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If you follow the Curly Girl Method, you need some good styling products. But of course, every curly girl has different needs, which means it may take some trial and error to find the right products that work for you.

Gel is a curly girl staple, but you may also find that your hair likes a leave-in conditioner and/or styling cream as well!

With that in mind, here are 50+ curly girl approved styling products! 

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!

Also, 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.

Curly Girl Approved styling products

1) Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie

2)Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Curl Defining Cream

3)Cantu Curl Activator Cream

4) Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave-in Detangler

5) Jane Carter Revitalizing Leave-in

6) 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.)

7) Verelle Soft Curl Cream, Milky Curl Cream, Styling Cream

8) Pacifica Beauty Pineapple Swirl Curl Defining Cream

9) Ouidad VitalCurl +Soft Defining Mousse

10) Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Boosting Mousse

11) Garnier Fructis Curl Treat Smoothie Defining Leave in Styler and Butter Hydrating Leave in Styler

12) Shea Moisture Sugarcane Extract and Meadowfoam Seed Silicone Free Miracle Styler Leave-in

13) As I Am DoubleButter Cream

14) Camille Rose Natural Coconut Water Leave-In

15) Curls Blueberry Bliss Reparative Leave In Conditioner

16) Oyin Handmade Hair Dew

17) EDEN BodyWorks Coconut Shea Curl Defining Creme

18) Curl Junkie Curls in a Bottle

19) U R Curly Sili-Free Hair Serum

20) Curl Junkie BeautiCurls Leave-in Hair Conditioner

21) Camille Rose Naturals Curl Maker, Marshmallow and Agave Leaf Extract

22) SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Style Milk

23) tgin Green Tea Super Moist Leave In Conditioner

24) Pantene Curl Defining Mousse

25) MopTop Leave-in Conditioner

Curly Girl Approved Gels

26) Eco Style Olive Oil, Argon Oil, etc

27) Aussie Instant Freeze Sculpting Hair Gel

28) Tresemme Mega Sculpting Gel

29) Biotera Styling Defining Gel

30) Fruit of the Earth Aloe Gel

31) Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Gel

32) Aunt Jackie’s Don’t Shrink Flaxseed Elongating Curling Gel

33) Kinky Curly Curling Custard

34) LA Looks Sport Gel

35) Cantu for Natural Hair Moisturizing Twist and Lock Gel

36) Garnier Fructis Curl Treat Jelly

37) Mop Top Hair Custard

38) The Mane Choice Crystal Orchid Biotin Infused Styling Gel

39) Curly Hair Solutions Curl Keeper Original Gel

40) As I Am Smoothing Gel

41) Curls Goddess Glaze Curl Gel

42) Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curling Souffle Gel (and other Shea Moisture Gels) 

43) Herbal Essence Totally Twisted and Set Me Up Gels

44) Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Styling Gel

45) CurlMix Pure Homemade Flaxseed Watermelon and Lavender Gels

46) Design Essentials Natural Honey Curl Forming Custard

47) Curly Curl Gello Conditioning and Hydrating Gel

48) CurlSmith Curl Defining Styling Souffle

49) Biosilk Rock Hard Gellee

50) This DIY Flaxseed Gel

To check on a product not listed, check out Is It CG?

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!

click to learn more

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.

click to learn more

Sound off: What’s your favorite curly girl approved styling product? Also, feel free to link to any I missed!