Recorded answer text · ChatGPT · 4 October 2026
Yes - there are some genuinely excellent British haircare brands, but they're very different from one another. I'd put these on the shortlist:
| Brand | Best for | My verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Philip Kingsley | Damaged, fine, thinning or problem scalps | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Bouclème | Waves, curls & coils | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Only Curls | Curly/coily hair | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Umberto Giannini | Affordable curls, frizz & definition | ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ |
| Percy & Reed | Fine hair, volume, styling & shine | ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ |
| Josh Wood Colour | At-home colour & grey coverage | ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ |
### 🥇 Philip Kingsley - the one I'd take most seriously
This is probably the most technically credible British haircare brand on the list. It was built around trichology and has more than 60 years of hair/scalp expertise. The range is unusually targeted rather than simply selling the same shampoo in different bottles. www.philipkingsley.co.uk
Its standout is:
### [Philip Kingsley Elasticizer]()
£22.00
Elasticizer is a particularly good choice if your hair is dry, bleached, heat-damaged or generally feeling fragile. The current formula is positioned as a pre-shampoo treatment that strengthens, repairs and hydrates. www.philipkingsley.co.uk
I'd also look at Philip Kingsley if your scalp, rather than just the lengths, is the problem - they have dedicated dandruff, sensitive-scalp, fine-hair and thinning-hair ranges. www.philipkingsley.co.uk
### 🌀 Bouclème - excellent if you're curly
If you have wavy/curly/coily hair, I'd put Bouclème near the top. It's much more specialised than most mainstream British brands and is designed around curl definition, moisture and frizz control.
### 💕 Only Curls - particularly good for coils
Only Curls is another British brand I'd actually recommend rather than dismissing as Instagram/TikTok hype. It's a small London-founded business specifically created around curly hair, and its products are made in the UK. Their coily range is explicitly designed for Type 4/coily and Afro hair, with no sulfates, silicones or drying alcohols. onlycurls.com
### 💷 Umberto Giannini - the best value
This is the "you don't need to spend £30 on shampoo" recommendation.
Its Curl Jelly is genuinely worth trying if you have waves/curls. It's around £9.25 for 200ml and is designed to give definition, shine and frizz control with medium hold. The brand currently has roughly 2,000 reviews on its own site with an average around 4.74/5. www.umbertogiannini.com
### [Umberto Giannini Curl Jelly Scrunching Jelly]()
£6.71
That's one of the rare TikTok-famous hair products where the hype isn't completely ridiculous.
### 💇 Percy & Reed - underrated salon option
I'd choose Percy & Reed if you want proper salon-style results, particularly volume, smoothness and styling rather than specialised scalp treatment.
It's genuinely British: the brand says its products are conceived, formulated and manufactured in the UK, with roots in London salon styling. Its range covers fine, damaged, oily, frizzy, thinning and curly hair. www.percyandreed.com
The Volumising range and Heat Protect Spray would be where I'd start.
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### My actual ranking
If you just want me to cut through the marketing:
Best overall: Philip Kingsley
Best for curls: Bouclème / Only Curls
Best affordable: Umberto Giannini
Best salon-y finish: Percy & Reed
Best for scalp/thinning concerns: Philip Kingsley
Best for damaged/bleached hair: Philip Kingsley
Best for Type 4/coily hair: Only Curls
And I wouldn't automatically buy an entire range from one brand. The best approach is usually to mix brands - e.g. a good shampoo from one, treatment from another, and styling product from another.
If you tell me your hair type (straight/wavy/curly), whether it's fine/thick, coloured/bleached, and your main problem (frizz, dryness, breakage, thinning, oily scalp etc.), I can give you a specific British-brand routine with 3-5 products that are actually worth buying.
