Does anyone here follow the curly girl method of hair care?

I follow the CG method. I also have fine, thin hair. I do use shampoo rather than co-wash otherwise my fine hair gets weighed down easily. At the moment I'm user Innersense Pure Harmony Hairbath, which is lightweight. I will use Bounce Curl Clarifying shampoo every second wash or so. There are lots of different curl creams and gels to choose from - too many to mention. I suggest using Naturally Curly as a resource and joining a facebook group for support (try Wavy & Curly & Coily Connect). My hair never used to grow very much, but since being CG I really need a cut every three months!

I just started following CG on FB and learning about the method. I do go s week between washes. My hair is looking better and the curls are showing more. I’ve been using Devacurl products, but am checking out all the other options.

My hair is thin and fine and parts don’t curl as much as I’d like, but I’ve been very encouraged by the progress so far.

I’d kill to have MichyM ‘s hair. I must make do with what I have.

Yes. But, I will say this. Based on the posts I have been seeing on the curly girl method facebook group, I say proceed with caution. Things I learned and things I modified(these are purely my personal opinions):

Your hair will “tell” you when it doesn’t like a product.
Just because thousands of people love a product, doesn’t mean your hair will love it.
Just because it says organic on a product, doesn’t necessarily mean it is the best thing since sliced bread.
Not everyone can get away with just using a conditioner and no shampoo.
There are mild shampoos.
Your age and yhe medications you take (if any) and your overall health/eating habits make a difference in the way your hairs grows/reacts.
Round brush and brushing my hair thinking it will take frizz away was the dumbest thing I did for years (it actually caused more frizz for me).
Microfiber towel is not my best friend. It actually makes my hair more frizzy.
I use a soft knit t-shirt.
You don’t have to follow the CGM to the T and no one will sue you if you don’t.
Start slow with a simple suave/vo5 stuff that is recommended.
Be patient, be very very very patient. You won’t see any huge difference in a day or week or even months (or you might, it really depends).


Whenever someone recommends a product in that FB group, I do see which part of the country they are from or what their culture is and what kind of hair they have. For example, People in Florida/NJ have to fight more humidity than me in Phoenix. I have wavy/curly hair. So if someone with super thick curls recommend a product, it might be too heavy for me at times. So i have to be cautious.

I use this method, but I don’t use shampoo at all. Just conditioner. It’s been probably 8 yrs since I’ve used shampoo. My hair has never looked better.




I think the thing that makes the biggest difference is finding someone who knows how to cut curly hair (and realizing most stylists don’t).

I also started this method not quite a year ago. I have not found my "holy grail" and my hair definitely looks different depending on the seasons. I cowash (conditioner only) once a week and just switched from gel to mousse this week. I use drug store brands and have not been to a curly specialist for a cut yet but I think I am about to bite the bullet and splurge. My hair is long (mid back when curly) but the top is flat (probably from the length) and I'm sure would benefit from an expert. I'm resistant because I have always had salon anxiety. lol.

I also have not deep conditioned; so if anyone has a recommendation-I'm open to suggestions

I used to straighten my hair but I felt it was time to embrace my curls and I am happy I did.

I do and have for over a decade. Like myshelly, I don't use shampoo at all.




My advice is to ditch the curling iron and get a cut. Chances are your ends aren't curling because they are heat damaged.

ETA* I don't know anyone who does this.  Rubbing your scalp with water and then using conditioner doesn't do anything.  Some shampoo once a week, some more often, some don't use shampoo at all and choose to co-wash (cleanse with conditioner). I cowash every 4-5 days and refresh (either by soaking my hair in the shower and reapplying product, or just spraying with water and not reapplying) in the days between. And everyone I know who follows this method combs their hair wet - it's how you detangle.  Now brushing it dry?  We don't do that.

I have shoulder length hair and for me it was finding styles that worked with day 2-3 hair. Once I found those, it was all over. This is my method. I have never iron straightened my hair, but I have dryer straightened it. But I just love that I can use product and go. Sometimes, like today, when it's about 5F, I dry a little with a diffuser so I'm not running out in MN cold with wet head.

The Curly Girl Facebook group is awesome!! I've been shampoo free for 2+ years. My hair has never been healthier. I need a haircut badly at the moment, but it still cooperates! The last time I straightened my hair was March 2016. I have never been happier. My dd (7) has been CG and shampoo free for 2 years as well. I had no idea how curly she could be until we started trying it with her. She LOVES her curls and asks me to do it for her.

I too used to be afraid product would weigh down my thin fine hair.

It kind of the opposite. The right product is what helps the hair keep volume. Right now I’m mixing conditioner with gel, carefully scrunching it into wet hair, letting it form a “cast”, while it air dries. Then you “ scrunch out the crunch”. Careful with this, you want to keep the curls. I get the best results by scrunching up from the bottom. Some use “praying hands “, 🙏, but my hair is too short for that.

When the cast is good and dry, and I’m ready to go somewhere, I bend from the waist, and face all the way Dow. Then I rub my scalp thoroughly. I don’t rake my fingers through the hair, but just use a rubbing/scrunching motion to get as much volume as I can. When I straighten up( this is all very hard in my back btw), the hair is a little crazy , but it quickly settles into good form with some help from my fingers. Then I spray it with a “touchable “ hair spray. This step helps me get more days out of this process. When I wake up, or otherwise the hair needs help, I mist with the spray water bottle ( my best friend), and use my fingers to prod everything back into a good shape.

I have tried it before, but can't get passed not washing my hair every day. It gets tangled and washing gets all the product out of my hair. When I want to keep my curls, Inuse a mild shampoo and dry it with an old tee shirt. I just scrunch it to get most of the water out. That helps keep the frizz away.
I like the Deva Curl products for styling. I pump a little mouse and mix with a little gel. That seems to do the trick for me.

I know my SIL follows it to a T I don't wash every day- sometimes once a week. But being natural redhead curly/frizz I straighten it, and lately it's longer than it's ever been. I wear it in a pony tail. So it's similar to method just that it's easier for me. It's super thick. Always has been.

I quit shampoo cold turkey but I didn’t start skipping wash days until my hair adjusted. If you are used to washing your hair daily, continue washing it daily. Just use an approved low-poo, no-poo, or cowash.

Keep products to a minimum at first. One of the biggest complaints I hear is from women who have “just started two weeks ago, used every product out there and nothing works!” Well no kidding! Think of your hair like a baby trying solid food for the first time - if you give a baby every new food at once and they react poorly, how are you supposed to figure out which is the culprit?

After your final wash (ask if you don’t know what that is!!!), cleanse, condition, styling product - repeat. If you cleanse and your hair still feels dirty, you’ve probably got some build-up - check your product ingredients (curlsbot.com) and use a low poo or an apple cider vinegar rinse.

Don’t pick out the crunch, scrunch it with a T-shirt or microfibre towel. For me, a bit of diffusing (no heat, low airflow) takes care of most of it and i just scrunch the rest out with my hands.

I don’t tell my hairdresser anything other than I washed at home and, please, no product because my skin reacts badly. Or better yet, find someone who specializes in curly hair.