Guys, we need to talk about hair. We know for years the curly girl method has been seen as unquestionable – the cornerstone of some people’s hair routine. But what if we told you there’s actually not much method… in the madness? Don’t panic – we spoke to expert Jade Pointon on why exactly it’s time to ditch and maybe have a rethink.
For those who don’t know, the #curlygirlmethod’s main controversial component is ‘No-Poo’, by which we mean no shampoo, none at all.
Instead of the conventional cleanse, conditioner is used to clean the hair, supposedly eliminating the harmful chemicals sometimes used in shampoo.
However, curly hair expert Jade Pointon from Thriv Salon disagrees with this.
“As an expert, you’re like “how can you say to never shampoo your hair? It’s wild.”
This might seem a bit crazy, but many people worldwide have sworn by the routine for years, and a quick internet search on the routine gathers 86 million results.
It’s said to bring out your natural curl pattern through getting rid of harsh products and other techniques of air-drying, using no heat on the hair, as well as users who try not to wash it more than once a week.
Jade disagrees, saying that although at first the technique might work, there’s a reason why this ‘new hair’ will dwindle after a while and it can’t be beneficial for every curl type.
“They (clients) said after a bit it was great, because at the time your hair wasn’t used to it, so it probably soaked up all the moisture. Further down the line, their hair starts falling out. Because your scalp’s so clogged that the new hairs can’t push through.”
There can be more repercussions that come with time too: over-moisturising and product build-up.
“The dangers would just be hair breakage, scalp issues. Over time your hair will become brittle and dry. I found certain textures might be able to handle it a little bit longer than others.” she said. “But ultimately, you need a shampoo. Working alongside a trichologist, you do not go more than 10 days without washing your hair, otherwise you’re opening yourself up to a whole world of other things.”
She says that although the method is bad for scalp health, the message behind it is a good idea in celebrating our diverse hair types.
“I’ve had clients who followed the curly girl method. So don’t get me wrong, in lockdown people were embracing their curls, and it was amazing. There’s definitely more awareness and education around natural hair diversity, but we still have a long way to go in truly embracing and celebrating all hair types equally”.
Ultimately, healthy curls come from listening to your hair, not following a specific checklist.
Jade says ultimately there is no one perfect rule – since hair is different, it all depends on your desired outcome for the hair.
Which of course varies for every different head of hair on the planet!
For more on hair: Should we be ‘slicking it back’ after skipping hair wash day? – Radiance
“If you come in, I don’t follow any type of curly girl method. We shampoo the hair twice, we cleanse and give the hair what it needs.” she said.
Jade makes it clear that her aversion to the CGM has no relation to the ‘curl police’ on TikTok, and this advice comes from a purely scientific and educational POV.
“Who are we to judge on what level of texture people have? When it comes to discrimination, it’s almost like the defined curl gets a better rep than the afro texture, but every texture is professional.” she said. “In school for instance, girls with a softer cuticle, opposed to the girl with the short afro hair, where it takes them longer to grow, would get more compliments from adults and classmates and that’s where the insecurities can start with loving your hair.
“Especially because it’s more of a societal standard for it to be looser and softer. I think the narrative is slowly changing and we need to keep educating ourselves and the language we use.”
For those not on #HairTok, the ‘curl police’ is a broad term for people who often ‘police’ what is considered as curly hair, or more often definitely NOT, in the comment section of hair videos. Here’s an opinion:
Jade says the most important thing however, when learning about curls and hair types, is educating yourself.
“We’re becoming more educated, but I still think there’s a lot of work to be done. I’ve invested in education with people from all over the world who are doing amazing things with curls. I’m still learning every day.”
