Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Curly Girl (Method) No More: Why I Gave it Up

Hey Beauties and Gents! As many of you who have followed me from the beginning know, I was a HUGE cheerleader for the Curly Girl Method.(Read about it here) I was so excited to find a hair regimen that kept my unruly curls moisturized and defined...Yay me! Until...I got bored. Yep--bored. You're probably saying to yourself, "Of all the reasons to stop a regimen, this chick chooses BOREDOM? Really?" There are several other reasons that I'll discuss here as well, so read on.

 Reason #1: You're not supposed to use oils...wait...WHAT? 
If your natural mane is anything like mine, it requires two key elements for health and strength. Moisture and OIL. When I started using the CG Method, I used a rinse-out conditioner as my leave-in (Tresemme Flawless Curls), my castor/coconut/grapeseed oil mixture to seal in the moisture provided by my leave-in, and Eco Styler Olive Oil gel to style my wash-and-go (WNG). This routine worked well for me, and I shouted it to the rooftops...until I got my hand slapped by a "veteran " CGer. More than a little annoyed, I did some research, and lo and behold, the CG Method discourages using oil. The only time CGers should use it? Deep conditioning and/or hot oil treatments. Knowing that my hair NEEDS oil as a sealant to help retain moisture, this posed a huge problem for me.



Reason #2: Limited hair product options AKA a product junkie's nightmare!
 Here's the thing--I wouldn't consider myself a full-on product junkie. BUT...one of the most fun things about returning to natural for me is getting to try out lots of natural products on these strands of mine. (I'm a sucker for a product that smells good and feels good on my hair lol.)Some of my favorite products like Shea Moisture Curl and Style Milk, BelNouvo CoCo Castor Pudding, the entire Beautiful Textures line, and of course, Qhemet Biologics all contain oils. However, following the CG Method cuts out many of the butters, creams, and oils that my hair responds to--a definite no-go for me.

Reason #3: BOREDOM...If I do one mo' WNG...
 Don't get it twisted--the wash-and-go will ALWAYS be my go-to style. When I need to get fab for work or play quickly, there's nothing like a quick co-wash, shake, and go. However, with 11 months of naturalness under my belt, I need more styling options for this hair of mine. The TWA days are over, and I am firmly entrenched in the "awkward length phase". The good news is that I can now do mini-twists, twist-outs (even though they only last for two days SMH), French braids, half-updos, and so on. As my hair grew longer, I began to look for Curly Girl styling options, and I only came across ponytails (I ain't there yet--I can do a mini-pony), buns (I can only bun with Marley hair), and of course, the WNG. As a relaxed chick, I wore my hair in a wrap/bob for FIFTEEN years. Can you imagine how boring and dull I must have seemed in my quest to "conform"? Tuh--as a natural, I REFUSE to confine myself to the same hairstyle 24/7.
The relaxed days..My standard bob
Month 10: Twist-out and texture!

Do I think the Curly Girl Method is bad or evil? Absolutely not! The CG Method served as a great learning tool for me as a new natural. You can't beat the simplicity of using water, conditioner, and gel to maintain your curls. However, it definitely has its limitations, and as I continue to mature in my journey, I realize that following it strictly just doesn't work for me. I do still use the styling technique (especially when I'm in a hurry), and I would still recommend it to a curly-haired natural who needs an easy-to-follow regimen. As for me, I'll continue to tweak my regimen and enjoy my curls.


Until next time...Peace, love, and curls. :-)

9 comments:

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    1. Thanks! I hope that you and others find it helpful. :-)

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  2. Bummer to the curly girl method. Won't be trying it when I big chop..:(
    Great post!!!!!!:)

    Randomjamaican.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks for the love! The great thing about a regimen is the flexibility. If you want to try it, go for it! Worst case scenario: you cowash again and start over. :-)

      Continue to enjoy your journey, and keep us posted on your big chop!

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  3. No harm intended but if your hair was doing okay with the addition of oils, why did you not continue using that rather than give it up all together?

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  4. BTW Flawless Curls by Tresemme has dimethicone in it, so it wouldn't be CG friendly. You should try Tresemme Naturals conditioner (CG friendly), it's really popular with curly girls. Also, Coconut oil is a good CG friendly oil when used lightly, or as a pre-poo.

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  5. I say you should do whatever works best for you, if your hair responds well to oils, use oils! And more and more CG friendly products are out there now!

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  6. Why can't you style your hair however you want on cg? It's just a moisturizing method not a style strictly. You can add your moisture then twist if you want to

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  7. Why can't you style your hair however you want on cg? It's just a moisturizing method not a style strictly. You can add your moisture then twist if you want to

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