18 February 2024 , 14:00
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Curly hair can be a real mission to maintain, especially with thousands of products on the market promising to banish frizz - but one hack can change the game in just two washes.
Annie Gouk, from Chorlton, spent 10 years religiously plaiting her hair every evening in a bid to keep the frizz at bay, reports Manchester Evening News. Then Annie discovered the 'Curly Girl Method' on TikTok and was shocked to see her curls forming after only a couple of washes.
The 27-year-old said: "Whenever I washed my hair I could see the curl when it was drying, but it would go frizzy and straw-like unless I plaited it. Now, the fact I can have that natural curl and it look good is amazing. It was always there. I really love it and I’m only in wash two so it can only get better."
Annie learned about the Curly Girl method on TikTok (ManchesterEveningNews WS)The Curly Girl Method was created by hairstylist Lorraine Massey, who published a handbook on the technique in 2010. Now a number of women have been sharing their incredible before and after photos on social media, which is where Annie learned about it.
Annie explained: "The main rule is to avoid certain ingredients in hair products, including sulfates, which is what makes shampoos lather which can strip natural oils from the hair, and silicones, which are usually used in conditioners to put softness back into the hair."
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But Annie is avoiding shampoo altogether, and uses a silicone-free conditioner instead - a method dubbed 'no-poo'.
To correctly cleanse the hair with conditioner you need to massage your scalp gently for a few minutes until it creates a natural lather - you can also buy a massage brush to help.
The data journalist continued: "Some people may think the hair will go greasy if it’s not been shampooed. But that's why you massage to get rid of product buildup. Silicones will actually weigh down your hair and give it that greasy look and feel."
Before Annie tried this method (ManchesterEveningNews WS)The next mistake you're probably making is wrapping your hair in a towel, as this makes your hair frizzy.
Annie does a process called 'plopping' for about 15 minutes. She explained: "You tip your head upside and place the hair into a cotton t-shirt. I personally use a long-sleeved t-shirt so I can use the arms to tie it together.
"Regular towels are a Curly Girl sin so you could use microfiber towels. The process helps the curls form in the first place and gets out excess water.
"If you're being strict, you'll avoid any heat and let it air dry. But you could use a low-heat setting with a diffuser and hover the hairdryer over your hair at a distance instead if you don't have time to let it dry naturally."
Then once you've completed all of these steps you'll get a 'cast' - which is when the hair looks wet.
After the Curly Girl method (ManchesterEveningNews WS)Annie said: "I never used gel or mousse before because I thought it looked gross. But you have to 'scrunch out the crunch' and that's what gives you the soft bouncy curls."
The Curly Girl Method offers different variations for whether your hair is curly, wavy, or coily, and whether the hair needs more moisture or protein. Annie uses a conditioner by Manchester-based brand Faith In Nature and pairs it with a Garnier hair mask, before scrunching with Umberto Giannini Curl Jelly.
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She said: "I did a lot of research into what I thought my hair needed, but it's trial and error to get a routine down. Everyone's hair is different, so they recommend that when you begin to start really basic so you aren't wasting money with just a conditioner, mask, and gel. Then you can add other ingredients in later."
"They say that one of the Umberto conditioners for a quid works well, and even a Tesco own-brand hair gel. There's loads of cheap products on offer to start out with.
"It may seem like a lot more work but once you’ve nailed it, I think it's pretty simple. You're not actually doing much to your hair, it's about getting it healthy.
"And you have to be patient. I've seen so many women post in the dedicated Facebook group saying that they've been doing it for a few months and they're still unhappy, then you see people on the other side that are like 'stick with it - you'll get there - it'll look amazing if you carry on.'"
Curly Girl Method
What to avoid
- Shampoo
- Heat
- Combs and brushes
- Fragrance
- Sulfates
- Non-water soluble silicones
- Alcohol products
How to wash and style for your hair type
NaturallyCurly suggests the following:
Cleanse - step one
Gently stimulate the entire scalp with the fingertips and conditioner
Wavy: Cleanse once a week - you can use a regular shampoo but condition before and after
Curly: Cleanse once a week with a conditioner - this is called a cowash
Coily: Cleanse as little as possible. In between cowash days, wet the hair and do step two
Condition - step two
Smooth conditioner all over the hair in sections
Wavy: Leave a little bit of conditioner in
Curly: You can rinse or leave conditioner in
Coily: Wrap your hair and apply heat for 15 minutes for a moisture boost. Rinse completely
Dry and style - step three
Bend forward and blot dry by cupping curls with a 'towel' then air-dry or diffuse. Scrunch gel from the ends to the scalp
Wavy: Do extra scrunching or pin curls
Curly: Once dry, flip forward and fluff to create lift
Coily: Lorraine recommends wash and go, but you can style however you'd like. Try to avoid heat