Get Clever with your Curl

Let’s talk about the Curly Girl Method. If you don't know what I'm talking about,  then all the more reason to keep reading!

What is it the Curly Girl Method?

The Curly Girl Method, also known amongst the curl tribe as CGM, is an approach to curly hair unlike any other. It embraces and encourages natural curl with a specific method towards how you treat your hair and what you put in it. Based on the bestselling book Curly Girl – The Handbook by hairstylist, Lorraine Massey, CGM now has a cult like following as those who have tried it, now live by it!

How do I follow the Curly Girl Method?

There are a few key points that create the foundation of the Curly Girl Method. Treating your hair and curls with the upmost respect and being gentle in your approach is just the beginning of the Curly Girl journey.

Here are a list of the do’s and don’ts if you want to follow the Curly Girl approach

Moisture – Curly hair naturally needs more moisture and is therefore more prone to dryness than straight hair. Meaning that you need to avoid anything in your hair routine that will add to drying out your curly locks

Go Sulfate Free – Sulfates are what create the bubbles in your shampoo. They are basically detergents that are used in many modern day shampoos to help remove dirt, grime and oils. Unfortunately many of these sulfates are much to harsh, resulting in drying out our hair and stripping our natural oils that protect our hair and scalp.

Silicones – These are a big no no when it comes to the CGM. Silicones tend to be mainly in conditioners, treatments and styling products. They might make your hair look shiny and feel good, but they are ultimately creating a barrier on the hair and disguising the damage rather than treating it. Here are a list of silicones that you need to completely avoid when following CGM:

• Dimethicone
• Cyclomethicone
• Amodimethicone
• Pheryl Trimethicone
• Ceteraryl Methicone
• Dimethiconol
• Stearyl Dimethicone
• Along with any ingredient ending with “cone”

Alcohols

There are different types of alcohols in hair care products. Some we want to avoid, ‘drying alcohols’ (for obvious reasons, they dry out the hair!), and other ‘fatty alcohols’ are great for curls. They help improve curly hair by drawing more water to the hair, while smoothing the cuticle and in turn creating more shine.

 AVOID

• Ethanol alcohol
• Ethyl alcohol
• Propanol alcohol
• Alcohol denat.
• Isopropyl alcohol
• Isopropanol alcohol
• Benzyl alcohol 

GO FOR

• Cetyl alcohol
• Cetearyl alcohol
• Stearyl alcohol
• Lauryl alcohol

Thermal Damage

When following the CGM, you want to avoid ANY kind of damage to your curls. This includes the damage caused by using styling tools such as straighteners, hair dryers and curling wands. Ideally, the best method is letting your curls dry naturally – however, if you need to speed up the process, a hair drier on the lowest heat setting with the aid of a diffuser is another option.

Be Gentle

You now probably get the gist of the Curly Girl Method. A gentle, respectful approach to you hair will have your curls bouncing for days. Even the use of combs and brushes should be avoided, opting for gentle working of your curls with just your hands.

Our friends at Clever Curl have a simple four step guide to follow in order to get you started with your CGM journey.

1. Cleanse– to wash the scalp and hair
2. Condition– to add moisture to the hair and smooth the hair cuticle
3. Styling– to encourage the natural curl in the hair and set the curls in place
4. Drying– to allow the hair to be completely dry and allow the curls to sit in their natural state

You can download their how to guide here: Clever Curl Curly Girl Method Guide

Clever Curl has been specifically formulated to adhere to the Curly Girl Method and is 100% approved CG. They have carefully created a line of specialised products for you to embrace your curls and join the CGM party!

You can find their entire range here Clever Curl 

Get your curls bouncing!