# Anyone out there use the Curly Girl method?



## unregistered358967 (Jul 17, 2013)

i.e. conditioner-only washing? I gotta say, it's made such a huge difference in my hair which now is really wavy from the top to the bottom. It comes out of my head wavy now which never used to be the case. It was always flat on top.


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## gracielagata (Jun 24, 2013)

I actually go farther and use a baking soda, tea tree oil, water mix as shampoo, and ACV water mix as conditioner. And I only use them barely 1x per week, water rinsing the other days. It works even better than conditioner only for my curly hair


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## SageLady (Jun 10, 2008)

Are you saying using conditioner only will make straight hair wavy or curly?

That would be awesome! If so, I'll try it...


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## Narshalla (Sep 11, 2008)

SageLady said:


> Are you saying using conditioner only will make straight hair wavy or curly?
> 
> That would be awesome! If so, I'll try it...


Nope, the Curly Girl method is a way of treating curly hair; it's not going to help if your hair is unrepentant straight, like mine is.

My daughter uses it, as does my friends and their daughters ( and my FIL, too!) 

It doesn't work for me because of my straight hair, but I do use some of the principles, namely, I don't use shampoo unless I really need it -- I don't have a 'schedule' anymore, like I used to.

ETA: If your hair tends to be naturally wavy, this will bring out the waves and make them more manageable, too, even for short hair!


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## Ceilismom (Jul 16, 2011)

I do the conditioner-only wash faithfully in the fall, spring and winter. In summer, I find that I need to use a sulfate-free shampoo for my scalp, but try to use it sparingly. My hair has never looked so good!


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## gracielagata (Jun 24, 2013)

SageLady said:


> Are you saying using conditioner only will make straight hair wavy or curly?
> 
> That would be awesome! If so, I'll try it...


Def. everyone else is correct, that it won't do anything to make straight hair curly. 
*But* when I was looking up information about using the method I do, several women who use it said their hair got more body than they had ever had before. I think the shampoo and conditioner weigh their hair down. One woman even went from her straight after pregnancy to super curly back to when she was a kid, that is how much shampoo, conditioner, and over processing had done to it. 
I know traditional shampoo and conditioner weigh my hair down if I use the ones meant for my hair type- curly and dry. If I use the stuff that is meant to add more body and curl, it does that decently, but to the detriment of my hair it seemed. Baking Soda and ACV don't seem to have harmed my hair at all. And it is cheap! (and refreshing in the summer! Winter, not so much! lol)


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## tallpines (Apr 9, 2003)

What is ACV?


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## katheh (Jul 21, 2012)

It is apple cider vinegar.


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## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

I have been attempting to get my hair accustomed to shampooing less often by stretching out time between washings. When I washed my hair every day, by the next day it was so oily I'd have to wash it again. I now wash twice a week at most and my hair doesn't get oily like it did. I haven't tried baking soda yet, but I really ought to give it a shot. I use ACV when my hair is feeling weighted down by the all-natural shea products I use. My hair is stick straight, and oily enough that I've never even considered conditioner only.


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## gracielagata (Jun 24, 2013)

Taylor R. said:


> I have been attempting to get my hair accustomed to shampooing less often by stretching out time between washings. When I washed my hair every day, by the next day it was so oily I'd have to wash it again. I now wash twice a week at most and my hair doesn't get oily like it did. I haven't tried baking soda yet, but I really ought to give it a shot. I use ACV when my hair is feeling weighted down by the all-natural shea products I use. My hair is stick straight, and oily enough that I've never even considered conditioner only.


From everything I read, the BS and ACV would be perfect for you.  It seemed like everything said that those of us with the extremes- I have super dry straw textured hair, you have oily- the extremes get the most obvious benefit, once you get past the adjustment period. 
You should try it out!


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## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

I just might, and also on my oldest daughter, as she has that straw-like texture.


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## gracielagata (Jun 24, 2013)

Taylor R. said:


> I just might, and also on my oldest daughter, as she has that straw-like texture.


Taylor R- it is worth a try!! Just go in realizing the first few weeks, your hair is most likely going to look rather gnarly... oily, etc. This is because it is still overproducing oil to make up for using shampoo and conditioner that strip it. 
On my hair, I use very minimal BS, as it seems to do better- So about 1 tablespoon with ~32 oz of warm water, and about 20 drops of tea tree oil, since I have a really itchy scalp all the time. 
That lasts me about 5-6 washings, as my hair is 3/4 of the way down my back and really thick.


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## Jakk (Aug 14, 2008)

Yes! I am on day 21 of trying the CG method. I have yet to have a "good" hair day, but it will hopefully get better. I had chemically straightened my hair a few months ago so I did a big chop and I'm waiting for the rest of the straightener to work it's way out and then it might look decent. As of right now, I look like I just got out of bed... every day.


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## gracielagata (Jun 24, 2013)

Jakk said:


> Yes! I am on day 21 of trying the CG method. I have yet to have a "good" hair day, but it will hopefully get better. I had chemically straightened my hair a few months ago so I did a big chop and I'm waiting for the rest of the straightener to work it's way out and then it might look decent. As of right now, I look like I just got out of bed... every day.


When it is all adjusted you will be able to go out with bed head and like it! Or maybe I just quit caring! lol It def. takes time I imagine with the chemically straightened that makes a diff.


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## Chez J (Jun 15, 2013)

What do you do about sweat? In this summer heat of 100+ I sweat rivers from my scalp on down to my toes. Seems like I'd want a "wash." Does conditioner only do that?


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## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

A plain rinse takes care of regular sweat okay for me, just washes the saltiness out.


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## Ceilismom (Jul 16, 2011)

Chez J said:


> What do you do about sweat? In this summer heat of 100+ I sweat rivers from my scalp on down to my toes. Seems like I'd want a "wash." Does conditioner only do that?


The cheap VO5 or Suave conditioners that a lot of people use have surfactants in them, they're just not as harsh as shampoo. That said, in the summer, I do use mild shampoo if I've been sweating in the garden all day, but many people only use shampoo once every week or two, or even less often. You would still use your fingers to briskly massage the conditioner into your scalp and loosen dirt, oil and dead skin cells.


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## unregistered358967 (Jul 17, 2013)

Sorry..was on vacation.

If your hair isn't curly or wavy to begin with, it will not make a difference. 

I've been using the Devacurl line and it seems to be working well. Right now I wash it every 4th of 5th day. It took about a month for my hair to adjust. I first washed it every other day for a bit...then every 3 days...and now every 4 or 5 days. It has adjusted and feels less itchy than it originally did. It's slowed down oil production.

Every so often, maybe 2x a month I can feel a buildup starting, so instead of using the Devacurl shampoo, I use a bit of Dr. Bronner's as a shampoo, then use the Devacurl condtioner as normal. 

I then plop my hair (google for instructions on this), then after a bit I take off the floursack towel I use, shake it a bit and let it air dry. No product, except for the occasional coconut oil on the ends.

I should add that I'm a runner and do sweat, but when I feel the need, I rinse it in plain water to get rid of the sweat.

Hope this helps..please give it a shot, especially now that we'll be entering cooler weather too..it may be easier to go through a longer period between washing.


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