In May 2017, I started following the Curly Girl Method. And yes, it really is life changing! I’m a member of quite a few curly girl groups on Facebook and one question I see pop up daily, and one we all started with is, “What is the Curly Girl Method?” This post covers the basics.
Most of all it’s a journey and a lifestyle rather than a quick fix. “Quick” isn’t a word in the curly girl dictionary.
Original Curly Girl
Lorraine Massey is the author of the best-selling book, Curly Girl: The Handbook. This is where most women (and men!) start their curly hair journey. I bought the book, read it in a couple of hours and ordered my first curly girl-approved products that same day.
Have I looked back since? Absolutely! There’s a saying that the only time you should look back, is to see how far you’ve come. I have taken so many pictures of my hair and selfies since I started. They are the best motivation to keep going when I feel like giving up.
“Frizz is just a curl waiting to happen.” – Lorraine Massey
Afro v Curly
When I started Googling curly girl product reviews, DIY hair masks, YouTube videos etc. Most of what I found was from curly girls with afro hair. I found it surprising that my hair type didn’t seem that well represented and was desperate to learn and find out more for my hair type. I’m half Irish, half Italian with thick, curly hair. (Although if we get technical, my actual hair strands are fine, I’ve just got loads of them!)
Afro hair is very different in texture to curly hair, but the techniques and method are much the same. Many of the products that are best for curly hair and are curly girl-approved, can only be found in ethnic shops or online – certainly in Ireland!
When I was little, I remember being taken to an Afro-Caribbean shop in London and given products for afro hair because they were the only ones that tamed my wild curls. I literally looked like the love child of Macy Gray and Worsel Gommage – if you can imagine such a thing!
Curly Girl Method
The curly girl method is a set of do’s, don’ts and ingredients to avoid and embrace. This will enhance and encourage the natural curl pattern in your hair. Many people who have wavy hair, start their curly hair journey only to discover they actually have really curly hair!
My hair isn’t as curly as it used to be, before I damaged it so much with heat and colouring. But it’s the healthiest and curliest it’s been in years, and it’s getting curlier with every wash. The pictures in this post were taken when I was five months into my curly hair journey.
Don’t
- Don’t wash your hair too much – aim for two or three times a week.
- Don’t use anything containing sulfates, usually found in shampoo.
- Don’t use non-soluble silicones, usually found in conditioners and styling products.
- Don’t use heat, it severely damages the hair. The higher the heat, the greater the damage.
- Don’t brush or comb your hair as this pulls out the hair’s natural curl pattern. Now, many curly girls use some kind of large tooth comb or modified Denman brush to work the conditioner through their hair in the shower. I personally use the Denman paddle brush – CURLMAVEN for 20% off, on my hair, and my daughters.
- Don’t use towels, they rough up the hair cuticle and cause lots of frizz – no matter how gentle you are.
- Don’t use drying alcohols, they dry out the hair, but not all alcohols are drying.
- Don’t colour your hair. Natural is best for your hair, and it’s the whole ethos behind the curly girl method. Colouring your hair often involves using ingredients that are on the “avoid” list, so it’s not advised. But many people do it and still maintain healthy curls.
Do
- Co-wash. This is a cleansing conditioner, or you can use a CG-approved conditioner instead of shampoo, to wash your hair. Personally I use an actual co-wash (aka cleansing conditioner) which is lighter than a regular conditioner. It has all the cleansing benefits of a shampoo, without all the harsh, drying, stripping ingredients; and all the benefits of a conditioner without being too heavy. The one I use and recommend all the time is the cult-favourite As I Am Coconut Co-Wash.
- If you think a co-wash may be too heavy for your hair, use a CG-approved shampoo, or “low poo” instead. Whatever you choose, make sure they don’t have any of the ingredients listed above in the “Don’t” section.
- Use your fingers or a shampoo/scalp brush to gently scrub your scalp to lift any build up, oils or residue. I use a Tangle Teezer – CURLMAVEN for 20% off, which I already had.
- Use natural emollients such as coconut oil and shea (especially for afro hair), and lighter oils such as jojoba, olive and grapeseed (especially for curly hair).
- Use proteins such as egg and avocado, silk, wheat and soy proteins.
- Humectants such as honey and glycerin. Read this post for all you need to know about glycerin and humectants.
- Moisturisers such as aloe vera and flax seed.
- Scrunch products into your hair to encourage curl pattern rather than brushing products through your hair which will pull the curl out. Read this post for more techniques to reduce frizz and enhance curl pattern.
- Use an Aquis microfibre towel, a cotton towel like this one from Bouclème – CURLMAVEN for 20% off, or a cotton t-shirt instead.
Curl Type
Finding out what curl type you are is huge, if not vital, when it comes to finding the best products for your hair. Curl types are explained in the Curly Girl: The Handbook. Generally Type 2 (a, b and c) is wavy. Many European, Caucasian people have this hair type if they have any curl to their hair at all. I recently read that only 15% of Europeans have naturally curly hair!
Type 3 (a, b and c) is what most people understand as curly. My hair type is 2c/3a Botticelli curls. Type 4 (a, b and c) is coily, textured curls or afro hair. Read this post to learn more about the different curl pattern types, and why they don’t matter. And read this post for all you need to know about hair porosity, and why it’s so important.
My Top Tips
The most important thing to remember is that this method takes time and patience. And I don’t mean weeks, but months and sometimes years to get your hair to it’s best and fullest curly potential. I remember when straightening my hair just once would damage my curl pattern so much, it took an entire two weeks to recover.
So imagine what years of straightening, blow drying, curling tongs and wands does to your hair! And that’s just the heat damage, never mind colouring and ingredients that are bad for your hair.
It’s all about the application rather than the products! Read this post for curly girl techniques to help reduce frizz and enhance curl defintion. How you apply products to your hair can often make a bigger difference to your hair, how your curls form and settle, than the product itself. In the makeup world, they say blend your eye shadow until your hand falls off.
In curly girl land, you’ve gotta scrunch until your hands fall off! I wash my hair and apply all my products with my hair upside down. I find this helps reduce frizz and encourages curl definition on the top layers of my hair, and especially at the roots. Check out this post on how I get root volume in my curly hair.
Finally, take regular selfies. Take pictures of your hair wet with product in it, and dry when you’ve scrunched out the crunch (SOTC). Remember to keep note of what products/techniques you use.
When you’re having a bad hair day and feel like giving up on the curly girl method, getting a blow dry or straightening your hair; look back through your photos. See how far you’ve come on your curly hair journey. See how much your hair has grown, how shiny it is, how much more curly it is, and healthy it looks, and feels!
You’ll soon realise what you’re doing is working. The recovery time my hair would have to go through and how much my curls would suffer, deters me from going anywhere near my hair straighteners, InStyler, curling tongs or wand. It’s just not worth it.
Feeling overwhelmed?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the tips, advice and product recommendations. Click here for more information on my Curl Clinics™. A completely bespoke curl consultation service tailored to suit you and your hair. Designed to help get your waves and curls back and achieve your healthy hair goals. Or book in here!
Don’t forget to subscribe to this blog so you don’t miss a post or announcement. You can follow me on Instagram @curlmaven for more bitesize content, tips and advice in my stories, highlights, reels and videos. Or Check out my YouTube channel for more washdays and tutorials. Follow me on Pinterest or check out my Facebook page. Book a ticket for my next Monthly Curl Clinic, or watch any of my previous Monthly Curl Clinics, available on my Shop.
Gratitude & Support
If you found this post or any of my content helpful, and would like to show your Gratitude & Support, you. can click here to make a donation. I’m so incredibly thankful and grateful to everyone who supports me, my content and my platform. Your support enables me to continue providing FREE, organic content, and keep my blog FREE from Google Ads. And build Curl Maven as a brand and all I’ve got planned. Thank you so much! Gabriella x
*This post may contain some gifted items and affiliate links. Which means I get paid commission on any products you purchase through my links or codes. This in no way affects you, the price you pay or the way in which I write about products featured on this site. My content and opinion is not influenced by advertisers, sponsorships, affiliate partnerships, brands or PRs.
What do you do on refresh days? Days where you don’t wash or Co wash and just have time for a bit of water & product?
I dampen my hair and with praying hands and then scrunching I apply a mix of ky jelly (lube) and gel. I usually diffuse it for about 5 – 10 mins.
Whaaa…?
Oh my gosh, I would have never thought of this idea, but it makes so much sense; genius! I’m going to try this. Thank you!
I’m ALSO IRISH ITALIAN and ive never heard of anyone else like me! My friends would always say you’re hair texture is so odd! I’ve got the fine hair but tons and tons of it, but my mom has fine thin hair and my dad course thick hair so no one has quite taught me how to style it and now I’m a quarter of a century in with no hairstyle. Lol! Thank you for the insightful article!
Are we long lost sisters Ella?! ha ha I am EXACTLY the same!!!!
Hey Gabriella! Im just wondering whether younwould have any recommendations for hair products regularly available in boots? Im working towards investing in my first cg approved hauk of products but for the mean time could you advise anything to get me started?
Hi Clodagh, Although I haven’t personally tried it before, I know a lot of curlies who love Maui Moisture and the Yes To lines which are both available in Boots. You can sometimes get the Tresemmé Botanique Conditioner in there too, but if you suffer from an itchy scalp from the itchy M’s then this might not work for you. Pantene Defined Curls No. 5 is also available from Boots and is my favourite curl enhancer. And the Umberto Giannini Curl Jelly is also a good gel and CG friendly. Also, lube. KY Jelly, I love to use that to refresh, or if my frizz is getting out of control when I’m running around during the day. Hope that helps! Gabriella xoxo
I’m reading this trying to understand if you think that all black people have Afros of or if you feel like unless you have 2b/2c hair it is an Afro and not curly.
Hi, I don’t think all black people have afro hair. I also don’t think people either have 2b/c hair or afro. There are lots of curl patterns and textures in between, which I’ve discussed in a few of my posts. But ultimately, curl pattern doesn’t matter, it doesn’t effect what products you should use or buy. Many people have many different curl patterns to their hair. Hope that helps and answers your question.
Hi! So glad I came across your page.
I have tried this method years ago but gave up after a couple weeks because my hair was super greasy (I was also using the wrong products).
I am going to try this again because I know my wavy/curly hair can be super curly if I give it some love. I believe I am 2b/3a… But I am so nervous about getting the right products for my hair. What products do you suggest? I was considering using miss Jessie’s….do you have experience with this product?
Also my daughters have curly hair…do you have any suggestions for them?
Thank you so much!!
Hi Jessica, Thank you so much for your kind, sweet words! I’ve got a few posts of my favourite products and reviews on this blog so feel free to check those out. It’s not as easy as recommending products for your hair, it’s about getting to know your own hair, what it needs, what climate you live in, if you have hard water etc etc. I try to educate on all of that throughout this blog rather than saying “buy this product” because everyone’s hair is different and what works for some, won’t work for others – for lots of reasons. I have 2 curly kids, I use the same products on their hair as I do for mine, just a more simplified routine. Hope that helps!
I just want to thank you so much for this blog. I’m 2C-3B low porosity fine hair (but not as much of it as you). Since March I’ve ducked in and out of the CG method but always given up because my hair just turned into a puddle of grease with dandruff right after washing; I bought deva curl no poo then Shea moisture then Cantu, all big no no’s for my hair and generally I didn’t know what I was doing. I suffer from anxiety and the state of my hair even exasperated that, adding to my insecurities.
You’ve made the process really clear and the products you’ve suggested are working wonders on my hair, it’s early days and I’m still learning but finally my hair isn’t weighed down and the dandruff is gone 🙂
One thing I’m now searching the Internet for is hairstyles if I don’t want to wear it down, do you have any favourites?
Thanks again
Hi Jess, thank you so so much for your kind, sweet words! The grease and dandruff is usually just your scalp and hair transitioning and trying to regulate itself to get used to the new routine and products you’re using when you start the CG method. I would avoid Shea Moisture and Cantu products if you can, they’re just not great for the hair at all and will cause problems. I suffer from anxiety too, among lots of other things, and wrote a post recently on how to look after your curls when you have anxiety and depression, which you can read here> https://curlmaven.ie/how-to-look-after-your-curls-anxiety-depression/ Hope that helps. As for upstyles, I tend to either wear it in a pineapple, half up half down with a claw clasp, or use bobby pins to pin some of it back. xoxo
Hi my porosity is medium so what products do I need to start my curly hair journey?
My hair is medium – high porosity, so check out my reviews, what to buy and favourite products for recommendations.
So I’ve been exploring your site for nearly 2 hours while bored at work. I have got the most complicated hair. My mom is a hair stylist so naturally I’ve done anything and everything to it. My curls are so unbelievably inconsistent and frustrating. I have a spot where they’re super tight and other spots where they’re big and more wavy. Then the front is about PIN straight. I haven’t colored or bleached my hair in a long time and have kept it short to make sure I’m getting rid of all the damaged goods. My hair CANNOT be worn air dried bc I look like an absolute troll. To style it I usually blow dry the roots straight and then curl the front to make it somewhat decent looking. My hair is dry on the ends but oily at the roots. I would say my hair is medium porosity but not exactly sure. (I need to purchase that curly guide book). I love my curly red hair bc it’s unique but I want to love it even more. I’ve been fighting with it for years and I am so frustrated. I’ve used product after product after product and nothing seems to help. I plan on buying the co-wash you so highly recommend but am skeptical on what else to buy. I use jojaboa oil and that’s about it as of late. I always dry my hair with a t-shirt and out the oil in as soon as I’m out of the shower. Any advice you can give me would be so appreciated
Hi Gabriella I love your site it is so informtive and like a curly bible to me. Your hair is gorgeous!
So I have been on the CG journey for 9 months and whilst I am learning to embrace my curls there is one thing I really struggle with. I’m so frustrated with how knotted my hair is and how much I lose when I am washing it. I am not able to finger comb and
use an afro comb to detangle. I use all Boucleme products and I was advised on one of the curly girl forums to pre poo with my Boucleme intensive conditioner. I have tried this and it has not really helped. I wash my hair upside down over the bath using the shower attachment and then start with conditioner to get out the tangles, then curl cream and curl defining gel once the knots are out.
Is there anything else I can do to stop the knots? Am I doing something wrong? Your advice would be appreciated thank you.
Hi Brenda, thank you so much for your kind, sweet words! I’m flattered and always honoured to be a part of people’s curly journeys. Knots and tangles can be from many things. Do you protect your hair at night? Use a silk pillowcase? Wear scarves or hoodies a lot? Yes, the Boucleme intensive moisture treatment is great for detangling. If your hair is really knotty, I recommend using a Denman paddle brush. I’ve tried lots of different brushes, combs and tangle teezers and the paddle brush is by far the best! I’ve used it long before the CGM and I still use it now. Not so much on my own hair, but definitely on my 7 year old daughter’s hair which gets super knotty and tangled. And it works a charm with any conditioner really. I found afro and wide tooth combs tend to break and pull out more hair than if I use the paddle brush. Particularly good conditioners for detangling are from Boucleme, MopTop, DevaCurl and Matrix Biolage HydraSource Conditioner. I hope that helps.
If you co-wash every two to three days, do you also apply conditioner every time you co-wash?
Also, how so you know when/if your hair needs protein?
Looking forward to applying all I’ve learned in your blog to my hair and getting my curl back!
HI Tori, yes I still condition after I co-wash, unless my hair is already sufficiently moisturised, or over moisturised. But for me, co washing is just a form of cleansing. I still condition afterwards. A post will be coming up soon on how to tell the difference of whether your hair need moisture or protein so stay tuned for that. So glad my content is helping you on your curl journey! x
Thank you for all this wonder advice. I was born with soft corkscrew curls.I have a hard time not blowdrying as it gives me length….if I don’t I look like I’m 12yrs with a Bob up to my chin
I don’t use any product but leave in conditioner scrunched upside down….
I also have a hard time with getting any length….I see the growth but it must break off….
I mask my hair with coconut oil 3 days a week to try to help
Any advice besides no heat….I try to only blow dry on shampoo days 2x 3 × a week
okay, the masking with coconut oil 3 days a week is (in my opinion) what’s causing the problem. Coating your hair in that much oil is never going to be good! It’s preventing moisture from getting into your hair shaft, and thus causing it to dry out and break, which is why you’re not seeing the growth. And when you say blow dry, do you mean you blow dry it straight? Or diffuse it curly? My advice is to commit to the curly girl method, STOP coating your hair in oil 3 x a week, do a really good clarifying shampoo using something like Bumble & Bumble Sunday Shampoo, and then take it from there, with other curly girl product recommendations from my blog. Hope that helps xoxo
Starting to try CGM. Biggest issue so far is cutting back on washing frequency- I have fine hair that gets greasy at the roots quickly. Any suggestions on what to do after exercise if it’s not a wash day? Especially to keep my scalp from drying out from sweat. Thanks so much!
In the Curly Girl Handbook by Lorraine Massey, she recommends a lavender spray which you can make yourself, that should help. There’s also a CG friendly dry shampoo which you can get from Innersense Organic Beauty here, http://shrsl.com/1jszz but it’s also worth bearing in mind that at the start of your curly journey, your hair and scalp are adjusting and transitioning to the new regime, washing schedule, products etc and it will take a while for your scalp and natural oils to regulate again, so it may not always feel this greasy. Hope that helps xoxo
What products do you use for your kids’ curly hair? My 3 year old niece is starting to get curls exactly how I got curls at that age (will end up being an adult with fine 2c/3a boticelli low porosity hair).
Hi Kate. I use the same products on my kids’ hair, as I do on mine. But just less styling products. My daughters’s hair prefers curl creams, so I usually just use a cowash or low poo, a conditioner and a curl cream. My son’s hair the same, but he prefers a gel. That’s it. Curly Ellie do great products for kids – which adults can also use. Hope that helps! x
Thanks, that should help!!
How can i find the book,called”curly girl method”please answer me
It’s linked in the post, and like almost every book, it can be found on Amazon.
my hair is super curly in the front but just wavy and straight in the back. do you know how to fix this? thanks 🙂
Firstly, it’s perfectly normal and very common to have different curl patterns in different areas. However, if you’re washing your hair standing up in the shower, with the pressure and temperature both high, beating down on the crown of your head and running down the back of your hair, this will cause damage and cause the curl pattern to be pulled out in that area. I suggest turning your head upside down, turning the temperature down and turning the pressure down. See my posts on Halo Frizz and Root Volume for more info.
Question! I wear my hair up pretty often due to the heat where I live. Im wanting to transition to curly girl method but was curious as to what I need to do to take care of it when I put it up on those days? Still the same method?
Hi Mariah, yeah the same method is fine. I would just say to try and alternate the upstyles you do, and not to tie your hair up too tight, so the hair doesn’t get damaged by the hair ties etc. Hope that helps x
Hello! Your hair is so beautiful and the closest I’ve seen my my natural mix of spirals and tight waves. I have questions. When you cowash do you no longer shampoo and condition or do you alternate? If so at what rate? How often do you deep condition? Leave in then gel or mousse? Or more products and in what order? I’m still feeling overwhelmed…. thank you
Hi Deborah, it’s okay, it can feel very overwhelming at the beginning. I’ve got the answers to all of your questions in various blog posts already on the blog. For your first question about co washing and shampoo, condition etc. see this post: https://curlmaven.ie/how-to-build-a-curly-girl-hair-routine/ For your next question about leave in gel and mousse, you can read this post about the LMG method I use to apply my styling products: https://curlmaven.ie/the-lmg-method/ It’s definitely hard at the beginning, but I suggest you spend a little more time maybe on my blog, looking through the articles, focusing on the posts under the CG Basics tab to get you started and feel comfortable and confident in all the different products, techniques, lingo etc and then get started. Hope that helps x
That’s interesting that you only saw “Afro hair” when searching this method because not only when I look it up, but every CGM group I’m part of on social media are predominantly white women. I also think the distinction you make between “curly hair” and “afro hair” or “Ethnic hair” as most people like to call it is off because you can have textured hair can be curly. Why is your hair texture curly and others Afro?
that may be the case now, but almost 3 years ago when I first came across this method, that was my experience – which is also when this post was written. Now things are very different and the curly girl landscape looks a lot different. Textured hair can of course be curly. My hair is curly, not afro.
I thought the same thing as I read this blog. Her comments about what is “curly” and what is “afro” are not accurate. You can have textured “curly” hair. Textured hair can fall into the 3 curl type as well and not all textured-hair is automatically a type 4 curl.
Okay I have never seen anyone address this, but how can you better scrunch if you can’t flip your head upside down? I have medical issues and I just cannot flip my hair over without getting disabling symptoms, so is the curly girl method just not for me?
Hi Cat, sorry to hear that. You can totally still do the curly girl method! For years I never scrunched out the crunch, and it just happened in my sleep the night I washed my hair and dried it. If that’s not an option for you, you can just tip your head to the side slightly and scrunch it out that way. Or leave your head upright completely and use your arms and hands to move around your hair and SOTC – hope that helps. x
I am curious if you know anyone with coily hair that has tried and was successful with the CGM? I have a mix of 3c/4a hair and from another article I was reading that means strictly co-washes and styling with a curl cream and gel. My scalp is itching already especially when the article mention Shea Moisture as the curling cream. Or if anyone reading knows anyone or who has themselves, I would love to hear your/their thoughts.
Is it acceptable to rinse your hair on days you work out if u don’t wash?
Of course, it’s called refreshing. You can wet your hair down with water, and add a little gel, styler or leave in conditioner to your hair to reactivate the curls.
I have been working in a kitchen for about 7 years now . Previous to starting I felt like my curls were a lot tighter and my hair was definitely able to grow a lot longer ( it use to be well past my shoulders , but now I’m lucky if I can get it to even touch my shoulders ). I’m assuming part of it is due to the fact that I have to have it pulled up and out of my face all the time . Do you have any tips for hair styles that would be not as damaging for curly hair that would still keep it out of my face ( and the food !) . I really want my long curls back !
Hi Kourtney, yes pulling your hair up – especially if it’s in a tight style, won’t help length retention or growth. I suggest taking hair growth vitamins, I’ve been taking Hair369 for over a year and have seen great results and they truly do work, you can get 10% off using code CURLYCAILIN10. They ship world wide too. Apart from that, make sure you check out this post for healthy hair: https://curlmaven.ie/the-golden-triangle-of-healthy-hair/
Hi loving all your content and thank you for making a newbie understand the curly girl method.
When do you ‘dry’ your hair with a cotton towel? Is this before applying styling and holding products?
Also do you apply holding products to wet or dry hair?
Hi Katrina, I apply product to my wet hair, not dry. Personally I very rarely dry my hair with a cotton towel, or any kind of towel. I let the products sit in my hair for a few minutes before diffusing until fully dry. If you want to use a cotton towel to speed up the drying process, I recommend doing it 5 or so minutes after you’ve applied your styling products. You need to allow the hair time to soak up the styling products and give them a chance to set, before using a towel. Otherwise the towel will just absorb all the styling products you just put into your hair.
I’m confused about the towel/no towel situation. If you don’t use a towel how is your hair not just dripping all over the place and the product dripping out?
Because you squeeze the excess, dripping water out with your hands.
ugh okay im trying it. girl, im overwhelmed already lol. My thing is, (pre-COVID) I do hot yoga like every day. And after those classes, my hair is LITERALLY dripping with sweat. So I just don’t know how I can go with only washing my hair 2 or 3 times a week??? Also, my hair holds shape really well – so like i tried to do pineapple last night when I slept and my hair is wack now lol afhadsfasdfhasdhsd!!!!! I’m half Italian too lol
If your hair is dripping wet after daily hot yoga, then you’re most likely going to need to wash your hair daily. If that’s the case, then I’d suggest very lightweight products with a good protein moisture balance.
I’m on day 3, and my hair is so crunchy and “matted,” for lack of a better word. I can’t get my fingers through it at all, in particular. I’m not ready to wash yet, bc I usually go about 5 days before washing, so what do I do to fix this situation? I’ve tried scrunching and scrunching and scrunching but my hair is really thick so the underside didn’t get its due before it dried. Halp?
Hi Bev, I would ask why are you waiting to wash your hair, if your hair needs to be washed. What was your goal when starting the curly journey? Was it to go longer between wash days, or was it to have healthy hair and regain your natural curls? If your hair is crunchy and matted, then wash your hair. Check the last time you clarified and deep conditioned. Use a moisturising conditioner with a lot of slip, and leave the conditioner in your hair for a few minutes before using a Denman paddle brush to detangle your hair, don’t rinse the conditioner out fully and brush once again after applying your last styling product.
Hi I was wondering if you could maybe advise me some products/techniques for starting out on my CG journey.
I have 2c hair that’s pretty healthy and hasn’t been dyed before. I’m also prone to dry hair/scalp and sometimes greasy hair too
I’m trying to learn to love my curly hair and wear it down because at the moment I usually wear a ponytail or braids which mean j brush it out.
Any advice would be amazing and I love your websites!!
**I’m from uk
Hi Zoe, I offer 1:1 Curl Clinics for this, please click this link, fill out the form and I will get back to you via email with all of the details. http://www.curlycailin.ie/contact
Hi how can I tell what ‘type’ my curly hair is.thinking 3 a ,b c, maybe can you send pics to get that info ? Thanx
I already have a blog post on that, which you can read here: https://curlmaven.ie/why-your-curl-pattern-doesnt-matter/
I have SUPER fine hair and unfortunately due to pcos I’m losing some of it. It’s always greasy. I could wash it and go to sleep and wake up with greasy hair. I’ve tried going without washing and all those tips but it never works. I’ve been trying MONAT recently. Not super happy yet. Really curious how I can encourage my hair to not fall out (aside from getting hormones in check) and how I help my curls. I’ve always kept my hair a little shorter because I find the curls are better – mostly the top layer. The top layer just wants to be flat. Interested in any advice!
Hi Jessica, you need to train your hair. The more you wash your hair, and dry out the scalp etc the more your scalp is going to produce oils and sebum to try and counteract that. Make sure you’re using a low lathering shampoo, clarifying correctly and regularly. Check out my post on the Golden Triangle of Healthy Hair. Healthy hair grows and has shine.
OMG I wish I had heard about this year’s ago and fear that I may have damaged my hair too much to get it back to how it was. I used to have lovely thick curly hair and spent lots of money on Brazilian blow dry over the years to have it straightened. It is now a wavy frizzy curl when I leave it to dry naturally recommendations and advice on products suitable for this 64 year old would be appreciated. I do colour as well ouch
There’s a tonne of helpful, easy to understand information, tips, advice, reviews and recommendations on my blog. Alternatively, I offer 1:1 Curl Clinics, they’re a 30 min consultation via video where we go through all the products you’re using and the issues you’re experiencing. I then put together a routine and recommend products to suit your hair’s needs, your budget and any other requirements you have. If that’s something you’re interested in, please fill out this form, and I’ll get back to you via email with all of the details. http://www.curlycailin.ie/contact
My hair is naturally curly and every day it is tangled after I get up. What can I use on days I don’t cleanse it to get out the tangled? A pick? A wide tooth comb? My fingers?Thanks
I don’t recommend detangling, brushing or combing your hair unless it’s wet with conditioner or styling products in it. As you’ll only rip, tear and cause damage and breakage to the hair.
Hi. My name is tomerra and my hair is about a 3b 3c. I have damaged my hair through the years from coloring, straightening, and heart in general. Can you please tell me the difference between clarifying, cowash, and cleanse. Can you also tell me how often I do each one of them. I really want to get my natural curls back and b healthy. Thank you!
Hi Gabriella! First of all, I love your cg tips. Love how we curly girls can support each other without the envy, especially since I suffer a lot from anxiety too and tend to worry a lot lmao. I’m still quite new to the cg-method, and lately it has been making me feel so sad. I’ve read A LOT about it, but somehow I can’t seem to find the right technique/products to create clumped curls as beautiful as yours or other cg girls out there (not trying to compare too much here, I am aware that we’re all very different). I recognize myself in you, my mum has fine red hair (but soooo many of them, no scalp to see there), and my dad is from South America and has thick black hair. Mine is a combination of both; my hair strands are fine but I have many of them. I think I have low porosity, my hair can take almost a day to dry if air drying and besides it’s quite long. I haven’t been using heat tools for quite a while now and have never colored my hair (since I like it’s red colour). Personally I think I’m somewhere between 2B and 3A. Even though I feel I’ve tried everything from deep conditioning to leave ins to gels (all cg proof), nothing seems to work well. My hair looks stringy and dry (especially the upper layer) but still I can see some beautiful clumps here and there. Butters are too heavy, lightweight products don’t have enough hold and gels tend to break the curl pattern in my ends. I’ve spend WAY too much money on products and the lack of curl definition is starting to make me feel really bad. Any tips you can give me would be more than welcome, since I am close to giving up because me and my wallet can’t take this anymore.
Hi Luna, thanks so much for your kind, sweet words. The first thing I noticed is that your hair is high porosity, not low. But for what you’re looking for, I suggest booking in for a 1:1 Curl Clinic, you can read more about it and find more info and get in touch to book one here: http://www.curlmaven.ie/services
I am so psyched to be on this journey! Your website has so much information and I’m working through all of it. I have a diffuser but using it seems to make my hair frizzy. I think it’s too shallow so hair that’s not ‘in’the diffuser gets blown around. Could you offer any information on good diffuser? Thanks!
Hi Deb, yes a diffuser can definitely do that. You want to look for a good, deep, bowl diffuser. This one is my favourite: https://divapro.co.uk/product/diva-pro-styling-xxl-pro-diffuser/
My daughter turned me on to your method and I want to try it. My problem is that I am VERY sensitive to perfumes and fragrances. I can not use any of her products. Can you recommend any products that are fragrance free?
Some scents are much more subtle or natural than others, but Jessicurl are one of the only brands that offer fragrance free versions of all their products.
I have been on my curly journey for 3 months now and I am seeing results. but I was wondering if my waves/curls are being stretched out or weighed down. My hair length is past my butt, and when I scrunch/put in all my products I have 2b/2c-ish hair but for my baby hairs and shorter hairs I have around 3a and 3b hair, do I have a combination hair or is it being weight down by the length?
That’s purely down to the length and weight of your hair, in my opinion.
Hi! My name is Mona and I’m currently 15 years old. I used to have really thick, wavy hair from the roots, and looking back, it was absolutely gorgeous. I was so bothered by it cause it seemed that everyone who had straight hair could do all these cool hairstyles and stuff, and my baby hairs on top definitely prevented me from doing so. I went from having thin, curly hair as a kid, to somewhat thin somewhat thick wavy hair, to thick hair with Botticelli curls (I believe that’s the one that closest resembles my hair type?). To attempt to thin out my hair (which is what I wanted at the time) I had it layered. It somewhat helped, but still kept my hair thick which I was disappointed with at the time. I changed up my hair routine to try and thin it out some more and started combing my conditioner through my entire hair in the shower. Little did I know that while my hair felt incredibly soft, I was losing my curls. My hair used to be naturally silky soft as well, and now it feels dead, dry, and frizzy. I lost practically all of my curls and my hair just now looks straight. I have no idea what to do to try and get my curls/waves back, I don’t know what products to use, and I have no idea what I’m doing wrong. Ever since I fasted for a month, I’m losing an insane amount of hair when I comb my conditioner through my hair in the shower, and when I get out of the shower and comb my hair. Also, my hair absorbs everything soooo easily so I have no idea how much conditioner or shampoo to use. Feels like I’m definitely using more than I should though, and maybe that’s what’s damaging it? I practically feel bald at this point and am so tempted to cut my hair short in hopes that maybe it’ll grow back curlier? If there’s anything you could think of that would help, please let me know. I’m in a pretty tough position right now and could really use the help of a curly goddess who obviously knows what she is doing. Sorry for the long comment, and I hope you’re having a great day so far!
I’m sorry that you’re having such a hard time with your hair. It’s hard to pin point exactly what is going on with your hair without knowing exactly what products you’ve been using in the past. I highly recommend you read though my blog posts to get a good hair routine. Start with this blog post: https://curlmaven.ie/how-to-build-a-curly-girl-hair-routine/
This post will give you a starting point and also recommend products to use.
Good luck!