Finding a Curly Girl Hair method that works for you!

Anyone whose had curly hair will tell you all about the love/hate relationship they’ve had with their hair. From the brushing it and it always looking frizzy era to just giving up and straightening it.

Everyone has been there and while there are some things to learn once you’ve mastered your curly hair girl routine it will be a look that you love and will strive for.

What is the curly girl method:

You’ve seen the plopping and scrunching on Tik Tok, but what actually is it? This trusted Curly Girl Hair method is used by thousands of people with curly hair all over the globe. This innovative approach was originally founded by Lorraine Massey in her book, which emphasized gentle care, moisture, and embracing curls through the avoidance of damaging ingredients. One key takeaway from this method is the avoidance of sulphates and silicones, which has been a big influence on the curly hair community.

 

The variety of products and tools available can be overwhelming to new users of the technique. That’s where we’re ‘hair’ to help! Below we’ve listed a couple of basic things you need to know along with some recommendations for the best products to help you on your curly girl hair journey!

 

Starting at the root:

The first step when getting into the curly girl method is to find a good shampoo or lack thereof. A big thing for the curly girl method looks at really cleansing the scalp and starting with a clean slate. A clarifying shampoo is perfect for removing build up and silicone that is sitting in the hair.

 

Shampoo for a new you:

As a hair type curly hair is naturally a lot of dryer then others. This is a big reason why the curly girl method suggests you say buh bye to the daily use of sulphates, which is often found in most common hairstyling products. Sulphates can dry out curly hair even more which can increase frizz and further damage the curl structure. We’ve recommended some sulphate free curly girl approved shampoos to help you on your way.

Curly Girl Hair Approved Shampoos

• Clever Curl Cleanser
• Angel Rose Elastic Curl Shampoo
• Davines Love Curl Enhancing shampoo

 

Condition the curl:

After a cleanse it’s important to hydrate the curls to help them to truly shine. Some curly girls even skip the shampoo entirely and go straight in with the conditioner as a method know as ‘co-washing’. By using the conditioner all over the head it works as both a conditioner and a cleanser, without removing any moisture.

Curly Girl Method Approved Conditioners

• Clever Curl Light Conditioner
• Clever Curl Rich Conditioner
• Davines Love Curl Enhancing Conditioner
• Angel Rose Elastic Curl Conditioner

 

Come on guys, its styling time!

The one thing to remember when styling curly hair is that you style before you dry. By styling while the hair is still soaking wet it can lock in extra moisture, and products applied to wet hair are able to take on more of the products benefits that leads to more defined and hydrated curls. Wet styling sets curls exactly where you want them, as they hold their shape for longer which is ideal when going for defined and luxurious curls.

 

The technique:

As mentioned previously it’s important that your hair is wet when styling your curls. There are multiple techniques that go into styling curls, and it really can depend on your curl type. A really starting point is to use the rake and scrunch method.

 

1. RAKE: Put some curl cream or mousse onto the palm of your hand and rake your fingers from your scalp to the end of your hair to evenly distribute the product.
2. SCRUNCH: Using both hands scrunch your hair from the tips to the root of your hair to create the curl. Repeat this motion a couple of times to define your curls.
3. EXTRA: I like to repeat this process with some curl gel to help define the curl.

 

Picking the products:

The number one thing to look at when choosing your styling products is to make sure that its sulphate free. It’ll keep your hair hydrated and your curls defined. We have a wide range of curly girl approved styling products that will make your hair shine!

 

Curl Creams are great for defining the shape of the of the curl, these are light weight products that help in maintaining the natural curl.

• Davroe Curl Creme Definer 200ml
• Evo Liquid Rollers Curl Balm 200ml
• Clever Curl Cream 450ml

Mousses and foams have a medium hold and are perfect for creating volume and strengthening the curl longevity while not leaving the hair feeling crunchy.

• Paul Mitchell Flexible Style Sculpting Foam 200 ml
• Clever Curl Wonderfoam 200ml
• Moroccanoil Curl Control Mousse 150ml
• KMS CurlUp Wave Foam 200ml

Curl gel really is the best hold product to make you curls last; they work to prevent frizz and lock the curl in place.

• Wella Eimi Nutri Curls Curl Shaper 150ml
• Davroe CURLiCUE Curl Gel 200ml
• Clever Curl Dry Weather Gel 450ml
• Clever Curl Humid Weather Gel 450ml

Air Dry vs Hair Dry:

The curly girl method promotes no use of heat styling tools to dry your curly hair as heat can damage the natural curl structure and adds frizziness. Along with using traditional hairbrushes as they can pull on the hair add unnecessary frizz. We recommend using a specifically designed Wet Brush or a wide tooth comb to brush out any knots.

 

Plopping:

A popular technique to dry curly hair is to plop the hair using a t-shirt. As drying hair with a regular towel can do more damage then good for your curly hair. Instead plopping keeps the wet styled curls compact and scrunched, and the roots are able to maintain their volume.

 

How to plop:

Plopping starts with a regular cotton t shirt, pillowcase or a specifically designed microfibre towel. Once you’ve styled you curls, and they are still damp you lay your t-shirt (or plopping fabric) on a flat surface. ‘Plop’ your hair into a pile in the centre of the fabric, then wrap the t-shirt around your head and secure with the shirt sleeves or a hair tie. Once hair is dry, remove your shirt or other plopping material, and gently scrunch your curls using your hands. Need a visual check out this tutorial below.

@moonstoneseven

#hairplop #hairploptutorial #hairploptechnique #wavyhairhack #hairplophack #wavedefinition #frizzyhairtip

♬ TikTok got it right – Stay @ Home Fragrance Mama

 

Hair drying:

For those who don’t vibe with plopping and want to speed up the drying process. There are ways you can use your hair dryer and still protect your curls. First things first it’s important you use a diffuser attachment. This ensures the curls dry evenly and disperses the heat over the hair which will prevent your hair from drying out. Then dry your hair in sections, I find it easier to put product in half of my hair, blow dry, and then style and dry the other half.

 

Wash, Style, Repeat:

To maintain the curly girl method, we recommend washing and styling 1-2 times a week. To maintain curls, we recommend using the pineapple method when sleeping by popping your hair in a really high ponytail and securing loosely with a silk or satin scrunchie. The hair can also benefit by sleeping on a silk or satin pillowcase to prevent frizz. Spraying a leave in conditioner or a lightweight product such as the ones below can help to define curls and add hydration.

Curly girl hair approved products

• Goldwell Curls & Waves Serum Spray 150ml
• Milk Shake Amazing Curls & Waves 200ml
• Fudge Curl Revolution Mist 150ml

Finding what works for your curls:

Everyone’s hair is different and has their own styling preferences. Different curl types will have different needs so the method and how often you need to style your curls may take some trial and error. Once you get there your curls will truly be a stunner to behold. Welcome to the Curly Girl Hair family.