Hey curly friends! Recently I’ve been seeing a lot of buzz about “The Curly Hair Method” and I had to do a bunch of research on it. What is The Curly Girl Method? Is it for beginners? What are the steps? Will they be easy to remember? These are all questions I began to ask myself. Then, I thought, girl, just do a bit of research. I know I can’t be the only one who has these questions. So, this is what I found out so far:
What is the Curly Girl Method?
The Curly Girl Method originates from Lorraine Massey’s book “Curly Girl: The Handbook”. This book provides a list of hair care techniques that teach you to avoid damaging hair care habits and trade them in for a healthy curly hair care regimen. Now, we all know that hair care regimens, especially for us curly girls are NOT one size fits all. So, feel free to modify these techniques to suit your hair type and texture.
Who is the Curly Girl Method for?
If you have naturally curly, kinky, or coily hair this method is for YOU! Men and Women alike can benefit from these techniques.
What to Avoid?
- Shampoo
- Many curly girls with afrocentric hair, like myself, choose to cleanse their hair with a no-poo cleanser, or if they do use a regular shampoo, it's on occasion. Personally, I prefer to condition, shampoo, condition. This will help with moisture retention.
- Heat
- Don’t use heat often, it severely damages the hair. The higher the heat, the greater the damage.
- Combs & Brushes
- Brushing and combing your hair can pull strands and mess with your natural curl pattern. When I was beginning my curly journey I worshipped my wide tooth comb. When I found my Denman brush my world was changed for the better. I only use this brush and I ONLY use it when I am working conditioner through my hair. Never on dry hair.
- Fragrance
- Can be very drying.
- Sulfates
- Sulfates are usually found in shampoos, but they can creep their way into many other products you may love. Be sure
- Non Water Soluble Silicones
- usually found in conditioners and styling products.
- Alcohol
- Don’t use drying alcohols, they dry out the hair, but not all alcohols are drying. Here is a list of alcohols to avoid: Alcohol denat, Ethanol, SD alcohol 40, Propanol, Isopropyl and Propyl.
- These Fatty Alcohols are great for the hair, helping with moisture and manageability: Cetyl, Stearyl, Cetearyl, Myristyl, Behenyl and Lauryl.
Now that we got the things to avoid out of the way, let's go through the steps to healthy curly hair as outlined by Lorraine in her book.
Step 1: Cleanse
Using your favorite cleanser, gently stimulate your scalp with your fingertips. DON'T USE YOUR NAILS, TRUST ME. The friction will lift residue, sweat & oil to be rinsed out.
Wavy Girls
Cleanse once a week. You can use regular shampoo, but condition before & after.
Curly Girls
Cleanse once a week or every 10 days by cowashing with water & conditioner.
Coily Girls
Cleanse as little as possible. In between cowash days, wet your hair & go straight to Step 2.
Step 2: Condition
Using your favorite conditioner, smooth it all over your hair strands. When rinsing, use cold water, this will lock moisture in your strands.
Wavy Girls
You can leave a bit of conditioner in, don't rise all the way. Unless you are deep conditioning and using a super heavy conditioner that will weight your hair down.
Curly Girls
You can rinse or leave the conditioner in, depending on your hair. Like I said earlier, you know your hair better than anyone, these methods aren't necessarily “one size fits all”
Coily Girls
Wrap your hair & apply heat for 15 minutes for a moisture boost. Rinse completely to avoid a film.
Step 3: Dry and Style
Bend forward and blot your hair dry by cupping curls using an microfiber towel or cotton t shirt. Then air dry.
Scrunch hair from the ends towards the scalp, clip the roots for volume.
Wavy Girls
For curlier hair, do extra scrunching or pin curls while using your favorite products.
Curly Girls
When the hair is completely dry, flip forward and fluff to create volume.
Coily Girls
Wash and Gos are recommended, and a personal favorite of mine, but you can style your hair however you want! Just try to avoid heat! I recommend a twist out, braid out, or flat twists that you can wear as a protective style for a couple of days before fluffing your curls.
With the Curly Girl Method, you only need two products, conditioner and gel. If you are hell bent on shampoos, look for gentle sulfate free brands. These days, gentle shampoos are easier to find, so YAY!
Now, implementing the Curly Girl Method will not change your hair overnight. Depending on how you’ve treated your hair in the past, this method could take weeks, even months for you to begin seeing results.
You have to be patient, this isn't a sprint, it's a marathon. Your hair has to be nursed back to health. So, to keep you motivated on your journey, take lots of photos and selfies! Document your progress, and when you are feeling like giving up, take a look to see just how far you’ve come.
By: Tyra The Creative