One Month of the Curly Girl Method

At the start of April, I had been working from home for about a month, and had adjusted to the "new normal." Well, as adjusted as you can get in the middle of a global pandemic. Like most others, I started to get antsy, wanting to try something new--I figured now was the time to finally learn to love my curly hair.

I've had super curly hair for most of my life. In Filipino culture, sleek and straight hair is revered. You can see it all over ads and stars in films! Well, that meant I never learned to manage it. Most just perm their hair straight (which I definitely did, but won't again!). This also meant a love-hate relationship with my 'unruly' mane and a desire to embody what I saw in pop culture. At 13, I learned to use a flat iron and had used heat on my hair ever since.

Day 1

Now, I'm 23 and quarantine has encouraged me to love myself more than ever, starting with hair.

What's the Curly Girl Method?

From what I gauged online, the Curly Girl Method is essentially how to take proper care of curly hair to ensure your best curls. It involves sulfate-free shampoos (low-poo) or co-washing (conditioner-only washing), moisturizing hair masks, leave-in conditioners, and hair gel.

It's definitely a trial-and-error method because everyone's curls are different (and honestly, I'm still not 100% sure what my hair is). I started with reading articles and watching others' experiences with this method, then started researching products that worked for those whose hair texture was similar to mine! Cue ordering several products (e.g. silk pillow cases, wide-tooth combs, gel, new shampoo & conditioner).

Top: NY&Co

So in my first few days (maybe weeks...), I followed what others did and it seemed to work? I wasn't sure. I did know I felt my hair was too heavy and "crunchy," but wasn't sure if it was normal. After the 2nd week or so, I experimented and changed up my method. Here's what I did differently:

• Conditioner all over my hair --> conditioning only my ends
• Way more leave-in conditioner than I was using
• Way less gel than I was using and farther away from my roots

Those small changes I made were a GAME CHANGER. My hair was so soft (because I hadn't used heat in a few weeks) and my curls were SO bouncy!

What I learned after 1 month

Even though it's only been one month, my hair has transformed SO much and my curls are happier than they've ever been! I'm still learning and might still be making mistakes, but I'm so excited to see where this journey takes me.

Honestly, the biggest change is within myself. I've grown to LOVE how curly my hair is, and don't see it as frizzy or unmanageable. The only reason I thought that before? I didn't know how to style my natural hair properly.

Quick PSA: 'Natural' hair refers to your natural hair texture. Curly hair is a lot of maintenance, so when women (especially our black sisters) refer to their natural hair, it's referring to the hair growing out of their heads. And that can still mean styling and showing your hair some love!

This blog post isn't an in-depth tutorial on the Curly Girl Method (CGM) because I don't feel qualified to teach that, but there are SO many great resources out there for you curly-haired gals! 

• Curlsbot.com is an online tool that can analyze ingredients in products and tell you whether or not they're CGM-approved.
• NaturallyCurly.com gives you tons of content and tips, as well as a quiz to help you figure out your kind of curl!
• YouTube has tons of curly-haired gurus that encourage you to love your natural hair! Find one that speaks to you, but also keep in mind that everyone's hair is different.

Though I won't say I'm never going to use heat on my hair (honestly, I want to use my curler for funsies!), I will say that I'll be decreasing my usage and will probably only ever use heat when I want something different! 

Now, let's round-up some products I LOVED for my hair:

• Love, Beauty, Planet Coconut Mimosa Shampoo and Conditioner
• Not Your Mother's Tahitian Gardenia Flower & Mango Butter Curl Defining Combing Cream
• Scrunchies
• Silk pillow cases

Still on the hunt for other hair masks and gels, so if you've got suggestions, let me know! And let me know if I should write about my own routine.

My next steps are to be more comfortable wearing my natural hair in more professional/dressed-up environments. I'm sure plenty of curly-haired people can relate when I say it's hard to break the habit of 'sleeking out' your hair to look more professional. But it's something I'm going to work on in my journey of more self-love!

Day 30

The next adventure? Loving my bare face!