2023 Top UK Curly Girl Approved Shampoos

If you are a follower of the Curly Girl Method, you’ll know that finding the right products is essential. There are so many Curly Girl approved conditioners and gels available to buy in the UK, but what about shampoos?

UK Curly Girl Approved Shampoos 1

If you are a super strict follower of the Curly Girl Method, there are unfortunately no shampoos in the UK which are Curly Girl approved.

This is because the CG Method encourages co-washing only meaning conditioner washing.

Shampoo, unfortunately, contains sulfates and other cleansing agents which can be very damaging to your hair.

However, if you are NOT a strict follower of the Curly Girl Method, you can definitely find lots of UK Curly Girl friendly low poo shampoos which contain gentle cleansers.

UK Curly Girl Approved Shampoos

They do not contain any of the ‘bad’ ingredients which are prohibited on the CG method so technically, they’re fine to use.

Alot of Curly Girls actually prefer to use low-poo shampoos due to a variety of reasons such as work conditions (nurses for example), disability, skin conditions or scalp irritation.

What you choose to use is entirely up to you!

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UK Curly Girl Approved Shampoos: Co-wash or Conditioner?

In this article, I will list two kinds of products:

1. 100% UK CG approved cleansers such as co-washes and conditioners

2. UK Curly Girl friendly low-poo shampoos which do not contain sulfates

Using either of those is absolutely fine. Don’t feel guilty about using shampoo.

I know many Curly Girls simply can’t live without shampoo and I use shampoo probably once every 4 weeks.

This tends to be if I’ve run out of conditioner or feel that my roots need a good clean. Luckily, I get along with co-washing pretty easily and I’ve never had to low-poo.

If you want to follow the Curly Girl Method as per Lorraine Massey’s book, there are tonnes of excellent alternatives to regular shampoo such as cleansers, co-washing products and of course, conditioner!

You don’t actually need shampoo to wash your hair thoroughly which is evidenced by the thousands of Curly Girls who use conditioner to wash their hair with amazing results.

So even though there might not be any UK shampoos that are 100% Curly Girl approved, there’s a long list of products that you CAN use.

To go straight to the list of Curly Girl approved cleansers such as co-washes and conditioners, click here.

To go straight to the list of UK Curly Girl friendly low-poo shampoos, click here.

What Is The Curly Girl Method

If you are reading this article, you probably already know about the Curly Girl Method so I won’t go on in much detail.

However, if you are new to the method, check out my complete step-by-step guide which should tell you everything you need to know.

The Curly Girl Method was developed by Lorraine Massey, the author of Curly Girl The Handbook. An essential read for anyone just starting out.

The Curly Girl Method or CGM, is a hair care routine that encourages you to ditch the hair straighteners, avoid harsh chemicals and love your natural curls as they are!

The Basic Rules Of CGM

1. No Sulphates, Silicones, Waxes, Or Drying Alcohols

One of the main reasons why you cannot use shampoo on the CG method is because they contain a lot of harsh ingredients which are damaging to your scalp and hair.

The main culprit is sulfate. You can read more about why shampoos are damaging down below.

Silicones are often found in conditioners. It is the ingredient that makes your hair soft, shiny, and manageable.

We want to avoid silicone as it forms a wax layer on hair strands and is very difficult to wash out.

You should therefore only use conditioners that are silicone and wax free.

Some alcohols are fine to use on the Curly Girl method, but there are many alcohols that are drying. Check the ingredients list with curlsbot.com if you are unsure.

2. No Heat Styling

You should not use high heat on the Curly Girl Method. You can, of course, use a hairdryer, but the heat setting should be set to cold or medium heat.

It is highly recommended to use a diffuser as this helps disperse the flow of air much more evenly. It also helps manage frizz and keeps your curls intact.

Any universal diffuser will do, like this one I got from Amazon. It’s very good value for money and fits pretty much any hairdryer.

3. No Brushing

The Curly Girl Method does not recommend brushing as this causes breakage and split ends. Instead, use a wide-tooth comb and use it only on wet hair.

4. No Towels

You should also not use regular towels on the Curly Girl Method. This is because the rough texture of towels creates friction when used against hair and in turn causes frizz.

You’ll want to keep the integrity of your curls for optimal definition, and it is therefore recommended to use a microfibre towel like this one instead. You can also use an old t-shirt.

The Curly Girl Method UK and Shampoos

As mentioned above, regular shampoos are a no go if you are intent on following the Curly Girl Method.

The best way to explain why shampoos are damaging is to think of the process of shampooing/conditioner/styling as a never-ending cycle.

Why? Because the beauty industry has taught us to shampoo, condition, style, and repeat. Over and over again. Ka-ching!

curly girl method for fine wavy hair

Sulfate is a harsh cleansing agent and it is the chemical that makes shampoo lather.

Lather essentially means bubbles and it is the foaming effect you get when you use shampoo.

You also get that squeaky clean feeling with shampoo, but have you noticed that your hair also feels a bit dry or even coarse? It’s certainly not smooth.

This is sulfate. Cleansing yes, but also stripping your hair of its natural oils.

After shampooing, we then use conditioner to replenish our hair with moisture, shine, and softness. How? With silicones!

Yes, your hair feels amazing after it has been conditioned but think of what you’re doing to it.

You’re stripping it of oil, only to replace moisture with silicone amongst other chemicals.

And here’s the kicker: if you use hair straighteners, the heat actually MELTS the silicone into your hair, making it very difficult for moisture to penetrate.

So there you have it. A never-ending cycle that can actually be damaging to your hair and this is why the CG method is so important.

The Curly Girl Method encourages you to use hair products without all of these harsh chemicals so that your hair has a chance to shine naturally.

Also Read: Protein vs Deep Conditioning Hair Treatment – Which Do I Need?

UK Curly Girl Approved Products To Use Instead Of Shampoos

So we have established that there, unfortunately, aren’t any 100% Curly Girl approved shampoos that you can buy in the UK.

Well, the good news is that you have PLENTY of options!

Since we don’t shampoo on the strict CGM method, we do something else which is called co-washing.

Co-washing essentially means ‘conditioner washing’.

It is exactly like shampooing, but you replace the shampoo product with a conditioner or a CG approved cleansing product. Simple!

Instead of shampoos, you can use the following UK Curly Girl approved products:

UK Curly Girl Approved Conditioners

If you want to follow the Curly Girl Method 100%, you should be able to use conditioner only for both co-washing as well as conditioning.

The reason for this is that if you are using only water-soluble hair products such as silicone and wax-free products, then you do not need shampoo (or sulfates) to cleanse your hair.

I would always recommend using a lightweight conditioner to replace shampoo.

Save the creamier and sometimes more expensive ones for conditioning or weekly hydrating treatments.

Why? Because co-washing is all about cleansing, not conditioning. You want to use a product that is neither oily nor weighs your hair down.

Protein-Rich Conditioners For Co-Washing

Co-wash with a protein-rich conditioner if you are suffering from moisture overload.

Your hair will feel limp, and soft, and your curls are not forming as they should. You may also notice breakage and loss of shine.

Try one of these popular protein-rich conditioners:

Moisturising Conditioners For Co-Washing

If your curls feel dry and brittle and your hair seems to easily break, you could be suffering from protein overload.

In this case, you’ll want to go for products that are moisturizing and which do not contain protein or too much coconut oil.

Coconut can function as a protein mimicker and some Curly Girls try to avoid coconut altogether.

Now, remember, you can use basically any conditioner to co-wash your hair. My recommendation is to use lightweight products but every Curly Girl is different.

Buy one or two different products and experiment. Use them up, don’t waste them, and if you don’t think they work for you, move on to the next two products.

UK Curly Girl Approved Co-washing Products

The beauty world has caught on to CGM and you can now buy co-washing products which are specifically designed for people who do not want to use shampoo.

Curly Girl friendly co-washing products are light in consistency and texture, they don’t lather and work great as a UK Curly Girl approved alternative to shampoos.

No Sulphate Shampoos

If you prefer to follow a simplified version of the Curly Girl Method, there’s a long list of UK Curly Girl friendly low-poo shampoos which are sulfate free and contain gentle cleansers.

These are perfect to use on days when you find that co-washing isn’t hitting the spot.

If you suffer from allergies, irritated scalp or simply don’t want to co-wash only, these shampoos are a great alternative and work well on the Curly Girl Method.

These are the most commonly used CG-friendly shampoos. Johnson’s baby shampoo is very popular within the Curly Girl community as it is very gentle and also on the cheaper end of the spectrum.

The Umberto Giannini shampoo works well with other UG products and has a very light texture. The Shea Extra Moisture Retention shampoo provides a lot of moisture and a little goes a long way.

Finally, the Noughty To The Rescue Moisture Boost Shampoo ins enriched with Morrocan Argan and sunflower seeds for added moisture and soft bouncy curls.

JOHNSON’S BABY SHAMPOO

If you’re a fan of the Johnson’s baby shampoo, these three shampoos are CG friendly and can be used as a cleanser:

SHEA MOISTURE CG FRIENDLY SHAMPOOS

Shea Moisture is another very popular Curly Girl approved brand and the following shampoos can be used as a cleanser.

The most popular is probably the Curl and Shine shampoo, but as per usual, every Curly Girl is different.

DR ORGANIC SHAMPOOS

Dr Organic is another well-known brand who produce Curly Girl friendly shampoos available to buy in the UK.

NOUGHTY SHAMPOOS

Noughty Haircare have a great range of UK CG approved conditioners but luckily many of their shampoos are also Curly Girl friendly:

LIVING PROOF

Living Proof offers a great range of CG approved shampoos:

NATURAL CLEANSERS

Sometimes, co-washing only doesn’t get all the build-up and dirt out of your hair.

I find that the best way to combat oily, greasy or itchy scalp is to do an apple cider vinegar rinse or a Lemonaid rinse as per Lorraine Massey’s book Curly Girl The Handbook.

Simply add a few spoonful’s of apple cider vinegar to 200ml of water and massage this onto dripping wet hair.

Use a scalp massager like this one and work the mixture into your hair for at least a couple of minutes.

Apple cider vinegar helps to balance the PH of your hair and is great for getting rid of excess build-up on your scalp.

You can also squeeze half a lemon into your favorite conditioner and follow the process above.

I personally LOVE a clarifying rinse. I do them once every two weeks and it helps keep my scalp healthy and clean. They can also help if you have too much protein in your hair.

So there you have it. Whether you’re a strict or a simplified follower of the CG Method you literally have dozens of UK Curly Girl friendly shampoos or approved shampoo alternative products to choose from!

Remember, it is your decision whether you want to use conditioner only or CG friendly shampoo. The most important thing is to find a routine that fits into your lifestyle and budget.

I wish you all the best on your Curly Girl Journey!

Let me know in the comments if this article was helpful or if there are any other shampoo products you think I should add to the list.


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.

4 thoughts on “2023 Top UK Curly Girl Approved Shampoos”

  1. This was very helpful and a good read, thank you. I have just started my curly girl journey. Is the apple cider vinegar a “clarifying” method? Do you have any recommendations for a gentle clarifying shampoo?

    Thanks

    • Hi Anastassia,

      Thanks for your comments.

      Try any of these clarifying shampoos:

      Aunt Jackie’s Heads Up Moisturizing & Softening Shampoo
      Cantu Cleansing Cream Shampoo
      Mielle Rosemary Mint Strengthening Shampoo

      Dee x

  2. This was super helpful, it can be a quite overwhelming researching the way forward for me! I think I’ll go with a low poo shampoo (like Johnson’s maybe) but a quick question, if I use a low poo shampoo do I still use conditioner? Thanks so much for this informative article!

    • Hi there,

      Thank you so much for your kind comment 🙂

      Yes you should always use a conditioner after shampooing. This is what will help moisturise and ‘shape’ your curls as you’re ‘squishing’ the curls towards your scalp.

      Wishing you the best of luck with the method!

      Dee x

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