Do you have the kind of hair that doesn’t fit into a set pattern? When you wash them, they are straight and when they dry, they turn out to be frizzy and unmanageable. The uncountable hair treatments seem like a waste to you. Well, look no further for a solution to such hair type. Congratulations, you are curly-haired!
The Curly Girl Method (CGM) is an approach to hair care
designed by author Lorraine Massey for natural curls and waves that have not
been treated with chemicals as of now. When Curly Girl: The Handbook was
published, the prominent status quo was to have straight hair. The author
noticed that along with her, many other girls struggled with ‘fitting in’, so
she popularized the idea of taking care of your natural curls.
The Curly Girl Method inspires all people,
irrespective of gender, to embrace their natural curls and waves. Many people
have noticed better hair and scalp health, a lesser need for haircuts, and most
of all, a sudden boost in confidence.
While this method continues to change over time, some
basic steps suit almost all curly-haired people and are a good way to start
your curly hair journey.
Conditioning Isn’t Enough; Try Hair Masking
It is common to use conditioner after shampooing by
everyone, irrespective of the hair texture and nature. But, curly hair tends to
need more moisture than straight hair and also loses that moisture faster than
straight hair. This is why curly hair appears to be frizzy right after drying,
no matter how much conditioner one uses.
Use a hair mask right after shampooing. Squeeze out the
excess water before applying the hair mask. After squeezing out the water, take
a generous amount of your hair mask and apply it on your hair lengths (right
below the ears; avoid the scalp). Leave it there for 15-20 minutes and rinse
your hair thoroughly.
It is suggested to skip conditioner and try hair masking with suitable hair masks available in the market. Hair masks are available according to the need of certain hair types; some need moisture, some need protein, and some need nourishment. Know your hair type and select a suitable mask. Some of my favorite recommendations are –
Curlvana Deep-Nourish Hair Mask, 200 ml
Source - Curlvana
Fix
My Curls - Protein-Powered Deep Conditioning Hair Mask
Source - FixMyCurls.com
Lock That Moisture In With Some Leave In
As mentioned earlier, moisturizing isn’t enough for curly
hair, as curly hair tends to lose moisture more quickly than straight hair. So,
like we lock in the water in our skin with some moisturizer, the key to
locking in such moisture in hair is a good amount of leave-in conditioner.
After rinsing out the hair mask, avoid squeezing out
excess water from your hair as leave-ins work best with wet hair. Take a
generous amount of leave-in conditioner in your hand and emulsify it by rubbing
it between your hands for one minute. Rake it in your wet hair and you can use
a brush to distribute it evenly in your hair.
Pro-tip: Try scrunching your
hair upwards after applying the leave-in conditioner to define your curls
better.
Some of my favorite recommendations are –
Source - FixMyCurls.com
Source - Curlvana
Lock Those Locks With Some Gel
After styling your beautiful curly hair with some
leave-in and scrunching, one can only wish that this styling lasts at least a
few days. Also, too many washdays lead to drying out of the scalp and hair. So,
to lock those defined curls for at least 3-4 days, you can use styling gels.
After scrunching your hair with a leave-in conditioner,
take some amount of gel in between your palms and spray in some water. Emulsify
that gel by rubbing it between your hands for one good minute. Then, apply that
gel on your hair with ‘praying hands’ and again scrunch your hair upwards to
reveal defined frizz-free curls.
Pro-tip: After drying, you
might notice some gel cast in your hair. To break that cast, take 1-3 drops of
lightweight oil and rub it between your hands and ‘scrunch out the crunch’ by
scrunching your hair upwards. This also helps to give some beautiful volume to
curly hair.
My recommendations are –
Curlvana Curl-Defining Styling Gel, 200 ml
Source - Curlvana
Source - FixMyCurls.com
You can also protect your hair while you sleep with
silk/satin bonnets, satin scrunchies, satin scarves, and so on. When you get
used to this method, you can explore styling brushes and different styling
methods as well.
So my dear fellow curly-haired people, embrace your
natural hair and see how you’ll grow to love them more than you ever despised
them.
Written by – Simran Mahon
0 Comments