Up until a few months ago, I really disliked my hair. While I’d always coveted straight, sleek hair, I was stuck with puffy, frizzy hair. Since my early teens I mostly wore it pulled back in a high or half ponytail, which worked pretty well, but it wasn’t exactly the glamorous look that I sometimes wanted. Occasionally I would use my hair straightener to get sleek, straight hair, but it always took a lot of time and I just don’t like spending a lot of time on my hair. So for the most part I just lived with my puffy, frizzy hair.
Fast forward to a few months ago, when I read a series of hair posts from Melissa at Dyno-mom. While trying to make peace with her own big, puffy, frizzy hair, Melissa discovered the curly girl method, a means of caring for curly hair based on the book Curly Girl: The Handbook. The basic premise of the book is that curly hair is entirely different from straight hair and thus needs to be cared for in different ways. When you care for your curly hair appropriately, you can have healthy, beautiful, and even frizz-free curls.
After reading Melissa’s posts, I started to wonder whether I could be a curly girl. I’d always known that my hair was a bit wavy, but I’d never thought of myself as having curly hair, I suppose because my hair never seemed to form many individual curls. I decided to check out the Curly Girl book from the library and start experimenting.
After a few days, it was clear: I do have curly hair! It’s not super curly, but it is definitely distinctly wavy. Unlike people with more defined curls, though, my curls are delicate enough that any brushing while my hair isn’t sopping wet causes them to completely lose their shape, leaving me with the puffy, frizzy hair that I’ve never liked. I can’t tell you what a revelation this was. I never would’ve guessed that all that puffy hair was due to the fact that I was constantly brushing out my curls.
Over the past few months I’ve worked on perfecting my curly girl method routine. I’m still experimenting a bit to see what works best, but the improvement over my old hair is completely amazing. For the first time in my life I actually like my hair! Appearance isn’t everything, of course, but it’s so nice to feel confident and happy about a previously nettlesome aspect of my physical appearance.
Why I Love the Curly Girl Method
While I love having pretty hair, there are a few other important factors that also especially endear me to the curly girl method:
It’s fast: Remember how I said I don’t like spending a lot of time on my hair? Well, the curly girl method is quick. After you shampoo and condition your hair in the shower, all you have to do is comb it out, scrunch it with a towel to remove some water, then scrunch in some hair gel. You then just leave your hair alone while it air dries. The whole process doesn’t take more than a few minutes of hands-on time. I really don’t think I’m spending more time on my hair then when I used to just put it in a ponytail. I love this.
You can use natural hair care products: The curly girl method works very well with natural hair care products. Since the method mainly relies on accentuating your hair’s natural characteristics, you don’t need loads of toxin-filled products to force your curls to “behave.” Depending on your preferences, you can either make your hair care products yourself or choose to buy high-quality, toxin-free commercial versions. I have had success with both approaches.
It can be quite inexpensive: You can certainly spend a lot of money on the curly girl method if you choose to buy the most expensive natural hair care products. I have had great success, however, using inexpensive products like Castile soap and making my own products like flax seed hair gel. I think that you can have beautiful curls no matter how much money you’re willing to put into your hair care products.
Is the Curly Girl Method for You?
If you at all suspect that you might have curly or wavy hair, I highly recommend checking out Curly Girl: The Handbook. If you’ve always had complaints about your hair, it may be just what you need to finally start having an enjoyable hair life. And let me tell you, it is a great feeling to actually like your hair—especially without having to invest a ton of time or money in it.
Do you have curly hair? How to do take care of it?
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