So, to start this post, I feel like we need to travel back in time to January.
I was in California with my friend Kaye and every morning she would jump out of the shower, quickly style her hair and shortly after would have beautiful curls that kept their hold all day.
I, on the other hand, spent the best part of an hour trying to either curl or straighten my hair, only for it to be an absolute mess just a couple of hours later.
Kaye told me over and over again to try the ‘Curly Girl Method’ as it was the method she used to style her hair and honestly, I didn’t listen because I had always hated my natural curls.
Little did I know, I just wasn’t treating them right.
My hair was always a huge insecurity of mine and no matter what I did, I couldn’t find a style that felt like ‘me’.
I have a lot of insecurities but for as long as I can remember, my hair was always one of the worst. I was bullied in school for having frizzy ginger hair and although the shade became more popular in my adult life, I still felt as though I’d never be able to love my hair.
I’d straighten it every single day and in most cases, I wouldn’t even be bothered to style it, especially when travelling to humid places.
A month or so after my trip to California, I decided to do some more in-depth research when it came to the Curly Girl Method, as videos of people with beautiful curly hair filled my Instagram and TikTok feeds. Convinced it wasn’t for me, I went in with A LOT of reservations.
Still, I decided that I had nothing to lose and as a result, I ordered myself some sulfate-free conditioner, a wide-tooth comb and some CGM-friendly styling creme.
I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, but I decided that if I’d never give it a go if I wanted to learn EVERYTHING before getting started.
If you do want to know the basics of the Curly Girl Method before you get started, I recommend visiting this guide by Elle Croft.
The First Few Weeks
The first few weeks were definitely tough and most days, I wanted to give up. My hair felt weird because I wasn’t using shampoo and although I was using a curl creme, I don’t think I had picked one that was quite suited for my curls.
As I wasn’t getting *quite* the results I wanted, I decided to order a couple of different products to see if I they’d make any difference.
I went backward and forwards trying various different routines until about three months in, when I decided to straighten my hair one day. I was feeling as though my hair was always too ‘heavy’ and with the hours it would take to dry each morning, I thought fuck it. I’m not getting the results I want and with the number of strict rules I have to follow, it’s just not worth it.
That day ended up being my worst hair day since I started the Curly Girl Method.
Straightening my hair reminded me of all the reasons I hated it and the next day I was actually excited to re-do my curls.
Finding The Right Routine
Knowing that something I was doing wasn’t quite right, I decided to look at some tips and tricks in a Curly Girl Support Group in the UK. From finding out the type of curls I have to re-adding shampoo back into the mix, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders (;-)) knowing that it was okay to tailor the steps to what was best for me rather than following a set of strict rules that may not apply.
As a result, I ended up adding shampoo back into my routine and completely ditched the curl creme and styling products. My hair certainly felt less greasy and for the most part, I still had defined curls without any additional products to help style it.
When I realised I didn’t have to be quite so ‘strict’ with the rules, things got SO much easier.
Flashforward To Now
It’s now been a couple of months since I decided to start using shampoo again and I *think* I have found a routine that I’m going to stick with for a while. My friend, Vivienne, suggested I try using Flora & Curl and after reading reviews I went with the Curl Activator and the Defining Gel. So far, I am INCREDIBLY impressed.
I was worried about using a gel as my hair has the tendency to go crunchy but once it’s dry I simply scrunch it out and I’m ready to go! I have my most defined curls yet and in some cases, they last until day three-four with just a quick refresh.
I no longer worry about my hair being frizzy as it feels like it’s part of the beauty of having curly hair and for the first time ever, I’m embracing my natural hair and LOVING it.
It’s honestly so refreshing to feel like curly hair is now a part of me and my identity.
