It doesn’t always work, but when it does, it saves me so much time!

      Wishing you all the best with your curls! Any questions, just ask 🙂

      Stay safe!
      Dee xxx

  14. Hi Dee,

    Thank you for this article, and the step-by-step guide! I’m feeling more prepared and confident to give CGM a go after seeing it all broken down into steps! 🙂 The only thing I’m confused about is whether the dryness in my hair is due to protein sensitivity or related to moisture – do you have any more advice on how to determine which it is? I’m trying to decide whether to opt for the protein-free products or not 🙂
    Thanks,
    Hannah

    • Hi Hannah,

      It’s tricky for sure.

      If your hair feels dry and straw-like, then I would definitely recommend you do a weekly deep-conditioning treatment. I always recommend the Banana Hair food mask from Garnier, even though it does contain coconut (protein mimicker). It just makes my hair feel super soft but you can try others. I wrote an article about protein vs deep conditioning treatments and you can read that here

      Perhaps try an apple cider vinegar rinse first. Mix a couple of spoonfuls of ACV with water and massage through wet hair. Leave it for about 5 minutes. Then finish off with a conditioner as usual. You might not feel a difference after the first wash but if you have too much protein in your hair, it should feel nicer by the second wash for sure. You can also add some lemon juice to conditioner if you don’t have ACV.

      Also consider your styling products. Do you use gel or mousse? I get a great cast with gel but it made my hair dry. I now switch between mousse and gel and I found this helped a lot.

      So definitely add a weekly deep condition to your routine and try a clarifying rinse.

      Remember, if your hair is damaged, it will, unfortunately, take a while for it to be restored back to its natural health.

      Thanks for reading!

      Dee

      • Hi Dee,

        Thank you for this. The ACV wash seemed to be a good cleanser so will keep that up. I have been using gel (Cantu Lock and Twist) but my hair has felt very producty and matted so I’m looking for an alternative product. I’ve had the same results from the conditioner that I tried (Faith in Nature Aloe Vera and Noughty leave-in). I’ve tried washing by phasing these on an alternating basis this week and haven’t had a day where my hair hasn’t felt gross.

        Do you have any recommendations for a lightweight gel (and conditioner) that doesn’t leave residue?

        Thanks,
        Hannah

  15. Hey,

    I’m planning on starting the CGM but noticed that you don’t have any hair serums on your list. I’ve always applied serum to my hair when wet and again once dried to reduce frizz. Is this not advised?

    Thank you,
    Liz

    • Hi Liz,

      Serums are very oily which isn’t recommended but I’ve looked into this and the XHC serum and Treluxe styling serum are CG approved 🙂 I’ll add these to the list. If you can’t find any of these nearby, try lube! It’s so great for managing frizz! Good luck 🙂

  16. Hi there!

    Thank you so much for putting this together, it’s super helpful.

    I struggle with oily roots and dry ends, would that be protein overload or the other end of the spectrum? Thanks in advance!

    Meg

    • Hi Meg,

      Thank you for your kind words 🙂

      I think my hair was similar when I started out but now I can go 4 or 5 days without a wash. Oily roots tend to be caused by either product build-up or sebum produced from your scalp so I would definitely get a scalp brush if you don’t already one. Spend 2-3 minutes in the shower just vigorously massaging your scalp.

      If you are new to the method, give it time. Before starting CGM, my roots always got so oily, but this changed with time. If you now only use conditioner to remove dirt, it’s going to take a while before the process works. I would definitely recommend doing an ACV rinse to see if it balances out. Add a few spoonfuls of apple cider vinegar to water and massage into wet hair. Leave for a few minutes and rinse with conditioner. Do this every 2 weeks.

      And yes, if you have dry ends, definitely go for a moisturising deep treatment once a week and not protein. Try and avoid coconut products as these can also be very drying.

      All the best!
      Dee

  17. Hi this site is amazing and is full of so many tips! Thank you

    Just one question, I find my long hair falls out quite a lot (Or i just notice it more maybe) the only way i can keep on top of it usually is by brushing it? I am waiting for my new products to arrive to start the CGM process but am i still going to be able to brush it whilst wet and at what stage?

    Thank you 🙂

    • Hi Jess!

      Thank you for your lovely comments 🙂

      My hair falls out a lot too. On the CG method it is advised to only use a wide-tooth comb on wet hair. Personally, I don’t brush anymore. I just use my fingers when I condition. That’s not a conscious choice and it’s not because I don’t want to brush, I just find it easier. So if you want to follow the method to a tee, you cannot use a regular brush, only a wide-tooth comb. You can do this whilst co-washing and then squish to condish afterwards.

      I’ve seen some Curly Girls use a Denman brush but I don’t have any experience with this unfortunately. I think if you have 3b+ curls, this is probably more appropriate. I’m wavy/curly so my hair is easier to manage.

      Thanks for reading and good luck with starting the method! 🙂

      Dee x

  18. Hi Dee

    Excellent post thank you but I’m really struggling. Over a year of religiously following the method my scalp and hair is greasy and feels like it needs a good wash. What could I possibly be doing wrong? I just co-wash and condition, I don’t use anything else now just in case it was exacerbating the problem. Thank you x

    • Hi Anna,

      It can be really difficult to enjoy the method if you don’t actually feel like it’s doing anything good for you :/

      If your scalp is greasy, I would recommend that you do an ACV rinse or a Lemonaid rinse. Buy some apple cider vinegar and mix a few spoonfuls with water. Then use this mixture on wet hair before your co-wash and condition. Vigorously massage it in to your scalp and use a scalp brush if you have one. If you don’t have one…buy one! It made such a difference to my scalp. it’s easy to get build-up if you’re not using shampoo.

      The ACV rinse is essentially a natural way to remove dirt and build-up from your scalp and hair. You can also add a few squeezes of lemon juice to your conditioner.

      I’d recommend you do an ACV rinse or Lemonaid rinse at least once a month and in the beginning, maybe even once a week.

      Also consider switching your co-washing product to a lighter product. You can do an Amazon search for ‘co-wash’ and you should get a bunch of results. I also really like the Pantene hair biology conditioner cleanse & reconstruct conditioner. It is super lightweight and works great as a co-wash. Consider buying cheap products for co-washing and more expensive products for your condition or deep condition.

      If all this fails, no one is going to judge you for using a mild shampoo every now and again. At the end of the day, it is just hair. Do what feels right for you 🙂 But try the natural rinses first and see how you get on 🙂

      Hope it helps!
      Dee x

  19. Hi!

    This post is so so incredibly informative for a complete newbie like me. I’ve actually been washing and treating my hair as straight for the last 20 years, but the other day I decided to experiment by just casually scrunching my hair with no product and letting it air dry instead of brushing through it, and I was so surprised that my hair formed beachy waves with a few small ringlets.

    I was just wondering if you think it’s worth me trying the curly girl method (as I don’t want to invest lots of money in products if my hair is destined to be forever straight or just have a slight wave) and also how you would suggest modifying this for wavy hair as opposed to proper curls?

    sorry about the information dump, but I’ve been dreaming of having curly/wavy hair for YEARS so now that I know it might be an option for me I’m super excited and want to give this method a proper try!

    • Hi! Thanks for your lovely comments 🙂

      So I actually had dead straight hair until I was around 12 years old. But then I wanted to be Mel B from the Spice Girls (I am Asian btw…DEAD STRAIGHT HAIR), and for some reason my mother allowed my hair to be permed! Massive mistake. I did NOT look like Mel B…

      Anyways, ever since then, the texture of my hair changed. It was never curly but certainly a bit wavy. But I straightened it for the next 20 years because, well, I just assumed it was supposed to be straight.

      So I don’t have naturally curly hair but I do have wavy hair. When I use the CG Method, I get curly hair. So for me, this works 🙂

      I, therefore, think you can use the method the same way I do. At the end of the day, it’s just about finding the right products which work for you and be willing to invest time. I have no doubt that you’ll get more curls or waves if you try the method, especially if you’re already getting a few ringlets.

      I wrote an article about how to go about it if you have wavy hair (because that’s what I have), and you can find that here.

      But for some quick tips, this is what I would do:

      1) Ditch the shampoo and start using conditioner only. You can find a list of approved products here.

      2) Do not brush your hair except when wet and only with a wide-tooth comb or simply your fingers (this is what I do).

      3) As you’re finishing the wash, flip your hair upside down and scrunch carefully towards your scalp with lots of cold water and some conditioner.

      4) As the curls begin to form (or waves), apply gel or mousse on soaking wet hair. Begin to scrunch out the water a bit.

      5) Wrap your hair in a t-shirt or microfibre towel and get dressed etc.

      6) scrunch out the excess water from your hair and apply gel or mousse again. You’ll need more than you think.

      7) Leave to air dry (can take ages) or use a diffuser and dry to 90%.

      8) If you get a cast, scrunch it out.

      You shouldn’t be able to fail if following this routine. The most important thing is to get your curls forming whilst in the shower and then adding your styling product towards the end.

      If all this sounds too complicated, you can honestly just wash with conditioner and when you step out of the shower, use a big dollop of mousse and scrunch into your hair. I do this sometimes and I still get great curls. It’s just a bit more frizzy but sometimes I quite like this.

      I have no idea if I answered your question haha, but honestly, I had wavy hair and my hair curls really well when following the method. I am sure yours will too! If anything, it’s a way to get a bit of texture into your hair without using curling tongs 🙂

      Oh and don’t go buying expensive products to begin with. I love the 99p Boots Essentials Gel or Pantene Vol.5 mousse. For a cheap conditioner, try the Superdrug Cherry conditioner and maybe invest in the Garnier Banana Hair food. All of this shouldn’t set you back more than £8. Of course, if you want to use a diffuser, you’ll have to buy one. The one I use is the Hairizone diffuser which I bought from ebay. It’s £17. I’ve linked it here.

      Good luck!

      Dee x

  20. This list has now been bookmarked and is really helpful. I have been a big fan of the UG curl Jelly for definition but it does make my hair feel greasy. I have just started the As I am Co-wash and that is the first time my hair has felt properly clean without Shampoo so I would definitely recommend that.

    My big problem is my curls fall out quite fast and I just get wavy frizz, not sure how to combat that.

    What I struggle with is trying to do CG but also trying to go as zero waste as possible. Pre CG I was shampoo and conditioner bars only but now I feel I am using so much plastic! I wish Lush’ co-wash was GC compliant!

  21. Thank you so much! You have been super helpful – I ordered some of the products you recommended today and I can’t wait to start my own curly hair journey!

  22. Hi, thank you for this list. I tried curly girl method a couple of years ago on my long dyed very damaged hair and gave up because it was so time consuming.
    Since then, I’ve had chemo and a stem cell transplant. One of the benefits of this, apart from saving my life, is that after losing my hair, it’s growing back thicker and healthier than it was before. No, I don’t recommend it lol, but, I have the opportunity to try it again on my “ virgin” hair. My hair is very short atm, just looking like very short waves. I’ve been using the organic shop avocado and honey mask to wash my hair with. Do you have any more advice to train my hair without looking like sonic the hedgehog whilst it is growing. I still wear a hat when I’m out as it’s so short but hope to stop that in a couple of months. I’m tempted to leave it grey/ white now as apart from the chemicals putting me off, I got fed up of touching up the roots every few weeks…… unless there is a natural wash in/ wash out colour about that I don’t know about.
    Many thanks for your hard work devising this list.

    • Hi Julia,

      So sorry for just responding. I’ve had to take some time out due to Covid 19 but now back on it.

      First of all, thank you for your kind comments. Secondly, from your story I honestly don’t think there’s anything I can teach you that you’re not bossing already! 🙂 I’m so glad the stem cell transplant was successful and that you’re doing well!

      I have no experience with starting ‘fresh’ but if your hair is very short, I don’t think there’s much else you can do but take care of it the way you are. I really admire you for even committing to the CGM after what you have been through so I would recommend you take it slow and just use the products which you feel are doing you good. I don’t know if you are using styling products such as gel or mousse, but perhaps mousse would help settle your hair a bit whilst growing.

      I personally have always just coloured my hair with a box hair dye from Boots or Superdrug so don’t have any advice on that part. But rock your greys and whites I say! 🙂

      Thank you again for your kind comments. I am sorry I can’t be of more help but don’t overthink it, keep it simple and all the best of luck to you! Dee x

      • Thank you Dee. I hope you’re feeling better, I hear it can really take it out of you.
        Thanks for the advice, I tried gel, whoa! I head of very tight little curls lol. I think I’m just going to need to be patient although I’m dying to see how it turns out when it’s longer.
        Thanks again. Keep up the good work and take care of yourself.
        Julia x

  23. Lovely finding your experience here! I believe my hair is protein overloaded and I am looking for solutions! Thank you for sharing!
    I am confused about the organic avocado and honey deep conditions you recommend as protein free.. I just got it ordered and one of the top ingredient is “Hydrolyzed wheat protein”… isn’t that going to build up even more a protein sensitive hair? I’m new here, trying to understand these terms!
    Thank youuuuuu:)

    • Hi Nina,

      Thanks for reading the blog 🙂 So, this is actually quite odd. I checked the ingredients on the Organic Shop website and this product definitely doesn’t contain hydrolyzed wheat protein. But I then Googled it and can see that there is an express version of this product which does. However, it seems to only be available from shops outside the UK. Can I ask where you bought it from? The link I provided in this article definitely takes you to the right product on Amazon.co.uk BUT I can see that I have used the wrong image, showing the Express hair mask and for this I am very sorry! I have changed the image now to reflect the correct hair mask. Does your hair mask say Express on it? It should be the Lavish Avocado and Honey hair mask. I am so sorry, I didn’t realise there were, in fact, two different kinds of Organic Shop Avocado and Honey hair masks! The express one doesn’t seem to be available on the UK Organic Shop website.

      I would give this hair mask a try since you’ve bought it. You will be able to tell after one or two washes if it works or not. Sometimes products surprise you. I have favourites which work for me one week but then the next week I need to change it up.

      Again, I am so sorry if the image was confusing! I genuinely didn’t know that there were two very similar products. I’m just glad it wasn’t a £20 product!

      Thanks again for reading the blog and all the best with your curly journey x

      • I ordered it from Amazon UK as well, from the Organic Shop (Organic Shop Honey Avocado Hair Mask, 250 ml https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N096MYU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_4dy2EbEVHY7SA). I understand that you got mistaken, but It’s a bit disappointing…I waited for weeks to find some guidance for my issue, then I found your blog and still waited couple more weeks to receive the product… because it was sold out. It’s not about the price, for sure, but anyway.. thanks for replying.

  24. Hello,
    I’ve cowashed twice now and I think its going to change my life so thank you for your really informative website! I colour my hair too (well my hair dresser does!) And I wondered what i should do about that? She will colour it (red) then shampoo twice and then condition. I have protein overload hair. She does it at my house so should Iask her to use other products? I’ve got the johnsons baby shampoo for my kids. Been using the faith in nature conditioner as you recommended it, and I love the smell!
    Thanks
    Helen

    • Hi Helen,

      Thanks so much for your kind comments!

      I personally use a box colour every now and then and I just use the shampoo that comes with the box. In my book, one wash won’t hurt the progress I’ve made and so far it hasn’t. However, I don’t colour my hair very often, once every 4 months or so. So what I would recommend is to let your hairdresser do her thing and use her own shampoo (seeing as your hair colour probably contains silicone) and so you’ll need a sulphate shampoo anyway to rinse this out. Then use your own CG friendly conditioner and style as per normal.

      This way I don’t think you’re doing very much harm to your hair. Many curly girls use shampoo once a month or every 6 weeks anyway because they don’t get along with co-washing only. So you could consider your colour session your clarifying session as well 🙂 Perhaps use a deep conditioner after colouring?

      Hope this makes sense and I’m so pleased you’re seeing results!

      Dee x

  25. Hi,
    You mentioned colouring hair. How do you wash the dye out (especially at the hairdressers), without using Shampoo?
    Thnaks
    Emma

    • Hi Emma,

      I would let the hairdresser use their own shampoo. Most hair dye contains silicone so you’d need a sulphate shampoo to wash this out. I would just bring your own silicone-free conditioner and ask them to use this 🙂 I do not think your hair will become damaged by using shampoo once every 4-6 weeks, many curly girls already do this when clarifying.

      Hope this helps!
      Dee x

  26. Hi! Just wanted to say thank for this awesome resource & your CGM for wavy hair post! Very excited to try and figure out the right routine for my hair, and you’ve helped me start with products that won’t break the bank. I have processed hair (bleached & coloured with semi-permanent dye) so I think I might need a leave-in conditioner to add moisture? I normally use Olaplex 3 to repair my hair after it’s been bleached and I was really excited to find that it’s CGM approved, but now I am paranoid about overdoing the protein and not having enough moisture! Thank you so much 🙂

    • Hi Claire,

      Thanks so much for your lovely comments. It’s such a tricky one because damaged hair tends to lack protein but the signs of too much protein look very similar. If you are regularly bleaching and colouring your hair then I don’t think you should worry about your hair lacking protein. Protein loss is the first thing that happens when your hair is being chemically treated. However, you need a healthy balance of both protein and moisture so as much as it’s not groundbreaking advice, I suggest you follow up any bleached/colour session with Olaplex 3 and weekly deep conditioners with a protein-rich product. Then use protein-free conditioners for your regular washes and see how you get along.

      Hope this helps!
      Dee x

  27. Hiya,

    So glad I came across your site! Everything I’ve found has been US based and SO helpful to have. a list of UK products and using this to try and identify why I have so much frizz!!

    Just wondering I currently use the AS I AM coconut cowash and noticed it’s listed as protein free in one section, and protein rich in another?

    Many thanks
    Ellie

    • Hi Ellie,
      Thanks so much for your kind comments! I’m so sorry for the mistake, the As I Am Coconut Co-wash is a protein free co-wash. I’ve tried looking for where it was listed as protein-rich but I haven’t been able to find it. Do you by any chance remember if it was another post? I’ll have a thorough look through all my posts!

      Thanks so much for bringing this to my attention!

      Dee x

      • It’s listed as a protein rich conditioner in the “best UK protein rich conditioners” section, I just saw this as well and was very confused. Thanks for clarifying it is protein free, phew!

        • So sorry about that! I’ve just checked and the table had been duplicated with the wrong heading. All of these cleansers are protein-free which is listed correctly further down below. Thanks so much for bringing this to my attention!

          Dee x

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