What Is The Curly Girl Method?

What Is The Curly Girl Method?

If for years you've struggled with your curly hair... there's lots of good news!
  1. You're not alone.
  2. Thanks to the internet there's never been so much information available on how to care for your curls!
  3. Meet the Curly Girl Method (CGM) which will change your life! The CGM is based on a book by Lorraine Massey: Curly Girl, The Handbook.

Curls have different needs to straight hair and the Curly Girl Method will help guide you to luscious locks. Over the next couple of blogs, we'll walk you through the method, the steps you need to take, the do's, the don'ts and the products that will help you get on the way. First things first, here are the basic ingredients we avoid:

  • Frequent shampoo (soz L'oreal, it's you, not me)
  • Heat (bye bye GHD's)
  • Brushing (tangles be gone)
  • Sulfates (belong in dishwashing liquid, not your hair)
  • Water-insoluble ingredients (water is our new bestie)
  • Drying alcohols (your hair doesn't want to feel like the morning after)

No-Go Ingredients (the long version):

SULFATES  SILICONES WATER INSOLUBLE DRYING ALCOHOLS

Sulfates are harsh detergents you find in most shampoos. They clean so well, which is why your hair always feels squeaky clean.

The bad news is that they also remove the natural oils and moisture from the hair and scalp. Because of their shape, curls are drier than other hair types, and need that moisture that’s being stripped.

Sulfate use can also contribute to overproduction of oils, which causes ‘greasiness’. It's quite likely why you've thought: "I have to wash my hair daily because it's so greasy"  - sulfates are to thank for that.

 
Silicones are designed to repel water and used in sealants, cooking utensils and also found in most traditional conditioners because they add slip and shine. 

They do this by coating the hair strand with a film. Much like your cooking utensils, moisture can't get through this film and they continue to build up on the hair. 

Pesky suckers...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Waxes and thick oils, like silicones, create an impenetrable film on the hair that cannot be removed without harsh cleansers.

Let alone with just water alone.

Remember when we said that water was your best friend?


We meant it. That's why from now on, all your products need to be water soluble.

In fact, all the products we stock... are!

 

 

 

 

 Alcohol, so much fun on a Friday night and so much regret on a Saturday morning.

Much the same situation with your hair.

Drying alcohols are often used in styling products to quicken drying time as they evaporate, or as a solvent for other ingredients.

These alcohols also dry out the hair and with dry hair comes every curlies worst nightmare... frizz.

It's kinda like "the morning after" but for your hair...

 

 

 
Back to blog