Fashion Guide

Embrace your Curls – CGM for Beginners

Do you have those nitty-gritty curls, and don’t know how to take care of them? Then you are in the right place! To start with the basic information, CGM was illustrated and started by Lorraine Massey, who also wrote the book named as Curly Girl Handbook. This method basically makes you enhance and embrace your curls. Along with that, it helps you to find out the natural curl pattern that an individual acquires.

The fundamentals of CGM are pretty easy. These are some of the points you need to remember before and while doing Curly Girl Method:

  • All you have to do is not to use heat on your hair.
  • Do not use your regular shampoo (that does not mean you do not need to cleanse).
  • And most importantly you must not brush your hair, not at all.
  • DO NOT! We mean never use silicon, waxes, or Dry Alcohol Products on your hair.
  • Point to be noted: the product which is working for another curly girl might not work for you. You have to be patient with the products and your curls.
  • Also, you have to remember one thing while working with your curls, Patience is the key.

Embracing the Curls with CGM Step-by-step

These are the steps you need to follow when you are doing the curly girl method. Of course, it is not a simple process to follow, but the fruit is pretty mesmerizing.

1st Step: Final Wash

It’s your final wash, as the name suggests it is basically removing all the build-up from your hair and scalp. Silicon and waxes make your hair with zero Moisture. And the main fundamental of CGM, your curls require moisture. This step is basically to clarify your scalp. You must use Curly Girl Friendly Shampoo for that. Clarifying shampoo is very significant for removing all that build-up from your hair, that makes your hair all blank without any product and your curls would feel like a blank canvas. The next step must be really quick as fresh hair are pretty prone to dry quickly.

2nd Step: Co-Wash

Co-wash, short-term for conditioner wash. In this step, you have to use conditioner instead of shampoo. Are we sounding a little bit insane? No, it is true. Co-wash is the step where you will use conditioner the same way you use shampoo. Yes! On your scalp, on your strands! All you have to do is just trust the process. Flip your hair, wet them under the water, and hang them upside down. Now, take some curly girl-approved conditioner, and rub thoroughly on your scalp and strands. You must use your fingertips and not your nails to massage the conditioner. Now rinse the conditioner, and reapply the conditioner and detangle with the fingers or the wide-tooth comb.

3rd Step: Scrunch

As you have detangled your knots in the second step, it’s time to scrunch out those clumps. Add some conditioner on your hand and start scrunching your droopy wet hair upwards. This method is called “Squish to Condish”. Why? When your hair makes a squishy sound, that means they are getting proper conditioning. Now rinse all or most, the choice is yours (you have to check what works for you the best). Do not mess up your hair with your hands and just run water through your hair while rinsing out the conditioner. Also, when you have rinsed out the conditioner, continue with the scrunching.

4th Step: Styling

Styling is the most important step in CGM as it will give your curls the perfect look. Likewise, styling is the step where you can use your own senses to go with. Some people do styling on the droopy wet hair and some do on little dried hair or after micro-plopping. Basically, micro-plopping is the technique where you wrap your hair in a microfiber towel or an old t-shirt. The products you can use are subsequently gels, curl-defining creams, or a mousse.

5th Step: Drying

Do not touch your hair! No! You can either air-dry your hair, or you can use a diffuser with a low warm setting. While air drying it takes a lot more time if you have some urgency you can go for diffusing. Once your hair is absolutely dry you can scrunch out the cast from your hair which is generally made while using a gel or a mousse.

Conclusion

CGM is basically a method that curlies are going crazy for. This is because the effect it has on curly hair just does subtle and absolutely classic. You can use certain products, but at first, you have to try and test these products on your hair. If you want to enhance and embrace your curls, then this Curly Girl Method is very appropriate for you.