The ultimate guide to the Curly Girl Method with product recommendations ⭐️
Introduction to the Curly Girl Method ➡️ with product recommendation
Getting started with the Curly Hair Method can be confusing , especially with conflicting information online. We've done the work for you and created a simple step-by-step guide .
Our instructions will give you the knowledge you need to transform your curls or waves from the ground up. Bounce, shine and definition – look forward to a whole new hair feeling!
What is the Curly Hair Method all about?
1. Define curls
2. Reduce frizz
3. Revive brittle hair
In this guide, we recommend curl-friendly products that, in combination with curl-friendly styling techniques, can transform your hair.
In summary, the Curly Hair Method consists of 6 principles:
6 steps to defined curls
The method has changed over the years to better accommodate different types of curls. But whether you have waves, corkscrew curls or afro hair - the 6 steps of the Curly Girl method remain the same:
1. Switch to curl-friendly shampoos
With the Curly Girl Method, we use mild, sulfate-free shampoos without silicone that clean our curls gently but effectively.
Apply shampoo:
Put a small amount of the mild curl shampoo in the palm of your hand and apply it to wet hair. Focus on your scalp and massage the product in well. Then rinse thoroughly. This will automatically clean the lengths as well.
2. Don't skip conditioner
A silicone-free conditioner is essential for the care of curly and wavy hair.
Apply conditioner:
After shampooing, gently squeeze excess water out of hair.
Now apply the conditioner to the lengths of your hair. Leave it in for at least 5 minutes and detangle your hair with a curl-friendly brush. Then rinse out completely.
3. Use deep conditioner regularly
A deep conditioner is a concentrated conditioner to regularly nourish your curls in depth. Use a deep conditioner every 3rd or 4th wash instead of a regular conditioner.
4. Apply leave-in conditioner
Leave-in products are the basis of your styling and are applied first and not rinsed out. Leave-in conditioners define and detangle the hair. A curl cream does the same but is richer.
Apply leave-in:
Apply a small amount to the lengths of your hair and section your hair with a wide-toothed comb or a curling brush to separate the individual curls from each other so that they do not stick together but form so-called bundles. For more definition, hold it at the top of the roots for a few seconds and knead the hair vigorously in your hands into shape. Make sure that your hair is wet enough.
5. Apply defining curl gel
Do your curls just hang down ? Or are they usually so frizzy that you end up straightening them?
The solution : a curl gel! The gel comes after the leave-in and fixes the defined strands and gives them hold. Always apply it to wet hair.
Apply gel:
Pour a generous amount into the palm of your hand and work evenly into wet hair. To enhance curls, knead the gel into your hair. The gel will create a cast (a hard gel layer). Once dry, knead it vigorously to create soft and defined curls.
6. Dry curls properly
In the final step, you either let your hair air dry or blow dry it.
Important: Be sure to use a diffuser hairdryer to ideally promote the curl structure.
And don’t forget the heat protection.
Helpful Curl Tools
The right styling tools will help you to ideally support your curls/waves when styling. We recommend at least a basic set of curling towel, curling brush and spray bottle. A silk pillowcase protects your hair at night and keeps the moisture in your hair.
You don't know which products are right for you?
Then take our curl quiz now!
We'll ask you a series of questions to understand your individual hair needs and goals so we can create your recommended curl routine .
Time required: 3 minutes
Take the quiz nowCurl Knowledge FAQ
Q: Should you apply styling products to wet or towel-dried hair?
A: Always apply your styling products to wet hair. Otherwise, the hair can quickly become frizzy and the product will not be absorbed optimally by the hair. Excess water can be removed at any time using the micro-plopping method.
Q: How much product should you use per styling product?
If you don't know how much to use, the spoon technique is a good idea: Take a teaspoon of the product and then see how your hair feels. If you were able to distribute it everywhere and your hair already had a nice slip, then that may have been enough. Start with a leave-in with a little less product and build up as needed. If you haven't used enough curl gel, you'll quickly notice a frizzy result. Next time, take another teaspoon and you can build up the amount and dose it well.
Q: What should I look out for when using curl gels?
A: Always apply it to wet hair. The holding ingredients leave a clear film on dry hair. In the world of curls, we call this “gelcast” . This is a hard layer around the individual strands of hair, the hair feels frozen and/or looks “wet”. We simply have to knead this gelcast out of the hair as soon as the hair is 100% dry & this is how we create defined, soft, bouncy waves.
Would you like to know more?
Then read our detailed magazine article on the Curly Hair Method and become a curling pro. 💛
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