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Starting Curly Girl Method - join me in achieving shiny bouncy hair!

145 replies

CurlyWurlyTwirly · 01/05/2018 08:24

Have been researching this for ages (3 days Grin )
Anyway found a fab curly girl thread from 2009

However some of the products have been discontinued, not all the blog links work, so I thought I would star a new thread.

So here is what I have gleaned so far:
Sulphates (the stuff which makes your shampoo foam) is a Bad Thing as it strips all your hair of oils, so you need sulphate free shampoo.
Found this list from the original thread which lists all the banned products.

Silicon ( Frizz Ease type serum) is a Bad Thing as it seals up the cuticle, so that moisture cannot get back in.

So moisture is the holy grail, and that is why hair gets frizzy, as it is too dry.

So most curly girls seem to cowash, which is washing with conditioner, or a special runny conditioner type product.

So here are the steps I have figured out, ( I haven’t bought the book yet).

One last wash with a sulphate shampoo, to clear out build up.

On subsequent washes, you cowash, but only use your fingers or a shampoo brush ( a stubby ruby bristled brush) to loosen dirt.

It is recommended that shower not too hot, and also wash hair upside down, so you are not flattening your “ canopy” of curls.

Comb through a handful of conditioner with a wide toothe comb

Also add your styling product in the shower eg scrunch with gel.

DO NOT use a normal towel, dry with a tshirt, or a microfibre towel.

Then there is the “ plopping” method where you lie a dry t shirt on a flat surface. ( loo seat) and sort of lower your head upside down and let your curls gather then sort of gather up the t shirt & fasten gently round head.

either air dry or dry with a diffuser, not too hot.

Other stuff I found : curl type 2 a, b, c, 3 a, b, c 4 a, b, c it’s a whole new world

Also deep condition according to curl type. I am about a 2b and am sitting here with a mixture of coconut oil & olive oil slathered on my hair.

Right off to create some curls!

OP posts:
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Chocwocdoodah · 15/05/2018 23:16

Hmmm, looking greasy at the roots tonight. Will have to shampoo in the morning I think...

zippyswife · 16/05/2018 07:19

I have very coarse thick hair that I ever usually looks greasy (can normally leave a week between washing). However the cowashing leaves the roots greasy and lank. So I’ve been using the Johnsons baby top to toe to wash then I wash with the cowash. That seems to work quite well so far.

Chocwocdoodah · 16/05/2018 17:07

Sorry to be thick - but do you mean you wash it with the Johnsons, then apply conditioner straight after and rub that in like a shampoo?

Ironfloor269 · 21/05/2018 07:15

@buddy, just bought Twisted Sista curl activator cream and it has silicones!

Is that still ok or have I reversed all the hard work of the past few weeks?

QueenOfTheAndals · 21/05/2018 07:34

All the Twisted Sista products have silicones and/or sulphates too, I think.

QueenOfTheAndals · 21/05/2018 07:36

Has anyone used the Redkeb Curvaceous high foam curl cleanser? I saw it on special at TK Maxx. They used to do an amazing leave-in conditioner but sadly discontinued it a few years ago.

Ironfloor269 · 21/05/2018 08:55

So I’m sort of fucked, aren’t I?

Should I wash my hair with sulfate shampoo to get if the silicones and then start that CG process all over again?

firsttimer12345 · 21/05/2018 09:29

Thanks for the thread @CurlyWurlyTwirly.
I started last week and had 6 inches cut from my hair to give me a kick start.
Don't think I've found the right styling products yet as struggling to get a cast with wet hair. Trying both Tesco gel and boots mousse. What does everyone else use?

INeedNewShoes · 21/05/2018 09:38

Can I hijack a bit to ask the CG followers whether anyone else has had a problem with thick stubborn scales forming on the scalp?

I've been basically following CG method since 2012 in using sulfate free shampoo, silicone free conditioner and just a tiny blob of Boots curl creme to style, and using a curl ease towel to wrap my hair in. My hair was transformed but I'm beginning to wonder whether I need a phase of brushing and blow drying to sort my scalp out!

QueenOfTheAndals · 21/05/2018 11:52

I brush my hair only on the day I wash it, just before I get into the shower, as I feel like it does my scalp good and helps shift any dirt or grease.

GloGirl · 21/05/2018 12:21

Jumping in! Haven't read the thread yet but I've been leaving my hair natural for a while but know I'm missing out on lots of important steps, I'm still shampooing for a start.

Can anyone catch me up with the curly guide for lazy women? And a bit cheap with spends at the minute?

QueenOfTheAndals · 21/05/2018 12:45

Fortunately the Boots or Superdrug own-brand conditioners that go for about £1 are all CG-friendly. As are most cheap hair gels from supermarkets.

sherazade · 21/05/2018 17:18

Op I've been following this with interest and also purchased the yes to blueberries shampoo and conditioner only to realise that the shampoo is NOT sulfate free !! Can anyone recommend a properly sulfate free shampoo?

Ironfloor269 · 21/05/2018 17:27

@sherazade, The BodyShop Rainforest range has a sulfate free shampoo. Also Garnier Ultimate Blends and Tresemme has a sulfate free variant.

As a rule of thumb, now I read the ingredients when buying a shampoo or conditioner, whether or not it claims to be sulfate/silicone free.

sherazade · 21/05/2018 17:32

Ironfloor I usually take great care to read ingredients and so annoyed with myself for not doing so . It has such glowing reviews on cg forums and here so I assumed it was sulfate free . It is advertised as sls free but it contains another sulfate !

Ironfloor269 · 21/05/2018 17:40

@sherazade, I know how you feel. Here I went and bought a product I thought was CG free but when I read the label it contains dimethicone! I can kick myself for not reading the ingredients list before spending good money on it.

KanielOutis · 21/05/2018 18:53

Another curly girl here. I've been full CG for a year now. It's a lot of getting used to. The no washing and brushing feels odd at first because we are conditioned to think it's not clean. The results are amazing though I can't imagine going back to the pre CG days now.

Starting Curly Girl Method - join me in achieving shiny bouncy hair!
Starting Curly Girl Method - join me in achieving shiny bouncy hair!
buddy79 · 21/05/2018 22:19

Oh how annoying te the twisted sista!! Sorry, I genuinely didn’t realise! I have been trying their leave-in conditioner too but my hair looks really greasy with it - so that explains they... think I might have to start over too 🙁

Chocwocdoodah · 21/05/2018 23:55

Bloody hell kanieloutis, that’s quite the transformation. Your hair looks amazing! I want mine to be like that!

Ironfloor269 · 22/05/2018 04:18

@buddy, that’s ok, it’s not your fault. I should have read the label before buying anyway.

I used it today and i think I probably used too much but the frizz is much, much better. So maybe if I used less, it might be ok? I don’t know,

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