It’s become a bit of a tradition around here for me to reflect on my Curly Girl Method journey every spring.
This is my anniversary of starting the Curly Girl Method. It’s also my anniversary of starting this blog! This year marks four years following the Curly Girl Method and three blogging, which is so crazy to me!
(You can find my previous reflections here.)
So, today, I’m going to share with you the 6 things I’ve learned after following the Curly Girl Method for 4 years!
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It just keeps getting easier
This is the one point that feels a little bit like a broken record, but it’s also true, so I’m saying it.
Each year, my hair gets easier and easier to care for. And this past year has been far and away my easiest yet.
My hair has never been softer, never looked so consistently good. I’ve never had less frizz or, in general, less hair problems.
I attribute this to two things.
First, I know my hair better than I ever have. And I think that’s just something that comes naturally when you spend four years learning and paying attention to your hair.
Second, my hair has never been healthier. It takes way less products, conditioners, and washes to moisturize. This has made it so much easier to style, care for, and manage.
It’s actually easier to take care of my hair when it’s longer
I recently did a whole post about this, but I’ve come to learn that my hair is now much easier to care for when it’s longer.
I used to believe the longer my hair was, the harder it would be to care for. But as someone who started the Curly Girl Method with short hair and has now grown it longer, I learned differently.
And while my healthier hair may have something to do with this, I truly do think this is more to do with the length.
My shorter hair required much more maintenance. It needed more hair cuts to keep its shape, it didn’t go up in an easy sleeping style, and because it didn’t go up easily, it was hard to refresh after a workout (or even the next day).
And these are just a few examples.
Based on my personal experience, I’ve learned from a maintenance standpoint, longer hair is much easier to care for. Especially once you get it healthy.
You really don’t need the expensive products
Last year I mentioned that I was more open to trying new products, and that’s still true.
But one thing I learned over the past year is that you really, truly, do not need to shell out money for expensive products to have fabulous hair.
I briefly experimented with pricier products but found my Cantu Moisturizing Curl Activator (check out my review here), Biotera Gel (check out my review here), and Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave-in (check out my review here) just hold up better.
Maybe this is unique to me, but based on my experience, I fully believe you can find inexpensive products that are Curly Girl Approved and make your hair look fabulous.
But also, I’m more open than ever to expensive products
My hair needs less product than it ever has, so I’ve never been more willing to pay for a more expensive product. Especially one that performs.
As it is now, my current products come in large enough quantities, and my hair requires so little, that one bottle will last me at least a year (and in some cases, they’ll last me several).
Because of that, I’m a lot more willing to spend a little more on hair products at this point in my journey, especially if the product has more to offer me than my current products.
I haven’t come across one that does yet, but I’m currently testing one that might so stay tuned!
I still make changes, but they’re much smaller
I’m still paying attention to my hair and make changes as needed. But the changes I make are much smaller and more infrequent.
For example, this year, I only made two real changes to my regular hair care routine.
First, I cut my leave-in conditioner from my wash day styling and now I only use it to refresh. It simply got to be too much moisture and product in my hair for my wash day.
I was noticing more build up, but cutting out my leave-in corrected that problem.
Second, I changed the way I distribute my products now that my hair is longer.
I still use the praying hands technique (which I discuss in my hair routine), but now I section my hair and apply products one section at a time.
This has made for more even distribution throughout my hair and given me even better results.
My hair is so much stronger and more resilient
Before I started the Curly Girl Method and even in the first few years of following it, it was so easy for me to lose my curls and style.
My hair was more likely to get kinked or bent out of shape if I put it up in a bun or ponytail. It was more susceptible to frizz or the whims of the weather.
But I’ve come to realize recently that I don’t really have these problems anymore. It can handle wind, rain, and humidity better than it ever has.
And I can throw it up in a ponytail or bun and revive those curls with very little issue.
On the whole, it’s just so much stronger and more resilient than it’s ever been.
And once again, I can end a post like this saying I’m so grateful I started the Curly Girl Method four years ago! It definitely took some time to get the hang of, but it’s made my life and hair care so much easier. In the grand scheme of things, I’m really glad I took the time and effort.
It may not be a good fit for everyone, but it absolutely is for me!
Looking for more guidance on your curly hair journey?
For beginners
If you’re new to curly hair care and looking for some help, you should check out the No-Stress Guide to Curly Hair Care!
After spending two years learning and caring for my curly hair, I wanted to create my own, in-depth guide to help fellow curlies create incredible curls in the easiest way possible.
It took me a while, but I eventually found an approach that helped me create a curly hair routine that fits into my life in the simplest way possible. And now I want to help you do the same!
For more intermediate/advanced guidance
If you’ve been on your curly hair journey for a while but still have some struggles, check out Curly Hair Problems!
After spending hours scouring the internet looking for solutions to my own curly hair problems, I found myself wishing for an easier, more comprehensive guide to the most common problems.
So that’s what I created!
Curly Hair Problems offers you 78 total solutions to the five most common curly hair care problems, including frizz, curl clumps, limp curls, product issues, and scalp issues.
Sound off: If you’ve been following the curly girl method for an extended period of time, what have you learned? And if you’re new, what are you most curious about? Tell us about it in the comments. And be sure to tell us a little about your hair type!