The Curly Girl Method (often abbreviated to CGM) is a hair care routine designed to enhance your natural curl and wave pattern by eliminating harsh ingredients that strip moisture from your hair.
What Is the Curly Girl Method?
Created by hairstylist Lorraine Massey and outlined in her book Curly Girl: The Handbook, the method focuses on avoiding three main ingredient categories:
- Sulfates — harsh cleansing agents that strip natural oils
- Non-water-soluble silicones — create buildup that only sulfates can remove
- Drying alcohols — can dehydrate curly and wavy hair
The Three CG Statuses
At Curly Checker, we analyze every product and assign one of three statuses:
- ✅ Approved — No problematic ingredients found
- ⚠️ Caution — Contains water-soluble silicones or volatile alcohols (borderline)
- ❌ Warning — Contains sulfates, non-water-soluble silicones, or waxes
Getting Started in Australia
Finding CG-compatible products in Australia is easier than you think. We've analyzed over 8,000 products from Sephora, Chemist Warehouse, and oz Hair & Beauty.
Browse our CG Approved products to find products that are safe for the method, or use our Ingredient Checker to analyze any product yourself.
Recommended Starting Points
- Browse approved shampoos — sulfate-free options from top Australian retailers
- Browse approved conditioners — silicone-free conditioners for your curls
- Check any product's ingredients — paste an ingredient list and get an instant verdict