The Curly Girl method is a natural way to care for and emphasize curly or wavy hair. The use of the Curly Girl-approved products boosts the well-being of the hair. The products are suitable for curly, wavy, afro, and straight hair.
The basics of the Curly Girl method
The Curly Girl method refers to a trend from the United States where curly hair is treated naturally. In practice, this means the use of products that do not contain sulfates, silicones, parabens or drying alcohols.
We believe that there is an important idea behind the method - that people should appreciate their own natural hair. If your hair bends or curls naturally, you can emphasize this feature with the Curly Girl method. Straight hair, on the other hand, can be nourished with products suitable for the method and can help the hair, for example, to prevent fluff or increase protein.
Many straight-haired people also use Curly Girl products because they do not contain substances that are harmful to the well-being of their hair.
I want to use the Curly Girl method, how do I start?
Below you will find the steps of the method easily put together into five different steps from washing to drying. If the method is completely new to you, starting it may sound like hard work. However, we promise that as long as you get started, it will be as easy to implement as a normal hair care routine!
And there is no going back, as your hair will feel better and your curls will pop up to life again! We also made the method a little easier as we break a little “boundaries”!
Step 1: Wash
You can start the Curly Girl method easily at home. Please note that you will need to change all of your hair products to suit the method. If you already use natural hair products, you can easily check the suitability of the product with Curlsbot, for example. Curlsbot will check the list of ingredients and tell you if the product contains any unsuitable and harmful ingredients.
The first step of the method is to make a so-called "Final Wash": a wash that removes unsuitable substances and other product residues from the hair. You can find a final wash shampoo, Pretty Curly Girl - Reset, from our online store.
Do not use products containing sulfates after the initial wash. In the future, we recommend washing your hair with shampoo and less often with a co-wash product. In the Curly Girl method, a normal shampoo ("low poo") means a silicone-free and sulfate-free gentle wash.
Step 2: Conditioner
After the initial wash, apply the appropriate conditioner to your hair and, if necessary, a hair mask for dry hair. It is advisable to brush dry or tangled hair already while wet so that the conditioner is spread evenly. For brushing while wet, we recommend a Wet Brush suitable for the method.
Step 3: Leave-in-conditioner
Do not dry your hair. Apply leave-in-conditioner and/or curl creme to wet hair. You can also brush the conditioner at this point evenly into your hair.
Step 4: Styling
Styling products, such as gel, are applied in your own style, to wet hair (or a little towel dry but this is less common). We always recommend using two different gels for the best results. First, apply a light, anti-fluff gel or curl creme/activator to the hair and finally, a firmer gel that keeps the hair in check and the curls bouncing. You can also brush the gel into your hair and/or use a Denman curl styling brush. Denman is a great brush for curls!
Step 5: Drying
You haven't dried your hair yet, right? Good!
For drying at home, you can use an old T-shirt or microfiber towel. Squeeze your hair gently, do not rub. The microfiber towel is considerably gentler than a t-shirt and doesn’t fluff the hair as much. In our online store, you will find soft microfiber towels that feel like cotton!
If you want, you can also use plopping: leave a T-shirt in your hair for about 10 minutes, and you will get the extra moisture for your hair. However, plopping is not suitable for hair types and the hair may become tangled. Therefore, we recommend squeezing the hair first with a microfiber towel and then leaving it to air dry or using a diffuser.
Use the diffuser for the best results. Also, do not touch your hair until it is completely dry. When your hair is completely dry, you can squeeze out any cast, or any hardness left from the styling products, (you can also use a small amount of oil).
Where can I buy Curly Girl products?
The question is, where do you get these wonderful natural products? Products suitable for the Curly Girl method are sold in almost every well-stocked store. For example, in Finland, you can find some XS and Garnier products, that are suitable for the method. However, there is often a great deal of water in the store’s products, which is why we always recommend buying quality products from your local hair salon or online that are full of the "good stuff”. In our online store, you will find products suitable for the method for every budget. We have also categorized the products so that you can easily find the right products for your hair type.
Curly Guy Finland
Why is there a feminine word "girl" in the name of the method? Can men use the Curly Girl method at all?
Curly Girl, regardless of its name, is for just about everyone, whether you are a man, a woman, or someone else. In fact, men’s interest in the care of naturally curly hair has increased over the past few years! To make shopping easier, you will find a category for men in our online store.
Where can I find a Curly Girl Hairdresser?
Finding a Curly Girl hair salon can be a bit challenging as you want to make sure that a) your natural curls are cut with professionalism for curls, and b) no inappropriate ingredients are used for your hair. However, a visit to a Curly Girl hairdresser is not mandatory, but this will make your curls stand out better when the cut is done with respect for the natural curls and their form.
Our salon Salon Enigma specializes in cutting, dyeing, and styling naturally curly hair. You will find Salon Enigma in the Punavuori, Helsinki, Finland, and soon also in Benalmadena, Malaga, Spain. If you wish, you can also book a time for curly hair washing, cutting, and styling, which includes all the tips and tailoring of the right products for your hair.
If you have any questions regarding the method, the products of our salon, or our online store, please do not hesitate to contact us.
And, most of all, we wish you a rewarding journey in increasing the vitality of your hair. Enjoy your natural and beautiful curls!