Tested by 
Like many a phenomenon born from social media, the “Irish curls” trend might need a little explaining to those who don’t spend their life doomscrolling. The term refers to mixed texture hair that’s wavy and curly underneath but straight and sometimes frizzy on top. The solution? Finding the right products to unlock the full, fabulously ringlet-y potential of your curls.
At Good Housekeeping, we love to test out a trend, rather than relying on what the algorithm serves us, so we enlisted the help of in-house curly hair queen, our household advice writer Ella Duggan, to test a range of products designed to help unlock the full potential of her (already lovely) curls. The products from Merwave are formulated to turn hair from frizzy to defined – and she tried out the brand's Wavy Hair Starter Kit, which includes a five-step haircare routine: Cleanse Shampoo, Repair Conditioner, Wave Cream, Cast Foam and Protect Gel.
Here’s Ella’s verdict.
My curly hair goals
My hair type is curly. To be specific, 3A and 3B with a couple of wavy 2Cs chucked in there for good measure. While I do dye it, I'd say it’s in pretty good condition – not too dry or damaged. It’s quite thick, and I have a lot of it. I also get consistent curly cuts to encourage volume and a flattering shape that has movement and texture.
I’ve been investing in my curls for the last eight to 10 years, trying out lots of products and different methods, always with the aim to define and volumise. I’ve developed lots of little tips and tricks and have a routine I swear by but am always keen to try new products to find achieve the holy grail of defined curls that aren’t weighed down by product. "You don't have frizz, you have waves" is the key messaging of the Merwave brand, and its starter kit promises to unleash hidden or misunderstood wavy hair, so I knew I had the perfect formulas to put to the test.
Although I don’t fully identify with the “Irish curls” trend (as I already have proper ringlets), I do still a top layer of frizz that I’m desperate to ditch – my dad’s from Wexford, after all. I’d heard so many people recommend Merwave for helping do just that, so I’ve been desperate to give it a go.
My hair goals are simple – to have something big and defined, but not rigid of stiff. I want my curls to be flicky, bouncy and fun but unequivocally frizz free. Somewhere between Carrie Bradshaw, early 90’s Julia Roberts and Kate Hudson in Almost Famous. Maybe with a beachy kind of twist like Amanda Seyfried in Mamma Mia. Yes, all my curly inspo comes from movies.
First impressions
I think the packaging’s lovely, very summery and easy to use and hold. Nothing’s too big either, so it would work as a good set to take away. Although I will say that the jar the gel comes in was a bit annoying and hard to get all the product out of towards the end.
The formulas smell amazing too, which is always a bonus for me. Unlike a lot of similar products on the market, the scent isn’t overly fruity or floral. They smell like a grown-up beauty product – musky, a bit herbal, but mostly they just smell clean and fresh. A good product is one you’ll want to keep going back to, and fragrance is a big pull for me.
I thought the consistency of the shampoo was quite loose, but this did create a decent lather. I was excited by the conditioner though. It’s creamy enough to coat curls but not overly thick and prone to build up. I also liked the variety in the lineup of products and found the routine easy to follow (even if I do prefer a slightly different order...)
What I liked about Merwave's Wavy Hair Starter Kit
The formulas of the shampoo and conditioner were great. Not too sticky or cloying, and I wasn’t concerned about build up or my hair being weighed down. Because of the thickness of my hair, I ended up having to use quite a bit of product, but it wouldn’t be an issue for anyone with finer hair.
However, my hero products from the range are the foam and the gel. The foam is so lightweight and bubbly. I apply it directly onto my roots and ends at the end of my routine, adding it through the lengths in an upward scrunching motion. It gave me my desired root volume, helping to make my curls flicky and bouncy and really enhancing the layers in my curly cut.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with it. It’s great for encouraging movement in curls – volume doesn’t always mean big, big hair; it means bouncy, light and springy curls too.
The gel (which I controversially use before mouse) has a texture unlike any others I’ve used before. It’s very thick and almost clumpy, so I was shocked by how much I liked it. A little goes a long way, it melts into my hair well, and the definition it provides is impressive. Plus, I love the smell, which managed to stay after blow drying – no easy feat. Once dry, my hair had some great spring and bounce, and it gave the shorter strands around my face that lovely playful definition I’m always chasing – that’s the Irish curls coming out to play, I guess.
It doesn’t leave that horrible crispy cast so many other products do, but it did leave my hair feeling a little dry. I’m not someone who struggles with dryness generally, but if you do, you may find this product exacerbates that. If so, you may want to reach for the brand's curl cream.
What I didn’t love
That said, the product I didn’t get on with was the curl cream. I found it weighed my hair down and felt like it was fighting with the other products. While it certainly helped with frizz, I think it hindered any desired volume or bounce in my curls. However, I could see it being soothing and smoothing for those with more damaged or drier hair.
I’d probably skip this step for my hair. While it’s good at battling frizz, I think it does so by sacrificing volume and weighing strands down, which isn’t what I’m looking for.
The final verdict
After testing the full Merwave Wavy Hair Starter Kit, I can see why the brand has become so popular with people trying to enhance their natural texture and embrace the “Irish curls” trend. The products are particularly good for boosting definition and reducing frizz, without leaving curls stiff or crunchy – especially the foam and gel, which were the standout buys for me. Together, they gave my curls bounce, movement and a much more polished shape while still feeling soft and touchable.
However, I don’t think every product in the routine will work for every curl type. While the curl cream did help smooth frizz, I found it too heavy for my thick 3A/3B curls, and it reduced some of the volume and springiness I usually like. The gel also delivered great definition initially, although I would have liked slightly stronger hold to maintain volume beyond day one.
Overall, I think this range would work best for those with wavy to loose-curly hair types – particularly 2B to 3A textures – who want to encourage more curl definition and create a smoother, more cohesive curl pattern. Personally, I would definitely use the foam and gel again, but the cream wasn’t quite right for me.
But, if your hair sits somewhere between frizzy waves and loose curls, Merwave could genuinely help unlock more defined curls, while still keeping hair soft, light and natural-looking.
FAQs
What does it mean to have "Irish curls"?
The "Irish curls" trend refers to hair that's got curly under-layers, but the frizz on top holds it back from fulfilling its full ringlet-y potential.
How do I take care of Irish curls?
Merwave's wavy to curly starter kit is a great place to start. It contains five products for a multi-step routine: cleansing, conditioning, creaming, foaming and styling. As Ella found, while you may find some products suit you more than others, it should give you a head start if you're looking to unleash your curls.
Florence is our Senior Beauty Writer, specialising in expert-tested beauty and grooming reviews — from toothbrushes to the latest skincare launches. She’s committed to sharing recommendations for products that truly work and make people feel confident and healthy. Prior to this she was at Tropic Skincare, where she worked closely with biochemists in the lab, delving into the functions of each fresh, natural ingredient and conveying its efficacy to her audience in easy-to-digest terms.
With over five years’ experience in beauty and health journalism, Florence has written for ELLE, Women’s Fitness, Sister Magazine, National Geographic Traveller and many more, with a strong sustainability angle thread through much of her work.
When she isn’t packing for a trip away, working out, eating out or reading up on retinol serums, you’ll probably find her experimenting with her film camera and building her portfolio of portraits. Florence’s photography can be found at florencereeves-white.com, her Instagram is @florencereeveswhite and her twitter is @floreadsnwrites
As the Household Advice Writer, Ella covers all things home – from clever cleaning tips to the organisation tricks that really do make life easier. Before joining Good Housekeeping, she was a full-time freelance writer and production journalist at The Independent’s IndyBest reviews section, where she covered reviews, roundups, and product-related news articles, focusing on areas such as homeware and lifestyle products. With a keen eye for what actually works, she’s passionate about sharing practical, well-tested advice you can rely on. You can reach her at her email address: [email protected]
