Curly Girl Review: Phillip Adam Curly Hair Shampoo

It’s been a while since my last curly girl post, but I’m excited to bring them back this spring, starting with today’s review of the Phillip Adam Curly Hair Shampoo*.  Phillip Adam is a Canadian hairdresser who’s worked in the hair industry for nearly 50 years. His desire for clean and high-performance hair products led to the creation of his own eponymous line of safe and effective hair care and body products.  The entire range is biodegradable, cruelty-free, and made without dyes, parabens, SLS, petroleum by-products, GMO’s, or gluten. The majority of products, including the Curly Hair Shampoo, are also entirely plant-based and vegan.


The Curly Hair Shampoo ($15 CAD for 12 oz), specifically created for us curly folks, is intended to leave hair cleansed but also sufficiently conditioned to define and control curls.  It’s a spin on the company’s bestselling Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo, only in this one, the apple cider vinegar has been replaced by an extra dose of pea protein and guar to add a little weight and help control frizz.  In addition to curls, the Curly Hair Shampoo is also recommended for colour treated, dry, or damaged hair.

I really like it.  My hair needs moisture, like all curls, but it also has a tendency to get greasy at the roots and can be easily weighed down by heavy products.  The Curly Hair Shampoo strikes that perfect balance for me: it cleanses the scalp thoroughly and does a great job cutting through any product buildup, but doesn’t leave the actual strands feeling dry or stripped.  The shampoo lathers extremely easily as well -- definitely top tier of all the natural shampoos I’ve used -- and as a result, I need less product to get my hair clean.


The Curly Hair Shampoo also gives my hair a good amount of volume.  I’m long overdue for a trim, and the longer my hair gets, the more the weight of it pulls down volume at the roots, but the Curly Hair Shampoo adds back a surprising amount of bounce and volume.  I haven’t had a Philip Adams conditioner to use with the shampoo (although the matching Thirsty Hair Conditioner may just be my next purchase!), so I’ve played around with a couple different ones that were already in my shower, and no matter what I pair the shampoo with, I consistently end up with defined and bouncy curls, minimal frizz and flyaways, and really excellent volume.  

The shampoo also smells fantastic.  Made with two of my favorite essential oils, peppermint and eucalyptus, the scent is bright, fresh and minty.  I don’t notice any fragrance lingering on my hair once the shampoo is rinsed out, but I thoroughly enjoy it while I’m using the product.  

The Bottom Line
The Curly Hair Shampoo is a fantastic product for curly hair.  It smells great, lathers well, cleanses thoroughly, and does a fantastic job volumizing and defining curls.  

*Press Sample

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