This is a list of sulfate-free, silicone-free shampoos, conditioners and styling products in India. If you know of any other product, do let me know and I will add it to the list. You will find most of these products at online stores like Amazon, Flipkart, Purplle, Nykaa etc.
Whenever you buy a product, make a habit of reading the ingredient list. It is a good habit, at the start it might be difficult to remember the names. But, really, there are so many ingredients and soon enough, you will be able to scan the list at a glance. Just master the technique of reading the ingredients and search in the aisles.
These are sulfates and silicones that harmful for our hair. I keep the list saved in my phone, it is very convenient.
Click on the links below to see curly hair products options in India.
Sulfate-Free and Silicone-free Shampoos
Silicone-Free Deep Conditioners and Hair Masks
If you live outside India then you can search on internet to find out sulfate and silicone free products in your country. Here are a few links: CG friendly products in US, Drugstore products in US, Another US products list and silicone free conditioner in UK, CG friendly products in UK.
The list below contain products that are marketed for curly hair but these have sulfates and silicones. So if you are a CG follower, then you might consider avoiding these in your hair care routine.
Shampoo (contain sulfates)
Check these products online. You will find TIGI products at the Lakme salon and Kerastase in salons that keep L’Oreal hair products.
John Frieda frizz ease smooth start hydrating shampoo
Kerastase Bain Oleo-curl shampoo
TIGI Catwalk Curlesque Defining shampoo
Conditioner (Contain silicone)
John Frieda frizz ease smooth start hydrating conditioner
TIGI Catwalk Curlesque hydrating conditioner
Kerastase Masque Intense Ole-Curl
L’Oréal Professionnel Tecni Art Spiral Splendour (cream based)
Styling Products (Contain silicone)
John Frieda Frizz Ease Curl Perfecting Spray
John Frieda Frizz Ease Shine Glossing Mist Hair Styler
Kerastase Creme Oleo-Curl
Loreal Textureline Spiral Splendor
TIGI Catwalk Curlesque Curls Rock Amplifier
TIGI Catwalk Curlesque Defining Serum
TIGI Catwalk Curlesque Light weight mousse
TIGI Catwalk Curlesque Strong mousse
Thanks for the list of products. Good to start with these.
okay,… I got the answer
Nice! I had a hard time finding sprouts when I was transitioning to CG around 2 years ago but nowadays a lot of international products are available online…
BTW what would you recommend as a good cowash/conditioner? I've been meaning to try out the soul flower range
For co-washing you can use enliven conditioner. I do not see any hair product from soul flower on their website. Could you please let me know which range?
Have been using enliven but it doesn't entirely clear buildup so I follow it with a apple cider vinegar?
I have been searching for sulfate and silicone free Indian products,then found your list.I haven't gone through all the products mentioned on your list but the only one I cross checked till now is himalaya shampoo and that is not sulfate free!
Hey Akshika, When I wrote this post, Himalaya shampoo that I have mentioned used to claim of being sulfate free on the front of the bottle though they don't mention the full ingredients on the back. But I think they have recently changed their products and do not claims to be sulfate free now. Thanks for reminding me. Will update the post. That is the reason we should always check the ingredients every time we buy products because companies keep on changing their products.
Thus is what I was looking for !!! Thanks a ton ! Really had a tough time searching for CG friendly products in India. I use Enliven kiwi and fig conditioner as leave in and Himalaya anti dandruff tea tree and aloe vera shampoo. This particular Himalaya product is free from parabanes silicone and SLES.
Thanks Sai!! 🙂
How is this Himalaya shampoo? Previous one from their SLS free range were but drying. Would love to know if you have used it. May be you can also join our curl community on Facebook and can share your product reviews.
Hi Asha, Thanks for putting up such informative articles and videos for curly hair.
I have lose curly hair(acc. to your blog's curly hair type article) , I wanted to ask you if you can suggest me the suitable Khadi Shampoo and conditioner as am very confused amongst so many options.
I have dry hair with little oily scalp , presently I am facing dandruff , grey hair and bit hairfall also.
I live in Bangalore so hard water is a major issue.
Thanks in advance..!!!
Thanks Pooja!! I have not tried khadi products myself so can not give my feedback. But few people on the curly group (Indian curl pride facebook group) have tired them and suggested a few of them. So you may want to check it there.
For oily scalp, concentrate on your scalp when you shampoo your hair and let the shampoo run down rest of your hair while rinsing out.
For hard water you can use apple cider vinegar (ACV) rinse. Dilute 1-2tbsp of ACV with 2 cups of water when you do the final rinse. Do not rinse your hair after that. The ACV smells goes away after sometime.
Thanks for the reply. I will surely check out that group.
Will try ACV as well.. 🙂
XOXO
Hi!
I'm sooooo glad to find out your blog. I live in Delhi and I'm 14 years old. I have extremely thick and coarse curly hair. For instance, I can't even pull my hair into a ponytail! I especially require 2-3 of the largest hair bands available in the market to secure my hair into a ponytail. I got my hair thinned last year to make it more tamable. Unfortunately, thinning didn't really work out. My hair is still extreme thick. My hair reaches my buttocks.
I, obviously, can't roam around with my hair open. I have to attend school where I am obliged to put my hair into a braid. My hair has a lot of split ends. It is very rough to touch and freaking poofy! i love how my hair looks like in the shower when I'm shampooing but ultimately, after drying up, it's all poofy and dry. I don't know where to get these "curly hair friendly" products around my place. My mum puts almond oil into my hair to manage it. It take me 3 hours to untangle my hair after getting it shampood. What can be the solution??????? PLEASE ANSWER!
BTW I LOVE YOUR BLOG!
Thanks a lot Poushali!! Please follow the curly hair routine that I have mentioned in the "wash and style routine". Your hair will definitely look better after that. You can use homemade flax seed gel as a styling product. Watch my video to see how you can apply gel in your hair.
It is very hard to manage thick voluminous curly hair if you comb it after drying. It also causes split ends and breakage due to lots of stress on hair when you comb. Get you hair trimmed first to get rid of split ends. There is nothing you can do about the split hair. If you want to get rid of them the only solution is to cut them off.
Use coconut oil especially on hair strands before the shampoo and keep it overnight. You can also use small amount of it after you wash you hair, again only on hair not scalp. This will help to lock the moisture in hair without looking the hair oily.
You can buy most of these products online. If still you don't find them you can use normal brands that are available in stores and find out which works better for your hair. Read products label and choose products wisely. Like, if you cant avoid silicones then choose products that have silicones mentioned lower down in ingredients list. This means that they have less concentration of silicone. Use a shampoo accordingly to get rid of any build up on hair. Do not use any hair serum.
If possible, try to read all the posts on the blog and most of your doubts will get cleared.
Let me know how the new routine will work on your hair and all the best for your curly journey!!
Also I forgot to mention, get a layered cut to manage the volume. Thinning curly hair is a complete no-no. Once you start styling curly hair properly then you will feel that you are lucky to have that volume 🙂 I always wish I had it.
Thanks for linking my CG friendly list! Amazing blog btw! 😀
Thanks Jasminee 🙂 curl power across the globe 🙂
Thanks Asha for informative blogs 🙂 Used Flax gel as suggested and could feel the difference.
But since I have dry frizzy hair, I am looking for sulphate free shampoo/conditioner which is in range of around 400 to 500rps. I have checked Giovanni products but its quite expensive. Please suggest if you have tried any.
Yay!!! 😀
I have the same issue as Poushali..I had thick ,dry and frizzy hair. Salon people suggested to go for thinning the hair and i have been doing that for the past 7 years.I haven't cut my hair for the past one year now and my hair is different levels. I just discovered this CG method and been wanting to try it. I would really like to cut my hair before i venture into it as with my current length of my hair i think i will be spending most of the time managing my hair.I am 32 and mother of a four year old.What do you suggest? How should i start with CG method.
My current routine is : I apply mix of coconut and sesame oil to my hair. i wash it off using Khadi shampoo with conditioner now.
Please suggest.
Sorry for the delayed response. I use Giovanni products which I buy from health and glow stores or haiko in mumbai. Some people like khadi. I have not used any of them so can't recommend any. But few people on the Indian curl pride group like khadi shampoos so you can think of trying them.
In conditioners you can try organic surge or oriflame that I have mentioned in the post. They are in that price range. I have not tried them myself.
I would suggest not to go for thinning at all but you can do away with the length. It is not very hard to manage long hair. Just that it require more quantity of products :). Mostly you must be using shampoo and conditioner on daily basis, you need to just follow one extra step of applying styling product and leave it to dry.
Keep following the same routine to apply oil and do not forget to apply oil on hair strands. If your hair is very dry then you can apply small amount of oil even after wash on hair strands. And go for cold pressed coconut oil. It really makes a difference.
CG method is nothing but just to avoid sulfate and silicone free products. So use right products and apply them in proper manner (for methods check curly hair routine tab). You will really feel the difference after sometime.
Thanks for this list Asha. Very helpful.
Thanks Tripti!!
Hi! Thanks for the tip.
I avoid conditioner mainly cuz it makes my hair look thin. Is there an alternative to it?
Hi Aruna, you can try small amount of some oil like coconut, jojoba, argan or flax seed oil after wash to seal the moisture in. Try enliven conditioners, these are pretty light. Other than this you should use homemade masks regularly at least once or twice a week to keep your hair moisturized. If your hair is fine then you can also try homemade gelatin protein treatment.
But enliven has silicones in it. Is it CG friendly???
The one listed do not have silicone in them. Also, plz check the latest list here. You can add your product reviews too. https://www.rightringlets.com/curly-hair-products-india-reviews/
Hey Asha.
Sulphate free shampoos are really hard to find. And hardly available online. Can you recommend the ones which are easy to find?
And I have voluminous curly hair, and I can't leave them open so if you can help me with it
I am afraid these are the only one I know. Some of them are available online and Giovanni you can find in health and glow stores in a few cities Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai Cochin.
I love voluminous curly hair. Use a styling product like flax seed gel etc to keep them clumped together. Also you can think about getting layers. It will reduce some of the hair weight.
Hi Asha,
This is Darshana, its a relief to find your blog!!! it definitely is very helpful.
i have loose curls, i am having severe hair-fall for last 3 months. also my hair is growing thin. after reading your blog i am desperately looking for a SLS free shampoo, but with the wide variety available in the market am a little confused. can u please suggest a few
also on my recent search i came across a brand called "looks 21" on flipkart….its SLS free…ingredients look good…can u please give your opinion on the same…following is the list of ingredients is the shampoo:
Our shampoo is free of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), parabens, DEA, gluten & harsh preservatives. This gentle formula is fortified with an organic blend of Argan oil, B vitamin complex, biotin, Saw Palmetto, Green Tea Extract, Niacin, Copper Peptide, Amenixil & other clinically proven ingredients to aid against hair loss. Ingredients are specially selected for increased bioavailability & maximum absorption. It starts by nourishing hair follicles with essential nutrients to reverse any damage & begin the healing process. Biotin strengthens hair strands, niacin increases circulation and our exclusive DHT Blocker Blend promotes healthy hair growth. Continued use will prevent further hair loss. Safe for daily use, all hair types and both men & women. Indications -Thinning hair -Premature hair loss -First signs of balding -DHT Blocker Ingredients: Cocoamidopropyl betaine (derived from coconut oil), Lauryl amine oxide (derived from natural, renewable sources), Polysorbate 20 (derived from sorbitol which comes from fruit and berries), Silk amino acids (derived from the silk extract), Hydrolyzed soy protein (derived from soy protein), Biotin (Vitamin H), Saw palmetto (Botanical extract), d-Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Phenoxyethanol ( found naturally in green tea), Polyquaternium 10 (derived from plant), Tocopheryl acetate (Vitamin E), Sodium benzoate (Sodium benzoate is a sodium salt that occurring naturally in some foods) Biotinyl-tripeptide (protein derivative), Citric acid (Derived from citrus fruits.It is a natural preservative/conservative. ), Argan oil (Argan oil is a plant oil produced from the kernels of the argan tree (Argania spinosa L.), L-cysteine (proteins. Used as a food additive.), Sodium citrate (from fermenting molasis infused with citric acid.), Arnica Montana extract (extracts from Arnica Montana flowers, Chamomile extract (Chamomile flower extract), Green tea extract (Extract of green tea), Zinc oxide (Zinc oxide is a natural mineral which provides the safest and most effective protection against UV rays), Tea tree oil (derived from the leaves of the tea tree.), Potassium sorbate (A food grade preservative.), Niacin, Azelaic acid (naturally derived from wheat.) Copper peptide, Diaminopyrimidine Oxide (Amenexil)
Thanks Darshana that you find the information here helpful.
Ingredients wise this product looks good and indeed it is sulfate-free and should be mild, considering its ingredients. The main ingredients that are used to prevent thinning are Copper peptide, Diaminopyrimidine Oxide (Aminexil), which are mentioned last in the ingredients list. So, the effective dosage of these ingredients matters a lot. You can try it and please let us know your feedback as well.
Also, you can try to make your own essential oils blend with carrier oils or you can herbs infused oils to stimulate the scalp.
Thanks Asha thanks for the revert! i'm feeling confident to buy this product now…will definetlty get back to you on the same!!
xoxox
HI Asha,
Thanks a ton for all the good things u have said about curly hair…i feel like a fool now.i have damaged my thick black curly hair completely by straightening(smooothening) ,it permanently as a result f years f bullying from childhood..now i am suffering from hair fall,thinning f hair,brittle damaged hair with split ends,in years i feel i will go bald.After reading ur posts and blog i have decided to go back to my natural tresses.
Now im planning to go by the products and routines as u have mentioned ,i wanted to know whats the best i can do to my 2 year old daughter who has got equally curly hair…major challenge is to de-tangle as she wont allow me to touch her hair…can i use any natural product ,i have been using only baby shampoo. and oiling.and salon visits fr her are the biggest nightmares..pls help me manage her hair without having to do too much to the tiny tot and yet maintain a healthy hair .her hair is growing long from middle and front f the head compared to the back ,the growth is very slow and very short too.
It is a bit hard to manage kid’s hair as they do not have the patient to sit at a single place :). The main problem is detangling the hair. If you have access to Giovanni products at your location then I would suggest to use their conditioner while detangling her hair. Use a sulfate free shampoo for her like Sebamed children shampoo. http://www.amazon.in/Sebamed-Baby-children-shampoo-150ml/dp/B00ED003U0/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1448593435&sr=8-12&keywords=baby+shampoo
As she is too small so there is no need to go for styling products. Just stick to the basic routine of oiling at least 2-3 times a week. And use a cold pressed coconut oil.
THANKS ASHA FOR UR VALUABLE REPLY>>>REALLY APPRECIATE UR EFFORTS.:)
WILL DEFINITELY TRY THE ROUTINE U HAVE MENTIONED IN THE POSTS BUT CAN U PLS HELP ME WITH THE FLAX SEED GEL <<<HOW TO DO IT AT HOME…CAN I USE IT FR MY BABY.
Keerthy,here the recipe for the flax gel. http://www.rightringlets.com/2014/11/all-nautral-homemade-flax-seed-gel-for-curly-hair/
As it is homemade and natural, you can use it on your kid as well.
wanted to include our hair types my hair i can say is of 4A type now after years of brushing it has reduced a bit ,with lot short hair near forehead which is difficut to club together with a hairpin..
My daughter’s hair too look liek 4A but it might grow out to be a TYPE 3C.
so pls give ur valuable suggestion to tame our hair..all my life i have platted my hair ,with the fear of being bullied as bear or lion’s mane,a nest so on….if i left it open.i dont want the same to be continued in my daughter’s case so want to give her a proper routine such that she wnt get into such situation.
Keerthy, if all your hair is of the same length then I would suggest to get a good layered hair cut so that it will be easier to manage. Don’t be afraid to get the layering done as it would look beautiful when you follow the wash and style routine of washing hair.
First of all go through this page on how to start – http://www.rightringlets.com/start-here/
Curly hair is different than straight hair so there is specific routine for curly hair to apply products on hair. Stop combing your hair when it is dry and follow this routine of washing hair http://www.rightringlets.com/2014/10/how-to-define-curly-hair/
Your short hair on front might be due to breakage caused by combing your hair when it is dry. So only way is to let it grow. Also when you will apply the styling product like flax seed gel after wash then it wont stick out on the top that much.
Just follow the above mentioned routine and you will definitely see the change in your hair and slowly you will get comfortable with the routine. Please keep me posted with your progress 🙂
Hey are you sure about the oriflame conditioner for dry and damaged hair you’ve mentioned is chemical free? Because I found an article online which stated
that it has chemicals and is not completely natural
Kruthi, all products in markets contain chemicals. A shampoo can not be made without a surfactant and a conditioner has to have a conditioning agent which are all chemicals. No matter how much a brand claims it to be natural their main compositions are chemicals for example baba ramdev products. The products that are mentioned specifically do not contain silicone and sulfates. That’s why I always suggest to read ingredients so that people don’t buy products based on claims rather buy it after reading the ingredients.
True..makes sense but Iam just curious cos Iam trying my best to follow the CG method . So I thought of co washing my hair with enliven conditioner In my daily routine but I also apply whipped Shea butter for moisturising after washing my hair when it’s 50% air dried.as Shea butter is extremely thick will a co wash be enough to remove it completely from my hair if I co wash? And also a lot of dust sits on my hair after applying shea butter..any way to avoid that? And does using a diffuser give better defined curls than air drying?
PS: your blog is a blessing in so many ways to all of us with curly hair.so thank u for that 😊
Which particular enliven conditioner would u suggest for co washing dry hair ..the raspberry or the coconut one ?
There is not much difference between two so you can use any one of them.
Thanks Kruthi :). It all depends on your hair. For me co-washing works well even if I use shea butter or other oils on hair. If your hair feels oily then you can use small amount of mild shampoo. So, you can try to see how it works on your hair. For dust, you can cover your hair while travelling. Diffuser gives better volume than air dry. I have found my hair are less frizzy and get better result when I air dry my hair.
No shampoo in the market can claim that it is chemical free .Atleast preservatives are required even if it is a pure herbal shampoo or conditioner. Oriflame is an MLM product and for sure has chemicals
Yes, there is no shampoo in market that can be chemical free. All of the products that are mentioned are made of surfactants (in case of shampoo) and conditioning agents (in shampoo and conditioners) which are base of these kind of products. But we do need conditioning agents etc to manage our hair as they help to keep the moisture in, provides silp and prevent breakage during detangling, make cuticle layer smooth. You can also read the article read your product labels to know how we should not buy products based on how the product is marketed. Instead identify ingredients in your products which work for you.
I think Rusk sensories shampoos are sulphate free. Please confirm before updating.
Yes, it is sulfate-free Pallavi. Thanks for updating :).
I think you should add patanjali shampoos too. I have heard rave reviews about them. There are lots of Indian brands that have come which sell herbal shampoos without sulphates. Would love if you check them out too and give an honest opinion. I feel it’s always best to use what’s closely available to us.
I am not sure if they are sulfate free or not as they don’t mention which surfactants are used in their products. they just write it as “neutralized base”. It is same with many other brands, they only specify the natural extracts that are used which go in small amounts and skip to mention the complete list. So I cant say if a particular product is sulfate free without knowing what all has been used in it 🙁
Hello Asha Ji,
I got 3B-3C curls. I use Patanjali Coconut Hair Wash as a shampoo. It contains Diazolnyl Urea and IBPC. Are these products safe for curly hair?
Regards,
Amandeep
Diazolnyl Urea and IBPC are preservatives and go in small amount and helps to preserve the product. They should be safe to use.
helo..it was so helpful with products you mentioned.thank you!!!!
can you please tell me leavein-conditioner for curly hair which are available in india
it will be very helpful
I cant find any good silicone free leave-in conditioner that is available in India. You can use small amount of regular silicone free rinse off conditioner as a leave-in after diluting with water. Or you can also buy some US brand on amazon.
I mmeticulously searched all the products online for their ingridients and found all of them to be containing some sulphates or silicones. Please put up a new list after thorough research. The most shocking was the lo real product that you have mentioned
Hi Laxmi, could you please let me know which particular product contains sulfate and silicone? The above post has two lists and I have mentioned sulfate and silicone free products first followed by products that contain sulfate and silicone but are marketed for curly hair. It is specifically mentioned in brackets beside the shampoo and conditioner lists whether they contain or do not contain sulfate and silicone.
Hi Asha,
I recently got Revlon Flex range conditioners, seems to work well for my curly hair but there is mention of paraben .. is this a cause of concern.
Regards,
Shruthi
Parabens are preservatives. There are lots of talk about their effect concerning human health. I might want to go though this link. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/antiperspirants-and-breast-cancer-risk
Personally I do not mind using parabens but it depends on individual’s choice.
Herbal essence twisted curls shampoo and conditioner
Ashwani herbal essence twisted curls shampoo contains sulfate and conditioner has silicone in it. Although shampoo does not contain silicone so it can be used for clarifying hair.
Hello asha, can u plz help me actually I have protein sensitive scalp so I can’t use most of product that you mentioned …so do you any protein free products which is available in India ?? Or any home made solutions ..like for conditioner ??
Anjali you can use giovanni root 66 max volume, giovanni tea tree triple treat, body shop rainforest moisture conditioners. All of them do not contain protein.
Can you tell me which is the best styling product, as few of the products from the list doesn’t have good reviews??
Hi,
What about enliven hair gel s a styling product?
Sheetal, the gel that I have mentioned have to be mix with something else to get the optimum result. If used alone the results are not that much satisfactory. Try the diy curl cream recipe using any of the gels mentioned. Also try flax seed gel mixed with aloe vera gel. The recipe is also there on the blog. You can also use enliven gel if they are alcohol and silicone free. I have to check their ingredients. There are many available from enliven so please check their ingredients if you have any particular one in mind. As I have mentioned in my latest article on blog “diy curl cream” that most gels available in India are targeted for mens so we have to tweak them to use on curls.
Hey I’m providing some info ..actually I have seen that so many natural girls making their own conditioner via receipe available on various blog like neno naturals, posh ..plz check it out and help me because I wanna to try it but have no time to get info (because exams in Nov – CA student ) and knowledge as you have ..
Hi Asha, thank you for taking the effort to post this article. It’s really helpful for us indian girls with curly hair as we are very ignorant about the take care method. Could please let me know which products you use (shampoo, conditioner, leavin and styling product). I really loved your curls…They are awesome.
Smita thanks for your kind words :). I use Giovanni smooth as silk, root 66 max volume shampoo and conditioner. I also liked Giovanni Brazilian keratin range. For leave-in I use smooth as silk condtioner after diluting it with water. For styler, I use whipped shea butter, flax seed gel and giovanni la natural gel. I make curl cream recipe (follow the recipe in my latest post) with giovanni LA natural gel. I mostly follow the LOC method of applying products on hair. http://www.rightringlets.com/2015/11/loc-method-for-moisturized-curls/
Thanks for the quick reply. What’s LOC method. Also one more thing what haircut have you done.
Sorry got the LOC method….just let me know ur haircut name. Thanks☺
I am not sure about the name :). I got it done from Avani, Happy in the head, Bandra, Mumbai. She is pretty good with curly hair, showed her a few pics and she did it herself :).
Hi Asha, can you please let me know if the Patanjali Coconut Hair wash is sulfate free? I was not pleased to see that their conditioners contain silicones and parabens. I trusted this brand because it is “herbal” but the ingredients list on their conditioners was disappointing. The Coconut Hair wash really works very well for my dry and super frizzy hair. I checked the ingredients list and it has “soft neutralize base” listed there which has me wondering if these contain sulfates. Can you please help? 🙂
Sanya, no matter how much a brand claims their products to be natural or herbal but a shampoo and conditioner’s base is always chemical. Sometime they write chemical name as derived from natural product. But in the end it is a chemical. We have to identify chemicals which cause build up and dry our hair. As you said they have not mentioned which surfactants are used in their shampoo so we cant be sure whether it is sulfate free. But if you feel that it is suiting your hair then you might continue to use it.
Thank you so much for replying Asha. I probably will switch to the Giovanni range. Is it good enough for extremely dry and frizzy hair? I need something which provides intense moisture to control this wayward and wild frizzy mane. 😅
Yeah it works well for dry hair as even I have dry hair. But do not forget to take additional measures like doing deep conditioning treatment everyweek. Use of oils etc.
I oil my hair or put some DIY hair mask before EVERY wash so that won’t be a problem. Thank you so much for the prompt replies. Really appreciate the efforts you put into this blog. I had been referring the Naturally Curly website since a long time and always wished there was an Indian version of it. This blog is a boon haha. 😁❤️
Any review on tresemme spa rejuvenation conditioner..is it CG friendly ?? Thanks in advance 🙂
it has silicones in it so not CG friendly.
hi ! i have wavy hair and al lot of frizz i have tried lots of shampoos, conditonees and mask bt unsuccessful lately i haive tried patanjali shampoo is it gud
Hi ! can you also help with a good sulphate free leave in conditioner..
Also would you recommend OGX Kukui nut products?
Look forward to hearing from you.
Cheers.
There are not much of silicone free leave-in conditioners available in India. Most people use silicone free rinse off conditioner like enliven, giovanni, body shop (the ones that I have mentioned in the list) as a leave-in after diluting it with water. If your budget allows then you can buy some US brands like Kinky curly knot today conditioner, Shea moisture curl and style milk, As I am brand etc or you can ask any friend coming from US. Many OGX products contain silicone. Just checked OGX Kukui nut conditioner and it also contains silicone. So if you follow CG method (not using sulfate and silicone products) then you can skip this one.
Hey, thanks for the list. It’s a great help. Could you also recommend some silicon free leave-in-conditioners?
There are not much of silicone free leave-in conditioners available in India. Most people use silicone free rinse off conditioner like enliven, giovanni, body shop (the ones that I have mentioned in the list) as a leave-in after diluting it with water. If your budget allows then you can buy some US brands like Kinky curly knot today conditioner, Shea moisture curl and style milk, As I am brand etc or you can ask any friend coming from US.
for two years i use streax and loreal serum and dove shampoo and conditioner for 7 years . my hair type is 2c or 3a . now condition of my hair is very bad. loss natural hair color . black turns to brown. i think this is effect of sulfate and silicon. for few day i follow your blog. and i order rain forest shampoo and conditioner . i mainly use serum for untangle hair . week days i dont get enough time for untangle after bath. for those days use serum on little wet hair . now need a hair spry or cream or conditioner or others silicon free product which is sutable for me for detangle hair instead of serum . i live in kolkata. it is very dusty in here. please keep this mind.
Mrina, detangle your hair in the shower while your conditioner is on. Conditioner will provide you slip and also prevent breakage. Start from ends and move up to the root. Use your fingers to detangle and be very very gentle. After detangling follow the routine of applying other products as I have mentioned on the blog. Go for regular trims to get rid of damaged ends. Do not comb your hair when it is dry as it separates your curls and makes it frizzy. You can wash your hair every third day in the dusty environment.
ccording to your advice i start detangle my hair after conditioning just after the shampoo. but at that time lots of hair fall. can i detangle after bath after little drying??
i use body shop rainforest shampoo and giovanni conditioner.. and day by day improve my hair quality. thank you
Hi Mrian, are you detangling your hair while the conditioner is on or doing it after the rinsing? I would suggest you to detangle hair while the conditioner is on. Smooth as silk and root 66 max volume are very good with detangling. You can also mix them both. Also, gently detangle hair using your fingers from end to root so that you have minimum breakage. Also, one more reason you see more hair on wash day is, we do not comb our hair in between washes. And everyday we lose some amount of hair, so when we do not comb then all the fallen hair gets stuck inside and we see them all together on the wash day.
If you will comb your hair once it is a little dry then you will lose all the curl defintion and all the curls will get separated. So the final clumped looks will not be achieved.
Hey can you suggest any good cheap styling product for curly hair? The ones mentioned are either too expensive or difficult to find. Thanks
Varuna, the best and cheapest styler is homemade flax seed gel. You can also use aloe vera gel like baba ramdev, aroma treasure etc or mix it with flax seed gel. If you are travelling then you can try the curl cream recipe using store bought gels that I have mentioned in my recent post. Also, some time if you are not feeling like to use a gel then you can use just a leave-in conditioner after the wash followed by homemade whipped shea butter. This also gives a good definition.
Hi Asha,
Wonderful article. Reading your articles I understand you use flaxseed gel and also shea butter curling cream. Which one do you personally like better in terms of curl definition and nutrition?
What would you suggest for me, 2C curls and bra length?
Please correct me if I am wrong. Khadi shampoos do have sulphates. They have not mentioned complete ingredients and they only say that they are sls ( sodium leurl sulfate) and parable free.
Yeah, I added them to the list because they say that they are sls free but I am not sure what other surfactant they use as no full ingredients list on their products. I think it is better that I will add a note beside it. Thanks for highlighting it.
Hi Asha,
Thank you for the the blog, I have i guess 3a/3b type hair and dry hair, I would like to know how to moisturize the hair apart from leaving in conditioners, My hair does not seem to like leave ins , I feel like its always wet
In the above posts i read about shea butter , which one do use , any specific brand or is it raw shea butter ?
Should it applied wet or after my air dry ?
Thanks in advance!!!
Sumi, for moisturizing use hair masks as well containing ingredients like fenugreek, curd, honey, a little glycerin, banana, oils, eggs,coconut milk etc. Your hair looks wet after leave-in conditioner, may be because you are using too much of it and hair may be looking weighed down. So try to reduce the quantity. I bought my shea butter from ebay from supplier named green junction. Shea butter we use after applying leave-in conditioner and before the gel. Please refer to LOC method to see how to use whipped shea butter. If you feel that leave-in conditioner is not suiting your hair then use water mix by adding a little glycerin around (1 teaspoon in 100ml water) or may be a few drops of essential oil like lavender oil and aloe gel etc. You can tweak with conditioner quantity.
Hi Asha, your blog is amazing & I really appreciate the amount of research you have done. Thanks for sharing all this information. It’s great to read about curly hair from an Indian context.
I have type 3a curly hair & have a query regarding reducing frizz. Is it necessary to use a styling product everyday to reduce frizz? My curls open up from the next day after washing them. Does that contribute to frizz? My hair is always in a bun or ponytail so I do not mind opened up curls. Will a little diluted conditioner left in the hair be sufficient? Thanks.
Hi Nisha, thanks for your kind words :). If you do not mind loose curls then there is no need to use the gel. Frizz can be controlled using a leave-in conditioner and by keeping your hair moisturized. After wash, you can also seal your hair with oil or whipped shea butter as we do in LOC method. Also, do use homemade hair masks or deep conditioners regularly. These are very important to get moisturized curls. Most of the frizz that you see on top is because of broken hair or new growth (short hair) on top. So if you are tying your hair in bun or ponytail then you can use a little bit of gel on top to smooth the surface on top.
Thanks for the prompt reply, Asha. I’ll try using oil after wash. What leave in conditioner do you recommend? I have used L’Oreal Techni Art spiral splendour before. It didn’t reduce frizz. Thanks.
Hi Asha, I found the answer in the comments above. Thanks again.
Are khadi herbal aloe vera shampoos good for curly hair???
Suman, I have never used khadi shampoo and they dont mention full ingredients so hard to say if they are drying or not.
Hey, somebody can review about the cysteine treatment. Will it damaging hair? And what about the de fabulous shampoo & conditioner??? Will it worth to purchase?? Please reply soon.
Vaishali, any kind of chemical treatments are not good for hair in longer run. Other than that Cysteine treatment lasts only a few months. I have not used de fabulous range but I am using Giovanni and find it good. Also, it is not very expensive. Recently tried Dalan D’olive repairing care conditioner and I liked it on my hair. So you can think of trying that too.
Hey ..is there any conditioner to revert the semi straightened hair i.e,i have discontinued permanent straightening.i have got so much damage. So a part of the hair from the roots has curled. But a major part till the ends of the hair is straight.so it looks odd. So can i bring it back to its natural form..suggest some products to revert to my natural hair
Unfortunately we do not have such products in market. You have to to chop it off once your hair grow to a comfortable length. Meanwhile do not use heat on your new growth so that it will keep growing healthy without damage. Currently you can keep continue to use CG friendly products.
Thanks a lot for replying. Can i still use the cg method with breakages.And i saw in youtube about shea moisture deep conditioning mask to revert to natural hair. can i use that?
Shea moisture deep conditioning mask is a moisturizing treatment. It will not convert straightened hair into its natural curly form. But you can use it once in a week to moisturize your hair. I did not understand this ‘Can i still use the cg method with breakages”. Could you plz explain it?
Srotalina, you can try Olaplex treatment which helps to recreate the broken disulphide bond on hair. I have found this article on olaplex website. It might helps you with your current texture. http://blog.olaplex.com/2016/01/13/read-this-and-olaplex-those-curls-back-to-life/
I just meant thAt can i use the cg method in your website. Following all the routines,would it work on my hair ?And i really luv these curls could i do with such hair.
You can follow the CG method on your hair meaning you can start using products sulfate and silicone free products…just that you will not be able to curls straight hair into curly through these steps.
Thanks for this,Asha. Does olaplex treatment involve certain shampoos or conditioners that i can buy or its a parlor treatment?
It is done at a salon only but after the treatment they give one product that has to be used at home.
I too have curly hairs … But was never so happy with it..cooz it’s difficult to manage and I can do nothing..no styling with them..it looks so boring. Glad that I found your blog.. And was looking for sulphate and silicone free natural shampoos and found this blog! Jus wanted to know if this brand-AMSARVEDA is sls free shampoo.. They have claimed it to be. So wanted to order and try once for my hair fall and dandruff…But I didn’t find it in your list. Pls let me know if its sls free 😊
Thanks a lot Megha for such kind words :). I tried to find its ingredients but it is not mentioned on their website. So cant say if it is sls free or not. If you are looking for a sulfate free shampoo then you can try giovanni too. I like their shampoo and conditioner range.
Thank you for the the reply 😊 Asha. Yes I ll try Giovanni..was even thinking of that 🙂
Thank god i found your blog..its really inspirational for curly hair girls..before i hate alot my culry hair and done straightining. Now am going to allow my curly hair to grow.but can you suggest me the specific products that can be used as shampoo conditioner leave in conditioner and a gel..because am confused of too many products and have no idea about it.am staying in bangalore.i have dandruff problem also.ao plzzz help me
Aleena, you can start with Giovanni, matrix, dalan d’olive, enliven which are mentioned in the product list on the blog and homemade flax seed gel. You can use enliven conditioner as a leave-in and for cowash too. Use giovanni conditioners are rinse off or as leave-in. Dalan one is quite good for detangling so use it as a rinse off. For dandruff, you can follow the homemade remedies like lemon, curd or apple cider vinegar rinse. There is one scalpe shampoo for dandruff which is also good. you can buy it from chemist shops. I have approved your request to join the curly group on facebook. You may search for the ‘dandruff’ in there. There are remedies suggested by other Curlies also.
Hi Asha,
Just a pointer. I recently came across this website called lookfantastic.co.in
I found many brands there which are otherwise not available in India, like as i am leave-in , etc.
These items are available on popular sites like amazon. But since they are imported, the prices are always crazy.
So just thought, if you would be doing it doing reviews on these products, I would be very much looking forward to it.
The website charges 500 Rs as delivery charges though. Better to buy something in bulk 🙂
Hi Pallavi, I bought a few products from US while I was visiting there recently. I will start doing their reviews soon :).
Thanks, will be waiting for them.
Asha, Can you please check regarding Kronokare shampoos and conditioner. Hearing good reviews about them on youtube. Also they are affordable.
Also, now Shae Moisture products are available on lookfantastic.co.in.
Please check if these can be added to the list and also try to do review on these 🙂
I will write a new article about these US products because on these products we have to pay custom duties and the final amount would becomes higher than the mentioned on these websites except amazon (the charges there are included the duties). Have you ordered from lookfantastic yet?
I din’t order yet. There is shipping charge of Rs 500. I don’t know if there again extra costs.
Anyway, come up with your article soon 🙂
Your blog seems to be genuine . Khadi shampoos lead to dry hair. But Matrix products are loaded with chemicals hence would not recommend. Tried bodyshop shampoos , but still felt dryness after prolonged usage .
Thanks Kumar!! Yeah even for me herbal shampoo does not work and makes hair dryer. I use giovanni shampoo and mostly i use shampoo only on scalp and let it run down through rest of of my hair. This way I do not feel the dryness after wash. For me, important products are a conditioner, deep conditioner and leave-in conditioner that helps to keep hair moisturized. Also use homemade masks mentioned on the blog to moisturize your hair. Moisturizing is not one time task so we have to do it regularly.
My giovanni tea tree Conditioner has glycerin in it ..so my question is should I use it in winter bcoz glycerin is humectant…does it make my hair more dry because dry air in winter …asha barrak please give your opinion and others also ..
Anjali, I think it should be fine to use. As you are not using glycerin alone. It is present with other ingredients in the formulation which also work as film former and also if you are using styling products containing oils and other film formers (even flax seed gel), it should be fine to use. As all these things prevent water loss from hair.
Actually it is third most ingredient in ingredients list. .is it still fine to use ??
Anjali you can still try and see how it works because we can only know after trying. I live in hot and humid weather so I could not get a chance to experiment glycerin products.
Thanks for this detailed info.
What would you suggest, that one visits a salon to find out their hair type and texture to decide on a product recommended by them? There is a whole range, how to decide which one will suit you? Where and how to start from?
I have got my hair smoothened, which lasted for 3 months, using Schwarzkopf products, as suggested by the salon. Now the smoothened look is vanishing. I am confused, should i shift my products or re-smoothen my hair?
Would love to hear from you.
Hi Khushi, smoothening and other chemical treatment are only temporary solution and they cost a lot too. The products in the list can be used for all type of curls, wavy to curly. There is no need to find out the hair type. All types of curls can be maintained through moisture and protein balance. You can try following the CG method for a few months and see how it works for you. Hair definitely gets better with time after the CG.
Hey hi..
Thanks for the list.
The list of sulphate & silicon free shampoos given by you is great.
But im confused which 1 to go for..
Please can you suggest the best to go in for?? Its too confusing to choose among the list.
Also Asha..
My hair is straight in the crown area & starts becoming wavy as it falls down.
I love my wavy hair & the bounce.
Can you suggest the appropriate shampoo & conditioner for my hair type. I want more of volume, waviness to my hair. I am not fond of straight hair.
Hi Priyanka, You can use loreal smooth as intense, giovanni conditioner, matrix biolage or dalan mentioned in the list. Shampoos from giovanni are good. Also, once you start the CG routine then after a few months your hair starts curling more with time. You can also try plopping your hair after wash for sometime like 10-15 min after applying the leave-in conditioner. And then follow it up with a gel.
You can use loreal smooth as intense, giovanni conditioner, matrix biolage or dalan mentioned in the list. Shampoos from giovanni are good.
Dear Asha,
Thank you so much for your feedback. Have already ordered Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat shampoo & conditioner..
Also request you to kindly suggest an alternative to flax seed gel which can be available in the market as it becomes tedious to make the gel.. also post hair wash & conditioning what any live in conditioner or gel is required to keep the curls, waves all day long..pls can you suggest which are chemical free ??
Hi Asha!I’m new to Ur blog and I’m in love with the content!I have wavy hair I think it’s 2b/2c.And i oil my hair with castor-coconut oil with one vitamin e capsule whenever it goes dry.And randomly I even use hibiscus flower hair Mask it really conditions my hair. I really don’t want to use any sulfates or silicones on my hair at the same time I really need a cleansing shampoo just for the scalp as my hair is dry.Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks for your kind words Anna. I myself use giovanni shampoo. All their shampoos are good. You can try their smooth as silk. Use it on scalp and let it run down the rest of your hair then your hair wont feel dry.
Can u pl update tis post with any latest products . Just wanted to know wat new products are available
yeah..I keep adding the products that are available in India.
Hey what about fabindia s herbal daily use shampoo? Heard its sulphate free..also what do u think about the brand “ALOEVEDA” ..they have sulphate free shampoos too..any idea?
Fabindia herbal daily use shampoo looks CG friendly. Their three shampoo looks cg friendly here is the link http://www.aloeveda.com/hair-care/hair-cleansers—sulphate-free.html
Hey asha today i was going through the discription of giovanni products wherein it says
THIS CHEMICALS PROVIDE SHORT TERM SUPERFICIAL RESULTS BUT MAY LEAD TO LONG TERM DAMAGE, PPRE-ATURE AGEING, HARMONAL IMBALANCES AND CANCER.
Whats ur coment about this..
Which Ingredient Soumya?
I saw it for giovanni smooth as silk shampoo
could you please share the link for the same.
Sorry asha can u help me… i dont know as how to share the link for giovanni smooth as silk shampoo at amazon..
Soumya, I found it. Here is the text ‘Most cosmetics companies manufacture products based on how they feel on the skin momentarily, how good and attractive they look, how good they smell how long they last on the shelf, how fast the cosmetics give results in the short term. In doing the above, there is a total disregard to the harmful chemicals that are going into these products and potentially harming skin. These cosmetics surely provide short term superficial results, but actually encourage long term damage, pre mature ageing, hormonal imbalances and cancer. Giovanni organic cosmetics is America’s no 1 organic cosmetics brand. It contains upto 94 percent pure certified organic ingredients and contains no harmful chemicals. Founded by arthur Giovanni hairstylist of top US celebrities, Giovanni says no to the following potentially harmful chemicals found in most cosmetics products today. No parabens a cheap preservative. A proven cause of cancer, no sodium lauryl sulphate a cleaning agent often used as a degreaser in garages. Increases dryness of hair, no artificial colors coal tar artificial colors have been found to cause nausea, mood swings, headaches and fatigue, no mineral oil forms a barrier which prevents the evaporation of water through the skin thereby impeding the skin’s ability to release toxins, phthalates, no propylene glycol prevents creams from drying out. May cause hypersensitivity, skin and eye irritation, no triethanolamine an emulsifier. Carcinogenic and long term exposure can lead to heart, liver or kidney damage, no formaldehyde cheap preservative. Intensely irritating, toxic and known skin sensitizer. Our world is full of chemicals as pollution. Lets keep these away from our bodies. Say no to chemicals, go organic.’
In this they are trying to say is many brands use such chemicals that harm in longer run and Giovanni they use better ingredients.
Hi
I’m new here, a friend suggested your blog. It’s truly amazing…
I have the same struggles as you all.. curly hair that i love just out of the shower, but in 10 minutes its just a frizz afro!!
I’m going to try this CG method for sure. Asha, i was wondering, do you consult? Like would you be able to meet me and recommend the products I should use?
Thanks Delna :). For the defined moisturized curls we need to use products after wash. Also, do not comb hair when it is dry as it separates all curls and leads to frizzy hair. I am currently living in Singapore so consultation is not possible :). The popular products among curlies are Giovanni, loreal, matrix (the ones mentioned in the list). You can start with these products and as we finish off a conditioner really fast so you can keep trying different range with time. Other than using these products oil your hair regularly (better to use cold pressed oils). you can use coconut oil mixed with different oils of your choice. And use deep conditioning mask. These things really make a lot of difference in keeping hair moisturized.
Hi Asha,
Kronokare shampoos and conditioners are CG friendly. And also the shampoo from Bon Organics. I think you can add them to your list. They are quite affordable. I haven’t used them yet. They are on my list though.
Pallavi , could you please let me know which one from the Kronokare range. I checked Kronokare – Repair The Hair and it is SLES and silcione. And also Bon organics ingredients list. I will add them in catalog.
Hi Asha,
I am sorry, I was wrong about the Kronokare shampoo.
And regarding Bon organics, I enquired with them regarding surfactants. They replied saying “Our Surfactants are based on soap wort and soap nut.”
I am not sure if it’s exactly safe.
I really appreciate the pain you take in verifying everything before publishing them as CG friendly. Kudos.
Hi Asha,
Why don’t we make a separate post on different brands on carrier and essential oils, available in the market in India, just like different products on shampoos and conditioners.
Yeah, Sheetal, will try to include some brands in the catalog.
Pls tel me …..bblunt shampoos contains sulphte or not…?
Vidya, which specific shampoo from bblunt as they have many range of shampoos.
Great compilatio Asha !!! I have always been strictly cg. But off late i am guilty of using ogx quenching + coconut curls curling hair butter. I ve just started using it. So far so good but I am apprehensive of it causing dryness in the long run. It is found to contain cyclotetrasiloxane which is mentioned as a volatile silicone in your blog. It also contains mineral oil. I shampoo once a week and co wash once in between. I clarify once in 2 weeks. What do u suggest? Should i consider discontinuing its use?
Hey asha , can i use matrix hydrasource hair mask in place of my normal conditioner . Is it ok to use two times in a week. Is this product is protein free ? So can i use any mask in place of conditioner .?
no, it does not have protein. You can try using it twice in a week. But if you feel that hair is over-conditioned and start looking limp then reduce the frequency.
Thanks for response 😀
This is absolutely amazing thank you soo much .. ive been trying to embrace my curls but not received any positive comments on keeping them the way they are supposed to be i love curly hair and i found it difficult to find products that were right for me.. this was of great help Thanks a lot again 💕
Hello,
It’s nice to see a detailed blog for curly and wavy hair…thanks for the effort… 🙂
Would like to know if the body shop’s newly introduced Fuji green tea conditioner suitable for the cg method??
It does not have silicone as per their website below. Please verify at the shop if ingredients are same. It has isopropyl alcohol which is in less than 1% concentration and hence wont cause drying effect.
https://www.thebodyshop.com/en-sg/range/fuji-green-tea/fuji-green-tea-refreshingly-hydrating-conditioner/p/p002452?clear=true
That one I think has silicone.