"Ask any curly girl on the street where she began her natural hair journey and I guarantee one of their earliest steps involved the Curly Girl Method. I discovered the multi-step routine almost a decade ago; after years of letting my hair do whatever, I was finally ready to take this whole haircare thing seriously. My research led me, naturally, to the r/CurlyGirl subreddit. I soon became an expert in all things curl haircare—the ingredients to avoid, the brands to trust, and the seemingly endless list of products and tools I absolutely needed in my arsenal.
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After all but draining my bank account at Ulta, I embarked on my journey with the Curly Girl Method. Now, years later, I’m here to break down everything I know about the method, including whether or not I think curly girls need to follow it.
Taylor Vickers is a licensed Junior Stylist at Infinite Salon in Portland, OR. She has been working with curly clients since she began her apprenticeship in 2021.
What is the Curly Girl Method?
Curly hair expert and stylist Lorraine Massey developed the Curly Girl Method in 1999. In short, the CGM is a three-step routine designed with the sole purpose of protecting and enhancing curly hair of all types. The goal is healthy, frizz-free curls.
It sounds simple enough, but as soon as you dig a little deeper into the routine—especially the ingredients portion—it can become overwhelming pretty quickly. At its core, though, the routine involves three products: a cleanser, a conditioner, and a styler. The specific products used depend entirely on curl type. For example, the products I use on my tightly wound coils probably aren’t the best fit for someone with looser waves. Choosing the products and styling methods right for you is where things get tricky. To make it a little easier, I asked Taylor Vickers, a Portland-based curly hair stylist to demystify the whole process.
The Curly Girl Method routine
The CGM routine consists of three easy steps: cleansing, conditioning, and styling. But it’s a little more complicated than it sounds. What’s the proper way to cleanse? How can you get the most from your conditioner? Is there a right way to style my curls? Depending on your texture, Vickers recommends a couple of different techniques.
Cleanse
Start by fully saturating your hair. According to Vickers, this can take a couple of minutes, but it allows the “exterior layers of the hair strand to open,” making sure your cleanser can do its job effectively. Then, grab your favorite cleanser, and lather, rinse, and repeat. Vickers says to make sure your cleanser suds up. If it doesn’t, it’s a sign your cleanser isn’t getting all of the product buildup out of your hair.
Condition
In my experience, a good condition is crucial to a good wash day. Vickers says conditioning helps deliver moisture to your curls and help your hair retain it. The result is juicy, bouncy curls. This is also the step in the routine where your technique might look a little different from other curly girls. After applying your conditioner and detangling (either with your fingers, wide-tooth comb, or wet brush), you have a few options:
- Scrunch the conditioner into your hair (you might have seen this called “squish to condish” on TikTok) by gathering sections of your hair into your hands, scrunching it up to the scalp, and squeezing a few times, fully saturating your curls. If you do this with your hair flipped forward, it can aid in creating volume.
- Rope squeeze the lengths of your hair. Vickers recommends this technique to those with coarse, textured hair and anyone prioritizing definition over volume (me!). Separate your hair into a few different rope-like sections and squeeze until the conditioner is fully worked into your hair.
- I also frequently use the final technique, the rake and shake. Rake your fingers through your curls and shake them out when you get to the ends. According to Vickers, this is an easy, quick way to encourage definition.
Style
The styling products you choose depends entirely on your hair texture and goals. For more defined curls, Vickers recommends gel, but for hair that needs more hydration, she recommends cream. For volume, you can either use clips at the root of your hair or mousse to promote lift. No matter which styling products you use, Vickers recommends styling in the shower while your hair is still soaking wet. I don’t follow this rule and prefer to style outside of the shower in front of my mirror. When I do though, I use a misting spray bottle to make sure my hair stays dripping wet while I style. Once you apply your styler, comb it through your hair to make sure every strand has product then follow one of the same methods used to condition your hair to style it further.
Dry
After styling, Vickers recommends using a microfiber towel to blot excess moisture from your hair or to plop your hair into a microfiber hair wrap. Then dry by either air drying or diffusing—whichever you prefer. I always diffuse with my Dyson Air Dryer to combat frizz; if I let my hair air dry, I’m always less than pleased with the results.
Finish
If you find your hair has a hard, crunchy finish (called a cast), use your hands to scrunch it out—this will break the gel cast and leave you with soft, bouncy curls. If you find your hair needs a little more encouragement, I rub a lightweight oil into my hands before scrunching (jojoba is my favorite). Don’t be afraid to really get into your hair, I promise scrunching and fluffing won’t ruin your style; rather, it’ll give you even more bounce and volume.
Ingredients to avoid
Arguably the most important rule of the Curly Girl Method—and also the most controversial—is the commandment to avoid all products that contain silicones and sulfates. Most curly-approved products list right on the front of the bottle that they’re silicone- and sulfate-free. This advice is a great place to start. Silicones contribute to build-up and prevent the rest of your products from penetrating your hair, while sulfates can strip the hair, making it difficult to hold onto moisture—a crucial component of any curly hairstyle. Not really a winning combination for curly girls.
While researching products, copy and paste the ingredient list into CurlsBot to determine whether or not it’s CGM-approved. Keep in mind, though, that the results aren’t always cut and dry. You may find some products have ingredients not totally recommended, but are still considered safe to use, while others are complete no-gos. Most importantly, remember that rules are made to be broken. If you find your hair thrives with silicones and sulfates (it happens!) don’t be afraid to go back to them.
Curly Girl Method-approved products
Don’t feel pressured into spending an arm and a leg on salon-quality products. Many curly girls swear by drugstore brands, and one step of my routine involves a product I stock up on when I go to the grocery store. Below you’ll find a collection of products I’ve tried and loved, as well as recommendations from Vickers.
Does the Curly Girl Method work?
Taylor recommends the Curly Girl Method to many curly girls, but whether or not it works depends on multiple factors. Your lifestyle, hair density and texture, and desired results can all impact whether or not the CGM is right for you. If you find parts of it don’t work, you’re not married to the method; experiment with different products and techniques until you land on what works best for you. For clients who are just starting their curly journeys out, Taylor suggests using the routine as a foundation, with the understanding that it will require some trial and error from there.
When I first started using the Curly Girl Method, I was honestly shocked at the results. After years of straightening my hair, I thought I would never see my natural hair texture again. But within just a few weeks of using the CGM, my hair got stronger and my texture bounced back. Within a few months, my stubborn chin-length cut (the result of a big chop to get rid of all that damage) began to grow out. Within a year or so, I had the long, beautiful curls I had always dreamed of.
What’s more, the Curly Girl Method allowed me to understand my hair for the first time in my life. Through months of trial and error, I became an expert in my own hair and can now determine what it needs—a deep condition, oil treatment, bonding solution, or anything in between—almost as soon as it needs it. That’s the real power of the Curly Girl Method; it gives the power back to curly girls who grew up hating their hair.
So, should you be following the Curly Girl Method?
The Curly Girl Method is the perfect place to start for anyone with curly hair who is fed up and overwhelmed by the seemingly endless sea of information. If that’s you, consider this your permission to close TikTok, head to the store, and pick up the products you need to try the routine for yourself. From there, don’t be afraid to experiment—this whole journey is about understanding your hair, instead of fighting against it.
Garri Chaverst, Senior Managing Editor
As Senior Managing Editor of The Everygirl, Garri oversees the pitching, planning, and creation of all content. You might also find her name pop up as a contributor throughout the site, though she mostly works behind the scenes, leading the team in their creative efforts and ensuring they have everything they need to create top-quality content for our audience.