Some of the most popular posts on this blog are the Curly Girl Approved products lists.
Because of that, I thought it would be helpful to create a master list that puts all of the Curly Girl Approved products in one place.
For the sake of this post, I want to note that I follow the simplified version of the Curly Girl Method most directly derived from the Curly Girl Handbook.
This means the only ingredients I look to avoid are sulfates, silicones, and drying alcohols. If you have more ingredients that you look to avoid, it would be a good idea to check the ingredients for yourself before making a purchase.
Without further ado, here are over 125 curly girl-approved products for you to try out for your curly hair.
This page does contain affiliate links, which means if you purchase something using the product links on this page, I may get a small commission. This comes at no extra cost to you and helps keep this site running. Thank you!
Shampoos
If you choose to use shampoo, you want to make sure it’s sulfate-free. Here are 25+ options for your to consider!
1) Cantu Sulfate-Free Cleansing Cream Shampoo
2) Shea Moisture Coconut and Hibiscus, Jamaican Black Castor Oil, Raw Shea Butter, etc.
3) Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Curl Talk Shampoo
4) Verelle Hydrating Sulfate-Free Hairwash
5) OGX Weightless Hydration + Coconut Water Shampoo
6) Not Your Mother’s Naturals Shampoos Blue Sea Kale and Pure Coconut Water, Coconut Milk & African Marula Tree Oil High Moisture, Tahitian Gardenia Flower & Mango Butter, etc
7) Burt’s Bees Very Volumizing Pomegranate Shampoo
8) Pacifica Pineapple Curls Curl Defining Shampoo
9) OUIDAD Vitalcurl+ Clear & Gentle Shampoo
10) Maple Holistics Pure Tea Tree Oil Shampoo
11) Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo
12) Pantene Pro V Rose Water Shampoo
13) Puracy Citrus & Mint Sulfate-Free Natural Daily Shampoo
14) Mielle Organics Babassu Oil Conditioning Sulfate-Free Shampoo
15) Suave Professionals Natural Shea Butter & Pure Coconut Oil Sulfate-Free Cleansing Shampoo
16) Love Beauty & Planet Turmeric and Tonka Essence Prevent and Preserve Sulfate Free Shampoo
17) TGIN Moisture Rich Sulfate Free Shampoo For Natural Hair With Amla Oil and Coconut Oil
18) Kinky Curly Come Clean Sulfate Free Shampoo
20) Jessicurl Gentle Lather Shampoo Citrus & Lavender
21) Aquage Seaextend Silkening Shampoo
22) ArtNaturals Argan Hair Growth Shampoo
23) Phargin Naturals Sulfate Free Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
24) Aveeno Scalp Soothing Almond Oil Blend Shampoo for Deep Hydration
25) Mixed Chicks Sulfate-Free Shampoo
Conditioners
Conditioner is a key component to the Curly Girl Method–and curly hair care in general. As your hair changes, you may need to change your conditioner as your hair changes over time.
Here are 25+ for you to choose from.
26) Suave Essentials Tropical Coconut
28) Vo5 Herbal Escape Conditioners
29) Shea Moisture Conditioners (Curl and Shine, Jamaican Black Castor Oil, Raw Shea Butter, etc)
30) Not Your Mother’s Naturals Tahitian Gardenia Flower & Mango Butter Curl Defining Conditioner (Most, if not all Not Your Mother’s Naturals are CG approved)
31) Verelle Curl-Enhancing Conditioner
32) Burt’s Bees More Moisture, Very Volumizing Conditioners
33) Say Yes to Carrots Nourishing Conditioner
34) Say Yes to Naturals Coconut and Argon Oil
35) HONEYDEW Hydrating Conditioner Mint & Tea Tree Oil For Dry and Damaged Hair
36) Cantu Hydrating Cream Conditioner
37) CurlSmith Curl Quenching Conditioning Wash
38) Living Proof No Frizz Conditioner
39) Ouidad VitalCurl+ Plus Balancing Rinse Conditioner
40) Bumble and Bumble Bb.Creme De Coco Tropical-Riche Conditioner
41) Pacifica Pineapple Curls Curl Defining Conditioner
42) Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Aqua-Gel Conditioner
43) Everyone Sulfate-Free Hair Conditioner, Nourish
44) Maple Holistics Tea Tree Oil Conditioner
45) Jessicurl Aloeba Daily Conditioner
46) LUS Love Ur Curls Hydrating & Detangling Conditioner
47) Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner with Peppermint and Eucalyptus
48) Bumble and Bumble Seaweed Conditioner
49) Curls Coconut Sublime Moisturizing Instant Conditioner
50) Curly Girl Citrus Conditioner
Deep Conditioners
Deep Conditioners can give your hair an extra boost of hydration, protein, or both.
For more on the benefits and tips of deep conditioning, check out this post.
For more on Protein and curly hair, check out this post.
And for more on moisture and curly hair, check out this post.
Here are 25+ curly girl approved deep conditioners.
** indicates heavy protein conditioners that can be used as protein treatments. Other conditioners are more moisturizing but may contain varying degrees of proteins, so pay attention to the ingredients if you’re protein sensitive.
51) Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen and Restore, Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Mask, Manuka Honey & Yogurt Hydrate + Repair Protein-Strong Treatment**, etc.
52) Garnier Fructis Smoothing Treat One Minute Hair Mask
53) Mielle Organics Deep Conditioner Babassu and Mint**
54) Burt’s Bees Shea and Grapefruit Deep Conditioner
55) JessiCurl Deep Conditioning Treatment
56) Pacifica Pineapple Hydrate Curl Nourishing Mask
57) Curls Blueberry Bliss Reparative Hair Mask
58) BIOLAGE Hydrasource Conditioning Balm For Dry Hair
59) As I Am Hydration Elation Intensive Conditioner
60) Alikay Naturals Honey and Sage Deep Conditioner
61) Camille Rose Algae Deep Conditioner
62) EDEN BodyWorks JojOba Monoi Deep Conditioner
64) Coconut Oil Intensive Repair Hair Mask
65) Tailored Beauty Penetrating Deep Conditioning Treatment
66) Coppola Keratin Complex Vanilla Bean Deep Conditioner
67) Majestic Pure Argan Hair Mask
68) OBIA Naturals Babassu Deep Conditioner
69) NOAH Hair Mask for Hair Growth and Hair Regeneration – Argan Oil Mask for Dry Damaged Hair
70) Rizos Curls Deep Conditioner for Curly Hair
71) Living Proof Restore Mask Treatment
72) ecoLove – Deep Conditioning Hair Mask for Dry Damaged Hair & Color Treated Hair
73) Kinky Curly Steller Strands
74) LuxeOrganix Deep Conditioner + Hair Mask
75) PURA D’OR Deep Moisturizing Conditioner Treatment
Styling Products
Curly Girl Approved styling products go a long way in keeping curls moisturized and holding off frizz. For the sake of this post, we’re going to put gel in its own category.
This category is going to feature leave-in conditioners, creams, mousse, and other non-gel styling products.
Here are 25+ curly girl approved styling products.
76) Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie
77) Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Curl Defining Cream
79) Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave-in Detangler
80) Jane Carter Revitalizing Leave-in
81) Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Mousse (Check on this before you buy it! The old formula is not CG approved. The new formula is supposed to be, most sites don’t seem to have an updated ingredient list. Probably best to buy in person.)
82) Verelle Soft Curl Cream, Milky Curl Cream, Styling Cream
83) Pacifica Beauty Pineapple Swirl Curl Defining Cream
84) Ouidad VitalCurl +Soft Defining Mousse
85) Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Boosting Mousse
86) Garnier Fructis Curl Treat Smoothie Defining Leave in Styler and Butter Hydrating Leave in Styler
87) Shea Moisture Sugarcane Extract and Meadowfoam Seed Silicone Free Miracle Styler Leave-in
88) As I Am DoubleButter Cream
89) Camille Rose Natural Coconut Water Leave-In
90) Curls Blueberry Bliss Reparative Leave In Conditioner
92) EDEN BodyWorks Coconut Shea Curl Defining Creme
93) Curl Junkie Curls in a Bottle
94) U R Curly Sili-Free Hair Serum
95) Curl Junkie BeautiCurls Leave-in Hair Conditioner
96) Camille Rose Naturals Curl Maker, Marshmallow and Agave Leaf Extract
97) SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Style Milk
98) tgin Green Tea Super Moist Leave In Conditioner
99) Pantene Curl Defining Mousse
100) MopTop Leave-in Conditioner
Gel
Gel is the staple styling product in the Curly Girl Method. You may need to try out a few to find the one you like best. You also may find that your hair’s needs change as your hair gets healthier and more moisturized.
Here are 25+ gels to choose from!
101) Eco Style Olive Oil, Argon Oil, etc
102) Aussie Instant Freeze Sculpting Hair Gel
103) Tresemme Mega Sculpting Gel
104) Biotera Styling Defining Gel
105) Fruit of the Earth Aloe Gel
106) Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Gel
107) Aunt Jackie’s Don’t Shrink Flaxseed Elongating Curling Gel
108) Kinky Curly Curling Custard
109) LA Looks Sport Gel
110) Cantu for Natural Hair Moisturizing Twist and Lock Gel
111) Garnier Fructis Curl Treat Jelly
112) Mop Top Hair Custard
113) The Mane Choice Crystal Orchid Biotin Infused Styling Gel
114) Curly Hair Solutions Curl Keeper Original Gel
116) Curls Goddess Glaze Curl Gel
117) Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curling Souffle Gel (and other Shea Moisture Gels)
118) Herbal Essence Totally Twisted and Set Me Up Gels
119) Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Styling Gel
120) CurlMix Pure Homemade Flaxseed Watermelon and Lavender Gels
121) Design Essentials Natural Honey Curl Forming Custard
122) Curly Curl Gello Conditioning and Hydrating Gel
123) CurlSmith Curl Defining Styling Souffle
You can check ANY product to see if it’s curly girl approved at Is It CG?. Just keep in mind that this app sometimes looks for ingredients other than sulfates, silicones, and drying alcohols. So if a product comes up as not approved, be sure to look at why it’s not approved before you rule it out.
Looking for more guidance on your curly hair journey?
For beginners
If you’re new to curly hair care and looking for some help, you should check out the No-Stress Guide to Curly Hair Care!
After spending two years learning and caring for my curly hair, I wanted to create my own, in-depth guide to help fellow curlies create incredible curls in the easiest way possible.
It took me a while, but I eventually found an approach that helped me create a curly hair routine that fits into my life in the simplest way possible. And now I want to help you do the same!
For more intermediate/advanced guidance
If you’ve been on your curly hair journey for a while but still have some struggles, check out Curly Hair Problems!
After spending hours scouring the internet looking for solutions to my own curly hair problems, I found myself wishing for an easier, more comprehensive guide to the most common problems.
So that’s what I created!
Curly Hair Problems offers you 78 total solutions to the five most common curly hair care problems, including frizz, curl clumps, limp curls, product issues, and scalp issues.
Sound off: Have you tried these curly girl approved products? Tell us about your experience! Be sure to tell us a little about your hair type too!