What is the Curly Girl Method and how to start: a step-by-step guide with tips
In 2001, "Curly Girl: The Handbook" was published, a manual describing a new way to care for curly hair. Since then, the so-called Curly Girl Method (CGM) was born, a system that outlines a routine for caring for curls to achieve significant hair improvement.
But is a special method really necessary for curly hair? Absolutely yes.
But were there really no known rules for curly hair care before? Again, the answer is yes, and we have always maintained that.
This is why the e-commerce www.afroricci.com was opened, to provide Italian girls with all the ideal products, perhaps not accessible in Italy, and that only contained beneficial ingredients for the care of curly hair, which requires different attention compared to the straight hair of the majority.
This is because even today, and even more so 20 years ago, most products on the market contain aggressive ingredients full of silicones, sulfates, parabens, and petroleum jelly that definitely damage the hair.
It is also true that many girls are only now discovering that to have healthy and visibly beautiful curls, specific care is needed, made of the right products and "rules" to follow.
The main ones to keep in mind and make basic in our daily routine are:
- Avoid products containing alcohol and silicones.
- Stop using high-temperature blow dryers, flat irons, and curling irons.
- Do not use brushes or combs with teeth that are too close together, and never on dry hair.
- Limit the use of sulfate shampoos.
- Protect your hair overnight.
These recommendations are common to the so-called CGM, which, however, envisions a real beginning that we do not share, as we believe that hair care is a journey of self-love and discovery of what benefits our hair and what does not, without impositions.
The initial phase of the CGM hair care routine involves a final wash, which is the last shampoo that prepares the hair and detoxifies it from silicones; from this moment on, there's no turning back. For this purpose, a shampoo with sulfates but without silicones should be chosen, like the Cream Shampoo by Ciao Bellissima
We, instead, recommend using a purifying wash once a month to prevent product buildup on the scalp.
With the exception of this step, the CGM describes the steps we have always suggested for your hair care, for which you can find the products in our kits.
WASH - CONDITIONING - STYLING
Step 1: WASH
The ideal wash in the CGM involves the sole use of Co-wash, which means conditioner instead of shampoo.
At Afroricci, we offer two co-washes and a low-poo, which is a cleansing cream with a low surfactant content.
1) Ciao Bellissima Detangling Conditioner, Mask and Co-Wash for Dry, Damaged and Tangled Hair
2) Ciao Bellissima Moisturizing and Gentle Foam-Free Cream Shampoo
Regarding washing frequency, according to the CGM, hair should be washed once a week or every 10 days, but we also recommend a couple of times a week depending on how your scalp feels, always with the aim of avoiding product buildup.
Step 2: CONDITIONING
After cleansing, a Conditioner is applied, which, left on for at least 5 minutes, has the function of moisturizing the hair and allowing us to detangle knots formed between washes.
The CGM suggests that you can also choose not to rinse out the conditioner, because its moisturizing properties will continue to work in the days following the wash, while for this purpose we suggest using leave-in conditioners, referred to as Leave-ins below.
The Afroricci brand offers the conditioner from the Ciao Bellissima line, already mentioned, and the conditioner from the Rock 'n Curls line.
ROCK 'n' CURLS Conditioner for Curly Hair - Butter My Knots
Afroricci's leave-ins, however, are 3:
- Ciao Bellissima Silk Drops leave-in, with a moisturizing and anti-frizz effect.
- Ciao Bellissima super moisturizing milk, ideal for very dry and damaged hair
-Ciao Bellissima Chantilly Curl Defining Cream 300 ml
Step 3: STYLING AND DRYING
Styling involves using products of different consistencies depending on the type of curls, ranging from lighter products like mousses, intermediate products like leave-ins and gels, or richer products like creams.
Here are all the Afroricci styling products; there's an embarrassment of riches, but in this article, we won't delve into styling techniques or how to choose products, for which we refer you to our Facebook group Afroricci group and the consultations always available on our social media pages.
Ciao Bellissima Silk Drops leave-in
Ciao Bellissima Curl Activating Serum Gel 
Ciao Bellissima Chantilly Defining Cream for Curly Hair
Ciao Bellissima Chantilly Defining Cream for Curly and Afro Hair
The general rule, for all hair types, is not to wring them out after washing, applying products directly to soaking wet hair. Does this remind you of something we always tell you?
In the CGM, it is recommended to dry hair without a hairdryer.
We, however, recommend starting partial drying by wrapping hair either in a microfiber towel or a cotton T-shirt (Plopping technique) and then using a hairdryer with a diffuser, with low heat and low power.
The CGM specifies a category of products to be used exclusively, and you've probably heard of apps where you can enter the ingredient list of your product to check if it's approved by the method.
However, when we sum it up, we've seen that the ingredients to absolutely avoid are well known, and the preferred ones are essentially natural ingredients.
One thing we often hear from those who have embraced this new technique is that initially, the hair needs to adapt to this new routine and may not show immediate improvement.
We believe that using the right products and the correct application and care technique will produce a noticeable effect within a couple of months.
These photos, kindly provided by Monica, allow us to evaluate an incredible result in just a few months since she went from a complete lack of information about curls and product awareness to discovering the Afroricci world.
"I had never really given importance to my curly hair, as I often straightened it and honestly didn't even believe that one product over another could make a difference; I had always seen it as dry and frizzy, and that's why I didn't like myself.
After bleaching it, however, I started to realize that I was irreparably damaging it and decided to trust Alice, the founder of Afroricci, and her products. Needless to say, I can't do without them since then. Any other product I've tried has never given me the same results."
