Curly Girl Method Archives - Page 14 of 18

How I Get My Naturally Wavy Hair Pattern To Start Higher

November 30, 2020 by Emily Evert 1 Comment

In my wavy hair curl patterns blog post I mentioned that some people claim that wavy hair starts around the ears, while curly hair starts at the roots. I explained how this isn’t necessarily true. Sometimes curly hair starts lower, and sometimes wavy hair starts higher.

Some of it can depend on your hair type, but it also can depend on several other factors including the techniques that you’re using in your routine.

If you have hair that is only wavy at the bottom or wavy hair that starts at the ears and you want to get your pattern to start higher, this post is for you!

Wet Styling Vs Damp Styling For Wavy Hair

December 6, 2020 by Emily Evert 20 Comments

I almost always “damp style” my wavy hair. I didn’t start out doing that, though. When I first discovered the curly girl method, I used wet styling for several months. I didn’t know I was ‘wet styling’ I just thought that was how everyone did it and that it was just the normal way to style wavy or curly hair.

I actually tried damp styling on a whim of my own, I wasn’t aware that it was even a styling choice when I did it. It gave me results I liked better though, so I stuck with it.

Then later, I came to find out that lots of other people did the same thing. When I first found a wavy community, I noticed that a LOT of wavy-haired people did it. I also learned that there was a term for it – damp styling!

What Is Wet Styling?

Wet styling is when you apply styling products to wet hair. For example, adding a leave-in conditioner, curl cream and a gel to hair while still in the shower or immediately after stepping out of the shower.

What Is Damp Styling?

Damp styling is when you apply styling products to your hair after it is partially dry. One day to damp style would be to shower, then wrap your hair in a microfiber towel for 15 minutes before adding gel.

Does Wavy Hair Technique Or Products Matter Most?

December 31, 2020 by Emily Evert 12 Comments

I remember spending so much time over-thinking what products I would buy when I was first starting the curly girl method. There was so much information to take in, and I wasn’t positive about my hair properties.

I wasn’t sure about my porosity, I worried I may be protein-sensitive, I didn’t know whether to believe the people who said “you get what you pay for” with hair care products – the list of uncertainties goes on. At first, I thought finding the perfect products for my hair type was the answer to getting the look I wanted.

Over time, I grew to realize that my hair routine or my hair techniques matter a lot more than what products I use. So sometimes, I find it a bit surprising how much conversation in wavy/curly hair groups or forums seem to be product-focused.

It’s very common to see people sharing a problem they’re having or an improvement they’d like to see in their hair, and then ask what product they should buy to fix it. It often seems like the assumption is that products are always the problem and products are always the solution.

Sometimes products can be the problem or the solution, no doubt. In my blog post best mousse for wavy hair, you’ll see that I did get dramatically different results (especially on day 2 and beyond) depending on what mousse I used. I also have a post answering if products with hold are needed for wavy hair, with the answer being ‘yes’. For me it make a huge difference.

If you use products that have too much protein, or not enough protein, or too much moisture – you can make your moisture – protein balance out of whack and that can really impact your hair a lot. If you don’t clarify often enough that can cause build up and result in problems.

If you haven’t heard of clarifying, definitely check out my blog post about clarifying wavy hair – it’s important! There are a lot of cases where products 100% absolutely do matter. Check out my wavy hair product recommendations page to see products I recommend for various purposes.

Day 2 Wavy Hair: How To Refresh With Water

January 1, 2021 by Emily Evert 10 Comments

How To Get Day 2 Wavy Hair

To get good day 2 hair, starting with hair that was styled well on wash day and protected well while you slept is really beneficial. This will have you starting with better results. To refresh your hair, simply get your hair wet and allow it to dry, squeeze out any cast that forms, and you’re done!

If you find that on day 2 you wake up with hair that is really in rough shape, whether it’s fallen flat, lost all definition, or become really frizzy, I’d start by looking at your wash day and sleep routines. The easiest way to get good day 2 hair is to keep your waves in good shape after washing.

I have a whole blog post about how to make wavy hair last longer. It talks about the importance of getting good definition on wash day by using a hard hold product. Getting good hold on wash day allows your waves to hang around longer, which makes refreshing far more successful.

Refreshing wavy hair with water is great for reviving a bit of definition, re-activating hold in your styling products, and settling some frizz. If you’ve lost too much definition, or never had waves to begin with, refreshing isn’t likely to give you the results you want. If your wash day goes poorly, the best solution is to re-wash.

If you have good hair on wash day, it’s also really important to sleep in a way that protects your hair overnight. If you leave your hair down and sleep on a microfleece pillowcase, you’re likely to wake up with your waves flattened and your hair frizzy.

You may have even broken some strands overnight. See my post How To Sleep On Wavy Hair for specific instructions for how to sleep on wavy hair including long wavy hair, short wavy hair and thick wavy hair. Ultimately, the goal of sleeping on wavy hair well is about reducing friction (as this reduces frizz) and protecting your waves from being flattened by the weight of your head.

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