information
Curly Girl Method
The abbreviation CG stands for Curly Girl, but this method is suitable for both girls and boys with curly hair. It is a hair care method that is all about loving care for every hair type. At CGproducten.nl we embrace the CG method and offer hair products that meet the strictest CG standards. Whether you have wavy, curly, straight, fine or thick hair, our CG-Proof hair care is suitable for everyone. We believe that healthy and radiant hair should be accessible to everyone, regardless of your hair type.
What exactly does the Curly Girl method (CG) entail?
You treat your hair with products without sulphates, silicones, mineral oils, wax and drying alcohol. You will avoid these ingredients because they:
1. Cannot be removed (easily) from your hair without sulfate shampoo (so you want to avoid it)
2. These ingredients themselves are not good for your hair. For example, silicone and mineral oils create a sealing layer around your hair (this suffocates your hair and prevents moisture and other products from penetrating your hair, causing your hair to dry out).
You can also use this method if you don't have curls
Step 1; To wash
Stop using regular shampoo! Most regular shampoos contain sulfates. These are aggressive cleansers that dry out your hair. They remove what your hair needs, such as the natural oil that your scalp produces. Curly hair is naturally dry and therefore really needs that oil.
Sulfates also damage the outer layer of your hair, which consists of cuticles. In healthy hair, the scales lie flat. Then they reflect light and your hair shines. When the hair is damaged, the scales are open. This will create a rough surface and your hair will not shine. Sulfates damage these scales. The scales become scaly, rough and protrude more. This causes hair cuticles to break down more quickly and knots to form in your hair more quickly.
GUARD! Before you start with the CG method, wash your hair once more with a sulfate shampoo. This is called the “final wash” . This will clean your hair once again of all the "bad" ingredients that you will avoid next. Then your hair is completely clean and you can start! You can use a Daily Mild Shampoo for this. After this “final wash” it is advisable to use a CG friendly hair mask to restore the drying effect of the sulfate shampoo.
What will you wash your hair with next time?
- with a CG-friendly sulfate-free shampoo, or
- with a CG friendly one conditioner this is called “co-wash”
Your scalp may have to get used to not using sulfate shampoo anymore. Your hair and scalp may feel a little greasy at first, but that will diminish over time.
How often should you wash your hair?
This depends on your hair, what you like and how long you have been following the Curly Girl method. We recommend not using CG-friendly shampoos more than once a week, preferably even less. Even though they are sulfate-free, they can still have a slightly drying effect. Always use a CG friendly hair mask afterwards. It is advisable to use a hair mask every week. The other times you want to wash your hair, do so with conditioner (co-wash). You can wash with conditioner as often as you need. As you get further along in the process, your hair will be better hydrated and you will probably need to wash it less often.
What is the best way to wash your hair?
If you wet your hair in the shower, let the water run gently through your hair and do not rub it too much. Leave your curls intact as much as possible. Massage your scalp well in circular movements. This will loosen 'dirt' and stimulate blood flow to your scalp. This ensures that nutrients go to the hair follicles (hair follicles), keeping your hair healthy and growing. If you use shampoo, preferably only wash your scalp. Rinse the shampoo or conditioner gently, but do not rub too much into your hair.
Shampoo
Step 2: Conditioner
After washing, use a conditioner to moisturize your hair. If you are just starting out with the Curly Girl method or your hair is damaged, you will probably need more conditioner. If your hair is more hydrated you may be able to use less. Experiment with different amounts of conditioner and find what is best for your hair. Use a CG friendly conditioner , without silicones and mineral oils. Because you no longer use sulfate shampoo, you can no longer wash silicone and mineral oils from your hair. In addition, it is also better to avoid most silicones because they are not good for your hair.
What is the best way to apply conditioner?
First apply the conditioner from top to bottom (from your scalp to the ends) by running your fingers through your hair. If you have long hair, then “scrunch” your hair upwards (i.e. towards your scalp). This opposing movement promotes your curl pattern. Your hair is sufficiently hydrated if:
- When you “scrunch” you squeeze a milky mixture of water and conditioner out of your hair,
- your hair makes the sound of soaked hair when “scrunching”.
- when your hair feels saturated and smooth from conditioner
If this is not yet the case, use some extra conditioner and water and continue to “scrunch” until you achieve this effect. It is best to comb your hair when it is soaked with water and conditioner. Don't do this when your hair is dry. Conditioner fills the 'gaps' between the hair cuticles, making your hair smoother. This makes it easier and less damaging to gently remove any tangles from your hair. Ordinary brushes are not CG friendly. They disrupt your natural curl pattern, separate your curls (causing frizz) and can break your hair due to the balls at the end of the pins. Use your fingers (“finger comb”) to comb through your hair, or use a brush such as a Denman Brush . For most curl types, it is recommended to leave some or even all of the conditioner in your hair. This may sound crazy, but curly hair really needs that extra hydration to stay hydrated and frizz-free. This will not easily make curly hair greasy. The hair will absorb what it needs and wring out the excess as it dries.
Conditioners
Step 3: Styling
After washing your hair you can use various CG friendly styling products . You can find out which products are suitable for your hair by reading the files about the hair properties and product proposal. After washing, leave your regular conditioner or a special leave-in conditioner in your hair. Usually a CG friendly gel (without silicone and drying alcohol) is then used to style your hair. It provides "hold" and is light, so your curls are less likely to sag. Use gel on wet hair. Some types of gel become hard (“gel cast” / “crunch”) when your hair dries. This isn't a bad thing, it helps maintain the natural shape of your curls until your hair is dry. Once your hair has dried completely (not before!) you can remove the gel cast by gently scrunching your hair. The result is soft, well-defined curls.
Styling products
How should you dry your hair?
Never dry your hair with a regular terry cloth towel. This fabric is too rough, causing frizz. Use a T-shirt or a microfiber towel . Do not rub your hair with it, but gently squeeze excess water from your hair or wrap your hair in it. Once you have removed most of the moisture from your hair with a cloth/T-shirt, you can use clips at the roots to create more volume on top and to help your hair dry faster. When you let your hair air dry, touch your hair as little as possible. This prevents frizz. If you want to blow-dry your hair, use a diffuser and blow-dry your hair at the lowest possible temperature. Tip: Have your hair touched up regularly. It refreshes your hair, your curls, it gives 'air' and space so that your hair can better absorb oxygen and moisture.
NOTE: If you are just starting out with the CG method, we recommend that you first follow the standard guidelines and washing schedule of the CG method. Once your curls have improved you can always experiment with:
- shampoo, conditioner, leave-in
- do not use leave-in
- Do away with co-wash, and use a mask once a week and shampoo + conditioner the other time
- other ways of applying styling products
- use other styling products (but CG)
Drying supplies
how, what, where?