Caring for curls

The Curly Girl Method (CGM) is basically a set of “do’s and dont’s” to get your hair back to its naturally wavy/curly healthy state. It includes:

Limiting how much you wash your hair (I stick to 1-2 times a week)
Avoiding ingredients like sulfates, parabens, non-soluble silicones, drying alcohols in your hair product
Using “low poo” shampoos, meaning they do not include the ingredients above, or using co-washing products
Avoiding using any sort of heat tool and using cool/warm settings on your dryer
Brushing your hair only in the shower while wet (preferably while you have conditioner in it) or gently directly out of the shower with gentle detangling brushes
Avoiding coloring your hair
Using microfiber towels or t-shirts in place of regular towels (most regular towels aren’t as soft and can cause frizz)
Applying all of your styling products in soaking wet hair and scrunching them in
Moisturizing regularly with leave in conditioners
Learning the balance of moisture and protein that your hair needs

Basically, it is a method that helps you learn to embrace the natural state of your hair while learning what products help enhance your natural wave/curl. It requires lots of patience, lots of updos, and a lot of guess and check! It is all about playing around with techniques and products to find your ultimate hair routine.

Why I don’t follow the CGM strictly anymore

I think utilizing the CGM and following its guidelines fully is a great way to get your hair back to a healthy state. However, I don’t think it is necessary to follow the CGM strictly to maintain great hair health.

I use some products that include non CG approved ingredients like silicones
I occasionally use heat tools while making sure I am protecting my hair
I color my hair
If I want to wash my hair…I just wash it!

I know many women who stand by the CGM and have found their perfect routine with it! They are fine without using heat tools, are satisfied with their hair color, and do not miss their old ways. I, However, don’t feel the need to let go of some of these things…and guess what…THAT IS OKAY! Whatever you decide to do with your hair is YOUR decision, these are simply tips on how to get your hair healthier along the way.

How to create your own Curly Girl Routine

Figure out your hair type by asking yourself these questions:

Is my hair straight, wavy, curly, or coiled?
Does my hair get weighed down easily and take forever to dry (most likely low porosity)?
Does my hair soak up product and dry quickly (most likely high porosity)?
Is my hair more fine or coarse?
What balance of moisture and protein does my hair prefer (we will talk about this more later and learn how to determine this)?

How to start a basic product routine:

For your shower routine, you will need:
- Sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner
  - I only wash 1-2 times per week which is healthier for hair because you aren’t stripping it of natural oils that are essential for maintaining moisture
- Leave in conditioner
  - I use a leave in daily and apply in soaking wet hair after conditioning and before applying styling products
- Deep conditioning mask
  - I use a mask once a week after shampooing. I do not use my regular conditioner afterward. Leave for 10 minutes and rinse thoroughly
- Clarifying cleanser
  - Clarifying is important to use 1-2 times per month to get rid of product build-up
- OPTIONAL: a cowash cleanser for days you need to wash but don’t want to use shampoo
  - A cowash product is a non-lathering cleanser that is applied to the scalp and used like a shampoo. It is more gentle than shampoo but is still good for getting rid of excess oil sitting on the scalp

For your styling routine, you can try a few different combinations. If your hair is fine or low porosity, you may need to start with less product. For coarse or high porosity hair, you may need more product. All styling products should be applied to soaking wet hair and can be done in this order:
- Leave in conditioner
  - As I said above , I apply this before all of my stylers and scrunch in.
- Mousse (OPTIONAL)
  - Sometimes applying mousse before a gel/custard/cream can be beneficial for ultimate hold, or it can be applied by itself for a lighter hold. Mousses are more lightweight than most other forms of stylers.
- Gel
  - I prefer a gel over a cream because they are more lightweight and typically have stronger hold.
- Definer or Finishing Product (OPTIONAL! choose one or all):
  - A salt sea spray could be used during this step once hair is completely dry for a more beachy look.
  - A hairspray could be used during this step once hair is completely dry to help hold style in place.

And there you have it…a full routine! This is just a skeleton guide and you will most likely need to tweak this to fit your hair needs. You may need all of these or you may need to narrow it down! Finding your perfect routine takes lots of guessing and checking, lots of failed routines, and a lot of patience. But man is it worth it when you have that perfect hair day.

Helpful ideas on maintaining your curls for multiple days

The best thing you can do for any curl type is to TAKE CARE OF YOUR CURLS WHILE YOU SLEEP!

Sleep on a satin or silk pillowcase. Cotton pillowcases grab on to your hair when you are tossing and turning at night, causing breakage and frizz.
Use coiled hair ties (you know, the ones that look like old phone cords) or good ol’ 90s scrunchies instead of traditional hair ties to prevent breakage as well as that annoying little dent in your hair.
Wear a satin or silk bonnet overnight.

My favorite way to sleep for gorgeous next-day curls:

I prefer to sleep in a satin bonnet that has an elastic band to help keep it on throughout the night (the one I have is linked under my “Amazon finds”). If you have long hair like me, you will want to take a scrunchie and gather your hair at the very top of your hair. Loop your hair halfway through the scrunchie (not wrapping it around again) and let it fall into a really loose bun. Then place the bonnet on top and just like that, you’re ready for bed! The loose bun protects my curls from moving around too much and the satin bonnet will prevent all that unwanted morning frizz. When I wake up, I can usually take my hair down and walk right out the door. If it is day 2 or 3 hair, sometimes I will need to do a little refreshing! When I refresh, I will only dampen the frizzy parts of my hair, comb them with my fingers if I see a knot forming, and add either a little leave in conditioner or gel. Scrunch the product in and let it air dry! You can also use your diffuser on the lowest setting to really get your hair to curl back up and add a little more volume.

For some of you, refresh days won’t be this easy. When I first started my journey to healthy hair my hair wasn’t nearly as cooperative. Damaged hair is prone to frizz and knots and often becomes greasy more quickly. The more you take care of your hair, the less time you will spend styling it! I promise, the end results are worth the wait.