Why I quit the Curly Girl Method even though it worked (RANT)

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[@Laura-fc6hi]

the true curly girl method is just taking care of your hair, and not damaging it

[@erinlikesacornishpasty4703]

I mean, not according to Loriane Massey. She's been pretty clear there is an actual method and she gives it to you in her book. I'm glad I never followed it, because cowashing only doesn't work for me at all.

[@16ShiningUmbreon]

@@erinlikesacornishpasty4703 Cowashing just made my hair fall out and I think actually damaged my scalp for a while.

[@dangernoodle9961]

@@16ShiningUmbreon was it devacurl

[@cindymartinez2152]

@@erinlikesacornishpasty4703 I don't do cowash due to a skin condition in my scalp, but it doesn't affect my hair

[@16ShiningUmbreon]

@@dangernoodle9961 it wasn't actually and I've never touched that brand due to how expensive it is. It was the coconut suave conditioner recommend by the curly hair subreddit. They recommended using it as a cowash and it did not work for me at all. I did find a sulfate free shampoo by tresemme that I like that actually makes my hair feel clean. Like the person commenting in this thread, I have a scalp condition and if my scalp doesn't get properly cleaned I will get sore spots.

[@ashleighcalvert8937]

One of my BIGGEST pet peeves is the phrase “with ingredients you can’t even pronounce” and the like. It’s such an insane line of thinking and basically calls the customer stupid

[@pixiepalasmr6881]

Very true. Sometimes it’s just the scientific name for a a very simple, non-harmful thing.

[@crimbleland]

YES

[@araddadi2]

dihydrogen monoxide is literally in everything you eat and in your dishwasher detergent dihydrogen monoxide is the chemical name for water

[@asdabir]

My god the eye roll I did with that line have given me migraines. I mean what does my illiteracy have anything to do to with the safety of the ingredient.

[@NeonshiAmor]

Usually when I hear someone say that you should only use/eat things that have ingredients you can pronounce I like to respond with something like "Ergocalciferol is a mouthful so no more of that even if I develop osteoporosis? But, I can pronounce arsenic just fine so that's good to have right?"

[@svenskbonbon]

The CGM community also became toxic. Plus I noticed that most people who had incredible transformations just stopped flat ironing and used better styling methods or products suitable for their hair. I never noticed a considerable difference because my hair was healthy... I never used flat irons, blow dryers, etc. The only thing I needed was improving my styling technique.

[@melindat5711]

You're correct about the toxicity. I've read so many articles about women being banned from groups simply because they would use a curling iron on small sections of hair. Sorry, but I can't wrap my head around that mentality. They were also verbally abused by the CGM followers. Why must women be so mean to each other?? It's hair!!

[@user-pm2zv9fs5r]

@@melindat5711 a while ago, I posted a tiktok showing my hair routine (I thought I had the stereotypical straight asian hair) and I was excited about it. It blew up and people were like "yOu'Re HaIr'S nOt CUrLy" and it literally was....people accused me of perming my hair/curling it etc and the hate got too much that I had to delete the video and later on, the whole account bc people were like "address your problems" wtf. to be exact, my hair was a mixture of 3a and 2c, but now it's almost all 3a.

[@melindat5711]

@@user-pm2zv9fs5r I feel very sad for you and I'm sorry you had to experience that. It's become quite obvious that there are a lot of mean and nasty people in this world and social media gives them a broader audience to spew their hate. You just continue being you!!

[@user-pm2zv9fs5r]

@@melindat5711 Thank you! I have learned to not spend so much time on the internet and just live life as is :D

[@melindat5711]

@@user-pm2zv9fs5r ❤

[@katz9071]

Yes! I’m a chemistry major, and sometimes i see claims about certain ingredients being bad and i feel very confused. Certain chemical compounds can be damaging on their own, but ingredients in products react with each other (like you mentioned with isopropyl alcohol being a solvent) for a reason. Thank you for spreading more awareness about this, especially because the “cgf” products tend to be on the more expensive side when a $5 product could be what our curls actually need

[@Floridameerkat93]

What does "cgf" stand for? Did you mean "cgm"?

[@katz9071]

@@Floridameerkat93 curly girl friendly

[@imyourhappydrug]

A lot of CGM products are on the expensive side but the Garnier Hair Food works really well for me and has outperformed both other CGM products and non CGM products so I've stuck with that :)

[@katz9071]

@@imyourhappydrug i have a similar experience with Herbal Essence’s curl gel and curl mousse. Instead of focusing on brands, i focus on ingredients (protein and moisturizing ingredients) to have a balanced routine. Ive used some expensive, touted cgm brands that didn’t do much for me simply bc it wasn’t what my hair needed/not the right combo of products! Price does not determine quality

[@princessmanitari4993]

It's been soo messy for me, because i have stuff like eczema and sensitive skin etc. Which means i can't have stuff like parfume in my shampoo, while that is thrown into everything. Whiiich makes it difficult to buy good items. ): (*note: i get contact eczemia from silicones..)

[@grammasscotsgirl]

"Chemical free"!!! Yup. Do you breath? Do you drink water? They all have chemical make up. "100% natural so you know it's safe!" Arsenic is 100% "natural". Are you going to sprinkle that on your breakfast? Whenever I see the latest "catch phrase", I do take a deep breath and exhale slowly.

[@sheab101]

Thisssss.

[@salamieryep2552]

lol my mom always responds to "100% all natural" with "my poop is all natural but you don't wanna eat/touch that" 😂😂😂

[@PamelaHill]

YES! I was going to say this exact thing. The "all natural" claim makes me roll my eyes.

[@t1m513]

@Arabella why, obviously they mean harsh, toxic chemicals

[@raccontourahara7868]

this comment

[@meerasolomon3507]

I love seeing such a level headed approach to embracing evidence and discarding fear-mongering consumerism.

[@rosaliac.386]

Right, literally came here to say this. The logical, calm and STILL OPEN MINDED/NON-JUDGEMENTAL view and explanation is just ✨*chefs kiss*✨

[@sydneybriannataaffe1026]

We should all take notes from this video on how to approach everything in life!!!

[@normis6620]

I think the greatest offense committed by the industry is hiding silicone’s role as moisturizing. Basically every silicone based product is labeled as “oil”, since the consumer think that oils are better than silicones, but... They know! They know that an oil would leave a greasy mess on your hair, so that’s why the firsts ingredients are just silicones and at the end of the list they add coconut or argan oil just to justify the “oil” label.

[@trudy6302]

so can i use silicones on my hair? like i have herbal essences shampoo and conditioner which have silicones including dimethicone and i dont want to ruin my hair

[@katwolf897]

@@trudy6302 before learning about the CGM I'm sure you used silicone products without a problem. It isn't going to suddenly kill your hair to use it again. If you have a product and you like it, then use it.

[@trudy6302]

@@katwolf897 ok thank you!! i always used silicones in my hair for a while until i started using cantu bc for a little while it rlly made my hair soft. i dont know if you can sort of "diagnose" my hair and what i can do for it but i used to have curly hair as a baby then it went to straight with pretty waves and my hair was LONG and soft and now its back to curly like in the hair type 2 range. if i scrunch it and plop and add hair products after a shower my hair is curly but still sorta dry and quite frizzy. i only do that when im bored. but usually i just brush through my hair after washing and semi drying my hair in a t shirt and adding products (leave ins etc.) and i try to make it as straight as possible by brushing it before it dries. it sort of works but STILL i have some texture and waves in there. my hair is an OK texture but in certain spots its just rough and feels like hay even tho i cut off the split ends in those parts. idk if im doing anything wrong but if u can help that would be nice!! :)

[@MissCaraMint]

@@trudy6302 You have to also remember that hair texture naturally changes over time as well. in ten years you hair might be curly but it could also straighten out with no outsider reason as to why.

[@makayla6956]

silicones help me detangle my hair in the shower

[@LadyKhione]

my hair is naturally straight, I've never been able to hold a curl, and honestly don't plan on curling anytime soon - I'm just here for the positive message and the use of critical thinking when acting as a consumer. Love the video!

[@danielaharrison4601]

Same

[@tiffanypatton9293]

Same too

[@emmaauty2922]

Same!

[@kathyboschen6719]

My psoriasis has always reacted terribly to sulphates... sores all over my head... I’m super grateful there are so many options for me to choose from now. So CGM has made THAT easier for me for sure... hairdressers used to *eyeroll* me all the time when I asked that they not use sulphates when I was getting my hair cut.

[@miunya]

Yeah!! Same for my dermatitis

[@peakmemequality8965]

Oh my gosh same! Plus it doesn't help that I live in a dry state I think the cgm has helped in someways but you really just gotta try things until you find what works for you

[@SobrietyandSolace]

I feel like the CGM is like doing an exclusion method when you're having digestive problems. It eliminates a lot of potential irritants and problems and you can can gradually reintroduce some things once you've figured out what does and doesn't work. Some of us just need things to be as simple as possible. I don't use hair products anymore just because there's too much shit going on and using natural products is simpler.

[@cupcakexlindsay]

I have a severe allergy to most hair products and almost always get hives when I get my hair cut. So I bring my own shampoo and conditioner when I get my hair cut. Maybe you can do that too if you’d like. I just make sure to ask it’s okay before I make my appointment. I know it’s not necessarily an allergy but it might just be easier to say that you have a scalp condition and need to use the products you bring.

[@alezy7645]

I am allergic to SLS aswell, I get rashes.

[@barbkelly9604]

First we're born with the most complicated, hard to take care of hair, then we have to pay more than triple the price to get CGM approved products. I'm starting to think it's a bunch of crap. Been following the CGM for several years and don't think my hair looks or feels any better than it did before. Shopping for hair products has become a nightmare reading all the tiny labels. Just when you think you found something "acceptable", no wait, put that back, it's got this or that in it...exhausting and makes your head spin with all the "rules." Thinking of quitting CGM myself. I almost feel I've become brainwashed and certainly more stressed out over what I'm "allowed" to use on my hair. I've also wasted more $$ than ever since starting CGM, not liking results of most of the products I try.

[@sadieadler4383]

I'm tired of this whole curly hair journey too I've tried several different products through the years and they don't do what they're supposed to do, they all just leave a waxy residue on my strands of hair silicone or no silicone doesn't matter what I try it all just ends up being a total failure. And every hair blogger was raving about the NYMs curl talk line and the cream gave me some of the worst buildup I've ever experienced I had tangles and flakes like there was no tomorrow and I don't have dandruff whatsoever. I love my curly texture but sometimes I wish my hair was lower maintenance and less time consuming.

[@patriciatimoteo1667]

I tried to follow the CGM for my hair without much success.. I ended up just going to an hairdresser familiar with curly hair, and asked him what products I should use for my hair texture and all. Best decision I ever made tbh

[@sadieadler4383]

@@patriciatimoteo1667 Were his recommendations that of the salon?

[@patriciatimoteo1667]

@@sadieadler4383 I don't understand? I mean, he recommended products he had in the salon, yes, but he really took the time to see and feel my hair structure and tell me its type. If I feel that the products he recommended don't do a great job, I have all the information needed to search other ones. :)

[@eieiw32424]

tru tho. like god damn it just let me do what i want with my hair. im not even a girl but still. is depression not enough for ppl to stop putting this pressure on us? geez. and this is coming from a depressed person, i dont have the time to do all of the cgm stuff, id rather have no hair or just frizzy hair rather than stressing myself and other ppl

[@TheFitCurls]

YAAAS SCIENCE OVER FEAR!! 🙌🏻

[@pheenobarbidoll2016]

I quit because it's too much GD work for *hair* , and my hair looks the same no matter what.

[@pheenobarbidoll2016]

Oh and a whole chunk of that community are assholes.

[@Emily-cd9vx]

Isn’t that the truth! The strict CGM groups, especially the water soluble ones, are so rude and refuse to be helpful if you question the products they like or their way of doing things. So done with that!

[@anthyavila9726]

It's basically a cult. I dipped my toe in it a couple of years back, but quit a group almost as soon as I joined after seeing the way they responded to doubts and inquiries.

[@pheenobarbidoll2016]

@@anthyavila9726 Reminded me of Horse groups. Nothing but bitches and any questions were met with derision and scorn. Differing opinions ended in all out banishment. I was banned from a CGM facebook group for telling someone that my hair stopped falling out after I began to use sulfates again. I was banned from a horse group after telling someone I popped my mare on the nose when she bit me. She never did it again, meanwhile everyone else following the Group Think were getting chunks taken out of their hides with no success in their method of discipline. You'd have thought I said I beat her over the head with a whip. Horses bit and kick the hell out of each other to discipline each other. A pop from my open hand didn't do any damage but let her know I wouldn't take it. Similarly, all the methods people were suggesting for hair loss weren't working, whereas mine did. But they reacted like I said I poured acid on my head.

[@michellereneedaque3159]

@@pheenobarbidoll2016 I also quit that group its so...🤪

[@gnat383]

One thing that I sort of found to not be true for me in the curly girl method was to NEVER brush ur hair.... Only use a wide tooth comb when it's wet. When my hair was long it was constantly matted in the back and had a bunch of tangles bc I felt like I couldn't brush it, plus it takes around 8 hours to completely dry(when it's long). I've found a bunch of happy mediums lol. What works for you works for you.

[@YanelArez]

I will give up my hairbrush over my dead body, cgm forums act like hairbrushes are the devil but they work for me too! I always wet my hair after brushing it to make it more manageable (it's like my face becomes a hair-magnet when my hair is brushed) but brushing it ~ twice a week keeps my hair and scalp feeling a LOT better than if I'm just combing it in the shower. My hair is also way more difficult to detangle when it's wet compared to when it's dry. I love the products I use because they make my hair feel and look a lot nicer than head&shoulders did but no one can convince me hairbrushes are bad for me

[@unseeliesidhegoddess]

Only detangling with fingers when my hair was soaking wet with conditioner the way the CGM says ended up with me losing GIANT handfuls every shower. My hair was so thin. I went back to using my brush, not every day, but usually right before showering, and there is so much *less* shedding and hair fall. I think those of us who are more wavy-curly honestly need to care for our hair differently than either straight hair or tighter more coily curls, so CGM is kind of meh in the long run.

[@YanelArez]

@@unseeliesidhegoddess totally agree with the hairloss thing, it also felt so stressful and difficult in comparison. I do think my hair looks and feels a lot better since I switched to silicone/sulfate free products but I think a lot of other things are very individual. My sister hasn't touched a hairbrush in years and her hair looks incredible!

[@Jessih6]

This!!!! My hair is definitely wavy, but the not brushing thing.... I cannot.

[@owlsandrainbownerds]

@@YanelArez Hi sorry to bother but I'm definitely struggling with matting when I don't brush my hair besides when showering. How do you brush during the week w/o creating frizz though? I can never get it right :(

[@user-ot7ue2yb2e]

i cracked up when i went on the curly girl and deva curl sites and looked up parabens and they only had one-sentence descriptions saying “they dry your hair out” with NO explanation. like... source please?

[@kthy31]

I thought parabens are bad because they mess with the hormones, not necessarily a CGM thing but "clean beauty" in general

[@user-ot7ue2yb2e]

@@kthy31 there have been some follow-up studies showing that parabens are safe in the amounts used in cosmetics!

[@Asehhar]

@@user-ot7ue2yb2e I'm not playing devils advocate will still be avoiding them like the plague

[@70sbest72]

LMFAO

[@70sbest72]

so basically we’ve been lied to?

[@joeyl669]

Personally, I never liked silicones. I feel like they never ever helped my hair. They always killed my definition, and created buildup. But if I have to, I'll use sulfates. But I never technically followed the cgm. I could never believe cowashing is an efficient way to wash your scalp.

[@lexiemarie9118]

you’re right, it’s not. you need to use a shampoo because the scalp is not self cleaning. it’s honestly bad for you to not be cleansing your scalp and constantly using only co-wash can damage your scalp in the long run :(

[@saffy771]

Same, I never understood how a conditioner is supposed to clean your scalp

[@Bazangi]

It actually works really well for me. I have the driest hair/scalp/skin imaginable (with the complication of chronic seborrheic dermatitis). Co-washing 2 washdays, then shampoo on the 3rd washday actually helps keep my scalp from breaking out as badly. Wish I had discovered co-wash sooner.

[@suchs4979]

@@Bazangi i think they're talking about people who exclusively cowash though and never use a shampoo ever

[@lexiemarie9118]

@@Bazangi yes! thats great and i do that too! what i meant was that for long term, cowash doesnt do everything that a shampoo can do.

[@lolacool98]

This is why I modified the CGM for my 2b hair. I need a sulfate shampoo to get my hair clean, but silicone conditioners make my hair too slick to hold my wave. It's a process!

[@mmmmmmmmaria]

ok same bc i feel like i never see anyone with the same problem. do you have any product tips? bc my hair is so dry it’s breaking off but if i even LOOK at conditioner it will end up limp and straight.

[@VemCe-xl2qg]

Just don't have a method, you only have waves anyways. Wash and go, simple.

[@brittneyrichmond6724]

I’m a hair stylist I’ve never really looked into the curly girl method but do what you said you do. Clarify, deep condition, and trim my hair regularly. The health of it changed drastically after I went to beauty school and learned these things. I have wavy hair. These things work on all hair types. Then you change up the way you style it based on the texture.

[@Plethorality]

that makes sense.

[@kayleigh5553]

What do you use to clarify your hair?

[@kikim7873]

@@kayleigh5553 They make special clarifying shampoos that are labeled as such. All you have to do is choose one that works well for your needs and budget. Even places like Target have them.

[@l8Frankalein]

I just think that some of the ingredients that are labeled as "bad" are not bad for use per se but bad for the environment. There are some silicones that at forbidden in rinse-off cosmetics for that reason. Also, there is the microplastic issue. I know that the impact from the cosmetics is much less than tires for example. But I always think that every little bit of change helps

[@Anna-dr4kj]

exactly what I've been thinking throughout the whole video! Thank you for pointing that out👏🏼

[@miskas56800]

Exactly and more ! 🙌 so many bad product are so bad for the environment and not biodegradable….

[@rubygloom73]

THANK YOU!!!! I'm a hairdresser and when clients tell me they avoid parabens I always ask them why? What ARE parabens? What is it about them that you don't want on your har? Nobody can ever give a straight answer because most of the time they don't even know what parabens are. They've just heard that parabens are "bad" so they avoid them. I mean if you're going to avoid a product or ingredient at least look into it so you can give a reason as to why! It always baffles me!

[@celenameg]

A woman came into my salon store asking for “chemical free” shampoo and conditioner. I was like 😑🙄🤯

[@sadieadler4383]

@@celenameg She needs a middle school chemistry lesson seriously what happened to commonsense?

[@rshraddha]

@@celenameg lol 🤣🤣🤣

[@Kif_Lee]

@@celenameg Pls tell me you sold her an empty shampoo bottle :D

[@celenameg]

@@Kif_Lee Haha if I'm remembering correctly, she said she was just going to go home and Google how to make her own. I was like "That's probably your best bet."

[@barlowlaura]

It's also important to know that "moisturizing" is another thing that is slapped on labels. It's what we want to see.

[@sadieadler4383]

What about strengthening or repair?

[@dimifat2007]

As a curly person myself I always thought that the curly method has too many products, which means the best marketing for you to spend a lot of money your hair doesn't need. For me I use products that work for my hair, than looking for the ingredients list, simple because I am no chemist.

[@emmaphilo4049]

Totally true!

[@Ola-cb1xt]

As person with straight hair who checked this metod only becouse of curiousity it always was weird for me. Like for many years people only used herbs becouse it was the only thing they had. Why the need to use like 5 products?

[@wrioculus]

same i use a maximum of 3 products. shampoo, conditioner, leave-in.

[@freakytostadacartoon]

I only use Sulfate free shmpoo(my hair hates sulfate) Conditioner Leave in conditioner Detangler when needed And thats it only 4 products.

[@Moviestory03]

Shampoo conditioner leave in..main products...another one just wastage

[@LorNrocks]

I love this so much. I think my hair has improved for the same reason you thinks yours has: I actually started using styling products, getting regular trims, using a diffuser, and just like...putting effort in. I truly believe that’s the key.

[@artxanthe]

I started using the cgm two years ago and I finally could manage my hair without it being a frizzy mess. But now I’ve noticed my curls have turned to waves. Now I’m using different products to get my curls back because I miss them.

[@sadieadler4383]

You need layering or a shorter cut because the weight of your hair is loosening your curls and making them look droopy.

[@koikro4410]

Agree with above, its possible your hair just grew a bunch in quarantine

[@heidiclarke2333]

You can over condition your hair, think what clothes with to much fabric conditioner feel like, same applies to hair.

[@Alex-tk7gh]

​@@sadieadler4383 a layered haircut is KEY to holding curl or waves. Specially for those of us who have more wavy/curly hair.

[@ajsonstegard5729]

OMG YAZ! There is a great book called 'Thinking Fast and Slow'. Just because someone said so, doesn't mean it is so, do your research and play around with products. Totally agree that companies do have to do a better job explaining why their ingredients will work for us. Your rock girl!!!❤️

[@baysavicious]

I am pretty sure I have curly hair. It’s always been frizzy, mostly wavy with some small ringlets under my hair, but I can’t take that much care of my hair, my face and my body. It’s gotta be one or the other and the hair ain’t gonna make the cut lol

[@tinalyzhen]

honestly. i wanted to try the CGM but the whole process seems like it takes forever and i got a busy life that doesnt revolve around my hair LMAO

[@Cloudy4Days]

Honestly, I just started leaving more conditioner in my hair (though be careful leaving it on the top of your head) and that would help immensely. Maybe brush it upside down and dry on top of your head too if you feel like it

[@pastelx7]

I just suggest condition before u shampoo and make sure u leave it in for as long as the bottle says. Once dried it should be curly for a day. How to keep it up now that's another story. As once I brush it is more ugly.

[@SalmiChan]

I'm also way too lazy for the whole method, but I've started to just use "squish to condish" (use lots and lots of conditioner) and wash my hair about once a week and it's helped defining my curls. Don't feel pressured to do allll the steps - even one can help your hair!

[@faraway-2009]

Cgm girls overdue it im pretty sure you can get good results with a suitable shampoo, conditioner, styling product, and brush. There's no need for 10 products

[@gymkat247]

My hair was at its best when I used the Aussie Moist line when I was in high school and college. Then I got a job and could spend money on the more expensive CGM products. My hair has fallen so flat and blah. Now I'm starting over at square 1. Here we go! Haha. Glad to have found you and a few others here on KZbin!

[@BooksMusicMe17]

That's so interesting! Aussie Moist totally fucked my hair and was weirdly too drying, among worse products I've ever used and I was left wondering why they were even marketed for curly hair. I'm guessing there are much bigger differences in hair structure than just curly or not affecting what works for us.

[@sadieadler4383]

@@BooksMusicMe17 It's porosity and the weather that effect how our hair behaves.

[@emmaphilo4049]

The Aussi moist line destroyed my hair lol... When I discovered the CGM, the best thing was that it made me stop using it and my hair became more beautiful... To each their own I guess :)

[@pieceofpeace35]

They changed the formula for those products and the moisturizer seems to react poorly for a lot of people now

[@mmmmmmmmaria]

i loved aussie moist for frequent washing. only shampoo that could get my hair clean without turning it into one big ball of sticky straw when i was blonde. maybe i should try it again actually, thanks for the reminder!

[@dozeymare6857]

This is fantastic. I’ve recently started looking further than the CGM community, learning about what ingredients actually do and more importantly, don’t do and I couldn’t agree more, so glad someone is coming at this from a scientific point of view. Can’t wait for tomorrow for part 2. Your hair is amazing 🤩

[@tehreemraza123]

My world was blown away when Dr. Drey said *Sulphates don't damage the hair BUT they do make it look ugly and unmanageable* and my whole life had been a lie.

[@mmmmmmmmaria]

huh?

[@katechaste]

so....could we take the same line of thought about ingredients in skincare too?

[@crunchypotatochips8134]

Yes! Check out Dr. Dray. She’s a dermatologist on KZbin and she’s helped me out a lot.

[@myconfusedmerriment]

Lab Muffin Beauty Science also makes great skincare content. She’s really good at breaking down how specific ingredients work, I’d highly recommend her.

[@celenameg]

Yes, completely!

[@mamesmck5236]

I read that as Snickers! I was _very_ confused. Stupid dyslexia..

[@emmaphilo4049]

Yes you can but honestly clean ingredients are great too. I don't see the point of chemicals. It's not a moralistic thing, but I do believe natural /cleaner formulas do a good job. It's still better for you and the planet to just use simple ingredients. Plus sophisticated skincare is too expensive :/

[@tima2553]

Thank youuu!!! Exactly. I also recommend Dr. Dray (dermatologist) & Cassandra Bankson medical esthetician. I do modified curly girl method. Meaning no restrictions but tips and tricks!😍

[@amandawilson890]

I love cgm for application and styling techniques mostly. But I've never really followed the products lol my hair like what it likes.

[@unzikarim2648]

Can you share?

[@emmaphilo4049]

Same :) and I am not part of any CGM community :)

[@kan12345ify]

@@amandawilson890 me too

[@supernova11711]

I mean, I don’t even have curly hair and found this video extremely informative! This is true of EVERYTHING, not just the “CGM”! I was reading reviews for a leave in conditioner I wanted to try and was really confused why some people seemed outraged by the addition of silicone in the ingredients list. Then one said “This is no longer curly girl approved!”. So... I looked into the particular ingredient myself and didn’t find anywhere that it’s bad for my hair so I went ahead and bought the product and love it! My hair isn’t ringlets but it is quite naturally wavy and they are as soft and bouncy as ever! It just feels like people are too eager to jump on bandwagons even though they themselves have no idea what their talking about or why these things are supposedly bad for them. Stop being sheep people and take the time to learn things you’re curious about on your own! In this day and age, knowledge is but a click away! It reminds me of the whole vaccines causing autism thing actually 🙄. Even though the ONE faulty test done by ONE unqualified doctor has been disproven time and time again, people STILL insist that it’s true. If almost feels like a cult mentality thing honestly.

[@brittcurls]

YES the comparison to vaccines is such a good one. It doesn’t help that the media runs with some of this misinformation too and people don’t know what to believe. If every product says “free from...” on the front, why wouldn’t you think those ingredients are bad. There’s so much fear-based marketing out there it blows my mind

[@jessiestephens3943]

Hi Jen, may I ask what leave-in your using? I ask because I'm in the process of looking for one. My favorite one was discontinued. I'm in British Columbia Canada and our product availability is sadly lacking. Though I can order on Amazon.

[@supernova11711]

@@jessiestephens3943 I’m in Canada too! I bought the ShaeMoisture Strengthen and Restore Leave in Conditioner. It works great but is a little heavy so I only use it on wash days then use a spray on if I want added moisture on off days (I’m using the John Frieda Frizz ease right now but am not in love with that one. It’s okay though. ) I believe the one I was referring to above was actually the protein mask I use though (SheaMoisture hydrate and repair protein powder treatment). I use that every couple of weeks and it’s lovely! I got everything above from Shoppers drug mart...I’m assuming they should all carry similar products throughout Canada? My absolute holy grail is my Loma Nourishing Oil treatment though which you might have to order online...unless, like me, you know someone with a hairdresser certificate :). You can get it at the Salons but it’s more expensive that way.

[@dakotacooperr]

Over last summer I got curious about this subject and was able to look through the peer reviewed journal articles in the library of my university and it seemed pretty clear to me they were not harmful. Glad more people are coming around to know this!

[@IKKclauKR]

I decided that I wasn't going to follow the CGM the moment I saw they demonized sulfates I mistreated my hair a lot (dye over dye, bleached, a lot of straightening), and in my worst hair moment people started telling me "use sulfate free shampoo", so I did...well, my scalp hated it!!! progressively my scalp started to itch, and a lot of dandruff started to appear (mind you, I was only shampooing and conditioning, not any other product touched my hair, so it wasn't build up)...and it took me a year and a visit to the dermatologist to learn that it's actually a kind of common reaction to the use of sulfate free shampoo, and I started using sulfates again and it slowly went back to normal So, when I started to look how to take care of my hair, and saw that the method wasn't "sulfate friendly" I decided that I wasn't going to follow it, and if I had to use sulfates, then I was going to use any product that I wanted...and my hair is getting better and better with every wash day...so in the end, DO WHATEVER IT'S BEST FOR YOUR HAIR!! end of rant

[@pellaw8011]

See, my hair is exactly the opposite. Sulfates mess with my hair so much that I didn't even realize it was wavy until I stopped using them. We all have different hair, and it's ridiculous to demonize an ingredient like a sulfate just because some people have trouble with it.

[@XpetraXpazlX]

Going to a doctor is a good idea. But if you go natural & stop using chemicals, you hair & skin will react anyways. It took me 4 months for my hair to heal. It was really oily when i stopped using sulfates. But now my hair is the best its ever been. & i dont get dandruff anymore. Anyways people can do whatever they want with their hair. I just wanted you to know that its a process to repair & heal your hair. & everyone is diffrent and may take a shorter or longer amount of time to see a positive diffrence.

[@noemie3433]

Manes by Mell is all about having really nice hair without following all the stupid CGM rules! I love her channel too!

[@brittcurls]

Mell is awesome!!

[@elleeeish407]

I've just started the CG method, and didn't realise how "only healthy green" ingredients it was. As a skeptic this worried me that it was a woo-based method. Its so comforting to know I can find science-based hair care. Thanks for sharing the hash tag, I will definitely be following.

[@jasonbryan9056]

Hello how are you doing 👋👋👋😀

[@Kayyy8585]

Sulfates, silicones and fragrances make my eczema worse .. I use “cleaner” products because my skin prefers them. I don’t care about science or marketing, I just use what works for me. Thanks for this video Britt !

[@TheQuoteandQuill]

And here I thought the 'curly girl method' was just about how you dry and style your hair. Had no idea it involved product specifications.

[@raerohan4241]

Back when I first heard about it, it was only about avoiding sulphates and silicones. Sulphates because they damage your hair pretty badly, and that shows up a lot easier on curly hair (in the form of frizz, bushiness, breakage, etc.); silicones because you can only wash them out with sulphates, and if you can’t wash them out your hair starts looking limp and greasy. But like with any community, as it’s gotten bigger, it’s gotten more toxic. And like with any “movement,” as soon as it got popular, brands jumped on it as a new marketing tactic. Which then invited elitism and snobbery. CGM is not bad at its core. It’s helped me a lot. I just don’t interact with the community - no social media interaction, no looking up product recommendations on yt, reddit, or anywhere else. And rather than jumping on new brands and products, I just stick with the tried-and-true and cost-effective ones, unless something cheaper comes along

[@ameliemuller4895]

@@raerohan4241 which products do you recommend?

[@apricotmuffins]

From personal experience as someone with straight hair, stopping using silicones and sulphates has visibly improved the condition of my hair. I'm extremely low maintenance anyway but I found that switching to sulphate and silicone free shampoos and conditioners minimised the flyaways I had and made my hair more silky and moisturised without weighing it down. Perhaps higher quality ingredients in general compared to the other products I used to use is the real change here.

[@rarediamond1011]

Yea, I've noticed that too with my curly hair. I'll still clarify to remove build up, but some hair products are more expensive for a reason. They will usually have higher quality ingredients and the ingredients will be more concentrated instead of super watery. Cheap conditioners are cheap because they are very watered down. Also, any hair texture can benefit from sleeping on a silk pillowcase or wrapping your hair up in silk. This helps SO much with those frizzy flyaways.

[@autumnfeldpausch5539]

I've noticed if I dont use conditioner my curls are more lively & less flat & much less oily looking before the day comes to an end. But I do a treatment once a week..or when I notice I need it. The constant use of products is sometimes over used I believe..example is the everyday conditioner. But everyone's scalp & hair is different.

[@LammasDeluge]

It's painful to know that alcohol in hair products is not necessarily bad and still have to hear from almost EVERYONE that it's the devil.

[@raerohan4241]

Same with skin products. Alcohols are not necessarily bad, however: - they can be terrible for those with sensitive skin - even for those with non-sensitive skin they can be bad in a leave-on product - exception is when the alcohol is being used in a product meant for spot-treating acne, as the dryness is actually beneficial in that case There are _very_ few things where you can definitively say that something is good or bad. The same thing can be bad in one situation but great in another. It can also be bad for one person but great for another. Hard and fast rules... don’t really exist

[@AngelaVEdwards]

*Thank you!! I also hate the ideas being passed around that the science doesn't back. Case in point: Mineral Oil is very curl enhancing. Super curl enhancing. But we're told to **_never use it, it will build up._** That's not true; Mineral Oil is actually too large to penetrate the hair shaft; it sits right on top. That means that with any surfactant the Mineral Oil will be removed. I **_can't_** build up on the hair. It's impossible. Now it is a bit complicated to use Mineral Oil without looking greasy but that's it's only real drawback. It won't build up and prevent bouncy curls; it actually helps to create them.* *I thoroughly condition my hair on wash day (squish to condish and leave in conditioner that I've added avocado oil to) so I often use a hairspray with denatured alcohol (a drying alcohol; that's why I use it) as its first ingredient on non wash days to dry my hair more quickly after wetting it a little and applying a bit of gel. I **_hate_** running around with wet hair and I detest the "wet look" so I want my curls to be dry as much as possible and my hair is too dense to actually diffuse it completely dry; that would take all day. That's never ruined my curls, but again I make sure my hair is thoroughly conditioned every time I wash.* _Both mineral oil and coconut oil have pretty compact structures which should physically permit diffusion through the porous external layer of the hair shaft. So why does coconut oil do so, while mineral oil does not?_ _The answer lies in the atoms. While the chemical structure of the molecules present in mineral oil is purely carbon and hydrogen, rendering them very non-polar, triglycerides such as those found in plant-derived oils contain carboxylic acid groups, which lend a little polarity to the molecules. This polarity confers an affinity to these oils for other polar molecules, such as the various keratinous proteins of which hair is comprised. Thus, it is this inherent attraction to other polar molecules, coupled with the relatively simple structure of coconut oil that enables it to diffuse through the cell membrane cortex of the hair and penetrate into the central cortex. Mineral oil has no such affinity for proteins, and remains on the more hydrophobic exterior surface of the hair._ www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/kinky-hair-type-4a/mineral-oil-versus-coconut-oil-which-is-better

[@twirlygirlie1]

So happy I’ve found you! I hate fear mongering of all varieties!

[@alineparadis8444]

Great video. Thanks for this. I've started reintroducing silicones, and my hair loves it. I'm also following Manesbymell who also scientifically explained that some of these ingredients are not bad for your hair. I'm happy to see another influencer talk about this. Can't wait to see tomorrow 's video!

[@Frizzandfrillzz]

Girl! You did a phenomenal job with this video! 🙌🙌🙌

[@brittcurls]

Thanks Chloe! 🥰

[@mrs.c3523]

You've put my thoughts into words I was too uneducated to speak. Thank you! I loved this.

[@Christodophilus]

Any method that reduces chemicals in your hair is a good thing, because even if you don't know what role certain chemicals have in a list of ingredients, there's one thing they all have in common. They strip the hair of it's natural oils, and damage the cuticles that feed the hair growth.

[@angelag669]

I wish we could see more of this on social media. I never did a full on CGM and was always using a modified version. I don't use terry cloth towels anymore and I sleep in a bonnet and/or on a silk pillow case and I don't use a flat iron anymore. My products however are whatever is working for me. Trial and error is the key.

[@mothshaped]

This was so eye-opening for me as someone who tends to just trust what I'm told rather than doing my own research. I stopped using a few Lush products that had always been great for my skin a few years ago due to them containing sulfates, but now I might pick them back up 🙏

[@Nanenna]

This explains something that happened to me! I decided to try Function of Beauty because it had been recommended to me by several people. My curls were curlier, my frizz was less there, my hair was doing great! My scalp was full of dandruff, itchy, and the final straw was it started burning. I was told that sounded like an allergic reaction so I went back to a brand I trusted and almost immediately the burning stopped. Now I know the lack of parabens is why and is something to start looking out for. Ugh, it was just awful. Also I've been rolling my eyes at the whole "vegan" movement from day one. Vegan does not mean animal cruelty free. No one harasses honey out of bees, but honey is an animal product and thus is not vegan. Plant equivalents are well... some of them are super exploitative! And a completely plant based product can just as easily be tested on animals as one containing eggs/honey/lard/etc so it feels kind of counter productive. I care more about how the animals that provide the products are treated (including the humans harvesting the product or are displaced by these first world corporations moving into their homes and stealing their staple food supply) more than anything else.

[@SobrietyandSolace]

Lord I hear you on the veganism arguments

[@raerohan4241]

True. Palm oil and avocado are way worse for the environment _and_ cruelty than any amount of honey, yet the former are vegan and the latter is not

[@Grannievore]

OMG! Amen! As a wavy haired girl it became impossible for me to buy practically ANY products because CGM products weigh my waves down and products that don’t contained the taboo ingredients in some tiny amounts. I feel like you just unchained me from another form of hair tyranny in the same way that originally the CGM unchained me from trying to make my waves into straight hair!

[@sydneyhanna5289]

This is so helpful! Up until now I thought that if you wanted your hair to look good you have to use products CGM approved but now I’m just gonna use what works. Also Swavycurlycourtney is one of my favorite curly youtubers and I’m really glad that you mentioned her

[@mavrifantasia]

Thank you for this video! I figured out my curls due to the curly girl method but I've been soooo annoyed by the fearmongering and BS marketing (and I work in marketing, I would know!). First of all, botanical ingredients are not necessarily better for you. And these natural brands can be very hypocritical as well. As a skincare buff, with sensitivity to fragrance, I know what's in my skincare products. I've lost count on how many "nature, artificial-fragrance" free products I've encountered that are full of essential oils - it's like they want me to get a migraine and break out! I think the CGM is helpful for those of us who don't really know how to take care of our hair since it gives us an understanding of what steps we should take to take care of it and some good styling techniques but after a while, it can be stifling and restrictive. I use sulphates, parabens, waxes and "artificial ingredients." I doubt that the EU (where I'm based) would permit for dangerous ingredients to be included in cosmetic products! I am still not a fan of dimethicone because I don't like how it makes my hair (and skin for that matter) feel but that's a personal preference. Which is fine! You figure out what your hair and skin like and you use the products that work for them! I think people should focus more on what's in their products instead of what is *not* in their products!

[@carmiebbt]

as someone who is vehemently against how "clean" is marketed in skincare, YES TO ALL OF THIS!!!

[@listeningatwork8719]

I’ve been doing the CG method for ~20 years and I never considered it as anti-paraben or anti-alcohol or pro-botanicals. Granted, I got most of my information from the Curly Girl book and the early days of curly talk online. I think a lot of the early information, which was super basic and easy to follow, has been morphed into a complex system that can be difficult to follow.

[@marydavis3203]

For those not on Instagram, is it possible to discuss products you like and don't like here?

[@NoName-yc4ts]

Yessss!!! I second this!

[@brittcurls]

Will definitely work on this!

[@gooseofspooks2500]

My hair is not even that curly just a bit wavy but my skin is really dry and sensitive and using products with sulfates literally burns worse than bleach for me so i'm glad there's a lot options nowadays. I also prefer products without silicones cause they just make my hair look greasy, I prefer conditioners that I can use on my scalp as well so I can get a bit moisture in there too

[@CleopatraPapadopoulos]

YES! I’ve needed this! The CGM has made my hair dry!

[@norak8080]

I expected the like to dislike ratio to be much higher because of the cgm's cult-like tendencies lol. thanks for this refreshing and informative video! i can't count how many times i've walked around looking a mess because i followed someone else's routine step by step instead of listening to my own hair haha

[@janetmecham1059]

I had never heard of the cgm method, but funny thing is all my life I’ve had to deal with my curly hair and every time I tried anything that is “natural” aka paraben free, sulfate free, blah blah blah, my hair would be much less manageable and breakage was more so. So I would always use the “real stuff” and look like a rebel to others around me, but hey, the regular real stuff from good old Wally World (Wal-Mart) always worked better for me. 🤷🏻‍♀️😅

[@linziesantana4748]

I appreciate this I follow the curly girl method for the MOST part and have for years, but recently realized that clarifying with a sulfate is useful for my hair cause my scalp is super sensitive/ easily irritated. Every few weeks I’ll do that it helps. Each head of hair is so different

[@erin7973]

I need a video like this but for skincare

[@Rukia457]

Look up Hyram on YT he makes amazing content and talks about how "chemicals" aren't scary and what you actualy want to look for in products ❤️

[@ibtissamch5021]

@chriss stark thats exactly what i was going to say

[@milkandspice1074]

I would look at Cassandra. She is an actual aesthetician.

[@lilgigiii]

I would actually look up Dr. Shereene on KZbin! She’s a dermatologist and very funny lmao

[@user-qt1tt3ys7l]

Dr Dray is the best

[@carolbowen4349]

I needed this video! The CG community is so critical against way too many products. I’ve used all kinds of CG products, but I’m about to go back to products that do contain silicones. Because ya know what, my hair will be fine as long as I clarify. And I’m already clarifying anyway 🤷🏻‍♀️ That ZOTOS line dried my hair out the worst of anything I’ve ever tried.

[@SusannahPerri]

Wow, thank you for taking the time to think this all through and check it out! Common sense always prevails. Ok, not always, but it should! I’d never even heard of the “Curly Girl Method!”

[@taunabarrett781]

What a breath of fresh air you are! Common sense talk.

[@Simplenglutuin]

I am starting to do a modified cgm. I always listen to my hair on what it needs because you will know if it needs something more :) thank you for sharing!

[@thePipeBandEnthusiast]

It did make me realise I actually had curly hair, not just frizzy. It’s definitely got issues and I tend to not worry so much about the chemical stuff, but it really helped me to discover my real hair.

[@teaghanduff1187]

Hi! Just wanted to take a moment to add a bit of a shade of nuance to this, although I appreciate your critical approach. It's definitely important to assess those labels critically, especially when considering the use of fear tactics over evidence-based science; however, not all of those concerns are automatically delegitimized just because they have been overblown. Phthalates, for example, though they haven't been fully studied, have some scientific evidence indicating toxicity towards humans and the environment by way of their effects on diabetes rates and endocrine disruption. (I'll link the studies I'm referencing below, since it's always important to cite claims.) That said, the EPA have not found significant phthalate concentrations in many hair products, at least according to a survey conducted in 2010, but the one that appeared most often (DEP) is slightly correlated to insulin resistance in humans, significantly correlated to metabolic and behavioral changes in fish, and shown to bioaccumulate in fish/mollusks/crustaceans. Now, to clarify, I believe there are other studies that have found some of their effects on humans to be negligible, so it certainly requires more research. All this to say--it's just as reactionary to say that none of these ingredients are bad as it is to say that all of them are bad. Also, we have to remember to consider environmental effects as well as human health effects. Thanks for thinking critically! Sources: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2873012/#:~:text=Given%20the%20widespread%20occurrence%20of,depending%20on%20their%20ecological%20niche www.researchgate.net/profile/Sanjay-Jadhao/publication/223584323_Endocrine_disruption_and_metabolic_changes_following_exposure_of_Cyprinus_carpio_to_diethyl_phthalate/links/59f2498d0f7e9beabfcc6099/Endocrine-disruption-and-metabolic-changes-following-exposure-of-Cyprinus-carpio-to-diethyl-phthalate.pdf www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412018313291 www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378427412014051 www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/Phthalates_FactSheet.html www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/phthalates#:~:text=Historically%2C%20the%20primary%20phthalates%20used,a%20flexible%20film%20on%20the

[@RockingAnimeFan235]

I noticed I had more hair fall every time I used clean hair products and now I’m in the phase of trying to figure out what ingredients in the products are possibly causing it, and how to fix my hair.

[@OliveJuice023]

Great video! Love you’re ability to think critically! I’m a biologist and I get frustrated with this same marketing technique in the food industry, namely the Organic movement. “Organic” is so loosely defined and subjective it just means paying higher price for often times poor quality food.

[@pabi213]

One of the main reasons I didn’t follow the cg method is because those cg approved products are wayyyy out of my budget. I’m just a student tryna get by and look cute at the same time 😂

[@carriered4715]

pabi 213 - I'm a little late to this, and I'm only just starting to try some of this cgm stuff, but I Know for sure, The Worst thing for hair is Heat, like Hot Straighters etc., I think if we just take much better care of nourishing our hair, and generally looking after it, it's going to Naturally Look and BE Better! 😊

[@Saryana0]

Bit late, but if you live in Europe or Australia - the Balea line has a lot of cgf products that are also very cheap! They were actually cheaper than the products I used prior, and those were cheap as well. I sadly don't know if they are sold elsewhere though.

[@pinkunicorn8794]

I work with textiles and also had a bit of a giggle with some CurlyGirlMethodists claiming "cotton" being bad for your hair but that old t-shirt will work wonders. I opted out from the battle of letting them know what fibre their old t-shirt is made of. I've had my share of explaining people that "satin" isn't actually a fibre, it's a way to weave a fabric so it gets a certain shine and smoothness to it and recommending people to buy "satin" anything isn't a great approach. Personally I'm opting out from polyester satin but then again cotton satin can be quite nice.

[@Streets0fLondon]

Love this! I started to go all natural (wasn’t labeled clean back then) several years ago. This was before my hair transitioned. My products were all natural and organic but my hair became an absolute mess. I would not use heat, no bleach or anything, always air dried and it was completely damaged and had severe breakage. I always had to cut it, because the products would just not condition it. So I stopped and started to use salon brands again. My hair got better but it had transitioned and because I didn’t know at that time, I didn’t style them at all, just brushed them and let them air dry, then kept brushing them with bristle brushes because I thought this would help. Of course it didn’t and of course I blamed the products for that and thought this was happening because of all the bad stuff inside them. A while later I discovered the cgm. So I went and bought everything I needed, followed everything perfectly and my hair came out a tangled, stiff mess. It was not possible to go a day without washing. I had bleached my hair in between, so I blamed the bleach and decided to try it sometime else and used products with silicones in it again. Because these weren’t allowed by cgm I thought, I would try to go curly again with different products when the bleached part had grown out. So I blow dried my hair everytime to keep it smooth and even though my products had my hair in better condition then it had been for years, I counted the days until I could get rid of them, because I wanted to embrace my curls and thought I could not do that without cgf products. Some months ago I decided to try cgm out again, just for fun to see what happens even though my hair is still bleached. With my absolutely curly girl unfriendly shampoo, conditioner, leave in and silicone oil. I have the most amazing silky smooth 2b/2c curls now with zero frizz, that last days. The same time I also learned a lot about all the „bad ingredients“ and also about how the beauty industry works this way. I discovered for example, that „moisturizing“ is just another gimmick and hair was actually labeled the most healthy the more dry it was. What hair needs is conditioning. And it turns out, silicone and other „bad ingredients“ condition my hair the best. But I had 10 years of bad hair days or short haircuts, because I thought they were bad for my hair. I also never experience build up and my hair is not „all damaged underneath“ like everyone used to say in the beauty threads. Back then, my hair would have split ends within two weeks after cutting it. Now I am over four months after the last hair cut and my tips are healthy. Not saying that it works this way for everyone but not demonizing certain ingredients can definitely save some time and bad hair days.

[@sigh_yuri]

when you say salon brands which brands do you mean?

[@Streets0fLondon]

@@sigh_yuri back then I used conventional brands like Kerastase. They were okay but not the best. I then tried Aveda, Kevin Murphy and Living Proof. I think they were quite good but due to my hair transitioning and me still handling it like straight hair, I don’t know exactly how well they worked. Nowadays I use newer or more independent salon brands like Ouai (shampoo, conditioner, hair oil) or Iles Formula (leave-in). For deep conditioning I use the Moroccanoil hair mask. They are full of silicones and probably weigh my waves down a bit but I’m okay with it because they don’t break anymore. I also made good experiences with Maria Nila, which have a more clean approach but most products still contain silicones I think.

[@Scalarrightnow]

Will you please tell me how you style your hair with leave in, and how you brush? Like I m confused how am I not supposed to brush my hair before going out🙂, ik it's a late reply but can you please answer this! ♥

[@SophieKristiansen]

I think I just found my curl twin! Still early in my journey but having found you as my inspo helps a lot 😭❤❤

[@brittcurls]

Omg hayyyy! 👯‍♀️

[@quantumwombat]

Yes!!! My thoughts exactly!!! I’m so sick of people demonizing ingredients. I love the eco well and lab muffin!

[@BariTaleCoaching]

I'm JUST starting out (full on in the transition phase) of this journey & this is SO helpful!

[@lucaminotheone]

Girl, your hair shines as hell. Love it.

[@cupcakexlindsay]

The CGM makes my hair look so bad but I can’t use sulfates because of a scalp condition so I kind of have to use CGM since using silicones without sulfates causes too much build up on my hair.

[@eleanorchan872]

I don't follow CGM religiously. I like the application technique and use a better understanding of what products do helped me get better definition in my waves. Also, the CGM often leads wavy astray. If you follow the no-poo and co-wash, the build up will be so bad so quickly and hair will be limp. I use clarifying shampoos each time that I wash as I need to remove product and oil build up. As it is, when I use my colour shampoo to maintain my colour, it clarifies my hair anyway. I also get my hair lightened and dyed which is a big no-no. I have no intention of ever stopping. So I don't follow CGM "properly" either.

[@janallen6165]

Whoa! 🤯🤯🤯 Great video! I am Definitely going to be following this new movement as a way to be better informed! I agree with you in the fact that the actual method, deep conditioning regularly, removing buildup, avoiding drying alcohols (toward top of ing list), have been most beneficial in my curly girl journey! Can’t wait to see what new non cgm products have been working for you! Question, I know you’ve used Innersense, have your thoughts on their products changed in light of this new information?

[@brittcurls]

I still LOVE Innsersnse. Any "clean" brand that I use is *in-spite* of their marketing. Hopefully one day the tides will turn and brands will market their products by telling us what's in them...instead of what isn't!

[@askingaliicja]

Well, I mean... Tbh... When I used normal products, I had SOOO many hairs who had split into 4 ends. To the point where I had to cut over 30cm end 2019, which made me soooo sad. Since CGM I barely have ANY split ends and the ones that split, only split once... Also, with normal products I HAD to wash my hair every other day, because it got greasy so fast. Even when I tried delaying my hair wash day with +1 or +2 days for a couple of months. So I guess that's what CGM vs normal products do for me.

[@danidaggett]

This was a great video! I followed curly girl for about 3 years when I first started my curly journey. And, it was ok. But then one day, I just got fed up with paying so much more $$ for “natural, non-toxic” products. So I started experimenting with non-CG products and I get far better results. My hair is doing just fine and my curls are better than they were when I did CG.

[@sarahferguson0]

I kinda have a love/hate relationship with CGM. I have noticed better definition of my 2B waves and i'm even starting to see some legit S curls but all the experimenting is expensive. One of the things i've done that has helped is to stop comparing my curls to others and embracing the fact that i have waves not true curls for the most part. Personally i find sulphate to be the most drying so i avoid those. Also i can't stress enough how much a good stylist who knows how to cut curls. Not everyone understands how to cut our hair but finding someone who does is life-changing. Lastly i found most of the Curly Girl groups on social media to be way too judgemental and critical of us who are trying to do what's best for our hair regardless of products that are CG approved. I just want healthy, beautiful hair. 🙂

[@ik1854]

Maybe it is because I live in Europe (Germany), but here people try to avoid silicones not because they are bad for the hair but for the environment. Silicone is microplastic which ends up in the water when you use it in your hair cosmetic (shampoo, conditioner). Further, the longterm effect of parapenes are not well understood yet, but parabenes build up in your system. And as we don't know about its effect in our bodys I think it is good to be careful with it, which doesn't mean to 'demonize' them.

[@annanewsom4253]

I just started the curly girl method. And I do believe I will be following you!! Thanks so much for sharing!!

[@nataliecantieri8617]

Thank you for this! I changed my perspective so much and appreciate you exposing your process. I need to take this into consideration and stop bashing silicones.

[@jonip83]

I love this video. Thank you for doing your research and sharing it with us!

[@DMack-us4ne]

wow, this is really eye opening. thank you for doing your research and sharing with the internet! guess i'm gonna start using... more products that i normally wouldn't lol

[@missmayflower]

I love silicones. I use a little drop when my hair is dry and it smooths and shines it and brings out the waves. When you have coarse curly hair, it’s important to do as little as possible to it, just shampoo, condition and let it dry. Heat styling is what damages it, not any products you use.

[@dreamRcaid]

I am new to the curly girl method. My hair is wavy but I want it to curl all it can curl. I’m looking for channels that will help me learn and I come across this video that’s like I QUIT! Well you caught my attention. Being a nurse, I’m a fan of evidence-based information and methods as well. I appreciate your honesty, admission to imperfection and not knowing everything because none of us do, and your time taken to do the research. You just got yourself a new follower. I’m excited to learn more from your videos! :)

[@mirfrancisvilla214]

The cgm have worked from sooo much for me! My curls have been thriving but i need sulphates to clarify my hair, silicones are great when i blowdry my hair and if i use them but not frequently my hair doesn’t look bad or gets nappy🤷🏽‍♀️ people need to chill

[@LydiaKrow]

Thank you for using your platform to increase awareness about this. When I was a medical esthetician I was endlessly frustrated by people who would not listen to me about preservatives and parabens in beauty products being necessary to safely prevent decay. I had one woman bring in her "all natural" products and one of them was literally growing mold, which she actually told me she was encouraged to "scrape off" and continue using. I had her see a dermatologist, because I was specifically treating her for skin breakouts and skin sensitivity, and she wouldn't stop using the products. The dermatologist got so upset that he (politely) told her not to return until she started using properly formulated products. She actually did switch them out and was "shocked" to discover that the skin sensitivity stopped, but she was still breaking out, which we corrected with a change to her routine and some peels. Don't even get me started on the coconut oil moisturizer thing.

[@adakurzewska8101]

Thank you! I'm a cosmetic sccience major and the free-from claims that are shoved on every product botther me so much, it's so good to finally see people becoming more aware of how 'toxic' ingredients are not actually harmful when used in small amounts witth other ingredients

[@alexlilly6657]

At first I was hesitant to click on this video, but it's perfect. I am always researching brands and ingredients I am using but based on actual research done, not by just claims of people who are saying things, without studying anything... So, Good Job! Loved it.

[@theworldisavampire3346]

Honestly my biggest problem with the curly girl method is my hair never felt silky. You always have to be careful not to disrupt the curls. I use Nature Queen, Olaplex, Christophe Robin hair products and safe styling creams and I went back to styling my hair, just use much better progress. But I don't have hours to scrunch & crunch my hair

[@nochu9753]

One product I recently acquired after hearing several people online recommending it is "Skala" is Brazilian and omg, I'm in transition so after day one of washing, my curls would dissolve fast and get frizzy like lion's hair, but rn I'm on day 2 and my curls are intact and defined. I'm not an expert on hair science either but seeing this quick result after some months of trying other products I would recommend it.

[@cabbagemermaid1549]

I’ve stumbled upon one beauty science KZbinr before, thanks for giving me a list of other ones to check out as well!

[@Xana_K]

Love this! i've been trying to use 90% curly girl method but finding it exhausting hunting through products. my hair gets so damaged so easily and I developed a really sensitive scalp. My scalp hates most shampoos, literally just itchy and burns sometimes. Doctor said my scalp is fine so I know it's something topical. Natural shampoo is the only thing that has helped me and I have noticed my hair can't tolerate sulfates but I'm wondering if it's because my hair is already so dry and fine. I don't mind silicones, I honestly just want a haircare routine that my scalp will allow whether it is containing sulfates e silicones or not.

[@AntiqueJeans]

That clean beauty movement sounds similar to the organic food movement.

[@MRSbekahwalters]

I've been a cg method follower for 16 years, and I'm kind of at this place too, right now. I appreciate this video!! Thanks for sharing.

[@runswiththecurls9928]

Wish I could love this video a thousand times. Yes, yes, so much yes.

[@short.andcurly8772]

I know Manes by Mell doesn’t follow the curly girl method and her myth busting videos are actually quite informative. I know there’s loads of curlies that don’t specifically follow the curly girl method and have fantastic hair. It just goes to show that what works for one person doesn’t work for all 🤷🏻‍♀️. The curly girl method works for me just fine and I don’t see a reason to stop. My hair is medium/coarse, my scalp doesn’t produce a ton of oil naturally, and I live in a drier climate, so sulfates are too harsh for my hair and scalp on a regular basis. I stopped using silicones and I haven’t had a reason to start again 🤔. The products I love the most fall under the curl girl method “rules” for the most part #dowhatworksforyou

[@sunlovinglady8562]

My hair is making an amazing transformation from doing CGM. I guess I don't care if it doesn't make sense scientifically. If it's looking and feeling better, I'm not going to quit either.

[@short.andcurly8772]

@@sunlovinglady8562 I think it depends on the persons hair and what they want to get out of it. I see tons of people with fantastic curly hair that don’t specifically follow the curly girl method. I also see people who the curly girl method just doesn’t work for them and that’s just fine. I personally noticed an overnight difference when I cut sulfates and silicones from my regular hair routine. I also notice how my hair reacts when I use creams with silicone and I’m not a fan.

[@lrg613]

I do know that years of manmade sulfates caused my thick hair to break off and I had chronic cystitis. There were few sulfate free shampoos back then. Now, I have no cystitis and my hair is very thick again.