A simple guide to the Curly Girl method for beginners

You’re pretty sure you have curly hair, but no matter how hard you try you just can’t seem to achieve those coveted ringlets. Enter the Curly Girl method, a regiment of products and hair-care methods designed to foster and enhance the curls that are hiding somewhere in that frizzy nest. But how do you do the Curly Girl method? What products do you use? The web is riddled with complex and confusing Curly Girl guides, so we’re here to straighten things out (while also curling things up) with our simple guide to starting, following, and maintaining a Curly Hair lifestyle. Let’s turn that mop into a luscious mane.

Things You Should Know

  • Reset your hair with a clarifying shampoo one last time, and stock up on silicone and sulfate-free shampoo, conditioner, and styling products.
  • Follow the Curly Girl method by washing your scalp once a week with sulfate-free shampoo, and conditioning 2-3 times a week with silicone-free conditioner.
  • Detangle your hair in the shower, then step out and apply Curly Girl-friendly styling products like gels or mousses. Then, dry your hair with a microfiber towel.
  • Give your hair 3-4 weeks to adjust to the new routine, and have it trimmed every 3-4 months to maintain your new, voluminous curls.
Section 1 of 3:

What is the Curly Girl Method?

  1. The CGM is a product regimen and washing schedule for curly hair. It was originally conceived by hair stylist Lorraine Massey (and adapted from many hair care methods used by Black stylists) to help struggling people with curly hair achieve their best ‘do, and to keep their curls healthy, full, and glamorous.[1] Since then, it’s been adopted, practiced, and customized by many people who want healthier curly hair.
    • The CGM cuts damaging hair products in favor of curl-friendly products. Products that include gentler ingredients like oils, butters, and minerals are used instead.[2]
    • The CGM utilizes special hair care and styling methods. The products you use are only half of the method. The other half involves particular guidelines for detangling, drying, and styling.
    • The CGM also stresses the importance of avoiding heating tools, like heated curlers, blow dryers, or even hot water, all of which can dry out your hair and interfere with your curls.
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Section 2 of 3:

The Curly Girl Routine

  1. 1
    Reset your hair with a clarifying shampoo. Moving forward, you’ll ditch your sulfate-based shampoo, but go ahead and wash your scalp one last time with a clarifying shampoo—probably whichever shampoo is in your shower right now. This will scrub out any lingering oils, dirt, and styling products clinging to your hair and give you a fresh canvas to work with.[3]
    • After you’ve done that last wash with that sulfate-based shampoo, toss it! You had a good run together, but you won’t be needing it on your Curly Girl journey.
  2. 2
    Wash your scalp with a cleansing conditioner or sulfate-free shampoo. Begin your routine by wetting your hair in the shower. Then squeeze out a dollop of your Curly Girl cleanser of choice and work it into your scalp with your fingertips. Then, thoroughly rinse it out of your hair with cool water.[4]
  3. 3
    Distribute conditioner throughout all of your hair. This is the cornerstone of the Curly Girl method: condition! Squeeze out a generous dollop of silicone-free conditioner, then squeeze out a little more. Now, look down at the floor so that your hair hangs in front of your face, and work the conditioner into your hair by squishing and scrunching it upward into your hair.[5] Keep applying conditioner until your hair is slick and slippery, then let it rest for 5 minutes.
    • This upward squishing motion encourages your hair to form coils, kickstarting the curling process in the shower.
  4. 4
    Detangle with your fingers or a wide-toothed comb. While your hair is still slick with conditioner, start detangling at the ends and work upward to gently undo any clumps or knots in your hair.[6] It may take a while, but the time and effort will be worth it!
    • It’s important to detangle in the shower with conditioner in your hair. Detangling while your hair is dry will only break up your coils and encourage frizz.
    • Avoid traditional hair brushes, which tend to undo your natural curl pattern. That said, wet brushes or curl-styling brushes are fair game, so long as you use them while your hair is still wet.
  5. 5
    Rinse your hair with cold water. Cold water seals the hair’s cuticles and locks in moisture, which in turn decreases frizz and adds shine. Leave some conditioner in your hair, or reapply a small amount before stepping out of the shower, especially in dry sections like the ends. A small amount of leftover conditioner will give your next styling products a boost, or even act as a final moisturizing step if you choose to do without styling products.[7] .
  6. 6
    Apply styling products to your hair. Curly hair dries out much more easily than straight hair, so it’s best to add curl-friendly, moisturizing products after you shower, but while your hair is still wet. We recommend using either a curly hair gel, or even just more conditioner. Put a generous dollop of product in your hands and rub them together to emulsify. Then, smooth or rake the product upwards into your hair.[8]
    • Use moisturizing hair products, such as lotion-like creams and alcohol-free gels.[9] Look for products that are specifically designed for your curl type (e.g., wavy, tightly curled, or kinky).
    • Many people begin with a leave-in cream or conditioner to decrease frizz, then follow with a gel or mousse for hold and definition.
    • After the leave-in conditioner but before the gel or curl cream is applied, it’s also common to apply a light oil on the hair. This is known as the LOC method (“leave-in, oil, cream”), and doesn't have to be used in this specific order.
  7. 7
    Remove excess moisture with a microfiber towel. Scrunch your hair with a microfiber towel or spare T-shirt to wick away excess moisture. Just as you did in the shower, use upward-squishing motions to encourage coils. Don’t use a standard terrycloth towel—that’ll only sap the moisture from your hair and undo all your hard work.[10]
    • At this point, you might finger-shape your curls by wrapping strands of hair around your pointer finger and keeping it there for 5-10 seconds, to encourage coils.
  8. 8
    Dry your hair with a diffuser or by plopping. Here’s where so many people go wrong: they introduce heat, which dries and frizzes out your hair. Instead, dry your curls by plopping (doing up your hair in a microfiber wrap). Alternatively (or additionally), blow dry your hair with a diffuser attachment on a cold-air setting.[11]
    • To plop, lay a T-shirt or microfiber towel onto a low, flat surface. Then, turn your head upside-down and lower your hair onto the towel. Gather the corners of the towel, and tie them around the base of your neck to create a headwrap. Wear the wrap as long as you can, or until your hair is dry.
    • To cold-diffuse, blow dry your hair with a diffuser attachment, with the blow dryer on a cold setting. Turn your head upside down and dangle your hair over the attachment, and bring the diffuser upward into sections of your hair until it’s dry.
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Section 3 of 3:

How often do I wash my hair using the Curly Girl Method?

  1. 1
    Condition every 2-3 days. Be generous with your conditioner, and use it as a co-wash for your daily hair treatment (though you’ll probably want to only go through the motions every couple days, to save time). This is your go-to way to cleanse, detangle, and moisturize your hair while doing the Curly Girl Method. Conditioner is hugely important for curlies, since it adds and locks in moisture needed to maintain curls.[12]
    • Use your additional styling products any time you condition, or just as you see fit. Some days, just conditioner co-wash will do. Other days, your hair may be a bit dry or frizzed-out, and you may decide you want an extra boost.
  2. 2
    Shampoo once a week. Many people opt to co-wash, which is washing your hair with a conditioner only (sometimes with a specially formulated cleaning conditioner), but many do still shampoo every so often. Go ahead and clean your scalp with a sulfate-free shampoo if your head is feeling overly greasy or itchy.[13]
  3. 3
    Give your hair time to adjust, and tweak your routine as needed. It takes 2 to 6 weeks for your hair to adjust to the Curly Girl method, and it may even look a little worse at first as it learns to embrace the added oils and moisture.[14] Curly hair is a long-term project, so keep at it while your hair recovers from years of harmful shampoos and other damaging products. If a certain shampoo/conditioner combo doesn’t give you the results you want after a few weeks, try different products—everyone’s hair is different, and reacts differently to product.
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Expert Q&A

  • Question
    How should I fix my curly hair if it's been damaged by heat?
    Jenny Tran
    Jenny Tran
    Professional Hair Stylist
    Jenny Tran is a Hair Stylist and the Founder of JT Hair Lab by Jenny Tran based in the Dallas, Texas metro area. With over seven years of professional hair styling experience, Jenny specializes in hair coloring, haircutting, and hair extensions. JT Hair Lab is an authorized carrier of R+Co and of Milbon and is committed to using products with quality ingredients.
    Jenny Tran
    Professional Hair Stylist
    Expert Answer
  • Question
    What ingredients are bad for curly hair?
    Laura Martin
    Laura Martin
    Licensed Cosmetologist
    Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.
    Laura Martin
    Licensed Cosmetologist
    Expert Answer
    Harsh surfactants such as sulfites are bad for curly hair because they cause dryness and frizz. You also want to avoid silicones and other ingredients that repel moisture.
  • Question
    What does CG mean for curly hair?
    Laura Martin
    Laura Martin
    Licensed Cosmetologist
    Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.
    Laura Martin
    Licensed Cosmetologist
    Expert Answer
    CG stands for "Curly Girl" and it is a book and a method of caring for curly hair. The curly girl method involves minimizing shampooing, combing, and other things that dry or disrupt your curl pattern.
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Warnings

  • If you normally straighten your curly hair and then switch to the CG method, it may seem like you are losing a lot of hair when untangling in the shower. Don't panic! It is normal to lose up to 40 to 100 hairs a day through shedding. If you are wearing your hair straight or straighten your hair, it will fall out naturally and you probably won't even notice. If you wear your hair curly, the hair comes out when you untangle; this is why it feels like you are losing more hair.
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  • The Curly Girl method won’t make curly hair out of hair that’s normally straight—it only enhances and cultivates hair that’s already prone to curls.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
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About This Article

Bianca Cox
Co-authored by:
Professional Hair Stylist
This article was co-authored by Bianca Cox and by wikiHow staff writer, Luke Smith, MFA. Bianca Cox is a Hair Stylist, Licensed Cosmetologist, Owner of The Hair Throne, and Co-Owner of Bianchi Salon. Her salons pride themselves on their modernity, individuality, art, and professional services. You can check out The Hair Throne and more of Bianca's hairstyling on Instagram @hairthrone and on her personal Instagram @biancajcox. This article has been viewed 4,943,598 times.
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Co-authors: 120
Updated: March 19, 2023
Views: 4,943,598
Article SummaryX

The Curly Girl Method involves ditching harsh sulfate shampoos and washing your hair with just conditioners instead. This helps prevent frizzy, damaged, and dry hair. To start following the Curly Girl Method, wash your hair one last time using your regular shampoo to remove any built-up silicones. Then, moving forward, only wash your hair with a silicone-free conditioner. When you wash your hair, work the conditioner into your scalp with your fingers. Then, use your hands or a wide-toothed comb to distribute the conditioner down to the ends of your hair. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then rinse your hair with cool water. Apply a silicone-free moisturizing cream or leave-in conditioner to your wet hair for extra hydration. Gently scrunch your hair with a t-shirt or microfiber towel to remove excess moisture, then let your hair air dry. If you’re in a rush, use a blow dryer with a diffuser on a low temperature setting. This will help prevent frizz. It can take 2-6 weeks for your hair to adjust to the Curly Girl Method, so try to stick with it even if you don’t notice a difference right away! To learn more from our Cosmetologist co-author about how often to get your hair trimmed or how to find a stylist, keep reading!

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