Ask any curly girl on the highway the place she began her pure hair journey and I guarantee one amongst their earliest steps involved the Curly Girl Methodology. I discovered the multi-step routine nearly a decade prior to now; after years of letting my hair do irrespective of, I was lastly capable of take this entire haircare issue considerably. My evaluation led me, naturally, to the r/CurlyGirl subreddit. I shortly turned an educated in all points curl haircare—the parts to stay away from, the producers to perception, and the seemingly numerous itemizing of merchandise and devices I fully needed in my arsenal.
In any case nevertheless draining my checking account at Ulta, I launched into my journey with the Curly Girl Methodology. Now, years later, I’m proper right here to interrupt down the whole thing I do know regarding the methodology, along with whether or not or not or not I imagine curly women should adjust to it.
Taylor Vickers, Curly Hair Stylist
Taylor Vickers is a licensed Junior Stylist at Infinite Salon in Portland, OR. She has been working with curly customers since she began her apprenticeship in 2021.
What is the Curly Girl Methodology?
Curly hair educated and stylist Lorraine Massey developed the Curly Girl Methodology in 1999. In short, the CGM is a three-step routine designed with the one purpose of defending and enhancing curly hair of all types. The intention is healthful, frizz-free curls.
It sounds straightforward adequate, nevertheless as shortly as you dig a bit of bit deeper into the routine—significantly the parts portion—it might really turn into overwhelming pretty quickly. At its core, though, the routine entails three merchandise: a cleanser, a conditioner, and a styler. The exact merchandise used rely fully on curl kind. As an example, the merchandise I reap the benefits of on my tightly wound coils almost certainly aren’t the best match for any individual with looser waves. Deciding on the merchandise and styling methods finest for you is the place points get troublesome. To make it a bit of bit easier, I requested Taylor Vickers, a Portland-based curly hair stylist to demystify the complete course of.
The Curly Girl Methodology routine
The CGM routine consists of three easy steps: cleansing, conditioning, and styling. However it absolutely’s a bit of bit further refined than it sounds. What’s the proper choice to cleanse? How will you get basically essentially the most out of your conditioner? Is there a correct choice to vogue my curls? Relying in your texture, Vickers recommends just a few fully completely different methods.
Cleanse
Start by completely saturating your hair. In step with Vickers, this may take a couple of minutes, nonetheless it permits the “exterior layers of the hair strand to open,” making certain your cleanser can do its job efficiently. Then, seize your favorite cleanser, and lather, rinse, and repeat. Vickers says to confirm your cleanser suds up. If it doesn’t, it’s a sign your cleanser isn’t getting the complete product buildup out of your hair.
State of affairs
In my experience, state of affairs is important to wash day. Vickers says conditioning helps ship moisture to your curls and help your hair retain it. The result is juicy, bouncy curls. That’s moreover the step throughout the routine the place your methodology could look a bit of bit fully completely different from completely different curly women. After making use of your conditioner and detangling (each alongside along with your fingers, wide-tooth comb, or moist brush), you have a few decisions:
- Scrunch the conditioner into your hair (you might want seen this known as “squish to condish” on TikTok) by gathering sections of your hair into your fingers, scrunching it as a lot because the scalp, and squeezing a few events, completely saturating your curls. Within the occasion you do this alongside along with your hair flipped forward, it might really help in creating amount.
- Rope squeeze the lengths of your hair. Vickers recommends this method to those with coarse, textured hair and anyone prioritizing definition over amount (me!). Separate your hair into a few fully completely different rope-like sections and squeeze until the conditioner is totally labored into your hair.
- I moreover repeatedly use the last word methodology, the rake and shake. Rake your fingers by way of your curls and shake them out when you get to the ends. In step with Vickers, that could be a simple, quick choice to encourage definition.
Trend
The styling merchandise you choose depends upon fully in your hair texture and goals. For further outlined curls, Vickers recommends gel, nevertheless for hair that desires further hydration, she recommends cream. For amount, you presumably can each use clips on the basis of your hair or mousse to promote elevate. No matter which styling merchandise you use, Vickers recommends styling throughout the bathe whereas your hair continues to be soaking moist. I don’t adjust to this rule and wish to vogue open air of the bathe in entrance of my mirror. As soon as I do though, I reap the benefits of a misting spray bottle to confirm my hair stays dripping moist whereas I vogue. Whenever you apply your styler, comb it by way of your hair to confirm every strand has product then adjust to one in every of many comparable methods used to state of affairs your hair to vogue it extra.
Dry
After styling, Vickers recommends using a microfiber towel to blot further moisture out of your hair or to plop your hair proper right into a microfiber hair wrap. Then dry by each air drying or diffusing—whichever you want. I always diffuse with my Dyson Air Dryer to combat frizz; if I let my hair air dry, I’m always decrease than pleased with the outcomes.
Finish
Within the occasion you uncover your hair has a tricky, crunchy finish (known as a solid), use your fingers to scrunch it out—it can break the gel solid and depart you with easy, bouncy curls. Within the occasion you uncover your hair needs a bit of bit further encouragement, I rub a lightweight oil into my fingers sooner than scrunching (jojoba is my favorite). Don’t be afraid to basically get into your hair, I promise scrunching and fluffing obtained’t spoil your vogue; moderately, it’ll offer you rather more bounce and amount.
Cleansed and styled
Dry with gel solid
Completely dry and fluffed
Capable of go!
Components to stay away from
Arguably essential rule of the Curly Girl Methodology—and likewise basically essentially the most controversial—is the commandment to stay away from all merchandise that embrace silicones and sulfates. Most curly-approved merchandise itemizing correct on the doorway of the bottle that they’re silicone- and sulfate-free. This advice is an excellent place to start. Silicones contribute to build-up and cease the rest of your merchandise from penetrating your hair, whereas sulfates can strip the hair, making it powerful to hold onto moisture—an necessary a part of any curly hairstyle. Most likely not a profitable combination for curly women.
Whereas researching merchandise, copy and paste the ingredient itemizing into CurlsBot to seek out out whether or not or not or not it’s CGM-approved. Think about, though, that the outcomes aren’t always cut back and dry. You may uncover some merchandise have parts not fully advisable, nevertheless are nonetheless thought-about safe to utilize, whereas others are full no-gos. Most importantly, needless to say pointers are made to be broken. Within the occasion you uncover your hair thrives with silicones and sulfates (it happens!) don’t be afraid to return to them.
Curly Girl Methodology-approved merchandise
Don’t actually really feel pressured into spending an arm and a leg on salon-quality merchandise. Many curly women swear by drugstore producers, and one step of my routine entails a product I high off on after I’m going to the grocery retailer. Below you’ll uncover a assortment of merchandise I’ve tried and appreciated, along with ideas from Vickers.
Does the Curly Girl Methodology work?
Taylor recommends the Curly Girl Methodology to many curly women, nevertheless whether or not or not or not it actually works is set by a variety of components. Your life-style, hair density and texture, and desired outcomes can all impression whether or not or not or not the CGM is finest for you. Within the occasion you uncover components of it don’t work, you’re not married to the technique; experiment with fully completely different merchandise and methods until you land on what works best for you. For customers who’re merely starting their curly journeys out, Taylor suggests using the routine as a foundation, with the understanding that it will require some trial and error from there.
As soon as I first started using the Curly Girl Methodology, I was really shocked on the outcomes. After years of straightening my hair, I assumed I might not at all see my pure hair texture as soon as extra. Nonetheless inside just a few weeks of using the CGM, my hair purchased stronger and my texture bounced once more. Inside a few months, my stubborn chin-length cut back (the outcomes of a large chop to get rid of all that damage) began to develop out. Inside a 12 months or so, I had the prolonged, gorgeous curls I had always dreamed of.
What’s further, the Curly Girl Methodology allowed me to know my hair for the first time in my life. By means of months of trial and error, I turned an educated in my very personal hair and will now determine what it needs—a deep state of affairs, oil remedy, bonding decision, or one thing in between—nearly as shortly as a result of it needs it. That’s the true vitality of the Curly Girl Methodology; it offers the flexibility once more to curly women who grew up hating their hair.
So, should you be following the Curly Girl Methodology?
The Curly Girl Methodology is the proper place to start for anyone with curly hair who’s fed up and overwhelmed by the seemingly numerous sea of knowledge. If that’s you, take note of this your permission to close TikTok, head to the store, and determine up the merchandise you wish to try the routine on your self. From there, don’t be afraid to experiment—this entire journey is about understanding your hair, as an alternative of stopping in opposition to it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Garri Chaverst, Senior Managing Editor
As Senior Managing Editor of The Everygirl, Garri oversees the pitching, planning, and creation of all content material materials. You may also uncover her establish pop up as a contributor all by means of the positioning, though she largely works behind the scenes, primary the workforce of their inventive efforts and guaranteeing they’ve the whole thing they need to create top-quality content material materials for our viewers.