Emily Evert, Author at Wavy Hair Care

Easiest Curly Girl Method Routine For Beginners With Wavy Hair

August 29, 2021 by Emily Evert 2 Comments

Easiest Wavy Hair Routine

When you are first looking to start the curly girl method, it’s easy to get overwhelmed! I am over 3 years in now, and I still feel overwhelmed watching some people’s haircare routines. I don’t want to use 5+ products, I don’t want to be doing my hair for 2 hours on wash day, I don’t want to rotate through different products each wash day, etc.

I’m not happy with how my hair looks if I just wash, condition and air dry, though. I really enjoy using techniques that embrace my waves well, but the amount of time and money that I’m willing to invest is not endless.

I often see people say that they’re interested in trying the curly girl method or some other form of naturally wavy hair care, but they feel overwhelmed or like it’s too much work. I thought I’d share a recommended easy curly girl method beginners routine for wavy hair.

The goal with this is to provide enough products and routine to help you embrace your wavy hair, without it being overwhelming or time-consuming. I think this would an ideal curly girl method beginners routine, but it also could work for people who have some experience but are just looking for a lower maintenance routine.

Can The Curly Girl Method Be Low Maintenance?

Why Wavy Hair Goes Straight After A Haircut | Curl Shock

August 15, 2021 by Emily Evert 8 Comments

Since starting this blog I’ve received a couple of emails from people talking about how their hair was wavy and went straight (or noticeably straighter) after a haircut. They were upset and confused about why this happened.

I personally haven’t experienced this so far, but it’s something I’ve seen discussed quite a bit in wavy and curly groups that I’m in. I’ve learned enough about it that I thought I’d share a blog post on this topic for those who need help.

Can wavy hair go straight after a haircut?

Sometimes wavy hair does go straight (or straighter) after a haircut. This is commonly referred to as curl shock or scissor shock. The good news is, it’s temporary!

What Causes Curl Shock or Scissor Shock?

Alternatives To The Curly Girl Method

August 7, 2021 by Emily Evert Leave a Comment

What Is The Curly Girl Method

Given that you found this post, you probably think you know what the curly girl method is. I thought I knew what the curly girl method was for over 2 years. When I read the Curly Girl Handbook, I was surprised that I was wrong on several details!

Various sources online and across social media use the phrase “curly girl method” to describe things that are different from the true curly girl method. Anyway…just to be clear, the true curly girl method is:

Using a botanical conditioner or suds-free cleanser to wash your scalp.
Using a botanical and silicone-free conditioner to condition your hair.
Using a gel but no other stylers. It says gels should be free of parabens and phthalates.
Avoiding sulfates, silicones, drying alcohols, brushes or combs.
There is a BIG focus on plant-based products.
Using a t-shirt or paper towel to dry your hair, no traditional bath towels. It does not reference ‘plopping’ or wrapping your hair with a t-shirt.
It is strongly against using curling irons, flat irons or blow dryers with heat. It even says that a single use can harm your hair. It does mention diffusing without heat, though.

I personally am not sure that anyone I follow on social media truly follows the curly girl method. I never really hear discussion at all about botanical requirements, for example. Most people who say they follow the curly girl method are referring to how they avoid sulfate and silicones.

It’s very common for people to break some curly girl method rules such as using a bomb or brush in the shower to detangle, clarifying their hair with a sulfate, or using a sudsing shampoo aka “low poo”.

Alternatives To The Curly Girl Method

Reasons Why The Curly Girl Method Didn’t Work For You

August 2, 2021 by Emily Evert 2 Comments

Something I come across in wavy/curly groups fairly often is a comment similar to this one.

“I tried the curly girl method in the past and it just does not work for my hair. What does that mean? Does my hair need silicones?”

Some people conclude that their hair does need silicones. I am not someone who believes that silicones are the devil, personally. At the same time, it doesn’t make sense to me that anyone’s hair could need silicones.

Silicones are emollients, and emollients are ingredients in products that help create a protective barrier or film on the hair. This helps seal your hair. On their own, emollients are not moisturizing. However, if you use moisturizing products and then also use an emollient, the emollient helps your hair stay moisturized by sealing the moisturizing ingredients into your hair.

Silicones are “manmade” emollients, but there are many other types, too. For example, fatty alcohols are emollients, as are some oils and butters, proteins and hydrolyzed proteins and more.

Dimethicone is often listed as the “worst” silicone, and it is an emollient, but shea butter and argan oil are two examples of emollients that are not seen as “bad” by those who follow the curly girl method, basically just because they’re more natural. The function is the same, though. That’s not to say that all emollients work exactly the same, as they do vary some. So…

Is it possible that my hair needs silicones?

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