Have I Ditched The Curly Girl Method? | 2 Month Update

The last month has been an interesting one in terms of curly girl method developments. I started the month hoping to follow the curly girl method, but not caring too much if I had to mix things up. As the month went on, I had some thoughts about my wash routine and hair health and adapted as necessary. Have I ditched the curly girl method with these adaptations? I’m not sure. 

Curly Girl 2 Month Update

Week 1 

We’re starting this post on the same Sunday that my month one post went up. I decided once I reintroduced shampoo that I would use it for a few weeks to try and get my hair feeling clean and healthy again before I went back to cowashing. I screwed up this week and accidentally left my hair a little bit too long before I brushed it. Hello frizz, goodbye curl pattern. I was pretty annoyed at myself because the curls seemed to be coming in nicely until I ruined it. It was Friday before my hair started to feel greasy and I made it until Sunday night before I washed it, so the full week and back on track with the weekly washing routine.  

Week 2  

Products used – still sticking with the Noughty shampoo and conditioner for now.  

And this is where the weekly updates end.  

Why they stopped 

A few things contributed to the end of the weekly check-ins. But my hair health is a big one. Once a year I have a huge shed, it happens somewhere between september and november usually, then proceeds to thicken again throughout early winter, and it’s at its full thickness (the thickness I think of as my true hair thickness) throughout spring and summer. It’s annoying, and I hate it. I grew up having very thick hair, that thinned out a bit when I entered my teens. My regular (spring/ summer) hair is the thicker end of normal. So even as it thins in autumn/ winter, it’s not that thin. But I feel bald because it’s a lot less than I’m used to.  

This year, my annual shed took place in September. As I’m editing this in early October, the shed has already stopped and my hair loss is back to normal amounts. But the point I’m trying to make is that messing with my wash routine when I’m shedding and trying new products at that time probably isn’t the best, for my hair health or sanity. I didn’t want to be paranoid that a new product or routine was making it worse. So, I went back to whatever felt right.  

Let’s talk about hair hygiene  

Hair hygiene? There’s no right and wrong amount to wash your hair. If your hair can handle it, it is recommended you wash less so you don’t strip your hair and scalp of natual oils, or get too rough with your hair and accidentally cause more hair loss than necessary. But some people do have really oily hair and need to wash more often.  

To grow healthy hair your follicles shouldn’t be too dirty/ blocked, but they also shouldn’t be too dry. I have a naturally very dry scalp that’s easily irritated. Over washing can make this worse, so I thought the curly girl method might be good for me in that sense.  

However, an irritated scalp = an itchy scalp. Itching can cause more dry skin/ dandruff, which in turn can lead to more build up in the scalp, which can lead to more hair loss.  

You can over analyse each of those scenarios for an eternity, but the message I took away from this is scalp comfort is the most important part of the wash routine.  

What I’m doing now 

I said in my 1 month update that I was going to take month 2 as I found it, alter my products and wash schedules and see what worked out. So, I haven’t been following much of a routine as such for the last few weeks, but a few things have been consistent.  

• I now wash my hair every 5 days – not exactly every 5 days, but on average that’s roughly what it’s working out as. So, slightly more frequently than the once a week curly girl method, although technically speaking most weeks do only have one wash day in them… 
• I’m still using shampoo, but have found a way to use the last of my cowash. 
• By bending the rules a little and keeping my hair consistent in terms of washing when it feels like it needs it, it’s given me a much better outlook on the products I’ve been using and I’ve been able to form more solid opinions on them. 

My wash routine right now is as follows, I shampoo once, then I follow with either the Noughty Hello Wave conditioner, or the Cantu cowash.   

Cowash? 

That’s right – I use the cowash almost as a conditioner now.  

As I noted in the first month, I did get better curls with the cowash, but there was too much residue and my scalp was getting itchy between washes. So, I thought I’d try gentle shampoo followed by the conditioner. And I got the curls, not quite to the extent as I did in the best of month one (I’ll insert of photo of curly girl week 2 below) but a better curl pattern nonetheless.  

My thoughts on the products:  

Okay, so I’m still rotating through my initial haul because I did pick up a fair few items for month one. If I’m honest, there’s only one product from that haul I think I’d try again, and even then, I’m not in love with it.  

Cantu Cowash 

I’ve been through every up and down of the curly girl method with this product. And although it has provided the curls I wanted for the most part, it’s just too much of a headache making it work.  

Noughty Care Taker Shampoo 

This is the product I think I will get again. It does everything it’s supposed to, my scalp is less itchy and irritated when I use this one. However, it’s a bit…flat. As much as it’s less irritated, it doesn’t have as much vitality as it usually does? Used to? Pre curly girl? I’m not sure what the correct phrase to use here is, but you know what I mean. I think I’d keep a bottle of this on the go because it does help my scalp, but I can’t see this being an every wash shampoo going forward.  

Noughty Wave Hello Conditioner 

I don’t like this conditioner at all. But again, it does what it’s supposed to. My curl pattern is better when I use this conditioner, a lot better than it used to be with plain shampoo and conditioner prior to trying this method – BUT my hair is nowhere near nourished enough when I use this. My hair feels quite dry, and I’m definitely going to need something more nourishing than this. If it’s too dry now, it’s going to feel awful in the winter months.  

And this is what my hair is currently looking like. This photo was taken first thing on a Wednesday morning after a Tuesday night hair wash (still a little damp in places) using both of the Noughty products mentioned above.  

Have I ditched the curly girl method? 

Honestly, at this point, I’m not sure. I’m washing more frequently than the curly method says to, but that’s about it. I’m still only using products that fit the curly girl ingredients guidelines, and I’m not using any heat. I guess I’m following a curly girl inspired routine rather than the full method? I’m not sure.  

But I think I’m sticking with the rough plan I have now as I go forward. When it’s time to repurchase a new conditioner, I’m going to get something more nourishing, but I think I’m going to pick up a curl spray/ cream/ gel at the same time to make up for it and hopefully keep the curls. I’m still on the hunt for a winning shampoo, if anyone has any suggestions for me, please feel free to leave some below!  

Have you tried the curly girl method or any of the products mentioned here? What have your experiences been like?  

Until next time, 

Sophie 

 

 

 

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