Are you looking for a way to make your curls really pop? Do you find yourself with ongoing frustration regarding how to care for your curls? If so, you might want to think about getting started on the Curly Girl Method. This routine makes it very easy to learn how to and continue maintaining your curls. If you’re a lover of the Curly Girl Method, make sure to give it a shout out in the comments!
Getting Started On The Curly Girl Method
Sort your products:
Before beginning, you need to go through your products to see what works with the Curly Girl Method, and what needs to be tossed. Get rid of anything (except for one shampoo- you’ll see why later!) that has sulfates, parabens, artificial fragrances or colors, silicone, alcohol, or mineral oil. All of these ingredients are drying and damaging to curls, therefore they aren’t CGM approved. Additionally, you’re going to need to retire your heat tools, such as curling or flat irons. Hair dryers can stay with a diffuser and a low heat setting.
Get new products:
Now’s the fun part; you get to shop for your new Curly Girl Method approved products! Start with just a few basics, until you get to know your curls again and learn more about what your strands need. As time goes on, you can add more or experiment with other products. To start, however, you’ll want a cowash, conditioner, deep conditioner, leave in conditioner, a styling cream, and a gel. If you don’t have a diffuser or a hair dryer with a low heat setting, grab one of those as well. Finally, you’ll need a wide toothed comb, some duck billed clips, and a microfiber towel for drying your strands.
One last wash:
Start fresh on the CGM by giving your strands one final wash with a sulfate based shampoo. This will remove any silicone or build up you may have in your curls, allowing you a base to start from.
Getting going:
Finally, you’re ready to really start using the CGM. After you’ve cleansed your curls, you can start cowashing. Cowashes might feel strange at first, because you’re cleansing your hair with a conditioner, but with time you and your curls will get used to it. Make sure to focus on massaging your scalp when you use a cowash, to help break up oil, dandruff, or other build up.
After cowashing, it’s time to follow up with a deep conditioning treatment. Cover and allow the treatment to sit for at least 30 minutes, but you can do more if your curls care damaged. If your curls are feeling hydrated, you can use a rinse out conditioner instead. This is also a great time to detangle your curls using your new wide toothed comb. When applying conditioner, make sure to completely saturate all your strands so every curl is covered. Scrunch your curls to help them start assuming their natural shape. Rinse the conditioner out at the end of your shower, focusing on making sure your scalp has no conditioner at all. You can end your shower with cold water to help minimize frizz.
Once you’re down showering, gently squeeze your curls to remove excess moisture. Your strands shouldn’t be sopping wet when styling. Then, apply leave-in conditioner to help your curls retain moisture. Make sure you’re applying a light layer throughout your strands, getting every curl. If necessary, you can section your strands to ensure coverage.
If your curls are dry or struggle to retain a natural shape, you can apply a mousse or curl defining cream. Do this by gently smoothing the product throughout your hair, and scrunching upwards to ensure coverage. Finally, apply gel. This works best with you section your curls and apply throughout. This creates a gel cast around your curls. After the gel is applied, allow your curls to completely air dry, or use a diffuser. You can gently break the cast, and enjoy your beautiful, styled curls!