Firstly, what is the Curly Girl Method*?
The CGM* is a method of caring for your waves, curls or coils in order to achieve healthy and beautiful hair.
It calls for cutting out of silicones, sulphates, non-soluble waxes, drying alcohols, mineral oils and parabens. When you see a product described as “Curly Girl Approved” or CGA, this means the products are free from those ingredients and therefore safe to use with the method.
Click HERE for a brief guide of commonly used terms.
Let’s get started!
To start the method, it’s advisable to know your hair type. You can TAKE THE QUIZ HERE!
STEP ⓵: Final Wash
A Clean Slate. Before you start the Curly Girl Method, you’ll need to do one final wash with a clarifying sulphate shampoo that contains no silicones.
This step is important because it gets rid of any silicone or waxes that may have built up from your previous product use. Over time, product build-up can leave your hair looking dull, flat, and can affect your curl pattern.
STEP ⓶: Cleanse
This is an important step to keep your scalp clean and healthy and remove any oils and dirt from your hair.
How often you cleanse your hair (and with what products) will vary depending on your specific curly type. Some curlies can go 10 days without cleansing while others need to cleanse a few times per week. It’s important to experiment and find out what your specific needs are.
a) Co-wash:
- Short for “conditioner-only washing.” It means skipping shampoo and relying solely on conditioner. Many curlies use a co-wash to replace the traditional method of shampooing your hair.
b) Low-poo:
- This is a shampoo designed to cleanse curly hair without interfering with your natural curl pattern. It contains low or no lather.
c) Clarifying:
- A deep cleansing shampoo to remove buildup from the hair. A clarifying shampoo should not be used more than once every week or two, since it is more intense than regular shampoos.
STEP ⓷: Condition
Conditioning is one of the most important steps in the curly girl process (if not the most important step) and is designed to moisturise your hair and keep it hydrated to create beautiful curls.
a) Wash Out
b) Leave-In
c) Deep Conditioner / Treatment Mask
It’s usually a good idea to deep condition your hair once a week (or more in the beginning).
Note: Some curlies will recommend leaving a bit of regular wash out conditioner in your hair. We do not recommend this because if your conditioner contains protein it can damage your hair.
STEP ⓸: Style
How your style your curls will determine wether your curls last 1 day or 5 days.
Styling can be broken down into three parts – moisturiser, hold, and application.
a) Leave-in conditioner:
- Choose a leave-in that is right for your hair. If it is too heavy it will either make your hair oily or weigh your curls down causing them to be stringy.
b) Applying a styler to hold your curl pattern:
- CREAMS/MOUSSE/OTHER (OPTIONAL): The drier and damaged your hair is, the more you may want to try a curl cream or other moisturising product, and the more of the product you may need to use. You’ll likely find as your hair gets healthier, you’ll either be able to use less of the product or do away with it altogether.
- GEL: The single most important styling product. You may want a hard hold or medium/hard hold gel, depending on your hair.
STEP ⓹: Dry
Curly Girl drying techniques are broken down into four types.
a) Air Drying: After styling, let your wet curls dry naturally.
b) Plopping: Using a cotton T-shirt or microfibre towel to scrunch your curls up toward your head and tie.
c) Diffusing: Using a diffuser attachment on your hairdryer to disperse heat.
d) Hybrid Drying: A combination of the above three. For example: plop hair for 15 minutes, diffuse for 20-30, then finish with air drying.
Let your hair air-dry or dry with a diffuser. Do your best not to touch it while it dries. When your hair is 100% dry, you should have a gel cast around your curls. Tip your hair to the side or upside down, and scrunch your hair until the gel cast is gone, and you’re left with soft, frizz-free curls. (AKA “scrunch out the crunch.”)
STEP ⓺: Preserve
The last step is preserving your curls overnight.
- Pineapple: A way to protect your curly hair when you sleep. Gather all your curls to the very top of your head (almost to your forehead) and secure with a non damaging hair tie.
- Night Protection: Sleep on a satin pillowcase or bonnet. Satin or silk helps hold in moisture and cause little friction which can lead to breakage and frizz.
🌀 IN CONCLUSION:
It can be overwhelming starting the curly girl method, but once it is broken down into steps it’s fairly simple.
Keep in mind that it does take experimentation and consistency to see significant results so don’t get discouraged.
If you want to get started and are not sure which products to purchase, we highly recommend THE STARTER KIT. It is affordable and is the perfect size to experiment with.
© The Curl Collective 2022