Wavies, rethink these 5 curly hair rules while starting CGM

Curly Girl Method in a nutshell:

Lorraine Massey’s “Curly Girl Method”, defined in “Curly Girl: The Handbook”, recommends: (a) no shampooing (no-poo) of hair at all, only conditioner washing (co-washing) (b) no brushing of textured hair, and (c) no use of any hair care products containing silicones, sulfates, alcohol, parabens and mineral oil. Even excess oiling of hair is a strict no-no.

It promotes a simple wash routine – Cleansing, Conditioning, and Styling. And of course, NO HEAT to style your hair!

But as I have said in my last post – Getting Started with Wavy Hair Care – there is no one size that fits all. Curly Girl Method works for wavy hair, with a few modifications here and there. We will still adhere to the tenets of CGM: No Sulphates, No Silicones, No harmful toxic chemicals, but will take the other rules with a pinch of salt.

Curly Hair Rules vs Wavy Hair Rules

Curly Hair Rule #1: You should give up shampoo completely, CGM is all about NO-POO! 

Wavy Hair Rule #1: You should shampoo your hair regularly, and clarify often.

Wavy hair allows easy spreading of natural sebum from root to tip unlike the curly heads. This means, that our scalp can get oily quite easily. And this greasiness can attract dirt and dust, not to mention the daily shedding of dead cells on our scalp. This can serve as a hotbed for microbial growth, unless we cleanse it regularly with shampoo. What’s more, product buildup or deposits of hard water minerals on our scalp can cause havoc to the roots. Most of our water supply is filtered using Chlorination, or water is procured from private borewells sans any filtration, which can leave deposits of minerals on our scalp. So, clarify regularly. I recommend clarifying hair every 3rd wash or fortnightly.

#chitratips When you hair starts ‘misbehaving’, know it is time to clarify and start afresh. Opt for a SLS-based shampoo (strong surfactant) to remove the buildup and gunk effectively.

Curly Hair Rule #2: Co-wash for lush, juicy, non-frizzy curls.  

Wavy Hair Rule #2: Ahem, Co-wash only if absolutely necessary. 

Curly hair requires all the moisture it can get, so co-washing works to enrich those curls and add moisture.  Wavies don’t generally need this much moisture. Co-washing definitely saves a lot of time and is a good option for mid-week washes, but not as a regular thing. Sticking to a completely co-wash regime can cause product build-up and hairfall.

When can co-wash work for you?

• If you had a heavy workout and scalp feels sweaty thereafter;
• If you feel that your hair is extremely dry;
• If you feel that your hair needs something better than a quick refresh;
• If your hair is very tangled, cowash can help loosen the knots.

#chitratips Opt for a low-poo wash (a gentle shampoo) instead for mid-week washes. This doesn’t dry out the hair completely and retains the required moisture for your hair.

Curly Hair Rule #3: Curly hair needs that extra intense-moisture, so deep condition is mandatory.  

Wavy Hair Rule #3: Wavy hair needs the moisture too, but for softer, frizz-free, manageable waves.

While we don’t need intense deep conditioning like the curlies, deep conditioning albeit with protein:moisture balanced deep conditioners helps restore the wavy patterns in our hair. Not just that – soft, bouncy, manageable waves last longer through the wash cycle if we spend adequate time to deep condition our hair in our wash routine.

At the beginning of my CGM journey, I deep conditioned my hair in every wash, that helped in healthy transitioning of hair and kept it frizz-free. 30 minutes of DC is the best pampering you can do for your hair.

#chitratips Wear a heat cap, please. If you do not have a heat-cap, simply wrap a hot towel over your shower cap for easier penetration of the DC.

Curly Hair Rule #4: Curly hair is low maintenance – praying hands, clumping, shingling and scrunching in the styler and they are good to go.

Wavy Hair Rule #4: Wavy hair needs extra maintenance, you need to find a method that works for you.

Wavies continue to feel amazed at the ease with which curls pop on curly heads. It’s simply moisturizer + curl cream + styler routine, and any method – praying hands, raking, scrunching, upside-down styling, squish to condish, pulsing, finger coiling, shingling…yada yada and they sport amazing curls.

Dear Wavies, do not be disheartened to read this. Waves need that little ‘extra’ – you have to find methods and techniques that suit your hair.

Raking in products will simply not do. Styling brushes like Denman or Flexybrush may or may not work. And please forget shingling, that’s not for you. Wavy hair requires a mix of techniques and a mix of methods. You need to try them all (at least once) to find out what works for you. While you are at it, try damp styling and wet styling. Experiment with light products and heavy products, apply them lightly and sometimes do a heavy application…experiment until you find what works for your hair.

#chitratips Waves need moisture. Ensure there is adequate water while styling your waves. If your hair likes damp styling, emulsify products well with water before applying, this will add the requiste water to your hair.

Curly Hair Rule #5: Curls come live with just a simple curl cream or light gel for curlies.   

Wavy Hair Rule #5: Wavy hair needs a gel, preferably a strong-hold one for maintaining wavy pattern.

Wavies often complain of weighed-down hair and they tend to lose shape by the end of the day. Day2 and Day3 can be a nightmare to style or refresh sometimes. Let’s not kid ourselves, a curl cream or curl enhancer will just not do. WE NEED THAT GEL! While light gels can give us soft waves, medium to hard-hold gels can give us good definition and make our waves last longer. Let’s get this straight – Wavies who think that gels makes their hair look scrunchy and avoid it, need gel too. Gels prevent humidity acting on your hair, so it won’t be a poofy or frizzy mess.

#chitratips Experiment with gel application, a little at a time until you hit the soft spot. If you feel that you have over-gelled the hair, scrunch your hair with a cotton tee or microfiber towel to remove any excess. Do not SOTC (scrunch-out-the-crunch), instead smooth your waves or clap them between your palms to soften the cast. This leads to minimal frizz.

Curly Girl Method serves as a good jumpstart to make our wavy hair healthy. Follow the tenets of CGM closely, experiment with products, methods and techniques. Spend time to understand your hair properties – its porosity, density, etc. Experiment to know what works and what to avoid (humectants, protein, coconut, etc.).

Follow these guidelines and you will soon learn to nourish, nurture and celebrate your waves. Make your own #wavygirlmethod.

#curlygirlmethod #curlyhairrules #wavyhairrules #wavygirlmethod #celebrateyourwaves #wavesarecurlstoo