Do I have curls and don't know about it?
Have you ever wondered whether your undefined mane might be hiding a magnificent curl? Me neither - until I found out about the "Curly Girl Method".
For as long as I can remember, my hair has been in a kind of limbo between wannabe waves and stringy straight spaghetti hair. Leaving the house completely unstyled after air-drying? Not so cool. So I was all the more curious when I heard about the so-called "curly girl method" being hyped on social media on the Instagram channel of body positivity blogger Morena Diaz. The trend is based on the manual for beautiful curls by Lorraine Massey. According to her, there is a chance that a curly head of hair is hiding behind my indefinable something. But how is that supposed to work, please? [[productlist:6807206]]
Do you even know your hair?
You may be thinking like me: if I had curls, I would know! According to Massey, the problem is that we have been looking after our hair incorrectly for years. This attacks and changes the natural hair structure. Conversely, this means that if I find the right care, I can regain my natural hair structure.
The basic principle of the Curly Girl method seems simple: you avoid a lot of things that you would normally use in your haircare routine. Products that contain surfactants, silicones, sulphates and alcohols are banned. Alcohol in particular is the enemy of all curls because it dries out the hair. However, curls need a lot of moisture. Silicones, on the other hand, create a film around the hair that weighs it down and robs it of volume. This causes curls to lengthen and lose their bounce and definition. Applying heat by blow-drying and combing when dry are also prohibited. So much for a brief overview.
It gets more complex step by step
If you delve deeper into the topic, you quickly realise that the whole thing is more complex than expected and takes a lot of time. I took a look at some "Curly Girl" routines from various YouTubers. In general, this procedure is recommended:
Step 1: Tip cutting is the order of the day. After all, you should start this "journey" with healthy hair.
Step 2: Wash the silicone residue out of your hair with a detox shampoo. This step is called "The Final Wash". [[productlist:6807718]]
Step 3: This is probably the biggest change: shampoo is banned and from now on you only wash your hair with conditioner. This procedure is called "co-washing" and is another trend that is being celebrated. To do this, distribute the conditioner thoroughly through your hair and massage it in. Don't forget your scalp. Afterwards, rinse everything out with cold water and then employ conditioner again in the still soaking wet (i.e. not squeezed out) hair.
Step 4: Now you can comb your hair. But really only now, as it won't break when wet and soaked with conditioner.
Step 5: Then scrunch the hair upside down from the lengths towards the scalp and rinse out the conditioner. This will ensure defined curls later on.
By the way: There are groups on Facebook with over 100,000 members. There you will find helpful tips as well as lists of product recommendations. You can also check on the website Is It CG? to see whether products you already own are "Curly Girl" friendly.
Step 6: Now it's time to dry. Many people use a little hair gel beforehand and scrunch it into their hair. Ordinary towelling towels are a no-no. They cause frizz and damage the hair. That's why the "curly girls" use a microfibre towel or a cotton T-shirt. Tie this around your head so that it presses the hair into shape, similar to kneading in conditioner. To do this, you can lay it out on the bed and bend over it so that your hair hangs over the cloth. Then let your hair sink further and further into the towel until your head touches the towel. Then wrap the hair in the scarf and tie it up. This technique is called "plopping". After half an hour, you can remove the scarf and leave the hair to air dry. Very important: Do not touch the hair and leave it alone.
There are even more detailed procedures and countless tips and tricks on the topic in the infinite vastness of the Internet. Some swear by apple cider vinegar, for example, while others swear by rice water rinses. The steps mentioned above are just the most common ones I came across during my research. It's also important to mention that this method won't work overnight and won't work for everyone. For my part, I will definitely give it a chance and buy the book as a basis. The many testimonials have convinced me that the method is worth a closer look. And who knows, maybe I'll be presenting you with a curly head of hair in a few weeks' time. <p
As a massive Disney fan, I see the world through rose-tinted glasses. I worship series from the 90s and consider mermaids a religion. When I’m not dancing in glitter rain, I’m either hanging out at pyjama parties or sitting at my make-up table. P.S. I love you, bacon, garlic and onions.