Curly girl method

[Freshair1]

Is this really, honestly a thing. And not a swindle?! I had a go out of curiosity, did a wash and then scrunched before letting air dry. Had thick wavy partly curly hair but god the frizz. Is this real curly hair or just a result of scrunching if you see what I mean? I usually blow dry and straighten my hair. I never usually let it air dry cos it looks awful and puffy.

The method is about using non sulphate and non silicone products, not messing with your hair and letting it air dry, it's the only thing that works for me.

I have thick but fine hair with a loose curl. I wash and condition, squeeze hair with my hands so still wet then comb through with wide comb. Apply liberal amount of umberto Giannini pink curl jelly, scrunch really gently with a microfiber towel then air dry. Once dry I scrunch through some curl cream. My hair is not at all frizzy and gets tons of compliments.

Are you towel drying it or using the wrong products? How much natural curl does your hair have?

Can't see how it's a swindle, who's making money from it?

When I did it my husband called me Hagrid

Started it during lockdown and it’s been the best thing, never looked back. After much trial and error settled on Hairstory products which suit me best 👍

My son does it and his hair looks amazing - and super curly

Scrunching won't do anything to create waves or curls that aren't already there

It's not instant, it takes time and a bit of trial and error. Pic of an old "good hair day" and my hair now. Left pic is using frizz ease and normal shampoo, conditioner with silicones etc
I do a modified version as my hair is wavy rather than curly and still use shampoo

I'm washing and conditioning with ODX products, then using my hands/fingers to lift and scrunch when wet. I ran some oil through after air drying. There was a definite curl, people commented on it. I went on Amazon and bought some cantu shea butter moisturising curl activator to try next time I wash my hair. I'm finding it quite hard to believe as I'm nearly 40 and have spent my life basically drying and straightening. Whenever left to air dry it doesn't dry curly, it dries looking at Hermione's frizzy mane from the first film. Guess I'm just a bit bamboozled.

Mine was similarly....'oh wow. Your hair looks... Nice. Are you leaving it like that?'

I had a go out of curiosity, did a wash and then scrunched before letting air dry.

that is not the curly girl method 🤔

My hair is wavy too. I've decide, to embrace it but the curly girl method isn't for me.

However it does take a lot of experimenting to work out the best way to do your curls

I need to do it but can’t be bothered!

I probably only need the curl products… but where to start?

It sounds as though you’re not doing it right, plus it takes a little while for the previous chemicals to leave your hair. Then there’s the trial and error involved in finding the right products/techniques! Cantu tends to be too heavy for all but the very curliest hair, so it may not work for you.

Frizz is caused by two things, generally, insufficient moisture and too much physical manipulation. You should never brush your hair when it’s dry (that’s how you get the Hermione look), for example. I don’t even scrunch mine, pretty much any touching creates frizz for me and I look like a haystack - you should try looking into ‘plopping’. I just plop for a while and then air dry. Good luck!

You need a hold product - gel generally
My hairdresser (curly specialist) does shampoo, conditioner and gel only, that's it.

www.instagram.com/reel/C1CcHPtoNQi/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

I gave it a go for about 6 weeks, then realised it's harder work than what I was doing before, and my hair just looked messy. I think if your hair really is curly already maybe it works well, but for me they weren't real curls - they were created by loads of products and endless boring scrunching.

I have naturally curly hair and it doesn’t work for me at all. It’s about using specific products without certain additives etc but oddly enough my hair seems to do better with patene shampoo and conditioner, some hair oil scrunched in when it’s wet and then some frizz ease curl creme brushed through and scrunched. Curly girl stuff just makes it feel dirty and heavy.

I was completely overwhelmed by the curly girl method and spent a fortune on products, and hours of my time, trying to grt it to work. Eventually scrapped many of the rules and since found that my hair really likes a good curly cut, a regular condition, and then I can scrunch through some hair mousse (literally any kind) and tigi curl cream, blow dry scrunch out the crunch (not a lot needed) and then done. It's so much faster,and I really like my hair now. It's even better when I do a smoothing treatment on it too. Don't feel you've got to do everything by the book, it was written a long time ago, go with what works for your hair!

A ridiculous number of shorts and tuts on YouTube would suggest otherwise.

This is why I'm wondering if it's real curls. Surely any scrunching will make hair go curly? I'm a bit confused by it all.

It doesn't work for me at all.

Honestly, the only thing that works is soft water. Hard water kills my curls regardless of which products I use

You can't create curls by product and scrunching
If your hair is straight then you can scrunch it all day and add as many products as you want and it will still be straight
Scrunching enhances the curl and product holds hair and stops frizz

I think its a bit of trial and error and sticking with it for a while. Mine when scraggy when i started but now really healthy not frizzy thick curls. Ive been doing it for years but id say it took 3ish months for me to get into my routine

Can anyone recommend a curly hair oil to use when my hair has dried please?

It’s not specifically for curly hair but I’ve tried tons and my absolute favourite is this one. It’s usually on offer all over the place too. I put some in when my hair is damp so I can brush it and then use it when my hair is dry to make it shiny and break the cast from a curl cream.

Pantene Pro-V Argan Infused Frizz Ease Hair Oil, 100ml, For Dry, Damaged Hair https://amzn.eu/d/iLKMbNC

You need leave in conditioner and then a product that suits your hair. I wouldn't scrunch I would just rake it through and then 'plop'.
You don't have to go full curly girl but the principle is about working with your natural hair. I still use sulphates and silicones but have found that adding more moisture and leaving it alone until it's dry really helps.
I still blow dry and straighten it every now and again but i don't have to do it every day and the condition is better for it.

@Pigeonqueen oh thanks for that, much appreciated will give it a try.

You’re welcome. Outing myself possibly here but here’s my hair after using it, then wella curl mousse (£3ish) and then scrunching with oil again. This is about as good as I can get it and it doesn’t feel crunchy or heavy.