Have you ever heard of the Curly Girl Method? The hair care method has been making waves online over the past years due to how effective it is at bringing out someone’s curls. Many people who have struggled with intense frizz have discovered their hair’s true waves, while others with tight but messy curls have figured out how to tame their hair.
But how can you start your own CGM journey? There are thousands of guides out there by now, each with its own routine that people swear by. But when you’re just starting out, the most important things to know are the basics. Here’s what you need to know about the Curly Girl Method.
What to Avoid
If you’re going to commit to the Curly Girl Method, there are certain chemicals that you have to watch out for. They are considered too harsh and drying on curly hair, and prolonged use will strip away all of its natural oils. This, in turn, damages your hair and disrupts your natural curling pattern. These chemicals fall under two categories: sulfates and silicones.
Sulfates are cleaning agents and detergents. While they are meant to eliminate any dirt from your hair, they are so harsh that they strip away your hair’s natural oils and disrupt your hair cuticles. This results in dry, frizzy hair.
Silicones create a film around your hair strands to make them feel smooth and look shiny. Too much silicone buildup can result in duller hair that is more prone to breakage. If you want to wash this film off of your hair, you’ll need harsh cleaning agents such as sulfates.
There are also other things to avoid if you want to keep your curly hair healthy. Stay away from drying alcohols and heat damage, as they can both weaken your hair further.
Using Shampoo
When following the Curly Girl Method, you will either have to look for a sulfate-free shampoo or go without any shampoo at all. This is to preserve your hair’s natural oils and prevent your hair from drying out. Your hair never gets dirty enough in day-to-day life to justify using a shampoo full of sulfates. Whether you switch to sulfate-free shampoo or stop using shampoo depends on your hair type. Wavy hair can still benefit from shampoo, while tight curls or coils can do without it.
But if you can’t use traditional shampoo and you’ve decided that sulfate-free shampoo isn’t for you, how will you be able to get rid of the dirt in your hair? The answer is to start co-washing using a cleansing conditioner.
Using Conditioner
“Co-washing” is simply a shortened version of conditioner washing. When you co-wash, you forgo shampoo completely and clean your hair using cleansing conditioners instead. Cleansing conditioners have gentle cleaning agents that can remove the dirt in your hair without stripping away your hair’s natural oils.
Of course, you still have to use conditioner on your hair, whether you decide to use shampoo or not. Conditioners are important because they hydrate and moisturize your hair, which is essential if you want to maintain your curls.
Styling
The use of styling products, such as hair gels, creams, leave-ins, or mousses activates your curls and provides more definition. Deciding what type of styling product to use depends on you and the unique circumstances of your hair. For example, those who have thick hair and tighter curls often gravitate towards hair gel because of its strength. Others may have finer hair and looser curls who believe that hair mousse works best for them. Some people might use a combination of these products. It’s all about experimenting and figuring out how your hair responds to each product.
Drying
The first tip any curly girl will tell you is to stop towel drying your hair. Rubbing your hair dry with your cotton towel may help your hair dry faster, but its rough fibers can disrupt your hair cuticles, making your hair look frizzy and tangled.
Instead of rubbing their hair dry, people who follow the Curly Girl Method use a technique called plopping. To do this, you can flip your hair upside down, and wrap it in a microfiber towel (or an old T-shirt) while keeping your curl pattern intact. Let the wrap sit for around five to fifteen minutes to remove excess moisture from your hair and encourage your curl pattern further. Once you’re done plopping, you can either let your hair air dry or use a diffuser.
This is the basic groundwork for every CGM routine. From here, you can continue to experiment to see how you can meet your hair’s unique needs. We wish you luck in your curly girl journey!