In praise of the Curly Girl method.....

[Lottapianos]

Well I have taken years to be convinced - not using shampoo in your hair? Just washing with conditioner? Isn't that a bit grim? Doesnt' it take all flaming day to wash out?

Well I gave it a go and now I am a total convert. My hair looks the best it has ever been, with no extra faffing at all. I often had dodgy hair days when I was shampooing, and the ends and the back would virtually always end up turning into Frizz Hell. Not even a hint of frizz now, seriously not one bit. It's a miracle

If you're tempted, give it a go. In case anyone is looking like this , the CG method is using conditioner to wash your hair instead of shampoo and avoiding chemicals like silicones and sulfates which build up on your hair and make it look rotten, especially if your hair is curly and therefore super dry. There are lots of threads about it on MN or just Google 'Curly Girl Method' for more info

Didn't work for me. My hair ended up looking really manky. I now shamppo + condition and then use Moroccanoil hair cream - lovely frizz free curls!

Glad you found what works for you dexter. It's lovely feeling that you've got the hair you were always meant to have!

Dexter do you have a link to the hair cream you use, please? My hair has improved with curly girl, but I think it needs something more...

8PurplyWurply* - it is this one. It lasts for ages as you don't need to use much.

Many conditioners are full of silicone and similar chemical treatments...

I love it and use Alberto Balsom conditioners, most of them are 'cone and SLS free. I love CG method! For a lot of the time, I only use a dab of conditioner to style as well. My hair drinks product it's so porous, so at least I'm not spending loads!

(Also I find 'cones are ok are on my hair)

I use Tresemme Naturals conditioner which is silicone free. I use it as a leave in too, with coconut oil underneath and a gel on top

I was a massive convert to CG but eventually it drove me, my scalp and my hair crazy. I now just use shampoo and conditioner that are SLS and cone free and all is good. Never again.

I am thinking of giving this method a try - although I have just bought new paraben and silicone free shampoo from the Body Shop so might use that up first or it will go to waste! My coconut oil has also just arrived so I am raring to go

The only thing that concerns me slightly is that my hair will look greasy with the coconut oil and the fact that it's not being shampooed out...?

Do you just run the coconut oil through with your fingers? and how much is needed? I don't want to look like I have dunked my head in a deep fat fryer!

Thanks dexter73, it looks good!

I dabble with CG. A few months ago I tried coconut oil as a mask, while using normal shampoo and cone free conditioner, it did improve the condition. I have recently gone back to SLS free shampoo and tried coconut oil this week, I could not get the coconut oil out at all, took about three washes to get rid of it. My hair now feels really scraggy. The jury is definitely out here, the only thing I find consistently works is avoiding silicones, all other aspects I'm not convinced about.

Going to try this once used up my current bottle of shampoo. I heard you need one final wash with a special shampoo to clarify hair and remove silicones before starting curly girl. Is this true and which shampoo?

Also which conditioners and styling products are silicone free?

Hopefully if this CG thing works I can embrace my curls and give up my GHDs!

I put about a tablespoon of coconut oil on soaking wet hair from mid lengths to ends, then add conditioner and gel and wrap in towel. No greasiness, hair seems to just eat it!

I use SLS free shampoo and conditioner and boots curl cream, and my hair looks better than it ever has. Bit worried that the boots stuff is discontinued now though

Can anyone recommend conditions which are SLS free?

Tresemme Naturals

Conditioners are SLS free anyway, it's the detergent ingredient in most shampoos. Conditioner wise the ingredient to avoid is silicones, ie ingerdients ending in "methicone" or "siloxane". These coat the hair artificially.

Dr Organic from.Holland and Barrett
Rainforest Shine by Body Shop

are free of both.

yy to curly girl - I do shampoo once in a while, but conditioner wash in between.

Also the 'plop' method of tying wet hair up with product in a long-sleeved t-shirt to dry it.

I like the boots pink curl creme which is cheap as chips, but i can't find it anywhere at the moment. I wonder if they have found out it is a cult product and are rebranding it and are going to bring it back for £££s.

Have emailed boots re the curl creme and they said they hope to have it back in stock by the 16th December. Just hope I've got enough to last until then!

Well after seeing all the threads recently on curly hair, including this one, today I tried washing my hair in conditioner only, applied my new coconut oil and followed the Curly Girl styling tips and I have to say that I am pleasantly suprised!

My hair is not frizzy (well not until I went out in the drizzle this afternoon anyway) and the curls are much better defined and not crunchy like they often are when I styled my old way.

Thanks MNetters on S&B - you have made me begin to like my hair again...