Going CG (Curly Girl Method)

[OleanderTime]

Has anyone followed the Curly Girl Method? I'm trying it for two reasons: (1) to bring out my natural waves, and (2) to grow it longer (less combing, no heat). So far, it's only been a few days, but I think I'm liking it.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/xx3/OleanderTime/Before_06102011.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/xx3/OleanderTime/After_06102011.jpg

[krissykins]

I never tried the CG method, though I was an avid CO washer for many months. I just popped in to say WOW. The difference is astonishing and beautiful! :bigeyes:

[bettylibertine]

I just popped in to say WOW. The difference is astonishing and beautiful! :bigeyes:

This!
I'm amazed at the change. It looks gorgeous!

[pixiestar]

Wow great difference. I've been trying it, not found my perfect products yet:(

[Fufu]

Oh whoa, the CG method works very well for you. It certainly brings out the waves and curls in your hair. Gorgeous.

[CoconutLover]

Wow! That is an amazing difference!
In the "Before" pictures your hair looks like a 1c/2a, but in the "After" pictures I would say it's a 2c/verging into the 3's - especially in the picture on the right!

I'm really glad that you've found a routine that works so well!

[Dragon]

Thats a huge difference. Nice curls :)

[pelicano]

Looks lovely. :)

I've tried it, but I'm not CG. My scalp needs a good scrub with shampoo, and my hair seems to benefit from shampoo too, as it's a whole lot less dry without it. I also don't like gels etc on my hair - my hair likes oils. Plus I can't get conditioner anywhere near my scalp, let alone leave some in my hair.

I'm afraid I lost a little respect for the author when I read in the book something a long the lines of 'if you have an itchy scalp, scratch it'. That's not a direct quote, but it was something like that! What I need for my scalp is a proper wash, not to scratch it.

[lapushka]

The difference is amazing! It's gorgeous!

[Tuntenut]

Wow, that's an amazing difference. It looks like you've spent hours and hours with hot rollers to get that look. Very impressive.

Can someone explain the Curly Girl method, or give a link? I've heard it mentioned many times, but I have no idea what it's actually about, other than making the world a prettier place with more gorgeous curls.

[TrudieCat]

:agape: That's an amazing difference! I love it!!

[tinywife]

Wow! This has me convinced I need to go CG when I have enough hair for it.

[alyanna]

I love the way my hair looks with CG. It's very similar to yours OP, but mine is i/ii. The problem I have with CG is that I often like to shower or wash my hair at night before bed, when I have more time, my babies are in bed, and I can indulge and relax. But going to sleep straight after shower isn't conducive to pretty, smooth curls.

Even if I shower in the morning, I only like washing my hair about every 3 days, or less, so I haven't figured out what to do with my second day hair. Spritzing it with water isn't enough, because once I sleep on it, it gets really tangled and matted, and needs to be combed. Once combed, I just sometimes leave it as is rather than bothering with trying to revive the curls.

[Springlets]

. The problem I have with CG is that I often like to shower or wash my hair at night before bed, when I have more time, my babies are in bed, and I can indulge and relax. But going to sleep straight after shower isn't conducive to pretty, smooth curls.


Have you tried overnight plopping? My curls don't usually all come out perfect that way but most do, as in sproingy ringlety perfection. It really makes a difference. But then again I don't move much when I sleep... just an idea! :)

And here's a link for those who want to know how to do the CG method: http://www.wikihow.com/Follow-the-Curly-Girl-Method-for-Curly-Hair

[jujube]

I'm always amazed at these before/after pictures. 2b's becoming solid 3a/3b's seem to be common with this method. I think my hair is just too short to wurl properly.

[MarlieJane]

Wow, looks gorgeous! :-)

[tinti]

Wow, your after hair is gorgeus! Pretty, shiny wurls you've got there!

[virgo75]

Wow! :shocked:
Your curls look gorgeous!!!

I've tried doing the CG method but my hair actually goes straighter and I get poofier, less defined waves when I do it. My hair hates gels so I can't use them for definition and conditioners without cones don't seem to define my hair as well as those with. Finally, my hair and scalp HATE CO washing. It seems like such a great idea and I did it for over a year but I lost soooooo much hair. :nono: My ends always got tangley buildup no matter what I used and my scalp was a mess(itchy, gunky, gross) no matter how I scrubbed or what I used that wasn't shampoo. :(

But I'm always happy to see it working for someone else. :)

[teela1978]

I tried it when I first joined LHC
Before:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e117/lchamber78/Hair%20Length%20Shots/5-6-06beforehenna.jpg
After:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e117/lchamber78/Hair%20Length%20Shots/hair4-30-06.jpg

Then I grew out my hair dye and lost most of my wave :shrug:

[julliams]

OMG boy, are you ever a natural curly girl!!!! The brilliant thing about this method is finding out about the way your hair really is in it's true form.

Don't forget, if you like the way your hair was in the before shots and want to get back to that, you will find that on the second day, your curls will flatten out a little and if you are like me and DO brush your curly hair (yes I do brush my curly hair) it will look more like your before photo with defined waves ( I use Nightbloomings Panacea to help with this in dry hair).

I did the CG method too and found my curls coming through like yours. Take lots of photos as you progress.

[alyanna]

Have you tried overnight plopping? My curls don't usually all come out perfect that way but most do, as in sproingy ringlety perfection. It really makes a difference. But then again I don't move much when I sleep... just an idea! :)

And here's a link for those who want to know how to do the CG method: http://www.wikihow.com/Follow-the-Curly-Girl-Method-for-Curly-Hair

No I haven't but it sounds like a great idea! Thanks for the suggestion. I will definitely be trying it. It also sounds cozier than sleeping with my wet hair directly on my pillow.

I think all this CG business will be a lot more agreeable once my hair is a bit longer. I just don't like super curls on shoulder length hair with crazy layers. It's too messy looking.

[littlestarface]

Im going to try this, I hope get some pretty spirals.

[joyfulheart18]

I tried Curly Girl, and it brought me here, which made my hair a whole lot healthier but not a whole lot curlier. I was really dissapointed...I love curly hair and I really wanted my hair to be at least more wavy, but nothing happened. I use Live Clean shampoo and conditioner which is sulfate free.

I'm glad it worked for you, though!

[lapushka]

I tried Curly Girl, and it brought me here, which made my hair a whole lot healthier but not a whole lot curlier. I was really dissapointed...I love curly hair and I really wanted my hair to be at least more wavy, but nothing happened. I use Live Clean shampoo and conditioner which is sulfate free.

It depends just on how wavy, curly you are. Waves won't magically turn into curls with this method. You can only enhance what you've got, make things less frizzy.

[Vespertine]

Your hair is so pretty! Loving the curls!

[DuckyDot]

I was CG for over a year. It works very well! But I had to stop due to Seborrheic Dermatitis and hair Loss.

[Gilly]

I am trying to go CG but I am struggling.
The one thing I have noticed on other sites that tend to do the CG thing is the amount of time and product that people use, I have maybe 15 mins in the morning to get my shower, wash my hair (yes I wash it daily its NOT going to change trust me!) dry it as best I can and get out of the door, but I hear no end of "I leave it for half an hour, smoosh in some (insert product here) then scrunch in some (insert another product here) I then leave it until dry then scrunch through some (yet another product) and I'm good to go" Sorry but I just do not have the time (or that much patience!) to mess about like that, like many others, I have a job to get to on time and I don't want to have to spend a large part of the morning just working on my hair!!!
On the other hand I maybe the only person here who thinks that using umpteen products on my hair to get a nice curl is strange, who knows!:rolleyes:

[WittyWordsmith]

Gilly, I totally hear you! I kind of do a modified CG. I only use Aloe Vera Gel for my scrunching, and I'm a CO washer. I break it down to the basics, otherwise I won't be too consistent!

OleanderTime, I CANNOT believe you got those results after just a few days. WAY TO GO!! I'd be through the roof if I were you! :D

[silvermoon_76]

Aiaiaiai. These results are amazing and I feel like I should be doing this. My hair is doing pretty ok with the cones that I am putting in it right, but I wish I'd heard of the CG method before I bought a boatload of cone conditioner and serum.

I guess I will try this in a few months, when I've finished up all the products I use now. Though I did try scrunching once and my hair looked awful :/

[newbeginning]

What a big change. Beautiful texture.

[Botticelli Gold]

Not that I need it to bring my curls out as I have copious amounts already, but I do use the method for the most part. My hair absolutely soaks up conditioner so it is good in that respect. But I do use shampoo maybe once or twice a month, just to get any buildup or excess dust etc out.
I do find if I shampoo regularly that my hair gets super dry and needs extra treatments to bring it back into condition so this method works well for me.
I also oil my hair between washes and spritz with scented water to rehydrate and rejuvenate it.

[JadeTigress]

I'd been wanting to try this out because I've always wanted curly hair, but I didn't think there was any point since my hair barely has any wave to it at all, if any. It just kind of poofs a bit.

But when I washed my hair today, I sort of did a modified thing. Sulfate-free shampoo on my scalp, rinse, tons of conditioner on length and ends, let it sit for awhile and try to detangle with my fingers, rinse. Then I squeezed a bunch of the water out and scrunched the heck out of my hair. I don't have any gel or anything, so I scrunched in some coconut oil, and left my hair to air dry.

And there were actually some waves in there, until I thought it was 'dry enough' and finger-combed, which of course pulled my waves out. But I can still see a little bit of wave left. So I'm going to buy a leave in and some sort of gel (maybe aloe?) and pursue this.

[Kyla]

Gorgeous! Your hair looks absolutely lovely!

[Toiréasa]

Your hair looks great, I just read the CG method and realized that is what I have been doing for about two weeks now and was wondering why my hair was so much curlier. I just had a ah ha moment lol....thanks for sharing I have learned some much in the short time I have been here.

[jesis]

I was an avid NaturallyCurly user before making the trek to the LHC. I tried out various parts of the CG method, and finally settled on a routine I love that makes my curls look great every time. I do still shampoo because CO didn't work out for me and I don't plop because it makes my hair look Medusa-like. :) After finding the LHC, I cut heat out completely and I have begun to use more natural products on my hair! Yay for being a curly girl!

[Lucie159]

I have really curly hair, when I was a teen I "SO" could have used all this information. lol... Instead I spent my school years refered to as "that girl with the braid" haha. When I got a little older I learned a few things, nothing good though, I have been drying and dying and frying my hair for years. Until recently I used what I refer to as a "coctail of hair products" just to keep it tamed. So, in a matter of a short few weeks or so I have learned about co-washing, and leave in conditioners and the CG method, (didn't know there was a method) lol... My hair is still dry from years of bleaching it from brown to blonde just to try and mask the premature grey I started getting at 17. But not as dry as it used to be! and next week I will be doing my first Henna! Yea I love this place! Thank you all for any tidbit of info you have given. I thought at 42 I knew everything I was ever gonna know about my hair, guess NOT!

[LaurelSpring]

Your hair looks amazing! Keep up the good work. As a fine straight hair I would love to have some curls. As long as I stay away from silicones and too much conditioner I can at least get some waves and a few spirals going. The gray in there is helping with that too now!

[pes3108]

Wow, that's an amazing difference. It looks like you've spent hours and hours with hot rollers to get that look. Very impressive.

Can someone explain the Curly Girl method, or give a link? I've heard it mentioned many times, but I have no idea what it's actually about, other than making the world a prettier place with more gorgeous curls.

i second this... what is the curly girl method???

[einna]

Woow, I am impressed. My underhair looks a bit like your after-pics on very good days, but my top layer is max 2a on a good day. I Am not stricty CG, but I do follow some points, such as CO. This is inspiring me to follow up more.
Do you use the CG method for curlies or wavies?

[kitschy]

I've been CG for 2 1/2 years.

[longhairedwolf]

That's an amazing change. Good for you - your curls are beautiful!

[Netabug]

Wow! The difference between before and after is amazing! Beautiful hair!

[MaryRose]

I love your...what is the CG method?

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

I love your...what is the CG method?

http://www.wikihow.com/Follow-the-Curly-Girl-Method-for-Curly-Hair


:]

[hendricks82]

Love those curls!! I often pretend to have "curls" by somewhat doing this method, but I plop it until it dries... or just put it a bunch of tiny messy scrunched up buns. It looks great, but then have to wash it the next day as it is a crunchy knotted mess.

I call it my beach hair lol, no comparison to your gorgeous curls though!!

[MrsGuther]

Wow! What a difference the CG method has made in your hair! It looks WAY curlier now. I think I need to look into that for my hair. *Runs off to find Curly Girl method information around the site*

[Gilly]

I have found the biggest discovery I personally have made has been to NOT use my microfiber towel, I would always put my hair up in it when I got out of the shower and would leave it on until I had done all my other stuff, I would end up with frizz and fluff that really had to be blow dried but now I just do a light blot with my bath towel to stop it dripping all over the floor and leave it, I end up with hair that looks 100 times better, more definition, more curl, less frizz and fluff, I still blow dry the fringe but I have some awful kinks in it and they NEVER go the way I want them to!
I also have started a page on Face book called "Aussie Curly Girls" it is a closed group so you have to ask to join but I set it up so us Aussies could compare products etc as we can't always get the products available to everybody else. Feel free to ask to join! The more the merrier!:cheese: