COULD CURLY GIRL METHOD BE A MYTH?

Shanus · ‎05-17-2010

I was at the mall a few weeks ago and drawn into the Aveda store by the familiar scent of my once favorite SHAMPURE products. There’s also a Be Curly line. BTW, none of these products are “Curly Girl Approved”. I purchased them anyway and decided “why not” since I had tried most other curly lines and styling products, salon and drugstore, in various combinations and still wasn’t getting great results.

Well, Aveda delivered! My wavy/curly hair is not weighed down by the shampoo, conditioner or styling products. Second day hair is easy w/ just a spritz of warm water and quick scrunch...hair doesn’t feel sticky or dirty. I’m convinced if your hair is properly moisturized, you can use whatever products you wish.

So, since I’ve always had curls and never used “special” products way before Lorraine Massey’s book/method, I’m wondering if it’s all a hoax.

What do other curly girls think?

HSB1204 · ‎12-29-2014

I think the Curly Girl Method has some good tips and tricks but there are way too many rules. You should use what works for your hair and not what some book dictates that you should or shouldn't do.

I see women on YouTube all the time talking about how you should buy the book if you're just starting the Curly Girl Method. I disagree because that is how people end up thinking it's a horrible sin if they don't follow every step in the book. That, and not everything in the book is going to work for everyone's hair but people think there's something they're not doing right instead of realizing that maybe it just doesn't work for their particular hair type.

Shanus · ‎05-17-2010

@HSB1204 wrote:
I think the Curly Girl Method has some good tips and tricks but there are way too many rules. You should use what works for your hair and not what some book dictates that you should or shouldn't do.

I see women on YouTube all the time talking about how you should buy the book if you're just starting the Curly Girl Method. I disagree because that is how people end up thinking it's a horrible sin if they don't follow every step in the book. That, and not everything in the book is going to work for everyone's hair but people think there's something they're not doing right instead of realizing that maybe it just doesn't work for their particular hair type.

@HSB1204 ITA. I had watched YouTube videos too and the contradictions of styling products and on wet hair or towel dried, diffuser or air dry, scrunch or don’t touch....I’m embarrassed to say how many different products are lined up in my cabinet...tried only several times, but didn’t work. I’ll use what makes my hair looks its best. If a little silicone keeps the frizz down & shiny, so be it. Washing more often doesn’t seem to matter on my hair as long as shampoo is sulfate free...I don’t color it (it’s now silver), but the sulfates are drying. These past few years trying the “method” was expensive, time consuming and frustrating.

SahmIam · ‎04-16-2010

I think that like with everything else, since each person is unique due to a combination of factors, that there is no "one size fits everyone" when it comes to anything....including how to style/take care of curly hair.

I've found that some products for curly hair weighed my hair down; some made it frizzier; some made it greasy. The biggest difference for me was changing how I applied conditioner, how I applied product and how I dried it.

I give my hair a vacation from ALL heat products the moment the weather changes to humidity plus heat. I won't pick up anything until the cool weather of late fall and the drop in humidity arrives. My hair is healthier, shinier, softer and the curl is very pronounced now compared to the rest of the year when I style it with a blow dryer, curling want, iron, etc. instead of only air drying.

All the products are the same. I was not impressed at all with the DivaCurl products. Love the Aveda styling products (not so much the shampoos and conditioners). In the end, I just buy whatever product works for my hair... most are not "curly" products.

HSB1204 · ‎12-29-2014

@Shanus wrote:
@HSB1204 wrote:
I think the Curly Girl Method has some good tips and tricks but there are way too many rules. You should use what works for your hair and not what some book dictates that you should or shouldn't do.

I see women on YouTube all the time talking about how you should buy the book if you're just starting the Curly Girl Method. I disagree because that is how people end up thinking it's a horrible sin if they don't follow every step in the book. That, and not everything in the book is going to work for everyone's hair but people think there's something they're not doing right instead of realizing that maybe it just doesn't work for their particular hair type.

@HSB1204 ITA. I had watched YouTube videos too and the contradictions of styling products and on wet hair or towel dried, diffuser or air dry, scrunch or don’t touch....I’m embarrassed to say how many different products are lined up in my cabinet...tried only several times, but didn’t work. I’ll use what makes my hair looks its best. If a little silicone keeps the frizz down & shiny, so be it. Washing more often doesn’t seem to matter on my hair as long as shampoo is sulfate free...I don’t color it (it’s now silver), but the sulfates are drying. These past few years trying the “method” was expensive, time consuming and frustrating.

@Shanus Yes, everyone has their own way of styling their hair. There are so many people who are completely lost and basically rely on YouTube videos to figure out what to do with their hair. I'll admit that I too was trying to do what everyone was doing at first but it just didn't work. I also have a ton of products from experimenting just to figure out what would work.

I can see how people get frustrated when they're trying to follow all of these unrealistic instructions. It doesn't help that people on social media come up with new methods so then everyone thinks that's the thing to do. Apparently now the latest thing to do is to use three gels! I'm sorry, but if one isn't enough you're using the wrong product for your hair!

Shanus · ‎05-17-2010

@SahmIam I’ll be saving a lot of time and money trying various new products. I also unsubscribed to the Curly Girl youtubers. 😜

Ms tyrion2 · ‎05-08-2017

No, of course it is not a hoax.

The CGM method is not all that complicated.Eliminate sulfates and silicones. Eliminate curling irons and straighteners. Avoid Terry cloth towels. All common sense.

Along the way YouTubers came up with a million other hacks that you can try or not. Product brand is all a matter of trial and error and personal choice.

Since I became serious about CGM, my curls have gone from mostly wavy to loosely curly . In sections, nice 3A curls are starting to appear.

Water soluble products and a good Devacut have made a huge difference for me. It is so noticeable that my friends have commented on how much curlier my hair is now.

@Shanus , I think you mentioned before that you never completely gave up silicones. If they work for you, great. I don't think you can completely throw out the value of CGM if you've never done it correctly.

cotton4me · ‎03-09-2010

@Shanus wrote:

I’m convinced if your hair is properly moisturized, you can use whatever products you wish.

Agree with this. I tried the curly girl method and all types of products. They usually made my frizzy hair worse. I have chemical sensitivities and I'm now using Andalou Nautrals which work well for my hair.

Shanus · ‎05-17-2010

@Ms tyrion2 wrote:
No, of course it is not a hoax.
The CGM method is not all that complicated.Eliminate sulfates and silicones. Eliminate curling irons and straighteners. Avoid Terry cloth towels. All common sense.

Along the way YouTubers came up with a million other hacks that you can try or not. Product brand is all a matter of trial and error and personal choice.

Since I became serious about CGM, my curls have gone from mostly wavy to loosely curly . In sections, nice 3A curls are starting to appear.

Water soluble products and a good Devacut have made a huge difference for me. It is so noticeable that my friends have commented on how much curlier my hair is now.

@Shanus , I think you mentioned before that you never completely gave up silicones. If they work for you, great. I don't think you can completely throw out the value of CGM if you've never done it correctly.

@Ms tyrion2 I think you misunderstood my point that my curls weren’t bad before reading the book. I tried the method to see what the hoopla was all about. All the techniques, products, etc. didn’t change my hair for better or for worse.

millieshops · ‎03-09-2010

Curly hair has never been my issue - neither its disadvantages nor its benefits, but with the exception of here and there some medical/scientific facts, I feel as if all the other advice is closer to opinion than fact. That doesn't mean it's not good- all opinions are not equal. DEpends on what they're based on and in the case of hair, how many different heads gave off those details. I can't believe all curly hair is alike. I just think we have to test the suggestions for ourselves keeping in mind our own hair, skin, body, etc.

I know my hair looks best when my stylist or I use fewer products, not more, and less of whatever few we choose.