What can the Curly Girl Method do for curly hair?
I’ve done a lot of posts on the Curly Girl Method, but most of those posts are for people who have at least heard about the Curly Girl Method and are looking to learn more.
But it occurred to me that it might be helpful to have a post that’s more about curly hair in general and how the Curly Girl Method can help your curls.
I stumbled upon the Curly Girl Method by accident nearly four years ago when I was looking for a new effective product for my curly hair. It changed everything about my curls and how I take care of my hair.
This post is written for anyone looking for curly hair tips who may not have heard of the Curly Girl Method before. Here, we’ll touch on what the Curly Girl Method is, what it can do for your curly hair, who it’s good for, and who it’s not a good fit for.
Side note: this page does contain affiliate links, which means if you purchase something using the product links on this page, I may get a small commission. This comes at no extra cost to you and helps keep this site running. Thank you!
What’s the Curly Girl Method?
Simply put, the Curly Girl Method is a curly hair care philosophy that emphasizes cutting out sulfates, silicones and heat, and increasing moisture and conditioning. It was derived from the Curly Girl Handbook by Lorraine Massey.
This post is going to focus on how the curly girl method impacts curly hair, so if you want more specifics on what the method entails, check out this post.
Keep in mind, the details may make the Curly Girl Method seem super complicated, but it absolutely doesn’t have to be! Once you get a handle on the language and the basics, it often gets a lot easier.
You’ll find resources to simplify the Method at the end of this post.
What the Curly Girl Method can do for curly hair
Significantly reduce (or even eliminate) frizz
One issue a lot of people have with curly hair is frizz. One major reason why curly hair frizzes is because it’s too dry. The frizz is actually your hair reaching out for moisture.
The Curly Girl Method teaches you how to properly hydrate your hair. It also teaches you the right styling products to use to help lock in that moisture.
These two elements combined can significantly reduce frizz and even eliminate it for some people.
Create killer curl definition
The care, products, and styling techniques that are a part of the Curly Girl Method lead to curls that are defined and clumped together. This results in beautifully controlled texture and bounce.
Early in my curly girl days, I wasn’t even doing everything right and I had an immediate and noticeable improvement in my curl definition. In fact, I’d never gotten my hair to curl so evenly and naturally prior. (You can read more about this in my before and after post.)
This is just my experience–not everyone’s hair responds so quickly. But I do believe being consistent with the styling techniques alone would give you impressive definition. When you combine it with the other aspects, the results are off the charts.
Simplify your curly hair care and give you reliable curls
First, it needs to be known that the Curly Girl Method does come with a bit of a learning curve. Your hair is likely underhydrated, and it’ll take some time to get enough moisture into to see sustainable results. You also have to learn your unique hair type and uncover the products and ingredients that work best for you.
But in the long term, it has made caring for my curly hair easier than I ever thought imaginable. I straightened my hair all through high school because my curls were so unpredictable. Plus, if I wanted any chance at presentable curls, it meant getting up at 5:30 AM so I could start my day with wet hair, and I am not a morning person.
Now, I only wet my hair 1-2 times a week. Most days I can literally sleep in my curls, refresh them in less than a minute, and leave the house.
When I first found the Curly Girl Method, I dismissed it because of the learning curve and transition. But now that I’m nearly four years in, I have no regrets. If anything, I wish I started sooner.
Who the Curly Girl Method is for
Anyone with curly or wavy hair
This hair care method is for anyone with curly hair, but it’s also for people with wavy hair.
According to Lorraine Massey, if your hair frizzes, there’s a curl to be found. So if your hair has any type of wave, curl, or texture, it’s likely the Curly Girl Method would be able to bring out and enhance your hair’s true shape.
Anyone willing to be patient, observant, and learn their unique hair
Again, there is a bit of a learning curve. It can vary from person to person, so it’s hard to say how long it would take for you. I’d say the average is probably between 2-6 months.
Personally, it took me about a year to feel like I really got the hang of things. And while some of this was frustrating, I was overall seeing too much progress and positive results at each step to give up.
I also really enjoyed getting to learn my hair. For me, it felt like finally getting to know a part of myself that often felt out of control. I genuinely liked getting to meet myself in this way, but it definitely took some time and patience.
Who the Curly Girl Method isn’t for
Anyone looking for a quick fix
I saw positive results pretty quickly, but there was a lot of fine-tuning–especially early on. It was also a lot more work in the beginning.
Most curly girls (myself included) have really dry hair at the start. This is because of the time spent under-moisturizing and overheating prior to the start of the Curly Girl Method.
Because of this, you’ll likely be spending more time caring for your hair before your time commitment gets more minimal.
Anyone with straight hair looking for curly hair
The curly girl method enhances a person’s natural curl, but it won’t create curls in straight hair.
But like we talked about, it will enhance waves and curls in wavy hair. If your hair has any wave or texture to it, it’s very possible that there’s more of a curl than you realize. If this is the case, then the Curly Girl Method can help bring that texture out! But it won’t actually change your natural texture.
And once again, if your hair frizzes, it’ll likely curl. But if your hair is super straight and frizz-free, the Curly Girl Method won’t be a good fit for you.
Anyone who really loves heat styling
Part of the Curly Girl Method is cutting out heat styling (straighteners, curly irons, high-heat blow-drying, etc). Though I personally don’t heat style, I think you can get away with it on occasion and still consider yourself to be following the Curly Girl Method.
Because I heat styled for years, for me, cutting these cords was really freeing. But if you love playing around with heat styling and experimenting with different textures in your hair, this may feel limiting and restrictive. If that’s the case, the Curly Girl Method may not be for you.
One final note
You can be as strict or relaxed about the Curly Girl Method as you’d like. At the end of the day, it’s your hair, and you should always feel free to take the parts that work for you and ditch what doesn’t.
If you’d like to learn more about how to make the Curly Girl Method work for you, check out these posts:
- The Curly Girl Method Simplifed
- How to Be Less Strict About the Curly Girl Method
- The Curly Girl Method Quick Start Guide
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 tried the curly girl method, how did it affect your curly hair? If you haven’t, is there anything you’re especially curious about it? Tell us about your experience! Be sure to tell us a little about your hair type too!