5 Lies I Believed About Curly Hair

[@jenniferlewis5170]

I think another lie that a lot of people believe, is that there are certain ingredients (sulphates, silicones and alcohols) in products that are "bad" or "damaging", and this is simply not always the case. I understand the reasoning behind banning these ingredients, but once you start to understand what ingredients are and the reasons for them being in certain products the more you realize that they are ok and safe to use in your hair. Side note: thank you Courtney for making these videos, they are always so informative and helpful to so many of us!

[@ceystal]

I used to believe that you HAVE to style your hair wavy curly EVERY time you washed your hair. That is so not true! It's okay to let your hair breathe every once in a while with minimal product. And you're allowed to do heatless curls or waves. I used to do a dutch braid and take out the waves anytime I didn't feel like using gel.

[@kimberlyhegyi4231]

I used to think that washing my hair once a week was the healthiest. I can do that without having greasy hair however it is bad for my scalp health. I don’t worry about how often I wash my hair anymore. I just make sure that I keep my hair and scalp moisturized.

[@TheMissikissa]

That your curly hair is ruined, if you break the rules someday. Later I have discovered, that for example having your hairdresser use non-GC stuff on your hair once a year does not matter. Or if you have not CG approved shampoo in your hotel room. When the base is right. you have flexibility. Maybe not perfect hair everyday but that is what buns are for!

[@colleenmuehl1652]

I’m 72 years old and started my journey last fall. I still struggle with frizz but over the last couple of weeks decided to embrace the frizz(I heard that on another channel). Since then, I feel much better about my hair. If I have a “bad hair day”, I throw it up in a satin scrunchy and call it good. I love your channel and watch your edits all the time. I’ve learned a lot from you, so, thanks a bunch!!!❤️❤️❤️

[@corrisigler8294]

I love this!!! So amazing you're embracing your hair journey later in life. I thought I was starting late at 42. You're a Rockstar!! ❤️❤️

[@colleenmuehl1652]

@@corrisigler8294 Thanks! Imagine my surprise when I realized my hair wasn’t only frizzy but curly as well!!!😳😳😳

[@reneekh3599]

I'm with you, sista'

[@tabbieedwards4195]

The gray adds another frizz factor. Moisture is your friend.

[@VengefulAngeI]

You forgot 2 other parts of a great washday: weather & luck. I can have all the parts you mentioned, plus good weather, & end up with fantastic curls, & the next time I use all the same products & techniques on the same haircut in identical weather, my curls can be meh. Curly hair has moods & there's nothing we can do about that 20% lol

[@anitar6702]

Yes, I wanted to mention weather too.

[@johannajf7914]

The best easiest anti-frizz step for my hair is using heat protectant spray on damp hair as a last step (even if I'm not using heat). The silicones help a lot with frizz and add shine, never going to stop doing it even though people keep claiming silicones are evil.

[@jessg.829]

I am such a product junkie! Always believing that there is one magic product, or product line that would make my curls perfect. I have come to realize that it really is a combination of things, like you said, that bring successful wash days! 😊

[@maliciouskitten21]

Especially when people talk about finding their “holy grail!” It makes me feel if I could just find mine, I’d have perfect hair too! 😂

[@charlieseverson3534]

Everyone with straight hair buys into #5. The number of times I've heard, "Must be nice to be able to just wash and go."

[@ziggy2255]

Believing that I had to follow a particular routine or wash cycle. Yes having something as a basis helps, but you need to decide what works for you. I live in a hard water area and I have fine hair. So washing every 3-4 days and clarifying every 2nd wash seems to work for me. Also I thought having colour in my hair meant it was dry and needed protein. Nope. I over moisturise fast and protein drops my curls. I'm learning I cant be bothered to reftesh, and now just let my waves drop gradually over the days and I'm fine with that. Still early days for me, but the biggest thing is don't compare your hair to others. Take the tips and play with it, but don't get hung up on wanting hair like somebody else. Just like you can't have somebody else's body. You can have your version of it. But we are all different and that is perfect!

[@cleocatra9324]

You are literally so adorable Courtney. I grew up believing my hair was ugly and messy. I just didn’t know how to take care of it. I have since forgiven the people who said hurtful things but the mental damage stays with me till this day.

[@alicedehepzibah]

This is the biggest lie of all: that we're ugly, our hair is ugly or bad. This trumps all the lies. I've forgiven the hurtful people in my life, too. This is an important part of a hair journey. I hope that further healing is part of yours someday. Thank you so much for your comment.

[@cleocatra9324]

@@alicedehepzibah thanks Jennifer😊

[@erinlikesacornishpasty4703]

I believed that I couldn't brush my hair so much that I didn't detangle it at all for like 3 months 😖😳. It was a MESS! I wasted SO much conditioner trying to carefully detangle my hair without actually detangling it. 🤦‍♀️ I'm glad I don't do that anymore.

[@Beading_Kate]

I used to do heatless overnight curls during transition period. Helped me to look good without being too stressed about having “not great” hair days. And I just have to accept that I’m not ringlet curly goddess, I am beachy wavy head with some tighter spirals framing my face. And it’s fine! My hair is versatile, can be straight with gentle styling approach, can be wavy with plopping&scrunching, can be curly with heatless curling (and my hair keep those curls until next wash even without styling products). I think it is actually great, because I can pull different looks with less damage to my hair.

[@lshawndavis]

I think you are 💯 correct about the curly hair journey leading to self acceptance. I spend 50 years (give or take) trying to “fit in”. My curly hair made me feel unprofessional, self conscious and “un-pretty”. Since embracing my curly hair, I believe I have embraced myself more. I am more self-aware, less self-conscious and less worried about fitting in. Perhaps it’s a stage of life thing, and maybe it’s coincidence that I started looking after my curly hair during covid - which coincided with my 50th birthday - but somehow I feel lighter and more myself. Less worried about impressing others and more worried about being my whole true self. ❤

[@jenniferbacoka947]

My hair was straight the majority of my life, and I had no idea the work wavies and curlies had to put into their hair. When my postpartum hair started becoming wavy, it wasn’t long before I found Courtney’s channel (and others). I appreciate all the work Courtney has put into learning about hair so the rest of us can benefit from it!

[@lw3764]

There's a contradiction in the curly girl method. The rule is no silicones because they "cause buildup that damages your hair", but using heavy butters causes buildup too! Just try different products and use what you like, and if you notice damage or whatever, stop using those products. Oh and also the curly girl method emphasis on cowashing and heavy conditioners doesn't work with my oily hair! I stopped listening to people who don't have oily hair telling me how to wash my hair. I will never get to seven days between washes, my hair would be an oily mess and my scalp would be an itchy scaly mess if I tried that.

[@theiloveovaltine]

I believed the lie that my curly hair was something that needed to be fixed. I am a 43 year old, happily married, mother of two amazing adult children. And let me tell you that at 14 years old, I still remember the words of a boy who said my hair was “nappy and gross,” and he “couldn’t even run his fingers through it.“ First of all, the audacity because I did not even want this boy to run his fingers through my hair 😂 But secondly, I felt ashamed of my hair. It took me nearly 25 years to finally embrace my natural curls, my natural gray hair, all of it. My husband loves me the way that I am, and bless him, he knows better than to try run his fingers through these curls 😂 But more than that I love me the way that I am, I’m just sad it took me so long to get here ❤

[@leticiakarl9903]

I am 7 months into my curly hair jouney and I have so many questions. I am not yet at a point where I can say I believed in a lie. I'm probably still living the lie believing it completely! 😱 For example, I did not have terriby damaged hair, therefore I believed my transition would be very easy and fast. Turns out this is not how it works. Some wash days surprise me with a whole new looking hair! This is one reason I appreciate videos like this one so much, you are encouraging me to keep believing, trying new things and moving forward. One thing that I am learning and loving about my journey is that I am embracing the messiness of my hair and feeling really confortable with this new style/personality. Because, YES, the way my hair looks somehow makes me feel different and affects how I am in the world. So far, I'm feeling like a better versin of myself.

[@thegrkgirl]

Hi! Maybe I can help you! What questions do you have?

[@columbia2635]

I've only been doing it about 2 1/2 mos! The best thing is learning there are so many properties to hair-not just thickness or density, but also porosity, protein/moisture, curl patterns (does make a bit of a difference when styling), etc. Turns out my hair is very protein sensitive, low porosity, and the Denman brush makes my hair scream in terror! So, just because "most people" use certain products, definitely doesn't mean it will work in yours. What it means, sadly, is you may have to take more time to find products that work well. Watch as many videos as you can stand, while trying to find people who have hair similar to yours. And yes, it's so weird getting used to curls. I've never been a super-curly person and I'm still feeling a little "poodle-y"!

[@stuffstuffstuffyay]

also the weather! I have horrible hair half the year at least- FL!

[@BlackLabMama]

YES, if the dew points aren't just right -- my curly/wavy hair knows it.

[@CharmaineLim]

I fully believed that the transition period would only take a few months because so many people I found in my early days said it was a short process. And I thought I’d have it easier because my sister has curly hair. But she started her journey nearly 8.5 years ago and I started mine 1.5 years ago. We still have different hair despite being related and I can’t and shouldn’t compare my hair to what other people got because it’s just not the same hair. My front sections may want to be straight as heck but I do have some baby ringlets hiding here and there too that surprise me all the time with their cuteness.

[@heathers7265]

I'm one year into it, and although my hair looks a lot better than when I started, I still don't think it's quite done transitioning. I don't necessarily think it will get any curlier (Right now it's mostly 2b/2c), but I do think there's still damaged parts at my ends which I'm slowly trimming off. And I don't want to do a big chop. 😂 So once the straighter, more damaged ends are off it will look better. :)

[@heidiwerner5477]

Thank you for this! I've spent so much $ on products to see what would work best, tried the CG method, and was more frustrated than anything else. Another thing that I don't think people consider is how healthy they are overall. I've noticed that when my diabetes is under control my waves/curls are better, having Covid caused hair loss, a very hyped hair system caused hair loss, and malnutrition due to Crohn's has caused my waves/curls to go blah. Everyone's curly journey is different. Here's to embracing ourselves, exactly where we are 🤗🥂

[@Terecita47]

Almost brought me to tears here. I just found you 3 months ago after discovering at age FIFTY that more poor hair is not damaged but wanted to be wavy. Been down all the rabbit holes already, bought and threw away a bunch of products, learned about ingredients, went through magical wash days and not magical wash days and realized....Oh. I just simply need to "Try this. Try that. See what you notice." Exactly what I have been teaching people about movement and pain for 15 years!! Thank you for saving me from buying a million more products and getting overly frustrated. I know this will simply be a journey and I must embrace it. The fun part is - I got perms and used curling irons all my life to run from straight hair. And now? I get to just sort of *lean in* to my waves and see where they take me. KEEP GOING, all!

[@lindseydalton2771]

I totally feel that last bit about how embracing your natural wave has unlocked self-acceptance. I grew up at a time when stick-straight hair was considered the only acceptable hairstyle. I tried to beat my hair into submission (although mostly failed). Like most of us, I still haven't totally overcome those toxic messages received in youth (the return of "heroin chic" is triggering)...but embracing this part of me has been part of my journey of self-acceptance. And here's the great irony: Once I embraced this part of myself that I didn't think met society's beauty standards, I started receiving way more compliments. It's almost as if *gasp* true beauty is being your authentic self.

[@KayoEll]

For me the beautiful thing about embracing my waved and curls is that I no longer feel like I'm fighting against my hair. My hair isn't as compliant as it was when I was wearing it straight, but back then I was beating it into submission. I can't "make" the curls happen quite the same way I made the straight happen. My hair was incredibly healthy to begin with. I only used heat every 4+ days, and then typically only for about a month after I got it cut (I got it cut every 6+ months), and always with a heat protectant. However, those closest to me would comment that my hair was "frizzy" and looked "broken" (Yes, these people were the men in my life... women know better than to say things that bluntly!) What they were seeing as "frizz" was actually my waves and curls trying to escape the mold I was forcing it to fit. Forcing it into a mold always felt like I was fighting against it. The men in my life (my dad and my BFF) have both commented on how healthy my hair looks. In my case, it's not any healthier than it was (although I recognize that for many people, there is a huge shift in their hair health). But no longer trying to shove it into a mold that was never going to fit makes it appear healthier, and I'm not doing battle with it to get it to conform. I think of the Borg from Star Trek... you will be assimilated. That's what I was doing when I was wearing it straight -- trying to make it assimilate. The Borg sees humans as inferior because they all have their own quirky flaws. However it is those very flaws and differences that, in part, account for their success.

[@chitowngal9201]

Excellent metaphor!! 👏 👏 😄

[@bradandkrit]

Yes! Thank you! This is EXACTLY how I feel about my hair too! 🙌

[@karasax39]

I used the Jessicurl gel you recommended on Friday and omg COURTNEY!!! You should seeeeee my curls!!!

[@mandyratliff6285]

I believed straight hair was prettier and more desirable. But since I stopped trying to fit that mold and started really caring for my curly hair in 2019 I have received more compliments on my hair than I received the 40-something years of my life before. I wore it curly off and on but I didn't really know how to properly care for it or style it before and it frequently was frizzy and poofy. But once I figured out all the things (thank you Courtney!) it opened a whole world of healthy curls, compliments, and confidence I never knew before! My routine is slightly different but it's basically based on things that you and Gena Marie taught me, Courtney. My hair texture, type, and porosity are somewhere between yours and Gena's so I've sort of combined things from both of you that have had a huge impact on my hair and my self acceptance. I will be forever grateful to you! 😘

[@heatherhenderson1826]

I have one straight section. I call it my wild child.

[@laurenbausch8686]

Oooh, me too! I’m just over a year natural… My hair was destroyed by going platinum for 10 plus years. My husband had never seen me with my loose curls or dark hair. After my ramen straw grew out I began embracing my newly discovered curls. I also wrongly believed I was 2A-B, but now have 2C, 3A and a few cherished 3B tight ringlets in a curly shag. Cuts tons off and found a new stylist who also previously destroyed her curly hair with bleach but knew she was curly… Porosity and density are more valuable to know than curl pattern. Feeling like a whole new better version of myself!

[@alicedehepzibah]

What does your husband think of this new wife's hair? :)

[@laurenbausch8686]

@@alicedehepzibah oh, he loves it! Kept asking me why I didn’t wear my hair like I do at the beach…Salty air made the most gorgeous un-recreatable hair. Salt sprays are far too drying. Tousled and mermaid like. I wondered why my hair didn’t like to be brushed for so long. Didn’t make any sense. Now if my hair is more wavy on a certain day because textured hair is super unpredictable, I’ve learned to just enjoy the beach look. But I’m lying if I didn’t wish the curls were even tighter! I’ve been using bleach regularly for over 16 years on my hair, so it takes time.

[@lorijean1487]

I started this wavy/curly journey post menopause at 56. Almost 4 years later, still trying to figure out combos. People do say it must be so easy. It actually isn't. My straight hair was much easier to wash and style.

[@graymermaid]

I believed that "all textured hair is naturally dry and needs lots of conditioning". No. I have silky roots and fine, mermaid waves. My hair is a protein floozie and creams, oils, butters and heavy conditioners award me with straight, limp hair. My hair, she knows what she wants and needs and it is easier for me to comply rather than listen to those who insist that she will get over-proteined.

[@cindyparcher9613]

You saved the best for last..."share each other's struggles and lift each other up". ❤

[@amyschultz7103]

I believed that if I blow dried my hair straight that I would lose my curls

[@ginablanton8713]

Courtney - YES! This. It’s been almost a year since I began the journey to wavy/curly and I’m having SO MUCH FUN playing with my hair!! It has definitely given me the freedom to be unique without shame or fear.

[@BethanyMeredith]

Thanks, Courtney, for sharing your heart and inspiring me to share mine too. I'm so grateful I was raised to love my curls, and kind of heartbroken when the bleach stripped the curl but not the frizz...that's how my hair care journey started about two years ago. What I've discovered since then is that when I take the time to tend to my hair, I feel LOVED. For someone who's only fairly recently taken on the project of truly caring for themselves, that is a really big deal.

[@HisLove4You]

I stayed away from hairspray for 3 yrs! Now I use it again, minimally & it gives me hold & texture, yayyyy! I like big *hair* & I cannot lie! 😂🎶🎵 🎉😊

[@dena-mo118]

Courtney, really appreciate your honesty and perspective about all things wavy curly. Wish all of my curls could fall under one curl type. Wow! how easy would that make things. Agree about styling hair curly rather than straight is more time consuming. Have recently been on the fence about blow drying my hair straight. I did it the other day and then the next wash day I styled curly. Guess that is a bonus from what most ladies can do. 🙂

[@queeniekar1]

I enjoy my curly hair journey as it is always a surprise how my wash days turn out. They don't seem to ever be the same. Just embrace it, accept it and move on.

[@Lu.G.]

🖐🏻High five for having a head full of curls that are _different and weird!_ 😆 And yes...what works for most curlies, doesn't work for my fine, silver, wavy hair so it has taken me awhile to figure it out! 😬 Thanks for sharing! ❤

[@Nemisha17]

So true we get too caught up with our curl type and we overtype our hair based on these hair type/curl pattern charts. these charts do nothing except make us feed bad that we don't have a tighter curl patterns. Wavies envy curlies and curlies envy wavies and coiles envy everyone. Vicious cycle of comparison.

[@cvonsutphen]

*Healthy Hair* . I'll be 56 in May. I've been embracing my naturally wavy hair for almost two years. My hair went through major changes when I turned 50. Not everything was hormonal, some was due to hard water. I have fine, low density hair. Finding the "perfect" combo took documenting every wash day. Installing a shower filter was game changing. Using a clarifying shampoo and always doing a double cleanse, moisture masks and product application with better quality products have brought my hair back to a healthy state. I have a closet full of hair products. They won't all go to waste. Keeping a "Wash Day Journal* has been invaluable.

[@brookes4148]

I didn’t realize the Aussie freeze gel formula changed! That explains a lot 😅

[@kristinabates7787]

So glad to see you doing well my friend. Your confidence is killing it boo🎉 You seem so much more overjoyed since your baby girl arrived. Not that you weren't before, my goodness no. But like it completed you. And probably your family unit. I remember that same joy when my second child arrived 🥰 Keep up the great work and God Bless 💕

[@julierinaldi9574]

there is a 4th point of wash day.... the environment... humidity and weather play a HUGE factor

[@SwavyCurlyCourtney]

YESSS it sure does!

[@jonathanteixeira2320]

You look soooo great with your Bob. I noticed that your hair now has more clumps and waves.

[@reneekh3599]

I've learned that I don't have time to use styling techniques on my wavy-textured hair like either you or Lorraine Massey - so I've stopped straightening my hair (= NO HEAT!) & embraced it's natural wavy-frizzy look in the very hot & humid environment I choose to live 🤣

[@skibunny0385]

I did true CGM and it damaged my hair. It wasn’t that it is a bad process, it just wasn’t for my hair, my fine hair gets suffocated in build up easier. Another part of something that was hard to learn was to listen to what my hair was asking me for in products. My hair will tell me if it needs clarifying, deep conditioning, protein treatments or bonding treatments based on how it’s reacting after wash day. Once I learned to look for these signs, I can adjust my wash days to get more consistent results. Lastly just pray to the curly gods that I get a good wash day! lol. Oh and instead of diamonds are a girl’s best friend, water is a curls best friend!!

[@KathleenKC1]

I also believed that the Curly Girl Method was the answer to my hair issues. It turns out that I have hard water and I needed a real shampoo not a co=wash. I can't say that CGM was all bad, I had never used gel in my hair before, and I still use some products that are acceptable in the CGM. But not all of my products are CGM and I ❤ a silicone or 2 in my new routine.

[@cleocatra9324]

Personally I think sulfate free products should not be used exclusively. Sometimes its ok intermittently but sulfates do have a purpose for most of us unless you’re allergic.

[@cvonsutphen]

@KathleenKC1 Hard water did a number on my hair. A shower filter and ION Hardwater shampoo/conditioner have been a game changer.

[@OnePersonOneOpinion]

it's weird to think i started my hair-health journey nearly 2.5 years ago and im so grateful i stumbled onto your youtube channel in august of 2020! i remember one "lazy" wash day i was having where all i did was throw it up in a microfiber towel, then last minute decided that id scrunch in a mousse. in those early days i would STARE at myself for so long like "that's ME???" i used to think my hair was just big and weird and hard to work with but here i was, with minimal effort, looking like a freaking rock star! proper self-care has a direct connection to self-love, and im so blessed to have your channel guiding me through

[@crystalrapose6405]

I used to believe silicones were evil. A few of my favorite refresh products have silicones in them and they work great in my hair. I just need to remember to clarify a little more often if I use them in multiple wash days in a row.

[@SwavyCurlyCourtney]

Yep! Agree!

[@tlc1436]

I grew up trying everything under the sun to straighten what I was told was a "calf lick" at the front of my head. When I started the cgm, I believed I could never, ever ever comb or brush my hair AT ALL but now find I look a little less like a wild woman if I do, thanks to watching you comb your products in :)

[@rosehunter7788]

I always had a pixie cut to beat down the waves. One day I decided to grow out my pixie and see what my hair would do. It’s been a big surprise how curly it is. Thanks for encouraging me to not just use clean products but actually care for my hair. My husband likes it short so I just have to be strong.😀

[@corrisigler8294]

I'm 42 and just starting my journey and I do have to admit that in the short time I've started to embrace my hair, I also feel better about myself too. My whole life I've had "Rosann Rosanna Danna" hair and hated every moment of it! I'm happy to know I don't have to brush and frizz my hair daily anymore

[@heathers7265]

Great info! I also hated when they changed the formula of the Aussie freeze gel. 😭 It worked perfectly for me, and was cheap! Now I've been using Cantu stay glue gel, and LA Looks extreme sport gel. I'm not sure which one I like better yet. 🤔 So far I like both.

[@mommieezneverstop7728]

Totally permed my hair as a teenager and discovered many years later that I had wavy hair. I was damaging my hair for no reason 😂 to get early the same result. Thank you for sharing

[@shantellhall1577]

Believing that moisture and protein are an evenly balanced teeter totter and if you go overboard on one the only solution is to increase the other when really (for me) they're separate needs i check for with each wash.

[@alanagall1612]

Thank you Courtney - what you said at the end of this video made me cry… I guess the lie I’ve been believing is that I’m not OK just the way I am… I’m going to take inspiration from you and look after me more ❤

[@melindacolborne7875]

I totally agree with everything you've just said, especially the last part. Wearing my hair curly just helped me free a part of myself that was begging to be released!! I embraced my curls 2 years ago this month and it's the healthiest it's ever been! No two wash days are the same but that's part of the fun. You learn that you cannot control everything and it's alright 😅

[@teri2466]

I've learned some of this the hard way 😁. Thanks for reducing my anxiety about the rest ❤.

[@kelseysorrells1018]

Thank you so much for making these videos! I have been "trying" to do the curly girl method for about a year and I'm not really getting anywhere😮 Your videos are the only thing that gives me hope that ONE DAY I will have the results I'm looking for😊😊

[@rebecaortega8022]

I got so tired of fussing with my wavy curly hair that I chopped it off into a Bixie cut. My good hair days have been extended, and less product waste and wasting water on my hair obsession. Wake up, fluff and go!

[@lillianaashwood6414]

I believed that my curls would go away if I dyed my hair... Nope! I've dyed my hair and bleached it and my curls are still here 😊

[@juliekaine8145]

It's so true that there is no one product - no "holy grail" (that very phrase sets my teeth on edge) and that people do well to aim for healthy hair and let the other stuff just roll off your back.

[@justanotherjessica]

If you live near an Ollie's store, they have the OLD formula of Aussie Instant Freeze Gel for $1.99 each. I bought both of the tubes they had and searched the entire store for more because my hair loves that gel lol.

[@christiemese]

I found some of the old formula on Amazon!

[@BlackLabMama]

They've changed the gel??

[@christiemese]

@@BlackLabMama Sadly, yes. They've taken out all the good stuff that was in it.

[@tristinification]

Honestly your BEST video ever❤ 🎉 I’ve learned so much from you….I’ve just had my 2 year curlaversary and have you to thank for everything you do. This video would be a perfect one for anyone starting out on the journey! ❤

[@KattMurr]

I never knew how to enhance my waves. The only time in my life I thought my hair was awesome was the late 80's when big hair was popular. Once the 90's hit, I had no idea. I was always too lazy to straighten my hair, so I almost always had it in a ponytail. Otherwise it was a frizzy mess. Once I discovered the method in 2020, I was thrilled! I never followed the method 100%. I just took from it what worked for me. I know what you mean about finding a product that works awesomely (for me it was Garnier curl smoothie. Still can't believe they stopped making it after it being out for a couple years) and now its no longer available. Although I did find a container of it on ebay for $16.00, I'm still bummed they discontinued it. Anyway, that's my short little story. Love your channel!

[@simplycurlyde]

I just turned 58 yrs young and I have silver hair on the top front section. 2 1/2 yrs ago, before I learned that there's a way to care & style my natural wavy/curly hair, I was on the verge of getting a short haircut, because of hearing from some people, long hair makes me look older. Yeah, it does take more work & time, but for the first time in my life, I am loving & enjoying the hair God has given me! I finally understand what my hair needs are & what works. I thought my hair needed protein, until after looking how my hair looked right after applying a protein curl cream. Talk about angry frizz. There was no smoothing it. So, I rinsed it off, applied a moisture leave-in and it was very happy & smooth. I used to think that my hair needs lots of cream. Now I know I was using way too much. I also thought I needed to cowash, clarify & deep condish every week.

[@maliciouskitten21]

The lie about your hair getting curlier as it gets healthier is still messing with my head, even after 3 years into trying to embrace what I have. All of the “before and after” photos can be so misleading… I definitely still get curl envy on the regular! 😂

[@raquelswavycurls]

I believed I had to deep condition once a week. I ended up with over-moisurised hair! I learned that I don't need to DC at all in summer, I can do so once every 2 or 3 weeks in the drier winter weather.

[@patticarnevale2360]

I definitely fell into the belief it would be easier. Wow was I wrong! I do like the versatility of being able to wear it curly or straight. In the winter I do love to blow it out, but since I wear it wavy/curly a lot I also have found better hair products to help with heat protection, and better ways to dry it to cause less damage. My hair is much healthier than when I heat styled it constantly. What I have found is I am very allergic to roughly 75% of the curly hair products. I know I am allergic to peanuts and tree nuts, which in itself knocks some products off the list. But I have had a lot of issues with shea butter, even though studies have shown it is not usually a problem with nut allergy sufferers. Some products I am still not sure what the issue was, but I had an allergic reaction. It has been journey, and I agree with the self acceptance aspect. I finally will wear my hair curly an love it!

[@lw3764]

I found I'm allergic to a lot of the products too. That simplified things once I ruled out 90% of the products on the market!😄

[@roseholland871]

I use to believe that if I got wet frizz it meant I'd have a horrible hair day. Honestly I started to not get so hung up on wet frizz because I feel the frizz helps my hair look more voluminous plus I learned I can use some hair oil if the frizz was really bad.

[@jessicahines3929]

Your hair looks great!! I love the new look!!❤

[@audramucurio4181]

I’m so glad you said being afraid of what people will think… I totally feel that but didn’t realize that’s what was going on in my head until you said it! I’m only a couple months into my hair journey so I still have pretty much no idea what I’m doing. Lie number 5 was SO me!! I really thought wearing my natural hair would be easier…😬 There’s so much to it! Thanks for your help 👍🏽

[@imajenn3006]

Biggest mistakes: Getting hyper obsessed in general, but protein/moisture too soon in the process. I see SO many people that have damaged their hair with Moisture Moisture Moisture! 1)You do NOT NEED to follow a protein *mask/deep conditioner* (or Curlsmith bond restore) with a protein free deep conditioner. Most repairing/protein containing masks are FULL of moisturizers/hydrators. Treatments are things like Aphogee Two Step.... Stick with a balanced protein-moisture deep conditioner with amino acids and peptides, maybe some hydrolyzed proteins... but the peptides and aminos are small & shouldn't make your hair stiff. I like Curl Junky Repair Me, eVOLVH UltraRepair (my fave for super fine hair), Hairfinity Amino mask. I can't find a good amino/protein mask. Shea Manuka has aminos from hydrogenated castor oil, but it isn't much, as far as I can tell. Just sticking with a balanced shampoo & conditioner & mask help a lot & i never swung badly to one side again

[@CheriJ11]

I believed…. Every single thing you mentioned, plus….. That curly hair was unprofessional and if I wanted to be taken seriously/get that job/earn a promotion I had to have straight, perfectly coiffed hair. I also believed that I had to spend a fortune on the “good” curly hair products if I wanted my curls to turn out properly. Not only is my linen closet chock full of hair products, my bank account is much poorer for it. 😢 Thanks for the video! 😊

[@hammergoddess]

I like the Cake gel and refresh spray from Walgreens

[@annettesmall2761]

Everyone has 'bad hair' days ! Even back when trying to straighten /manipulate my hair into submission. Loving the freedom of embracing my natural curls now, however 'messy' they might look. A headband works wonders if I don't like the results (I've got a bob not long enough to tie up in bun etc). Great video Courtney. ❤

[@diaboli.advocatus]

A lot of people say they like the suave clarifying daily shampoo but I don't really understand because I compared its ingredients to the other suave shampoo ingredients at my local grocery store and they are all basically the same with some differences at the very end so it seems like it's basically just suave shampoo that they called clarifying.

[@GuessJess]

Yeah, the curly girl method never worked for me either. The dumbest idea that came from that movement was not washing our hair. That’s how some people developed balding from now shampooing their scalp. The better method is to wash hair LESS OFTEN. I have very high porosity coarse hair, so I can wait up to a week between shampoos, but any longer and my scalp will also itch like it was on fire! 😂

[@columbia2635]

It's not a one size fits all. I have fine, medium density hair. I have colored my hair AT HOME for 50 years-a med brown to light blonde experience, but my hair has really held up pretty well. Then I recently discovered I have low porosity hair! Additionally, I have very little frizz, if any, and definition to excess---making me very envious of your hair! I came to the journey just a few months ago but it was based on having so many knots at the crown of my head from wearing ponytails all the time. I knew that I'd get way too thin if I kept that up. I accidentally found one of your videos on KZbin and that set me on the path. BTW, yesterday I colored my hair. I put my hair in a heated bonnet beforehand (b/c of low porosity) and the color came out much better. I also did a conditioning mask right after coloring (w/a small amt of protein b/c my hair is very protein sensitive), then styled the same as usual...EXCEPT, I bought a behairful knock-off brush and it was SOOOO wonderful. My hair was the best it's ever been! Soft, w/softer curls. But, like you, I noticed that by the end of the day it was losing that curl. Sad...

[@SinginginD]

I believed I could never use any heat - I used to spend two hours diffusing my very long very dense curls on zero heat low air EVERY WASH DAY! 🤣

[@emilyjensenius4289]

Your hair looks stupendous and so cute!

[@paulakittyodriscoll999]

I thought I'd find 1 conditioner I could wash & condition with, and 1 gel that would be perfect, and if I bought & tried enough I'd find "the one" 😂

[@kwest5171]

I used the CGM and unfortunately, it was worse for my curls than what I was doing prior to trying it.

[@joellehall595]

Ive worn my hair curly since it changed in high school but only started learning about this whole community and all the different techniques/products in the last year or so. I am slowly accepting that brush styling does not work for everyone! My hair looks best in a short bob and I just cannot get those ringlet curls with a brush with short hair like you see all the influencers with long hair doing.

[@FaceItGrace]

I definitely used to believe the first lie! After I'd cut off most of the dye damage I was frustrated I didn't get at least 2C to 3A curls! Now I simply focus on giving it some extra TLC after having just bleached it, but even beforehand. I don't follow the CGM much at all but I follow some of the principles. I still wash my hair at least every 4 days, and I'm slowly accepting my perfectly imperfect wavy hair. It's definitely required a lot of patience after treating it like it was straight for so long! I still haven't found a holy grail product but I find that when I have my hair cut in layers I had better wash days. Styling my hair wavy still takes a LOT OF WORK! I'm over a year in and I still find it easier to wear it straight than to style it curly. I haven't been lately because I found my hair looks stringy since I just had it bleached. Anyway, all of these speak to me! Nicely articulated and informative, as usual. Thank you Courtney!

[@SwavyCurlyCourtney]

Thank you!!!! Glad it it was informative and helpful!

[@Germania72]

As a woman who always knew who jad wavy hair, but neber knew how to handle it (my country is not even producing products catered to wavy-curly hair), my expectations were realistic. As long as my hair looked normal or i could go through a whole day without being concerned about looking like a tumbleweed, I was okay with it.

[@EmilyCarriker1]

For me wearing it wavy is far easier than straightening it . I'm lucky that I can scrunch in product , let it air dry and still get good results . Still have no clue on curly girl methods

[@markandstephaniebrewer3289]

My biggest problem with my hair is that my hair is super fine. I have not figured out how to get my hair to look good on day 2 without brushing it out. I don't like brushing my wavy hair, because it tangles so easily. my only option is to just wash and style every day. I have tried sleeping in silk scarf, bonnet, or pinapple on my head. Nothing works on my fine hair.

[@jessbeltran9798]

Till 2018, I thought that if I scrunched out the crunch in my hair, I’d lose any texture and it would be straight. 😂 If I was wearing my hair wavy/curly, I’d leave it in the cast!!! My mind was totally blown when I learned I could break the cast and my waves and curls wouldn’t magically disappear. Lol

[@whitneylong3220]

Loved this video so much! Thanks for sharing Courtney! I think what I believed was the perfect product would change my hair. Don't get me wrong. Still love trying new products, but I don't believe they are magically going to transform my hair. I think I also used to put so much pressure on myself that wash days had to be perfect. Thank you for continuing to spread the message of freedom found in Jesus in all of the things, even our waves and curls!❤

[@ankitarussell2750]

I am totally new to your channel and totally new to the curly wavy girl thing. Like it’s my day 0 today And I have been watching a few of your videos because they have amazing content and information But just for this section here on this video- 11:55 - it made me decide to subscribe to your channel You honestly and vulnerability is deeply appreciated. My purpose of starting this journey is to find that place when I can accept and embrace all of me! Thank you so much for all the heart and effort you put into your videos ❤

[@lindahurley5642]

Week one on the journey. My hair looks horrible! Have very long red/strawberry hair. I think I’m realizing I need to cut at least a few inches off because the ends are so thin. I’ve watched some of your old videos and they make me laugh!

[@imajenn3006]

Getting a good cut is very important. Be sure to bring pictures AND have the stylist REPEAT what/how they are going to cut it & what the end results should be. I have had a horrible cut because even after showing pictures she did about the opposite of what I was asking. And if you see a curl specialist (a good idea) with crappy frizzy curls, cancel right then. Also, make sure before hand that they can give you help in picking the right products (and they have things in the salon that will work). Those were my big take-aways for my next curl cut.

[@reneevasconcellos5335]

I believed that I could bypass the transition period by using all of the bond builders that I could get my hands on (k18, curlsmith, olaplex) …wrong!! Although they were helpful, they did not provide the miraculous outcome I was hoping. I’m 14 months in and the most helpful thing I have done was cut lots of the dead, damaged hair off. I should have done it from the beginning. My hair is so much happier, manageable and my curls last three days. That’s a miracle lol!!

[@helenl7967]

Can relate to all these lies!

[@melissaverboom3542]

I always thought that I absolutely had to wear my hair curly. And I was soooo tired! And then I went productfree for some days, or put it in a bun and that made my life so much easyer! Also I exapted that sometimes my hair just acts weird and instead of fighting it I just do an updo... 😊🙃

[@OSCAR130259]

I totally agree with everything you said.

[@chelseapickslay5359]

Your hair is so so cute!

[@SwavyCurlyCourtney]

Awe, thank you so much!

[@Cherry-Milkshake]

I believed that the conditioner was not my friend and weighed my hair down no matter how much I had put on or for how long it was on.

[@nancybass1962]

I am loving your shorter hair!

[@CindyHolman]

I've discovered the same things! Well done!