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We spend a lot of time talking about the Curly Girl Method and why it’s important. However, if you’re anything like us, you probably like to see what things look like in action. Therefore, we wanted to show you what it’s like to spend one year following the Curly Girl Method (CGM). Blogger Curly Caitlin shares her experiences with the CGM over the course of a year, and why it’s important. Give this a read-through, and let us know what you think. If you’ve tried the CGM, we’d love to hear from you.
What it’s like to spend one year following the Curly Girl Method
Caitlin started out like many curly girls: she had beautiful natural curls, but didn’t really know how to care for them. Therefore, she spent her teens and early 20s putting her curls through the wringer. She ironed them (literally ironed them with a clothes iron), colored her strands, and used tons of different heat tools on her curls. As a result, she eventually found herself with curls that would no longer hold their shape. When she noticed even her baby curls wouldn’t hold a curl, she realized she had “really messed up” her curls. Therefore, she set about trying to find a way to repair the damage she’d done to her strands. She started by returning to her roots, and purchasing a variety of products targeted specifically for curly hair. However, those products didn’t produce the results she was looking for. What she later discovered was the products she was purchasing were all loaded with silicones, which is the cardinal sin of the CGM. She went back tot he drawing board, did a lot of research, and stumbled across the Curly Girl Method. That same day, she tossed out her old products and replaced them with all CGM approved products.
After some trial and error, she finally landed upon a set of products that worked really well for her individual curls. Some of the products she’d tried were too heavy, resulting in her curls getting dragged down. As time went on, she also discovered a mousse that worked great in her strands, as well as various curl creams. However, Caitlin did find herself hung up on a couple of issues. She discovered that one product she had fallen in love with contained wax, which therefore excluded it from being part of the Curly Girl Method. At around month 7, she experienced hydral fatigue, an issue where hair becomes over moisturized. As a result, her strands were mushy and limp, even when dry. Fortunately, a good clarifyer helped to remedy the situation.
At month 10, Caitlin did the Big Chop, which many curly girls do to help remove dead ends, and offer their curls a chance to refresh and recover. While she says she misses her longer length, she’s ultimately glad she did it, as it gave her curls a chance to recover. At one year, Caitlin began finger coiling, which helped her curls become even more defined, and hold their natural shape better.