The Curly Girl Method and INCI Labels — Which Ingredients to Avoid and Look For?
The Curly Girl Method from an INCI angle: which silicones are allowed, how to replace sulfates, what co-washing is and which ingredients support curls.
What Is the Curly Girl Method?
The Curly Girl Method (CGM) is a care system for curly and wavy hair, developed by Lorraine Massey in the book "Curly Girl: The Handbook". Its foundation is giving up harsh surfactants and insoluble silicones in favour of gentle cleansing and intensive hydration. The goal is to restore the natural pattern of the curls and improve their condition.
From an ingredient standpoint, CGM rests on three main principles: no sulfates, no water-insoluble silicones and no drying alcohols. It sounds simple — but in practice, reading INCI labels can be a challenge.
Rule No. 1: No Sulfates (Sulfate-Free)
The CGM forbids strong anionic surfactants, most notably: Check the details in our ingredient encyclopaedia.
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)
- Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (ALS)
- Ammonium Laureth Sulfate
Why? Strong surfactants strip away too aggressively the natural lipids that protect curls from drying out and frizzing. Curly hair is naturally more prone to dryness — the twist of the hair shaft makes it harder for sebum to travel from the roots down the whole length. You can read more about surfactants in our article on SLS and SLES.
Surfactants Allowed in CGM
- Coco-Glucoside — a mild non-ionic surfactant derived from coconut oil
- Decyl Glucoside — gentle and biodegradable
- Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) — anionic, but mild and coconut-derived
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine — an amphoteric co-surfactant
- Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate — amino-acid based and very gentle
Rule No. 2: No Insoluble Silicones
This is probably the most controversial rule and, at the same time, the hardest one to follow. CGM bans silicones that do not dissolve in water, because they can accumulate on the hair (build-up) and block hydration.
Silicones Forbidden in CGM
- Dimethicone — the most common, insoluble silicone
- Amodimethicone — builds up on the hair and is hard to wash out without SLS
- Cyclomethicone — a cyclic silicone, controversial from an environmental angle
- Trimethicone
- Cetyl Dimethicone
- Cetearyl Methicone
You'll find more about silicones and their classification in our detailed guide.
Silicones Allowed in CGM (Water-Soluble)
Not all silicones are banned. Water-soluble silicones don't accumulate on the hair and can be washed out with a gentle shampoo:
- PEG-12 Dimethicone
- Dimethicone Copolyol
- PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
- Hydroxypropyl Polysiloxane
A general rule of thumb: if a silicone's name contains the prefix PEG- or the suffix -copolyol, it's probably water-soluble and acceptable under CGM.
Rule No. 3: No Drying Alcohols
CGM splits alcohols into two categories:
Forbidden (Drying)
- Alcohol Denat. (denatured alcohol)
- Isopropyl Alcohol
- SD Alcohol 40
Allowed (Fatty — Moisturising)
- Cetyl Alcohol — an emollient that softens
- Cetearyl Alcohol — an emulsifier that gives texture
- Stearyl Alcohol — a moisturising fatty alcohol
A fatty alcohol on the INCI label? Don't panic — it's a moisturising ingredient, not a drying one.
Co-Washing — Washing With Conditioner
Co-washing (conditioner washing) is the technique of washing your hair with conditioner only, without using shampoo. It's a popular practice within CGM, especially for very dry, tightly curled hair (type 3C–4C).
How does it work? Conditioners contain small amounts of surfactants (e.g. Cetrimonium Chloride, Behentrimonium Chloride) that cleanse gently while moisturising. However, they don't effectively remove silicone products — which is why CGM requires you to give up insoluble silicones at the same time.
In our conditioners category you can filter for products suitable for co-washing.
When Co-Washing Might Not Be Enough?
- With an oily scalp — the cleansing is too gentle
- When using styling products with heavy ingredients
- With dermatological issues (dandruff, seborrhoeic dermatitis)
In such cases it's better to use a gentle shampoo with allowed surfactants (so-called low-poo) instead of full co-washing.
Last Wash — the First Step Into CGM
Before starting the Curly Girl Method, it's recommended to do a so-called last wash — a final wash with a sulfate shampoo. The goal is to thoroughly remove accumulated silicones from the hair so that moisturising can work from the very first day of CGM. After this wash, you switch entirely to CGM-approved products.
Is CGM for Everyone?
The Curly Girl Method works best for people with curly and wavy hair (type 2A–4C). It's neither necessary nor recommended for all hair types. People with straight hair or scalp problems may not notice any benefit, and going sulfate-free can lead to insufficient cleansing.
A scientific approach suggests treating CGM as a set of guidelines rather than dogma. If your hair responds well to a particular silicone, you don't have to eliminate it just because "the method forbids it". The key is observing your own hair.
Want to check whether your shampoo or conditioner is CGM-compliant? Analyse its ingredients in our ingredient search engine.
FAQ
Yes — CGM is designed for both curls (type 3–4) and waves (type 2). Wavy hair often responds well to giving up sulfates and silicones, gaining better curl definition.
The easiest way: look for the prefix PEG- or the suffix -copolyol in the INCI name. For example, PEG-12 Dimethicone is soluble, while plain Dimethicone is not. When in doubt, check our ingredient database.
For people with an oily scalp, it can — which is why CGM offers an alternative in the form of low-poo, meaning shampoos with mild surfactants. Co-washing works best for people with a dry scalp and tightly curled hair.
No — many experts recommend a flexible approach. You can, for instance, drop SLS but keep lightweight silicones if your hair needs them. CGM is a set of guidelines, not a rigid rulebook.
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