The ‘Curly Girl’ Revival

Posted on 4 February, 2019

Gone are the days of dead straight hair hidden under artfully-styled Noughties-era floppy beanies.

Enter the age of ‘curlies’ as they come out from behind their curtain of heat-styling and chemical treatments. The past few years have seen a huge growth in the interest in encouraging natural curls, both in the fashion world and in local salons. The ‘Curly Girl’ Method, popularised by Lorraine Massey, has developed a cult following, with dedicated Facebook groups and websites based all over the world.

In Lorraine’s words, “Frizz is a curl waiting to happen” and she encourages an approach that moves away from punitive containment and towards nourishing the natural. Lorraine’s method is for anyone with wavy to coily hair, whether fine or thick, or simply those who want to create more natural texture in their style. It aims to minimise damage and promote hair recovery while encouraging richer patterns and boosted volume. Central principles of less shampoo and more conditioner make it similar to other methods like ‘low-poo’ and ‘co-washing’.

Ultimately, there is room to pick and choose from the list of tips below as to what suits different hair types and daily routines.

Understanding Texture Types

Curly hair can be divided into three broad categories – wavy, curly and coily – with each category having sub-gradations of A, B and C that classify the tightness of curl patterns. Different products and formula intensities suit different types, in addition to factoring in hair thickness, amount and porosity (which affects the hair’s ability to absorb moisture). There are many tests and example images online which can help prospective Curly Girls to determine what will work best for them.

Switch-Up Product Ingredients

A central premise of the Curly Girl method is abandoning products full of unhelpful chemicals like sulphates, silicones and alcohols in favour of natural alternatives. While such agents can be effective cleansing agents, they are often substituted for substances that will ultimately be more beneficial to hair health.

Sulphates are known also to reduce the vibrancy of coloured hair. Silicones coat the hair to give it slip rather than penetrating the hair shaft to deliver moisture, which can dry out your hair in the long term by reducing its porosity. Instead look for protein-rich formulas and ingredients like acids and glycerin. Also avoid artificial fragrances, especially if scalp sensitivity is an issue. 

Cleansing with a Difference

Rather than shampooing every few days, the Curly Girl method advocates shampooing as little as possible, with once a week being the highest recommended frequency. While hair may take a while to adjust, by reducing how often the hair is stripped of its natural oils, it is given the chance to restore its condition.

This can involve a gradual adjustment period with some greasy days, but this offers the perfect opportunity to get creative with styling. At the end of the day, the results for hair health will be worth it and our water systems will thank you too, with sulphate and silicone free options being better for the environment.

All About Hydration

Be prepared to finally go through those bottles of conditioner that seem to last forever faster than the shampoo. Instead of using stripping agents to cleanse the scalp, conditioner can be massaged thoroughly to remove oil build-up and lift residue. Depending on hair type, thicker conditioning balms and treatments can be used every so often as a leave in to increase moisture absorption and also provide the hair with some definition.

Gels can also be incorporated to lock-in hydration and maintain the style over a number of days. Key product ingredients to look for are humectants and natural emollients, like nut oils and shea butter.

Heat Styling Overhaul

Put the flat irons and tongs down! While heat styling is a great quick fix to frizzy hair, in the long term, the hair follicle can accumulate damage, resulting in more breakage and fuzz. To create shape and tame the mop, opt instead for no-heat options like rollers or curl coils to sleep in while the hair is wet, or just let it air dry.

Alternatively, opt for the low heat of a hair dryer diffuser to create more defined curls and ensure that moisture isn’t dried out of the hair completely. At the end of the day, hair can’t be ‘un-fried’. While the temptation to tame may be there, avoid over-brushing or combing, as this will loosen curl patterning.

Try a New Cut

More and more salons are bringing curly hair experts on board or training their staff in dry cutting. In fact, there are even entire salons that specialise in curly hair techniques. A common complaint of many ‘curlies’ is that their style springs up to a much shorter length than what it is when cut while their hair is wet. Dry cutting techniques treat each curl individually and emphasis shaping the style in its usual state. After all, not many people wear their hair wet as their regular style!

While the curly girl routine isn’t necessarily for everyone, it could be the much-needed hair overhaul that will work towards creating a more defined and spirited head of hair. The routine is also a great way to increase hair health and reduce reliance on expensive and time-consuming hair treatments and tools.

There is no need to throw out all products and buy expensive treatments either: take on as many or as few tips as suits. With increasing inclusivity in the beauty sphere, curls are not set to go away anytime soon.