In exploring CGM products in the UAE, it’s important to first establish what it is. “CGM” it’s possible you’ve heard of this acronym but also possible you haven’t, yet unconsciously follow it.

What is CGM?

CGM stands for Curly Gurl Method, a method developed and introduced by Lorraine Massey to the curly hair community in 2001. The philosophy behind this approach is the use of natural hair ingredients for textured hair – this includes: wavy hair, curly hair, coily hair, kinky hair textures. By natural ingredients this method discourages use of curly hair products contain ingredients such as sulphates, silicones and parabens. The belief is that these chemicals are considered extremely damaging if you are looking to retain and maximise your natural curl pattern, a belief we completely agree with. Other principles include replacing a regular shampoo with a more moisturising cleanser also known as co-wash or conditioner washing, avoiding the use of too many styling tools such as combs or brushes and many more.

In the last four years, we’ve witnessed a CGM UAE community grow and continue to generate awareness of the method and help others develop an understanding of what CGM products should contain.

CGM product market revolution

Whilst Lorraine first coined the phrase which took the textured hair community by storm, the basic principles of this method have been followed by many prior. As more knowledge has become available through product research, testing and development, experts with decades long industry experience have been encouraging the use of more nourishing ingredients in curly haircare and actively promoted for the move away from cheap mineral oils, conditioners and emollients found in traditional haircare products. 

An expert at the forefront of the textured haircare revolution is Dr Ali Syed, through years of industry experience and a background in Chemistry, he founded Avlon - parent company of Affirm and Keracare brands and more recently As I Am a brand backed by science to the deliver all the nourishing benefits that curly hair needs to thrive. He has over 20 years of experience in extensive product research, testing and development. Dr Ali through As I Am has brought ph balanced, moisturising, curl enhancing products such as cleansers, conditioners, treatments, refreshers, moisturisers and stylers to market since 2010.

CGM products market today

Fast forward to 2024, we have seen numerous independent curly hair brands come to market with a range of products largely out of the US, followed by the UK and Europe and more recently Africa and India. It’s so incredible to see and we are so honoured to be part of the movement and wider community.

Mainstream Curly Hair Brands

Curly hair product availability in the UAE

Curly hair products only so many years ago didn’t appear to exist in the Middle East. Upon moving to Dubai, UAE in 2019, there were limited product ranges available - the primary curly hair brands that were easily accessible were Auntie Jackie’s, Cantu and Shea Moisture. This was one of the key reasons Emerson was birthed - to provide accessibility and affordability to the best of curly hair products from around the globe – targeting different curl patterns, hair concerns and porosities.

Looking ahead: The future of CGM products

Looking ahead we expect that the level of accessibility to CGM products to increase as well as customer’s knowledge base as they develop a better understanding of their hair type in order to nurture it the right way.

Reflecting on where we started to where we are today, now stocking over 25 brands, 300 products and counting, we are amazed by the progress seen not solely our progress but the wider progress seen in the UAE with more and more people embracing their natural curls, coils and kinks.

Over the next 12-18 months, we expect our product offering to increase by 40-50%. This is evidence of a growing, innovative and bright future for CGM products in the UAE. We imagine a world, not too long from now, where browsing and purchasing curly hair products in the UAE and GCC becomes as easy as shopping for items of clothing on ASOS or Namshi, for example.

With CGM products and haircare in general, there is no one-size fits all approach when it comes to brand and product selection. Despite what advertising often tells us, it’s important to understand the unique selling point (USP) and target market of each brand. This is where the various curly hair brands come in with their unique offering, targeting a specific hair concern, hair type or unique hair texture.

We, at Emerson, understand that product selection is often the most challenging part, as such we highly encourage sampling different products, this is one of the many reasons we include samples with every order (subject to availability) and offer mini or travel size products - a cheaper way to determine if a product is suitable for you in terms of ingredients, performance, consistency and scent. Alternatively, if you want expert advice on what to select based on your hair’s characteristics, our team of curly hair experts are on hand to assist you.

The UAE is home to a number of natural hair brands such as Kozma Curl which offer natural hair care products, free of sulfates and silicones for naturally curly hair. We’ve also come across a range of other natural local brands online, though not curly hair focused, such as Khadi Organique and RUH Natural. When scanning through their formulations and observing these brands philosophies, we have identified that they are in fact suitable for curly hair, though not marketed in this manner, but in view of the product ingredient lists can be classified as CGM friendly or CGM approved - particularly the cleansers and conditioners. 

On the other hand, curly hair styling products is an area which we expect to gain more traction from local brands over the next couple of years. At present, there are very few local brands offering suitable styling products such as curl creams, gels or foams/mousse.

A missed market opportunity - CGM products for kids 

Another segment of the CGM product market that is very new and limited is product ranges uniquely curated and formulated for kids with curly hair. As a fellow mother of children with highly textured hair, I want them to develop a love for their curl pattern and embrace it wholeheartedly, as it's a unique feature of their natural beauty. Many children grow up wanting to alter their natural texture as a result of not knowing how to care for their curly hair or often hearing their curly hair labelled as "unruly", "unmanageable" and "frizzy".

As we become more informed, it's crucial parents provide their children with all the exposure possible to the beauty of their curl pattern - being very intentional about showing them that curly and textured hair is beautiful, involving them in the wash day process, from selecting products that they like the smell of or packaging that most appeals to them is a great starting point.

At present, Camille Rose Naturals Kids, As I Am’s line – Born Curly and Curly Ellie are the only brands with products for curly kids, we expect this to become a key focus area in the CGM products market over the coming years and look forward to better representation for children.

Though a great proportion of children are born with naturally textured hair but due to lack of exposure, as they grow older end up with chemically processed hair or severe heat damage from constant straightening.

Our commitment to you 

In summary, we are extremely excited about the future of the CGM products market in the UAE and GCC. We remain more committed now than ever to providing access to the best of curly hair products globally, so your curls can thrive! Whatever your curl pattern, young or old, it's never too late to start your curly hair journey!