Umberto Giannini Curl Products: Everything Inside the May 2026 Curls Monthly Box

If you have been waiting for a month that felt like a full curly hair routine dropped right into your mailbox, this is literally that month. The May 2026 Curls Monthly box is an Umberto Giannini co-branded takeover, and I personally could not be more excited about it.

Umberto Giannini is a UK-based curl brand that has been quietly doing things right for a long time. Protein-free formulas, lightweight textures, products designed to actually work with your curl pattern rather than weigh it down. They are a perfect fit for what I preach inside the Barbie Delle Method, and I'm genuinely glad we got to build this month together.

Below I am going through every single product in this box, who it is for based on Hair Finish™, and exactly how it fits into your routine. Let's get into it. 👇

What's in the May 2026 Box:

• Umberto Giannini Curl Jelly Scrunching Jelly

• Umberto Giannini Curl Custard

• Umberto Giannini Curl Jelly Refresh Spray

• Umberto Giannini Curl Whip Mousse

• Umberto Giannini Scalp Scrub Exfoliating Treatment

What Is Umberto Giannini and Why Did Curls Monthly Choose Them?

Umberto Giannini is a curl-focused brand out of the UK that has built a loyal following because their formulas are genuinely thoughtful. A lot of what they make is protein-free, which matters a lot if your curls are on the softer or medium side and you tend to get weighed down or crunchy when protein shows up uninvited in your products.

Inside the Barbie Delle Method, one of the first things I teach is finding your Hair Finish™ -- whether your curls run soft, medium, or rough. That classification determines which products actually work for your hair. Umberto Giannini's lineup maps cleanly onto those categories, which is exactly why I wanted to build a full month around them.

Not sure what your Hair Finish is yet? Find it here.

Umberto Giannini Curl Jelly Scrunching Jelly: Who Is This For?

The Curl Jelly Scrunching Jelly is, in my opinion, the standout product of this box. It is a gel, but it was specifically designed to be scrunched into your hair rather than raked through. That is actually a huge deal because the way you apply a product changes what it does to your curl pattern.

This has a light to medium hold, which makes it a great fit for rough to soft finishes. If you have rough hair, you can layer it over your curl cream for some hold without getting that stiff, helmet situation. If you have soft hair, this is one of the more manageable gels you can try because it is not going to push your curls flat the way heavier gels tend to.

How to use it inside the Barbie Delle Method stock routine:

1. Apply to soaking wet hair right after your leave-in or curl cream.

2. Scrunch upward into your sections. Do not rake.

3. Follow with your microfiber towel scrunch and diffuse.

4. Once 100% dry, scrunch out any crunch with a tiny bit of oil.

Umberto Giannini Curl Custard: Is It a Leave-In or a Styling Cream?

The Curl Custard is what I would call a hydrating styling base. It is a lightweight creme that layers under your hold product and helps lock in moisture before you diffuse. It is 100% protein-free, which immediately tells me this is going to behave well on soft and medium finishes especially.

Where this fits in the Barbie Delle Method: think of it as your Step 3 or 4 in the stock routine. After you rinse your conditioner, this goes on soaking wet hair in sections before your hold product. For medium hair, you can pair it with a mousse or a medium hold gel. For soft hair, follow it with a mousse and a curl spray. ✨

One thing to note: because it is medium weight (not ultra-light), if you have very soft hair that gets flat quickly, use a small amount. Start with less than you think you need and adjust from there. That is Intuitive Curl Care in action.

Umberto Giannini Curl Jelly Refresh: How to Actually Use a Refresh Spray

I talk about this all the time: the average curly girl washes her hair about 57 times a year. That means roughly 307 days where you are working with second, third, or fourth day hair. Your refresh routine matters just as much as your wash day routine.

The Curl Jelly Refresh Spray is designed to revive your curls between washes without needing to fully rewet your hair. I say this a lot and I will say it again: do not fully rewet your hair every day. Daily damp refreshes are damaging over time and are actually keeping you stuck in the cycle of needing to refresh every single morning.

This spray works by giving your curls a light reactivation without soaking the hair shaft. Here is how I would use it inside a soft or medium finish refresh routine:

5. Divide hair into your three sections: side, side, back.

6. Lightly spritz each section with the refresh spray from a distance.

7. Scrunch upward and let it air dry or hover diffuse briefly.

8. Fluff your roots with your hands or a pick if you need volume.

Want a deeper breakdown of what a proper refresh routine looks like for every finish? Look here.

Umberto Giannini Curl Whip Mousse: The Best Hold Option for Soft Finishes 💆

If you have soft hair, I have probably told you at some point to reach for a mousse instead of a gel. Here is why: most gels contain ingredients that add weight and shine, and on soft hair that often reads as greasy or flat rather than defined. Mousse gives you hold without that same heaviness.

The Curl Whip Mousse is lightweight, protein-free, and built specifically to add definition and hold to curls and waves. This is a soft finish hero product, and it will also work well on medium finishes if you want a lighter, bouncier result instead of a stronger defined look.

For soft hair, this goes into your routine after your leave-in spray, scrunched in by section. You can layer a second application after your microfiber towel scrunch for more hold. Then follow with a curl spray or hairspray on dry hair to set everything in place.

Umberto Giannini Scalp Scrub: Do You Actually Need to Exfoliate Your Scalp?

Scalp care is technically the optional part of the Barbie Delle Method, but I will be honest: I think more people need it than realize it. Your scalp is the soil your hair grows from. You would not skip skincare for your face indefinitely, and yet most of us completely ignore what is happening up top.

The Umberto Giannini Scalp Scrub is a natural exfoliating anti-dandruff treatment that removes dead skin cells and excess oil to restore a clearer, healthier scalp. It is particularly helpful if you are dealing with dandruff -- which are the bigger, more yellowish flakes. Quick reminder: dry scalp and dandruff are treated completely opposite to each other.

Dry scalp responds to moisture (oils, balms). Dandruff feeds on oils, so you strip it. If you have the bigger, yellowish flakes, a clarifying and exfoliating product like this scalp scrub is exactly what you need. If you have small, dry snowflake-style flakes, that is dry scalp and this is not the product for that.

I would use this on your clarifying wash days, working it into your scalp before you shampoo, then rinse and proceed with your normal routine from there. 💛

How to Use All Five Umberto Giannini Products Together

You do not need to use all five products every single wash day. That is not how the Barbie Delle Method works. Here is how I would think about layering them based on Hair Finish:

Soft Hair:

9. Scalp Scrub on clarifying wash days (pre-shampoo or at scalp before shampoo)

10. Curl Custard as your styling base on wet hair (small amount)

11. Curl Whip Mousse for hold (your main hold product)

12. Curl Jelly Refresh Spray on non-wash days instead of full rewetting

Medium to Rough Hair:

13. Scalp Scrub on clarifying wash days

14. Curl Custard as a layer under your main curl cream

15. Curl Jelly Scrunching Jelly layered on top for hold

16. Curl Jelly Refresh Spray between wash days

Remember: the Barbie Delle Method is your framework. These products slot into it. You do not rebuild your whole routine around new products -- you find where they fit and test from there.

What Makes This Curls Monthly Box Different 🌀

I put a lot of thought into which brands I bring into the Curls Monthly box. A co-branded takeover month only happens when I genuinely believe a brand's lineup works across multiple hair types and fits what I actually teach. Umberto Giannini earned that.

This box covers wash day, refresh days, and scalp care -- which is basically the full weekly curl routine in one delivery. Whether you are just starting the Barbie Delle Method or you have been doing it for months, there is something in here that is going to level up your routine.

If this is the kind of curation you want every month -- products that actually match your Hair Finish, paired with real education on how to use them -- that is exactly what Curls Monthly is. Real products, real teaching, zero guessing. [Join Curls Monthly here] 💛

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Umberto Giannini good for curly hair?

Yes, especially if you have a soft or medium Hair Finish. Most of their styling products are protein-free and lightweight, which makes them a strong fit for curls that tend to get weighed down or go flat. If you have a rougher finish, the Curl Jelly Scrunching Jelly in particular works well layered over a heavier curl cream.

Can I use the Curl Custard and Curl Jelly together?

Yes, and I actually recommend it for medium to rough finishes. The Custard goes on first as your moisturizing base, then the Curl Jelly gets scrunched on top for hold. Start with small amounts of each and add more based on how your hair responds. That adjustment process is exactly what Intuitive Curl Care is about.

How often should I use the Umberto Giannini Scalp Scrub?

I recommend using it only on your clarifying wash days to avoid over-stripping your scalp. For most curly girls that is every 3 to 4 weeks. It is particularly helpful if you deal with dandruff (larger, yellowish flakes) rather than dry scalp (small, white snowflake flakes). Do not use it if your concern is dry scalp -- you would want a moisturizing scalp oil instead.

What is the difference between the Curl Jelly Scrunching Jelly and the Curl Whip Mousse?

Hold and finish. The Scrunching Jelly is a gel-based hold product that gives a light to medium hold and a bit more shine and definition -- great for rough to soft finishes who want structured curls. The Curl Whip Mousse is airier and lighter, giving definition without that shine-heavy finish, which makes it the better pick for soft finishes who want bounce over shine.

Do I have to be a Curls Monthly subscriber to get these products?

The May 2026 Umberto Giannini takeover box goes out exclusively to Curls Monthly subscribers. If you are not subscribed yet, you can join on the Curls Monthly website. Boxes ship monthly and you can choose between the Lite and Plus tiers depending on how many products you want to receive.