Curly hair care is all a rage now, with everyone throwing their two cents on it. Yes, the popularity of the Curly Girl Method has been nothing short of viral. Do I love it? Do I hate it? Does it work for me to any extent? I have been rocking my curls even before the CGM came into being. I have requested hairstylists over the years, to cut my hair in styles, which will suit my natural texture, which will look great when air-dried. I have been conscious of the kind of hair products that I use. So you can see this post has been on the back burner for a long time. I have naturally textured hair. Is it curly, is it wavy? What kind of curls do I have?
I grew up in the 80s when big perms were big. Then came the late 90s and 2000s with the chemically rebonded poker-straight hair became everyone's cup of coffee. While I skipped the perms, as I was blessed with textured hair, I can confess that I went through years and years of getting my hair chemically straightened. Not the best of my beauty decisions. Add to that I have had colored hair for decades now.
While the Curly Girl Method has its followers, I can tell you that I do not follow it 100%. I have grown up with some amazing hairstylists taking care of my hair. And the trend continues with my current amazing hairstylist - Amanda Pogue, of Studio A Salon KC, who has been taking care of my hair for more than a decade now. If there's one thing that I have learned from these amazing hair professionals over the years, is that any beauty/hair trend should not be followed blindly. So just because I have curly/textured hair, that does not mean the most popular Youtube/social media post on the CGM will work for me.
What matters in understanding not only your curl type, but also your climate? Which part of the world do you stay in? The YouTuber that you are following stays in Florida and you live in the Midwest. She is creating her hair care routine based on the fact that there is 30% humidity and you might just have 80% humidity. So before I start off rattling my curly hair care routine, let me tell you a little bit about myself.
If we try to classify my curl type, then they are a mix of 2A-2C curls. I live in the Midwest and I wash my hair every single day. Yes, I cannot sleep if I haven't wet my hair after I get back home from work. I have been sulfate-free for over a decade now, as I saw the difference it made to the natural texture of my hair. I get my grays touched up every 8 weeks and I get my balayage/foilage/highlights touched up every 16 weeks or so.
I am sharing pictures and shopping links of my favorite curly hair care products - drug store edition. Sulfate, silicone, and paraben-free is the way to go. On my shampoo days, I shampoo and condition my hair. When my hair is still dripping wet, I use a leave-in conditioner to detangle. Then I use a gel-oil combo, in the praying hand method and rake it through the length of my hair. Then I scrunch my hair. The water in my hair emulsifies the gel-oil product or the gel. Then I plop up my hair with a shower cap lined with a microfiber lining, for around 30 minutes. If I have time, I will let my hair air-dry, or else I will diffuse it. Only when my hair is completely dry, will I start to scrunch out the gel cast. I am left with soft curls, which are manageable.
If you have textured hair like mine, I would love to hear what works for you. Embrace the natural texture of your hair, as its fabulous!
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