Curly Girl Method

so as many may or may not know im natural...that means i dont use harmful products on my hair...recently i came arcoss a new method of caring for your natural hair i would like to share it with you...i plan on start to use this method in about 3 months time from now and the reason why because i plan on protective styling for about 3 months then move on to the curly girl method.

Curly Girl Method

15 Steps

1.     Clarify with a sulfate shampoo (for the last time) before beginning. This will cleanse your hair of any silicones – ingredients in some hair products that are not water soluble (see the Warnings section below).

2.     Have your hair trimmed. This will get rid of any damage or split ends. If you don't want to visit a hair salon you can always trim your own, of course.

3.     Replace your brush with a wide-toothed comb. It is easier to damage curly hair with a brush, whether wet or dry. Untangling hair while dry with any tool is not a good idea; separating the curls dry just causes more frizz. Instead of a brush, switch to a wide-toothed comb, or even better, just use your fingers (when the hair is wet). Using your fingers to untangle curly hair helps to bring out the curls much better than running your hands over your head to prevent frizz. If it is difficult to untangle your hair this way, add more conditioner to your hair when wet or trim any unruly ends.

4.     Stop shampooing your hair. Most shampoos contain harsh, drying sulfates that are extremely damaging for curly hair (ammonium laureth sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, etc.). These common detergents found in shampoos make curly hair frizzy and uncooperative.^[1] Conditioner can be used sufficiently to clean the hair (see the next step). Also, more gentle shampoos that contain mild cleansers (i.e. cocamidopropyl betaine or coco betaine) can be used occasionally or more often for wavier hair types.

5.     Wash your scalp with conditioner (conditioner washing). Begin your routine by wetting your hair in the shower. Distribute conditioner on your entire scalp and massage your scalp with the tips of your fingers (not your fingernails). This rubbing action and the resultant friction will loosen dirt, product residue, and dandruff which can then be rinsed away. (Be sure to avoid silicones in your hair products, see the Warnings.) Thoroughly rinse your scalp afterwards, still massaging with your finger tips as you do so.^[3] Depending on how dry your scalp is, you can conditioner wash, once a week, twice a week, or every day, but watch out for hair build-up!

6.     Distribute conditioner throughout all of your hair and untangle gently. Use your hands or a wide-toothed comb. Start by untangling bottom sections of your hair and then gradually move upwards. Let the conditioner sit in your hair for five minutes or so for extra moisture. You also may want to part your hair at this point with a comb. It's recommended that you part your hair to the side to prevent "triangle-shaped" hair.

7.     Do the final rinse of your hair with cool or cold water. This will decrease frizz and add shine. Leave some conditioner in your hair, especially in dry sections like the ends. It's fine to run your fingers through your hair gently, but do not comb your hair after this point.

8.     Apply products to your hair. Do this while your hair is soaking wet if you have curlier hair, but wait five minutes or so if you have medium to wavy curly hair. Put product in your hands and rub them together to emulsify. Then, smooth or rake the product into your hair by sections. A common method is to begin with a leave-in cream or conditioner to decrease frizz and then follow with a gel for hold and definition. (Using your normal conditioner as a leave-in is fine too.^[4]) However, use whatever type and order of products you like (as long as they are silicone free). Next, finger shape the curls by scrunching them (cup your hair in the palms of your hands and scrunch in an upward motion) and/or twisting individual curls around a finger.

9.     Gently scrunch your hair with a t-shirt, paper towels, or a micro-fiber towel to remove excess moisture. A generic terrycloth towel will make your hair frizzy. You may wish to finger shape your curls at this time instead. Next, wait five or so minutes so the hair can permanently assume its current shape.

10.                     Decrease the drying time of your hair by plopping.^[5] Spread an old t-shirt or micro-fiber towel onto a flat surface (such as the toilet with seat down). Bend over at the waist and position your hair in the middle of the cloth. With your head touching the cloth, drape the back section of cloth over your head. Twist the sides until they form "sausage rolls" and clip or tie them at the base of your neck. After 15-30 minutes remove the cloth. If your hair is frizzy after plopping lightly graze the hair with gel.

11.                     Dry your hair. Air drying is the easiest and gentlest way to dry your hair. If you must blow dry your hair use a diffuser to avoid frizz. Only dry your hair partially (about 80 percent dry) and air-dry the rest of the way.^[6] Do not touch your hair while it is drying or it will mess up and frizz. Both types of diffusers work well in terms of diffusing and decreasing frizz:

12.                     Find an experienced hairstylist. Ask him/her in advance if they are experienced in cutting curly hair and what products they are going to use on your hair. Unplanned haircuts can be disastrous for curly hair. If their products contain silicones insist on bringing your own. If your hairstylist uses a razor to thin out your hair it will make your ends ratty and prone to split ends. Remember, it takes a skilled hairdresser to successfully cut layers or other haircuts in curly hair.

13.                     Have your hair trimmed every four to six months. A 1/2-inch or 1/4-inch trim is usually enough to get rid of split ends. Long, rounded layers are more suited to curly hair--short layers tend to stick up and look funny. Curly hair usually consists of a combination of textures, with the crown being the curliest part. For this reason it's hard to tell what dry curly hair looks like when wet – consider having your hair cut dry. Also, take into account that curly hair is much shorter when dry than wet. You may lose only two inches while wet, but that could be four or five while dry!

14.                     Give your hair time to adjust. It takes 2 to 6 weeks for your hair to adjust to the no shampoo and it may even look worse at first. Hair is a long-term project and it may take a couple weeks for it to regain its health after being stripped of moisture for years by shampoo.

15.                     Show off your glamorous, beautiful curls