Alright, so the curly girl method is super confusing because there is SO much information out there. Iâve been at it for a year as of this month, and I still have more awkward hair days than good ones. Often I have to look at photos of other peopleâs progress further along to keep myself motivated.
That said, I still think itâs worth it, and you get better at it as you go!
If youâre a âwavyâ like me (curlies often call our texture a âloose curly pattern.â Theyâre so generous and sweet lmao), things are a bit different than they are for curlies.
1. Even though I have thick hair, the individual strands are extremely fine. I tried and found I canât ditch shampoo entirely the way people with coarse hair can. Instead, I use whatâs called a âlow-poo,â which is a shampoo without sulfates, petroleums, and specific alcohols that are especially drying. You WILL however, go longer between washes. I wash my hair every 5-8 days now, unless I get dirty or super sweaty working of course. Youâll also stop using a brush.
If you have coarser hair or thicker curls, you may go the no-poo route and eventually cleanse with conditioner or cowash only. Everyone is different!
2. I canât use gel to make a âcastâ to define my texture. Gel is too heavy for my fine hair. Instead, I use lightweight mousse if I use anything at all. Usually I just opt to forego any product but a light leave in conditioner.
3. The method of applying conditioner is different for wavies. Combing or finger-raking products through our hair breaks up our modest amount of texture and leaves our hair limp. Instead, I recommend the âsquish to condishâ method. Look it up on YouTube.
4. Protecting your hair is the same as it would be if you were a true curly. You should sleep with it in a satin wrap at night, wet-detangle it gently, periodically do deep conditions, etc.
5. Donât expect the results of someone with curly hair. This doesnât change the texture of your hair. If you donât have curls, they wonât magically appear. It simply enhances whatever texture you already have. In my case, thatâs loose waves.
If your hair is straight, but it always looks frizzy, dull, and limp, chances are you actually have wavy potential, and this method will add a little bounce and shine back to your hair.
If you want to try it out, google curlsbot. You can copy and paste the ingredients from different products to see whether theyâre curly girl approved. I also suggested following instagrams of people with similar hair textures to yours who do the method.
I also recommend AGAINST the common folly of getting started, which is thinking you need to go out and buy like 30 different expensive products. Youâll find a lot of affordable drug store brands are curly girl approved. I use these guys as my leave-in conditioner.
Theyâre literaly $0.89 in most stores. I admit I use a more expensive conditioner, but use these as my leave-in, so they last forever too.
You can start small and work toward trying out pricier stuff down the line once you get a hang of sticking to the method and picking out the right ingredients.
Itâs also worth noting that there is a class-action lawsuit against devacurl over hair loss, so many people are moving away from the brand now.
Anyway. The point is, if you think you might have even a little unlocked texture potential like I did, itâs worth a shot! Good luck!
amandla
gummygunk
blakekathryn
andulkaphoto
ellievsbear
origamiaround
