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 revolves around 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?
With the CG method you treat your hair with products without sulfates, silicones, mineral oils, wax and drying alcohol. You will avoid these ingredients because they:
1. Cannot be removed from your hair (properly) without sulphate shampoo (and you want to avoid this)
2. These ingredients themselves are also not good for your hair. Silicones and mineral oils, for example, form a sealing layer around your hair (this suffocates your hair and prevents moisture and other products from reaching your hair, causing your hair to dry out).
You can also use this method if you don't have curls.
Step 1; Washing according to the Curly Girl Method
Stop using regular shampoo! Most regular shampoos contain sulfates. These are harsh cleansers that dry out your hair. They strip away what your hair needs, like the natural oil your scalp produces. Curly hair is naturally dry and needs that oil.
Sulfates also damage the outer layer of your hair, which consists of scales. In healthy hair, the scales lie flat. They reflect light and your hair shines. In damaged hair, the scales are open. This creates a rough surface and your hair will not shine. Sulfates damage these scales. The scales become flaky, rough and stick out more. This causes hair scales to break off more quickly and knots to form in your hair more quickly.
WAIT! Before you start with the CG method, wash your hair 1 more time with a sulfate shampoo. This is called the “final wash” . With this you clean your hair 1 more time of all the “bad” ingredients that you will avoid after this. After that your hair is completely clean and you can start with the Curly Girl Method! A Daily Mild Shampoo is best to use 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 do you wash your hair with according to the CG Method?
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 According to the Curly Girl Method
This depends on your hair, what you like and how long you have been following the Curly Girl method. We advise not to use CG friendly shampoos more than once a week, preferably even less. Even though they are sulphate-free, they can still have a drying effect. Always use a CG friendly hair mask afterwards. It is advisable to use a hair mask weekly. The other times you want to wash your hair, do so with only conditioner (co-wash). You can wash with conditioner as often as you find necessary. If you are a bit further along in the CG method, your hair will be better hydrated and you will probably have to wash it less often.
What is the best way to wash your hair using the CG Method?
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: The right conditioner for the Curly Girl Method
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 according to the CG Method?
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 according to the Curly Girl Method
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.
CG friendly styling products
How to dry your hair using the CG Method?
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?