I get a lot of mails from my readers saying that they are doing everything but their curly hair still seems to not cooperate – it’s still frizzy and unruly and dry. As I troubleshoot with them, I thought of putting together the most common mistakes that I’ve seen in the different curly hair routines. Right from washing to styling curly hair, here are some mistakes you should be avoiding.
If you arrived at this post completely clueless on how to take care of your curly hair, start your curly hair journey today! Check this post for more details on how to start your curly hair journey – Start Here
Mistakes in cleansing curly hair
1. Shampooing/co washing too often
Shampooing more than twice per week can lead to dry hair. Curly hair needs moisture to form clumps and the more you shampoo, the drier it gets. Shampooing more than twice a week is too much for curly hair to handle.
2. Rubbing on hair in a rough manner
Do not rub side to side. Use the tips of your fingers to gently massage your scalp. Being too rough while shampooing will cause damage to your hair. Apply the shampoo/conditioner in a smooth manner.
Mistakes in conditioning curly hair
1. Do not rub aggressively
Even while rinsing, gently lift hair to let water flow and remove excess conditioner. Do not rub.
2. Not using enough conditioner
You should apply enough conditioner so that your whole hair is covered and it feels velvety and saturated. Your hair should be dripping in conditioner. As mentioned before, curly hair needs the right amount of moisture to come alive. Conditioners will help to lock in the moisture.
3. Not using enough water
There should be enough water on your hair so that the conditioner can work in unison with the water to smoothen your hair and moisturize it. If you feel like there’s friction while detangling, just pour more water (if you already have used a lot of conditioner).
4. Not detangling thoroughly
If you don’t detangle thoroughly in the shower, no amount of technique or product will help your hair look good while styling. You hair should be 100% tangle free.
5. Not leaving some conditioner in
Do not wash away your conditioner completely. Leave at least 10-20% in your hair to condition your hair. Conditioners will help with keeping your hair hydrated and avoiding frizz.
In applying products(creams/gels/serums/leave ins) and styling curly hair
1. Not using a styling product
Products help lock in moisture and provide curl definition. Check this post for more details on the products that would help give your curls the definition- Beginner friendly products : Curly Hair Starter Kit
2. Raking (running your fingers through your hair) while applying products
Raking is needed in the shower to remove tangles. But outside the shower, don’t run the product through your hair using fingers. This will ruin your curl pattern and prevent clump formation. Smooth the products onto hair like in a prayer position (hands) or take product in your palms, flip your head over and directly scrunch it. It’s usually each clump that needs product, not each hair strand. Note : If you are type 3b and above, raking may actually help with better product distribution. Give it a try.
3. Applying products on not so wet hair or worse, on dry hair
Water helps the products do their job. And your hair is best styled when it’s wet because it is most manipulable at that time. Also, you need to lock moisture in so that your curls look hydrated even after they dry. Make sure your hair is really wet while applying products and scrunching. If your hair is not that wet, it may also cause frizzing.
4. Not using enough styling product
Most bottles say “use 2 pumps” or “use a coin sized amount”. No, that’s just not enough for curly hair. There should be enough product(I use a lemon sized amount) to fully cover each curl clump from top to bottom. This will help in sealing moisture, providing hold and combating frizz. Wavies/fine haired curlies/low porosity hair can do with lesser product.
5. Not using a gel
Gels are absolutely great to tame frizz, to provide curl definition and encourage curl clumping. I use gels like there’s no tomorrow and it’s a must have for me when it comes to my hair routine. I use a lemon sized / palmful of gel depending on the hold of the gel. Afraid of hard crunchy gels? Read this – Curly hair gels : Everything you need to know
Mistakes in drying curly hair
1. Rubbing your hair
Rubbing the towel on the hair over and over to make sure there’s no water dripping ruins the curl definition and induces a great amount of frizz. Simply wrap a cotton tee on your hair to absorb excess water. Or scrunch your hair using the tee to absorb excess water. Or try plopping. Remember, water is your friend.
Others
1. Combing or brushing hair once it is dry
2. Running finger through it once it is dry
3. Detangling in between wash days
All 3 disrupt the curl clumping and pull them apart.
Click to see my curly hair routine.
I hope this list helps you avoid any mistake you may be making in your curly hair routine 🙂
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Neethi
October 29, 2016 at 1:33 am
lol .. i do half of the things mentioned here 😁😁 … so on top of the head u just apply the serum and rest of the hair scrunch ?im still curious .. u workout everyday right? so how do clean ur scalp everyday?because i shampoo every time after a workout and my hair is frizzy as hell
Anjana
November 2, 2016 at 10:11 am
Yes that’s how I apply the serum. I don’t wash my hair everyday. I co-wash every alternate day and shampoo once a week.
Linda
December 6, 2017 at 7:00 am
What is co-wash?
Anjana
December 6, 2017 at 10:12 am
https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/co-washing-curly-hair/
Marie
December 5, 2018 at 7:41 am
How do you handle your hair in at night when you sleep? My daughter has curly hair and I follow most of the tips you offered but at night she tosses so much when she wakes up her hair is a dry frizzy mess despite the amount of product I put in it the day before. I did get her a silk pillow case and sometimes I braid her hair before bed but I find that even braided it gets bad enough that I must detangle it in the morning.
Anjana
December 5, 2018 at 6:13 pm
https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/4-ways-to-sleep-with-curly-hair/ – the bonnet would be a good choice for a rough sleeper
Niharika Marella
December 22, 2018 at 9:43 pm
Might I give a small tip that’s worked really well for a fellow rough sleeper? I find that sleeping in a gel cast really protects my hair from my sleeping patterns and it also removes the cast by morning. It’s really reduced my frizz to a great extent and has kept my definition. Perhaps you can attempt to try that? If the bonnet doesn’t work, of course 🙂
Anjana
December 24, 2018 at 4:16 pm
Great tip! I always do that in addition to the silk pillow/bonnet 🙂
Tia
February 15, 2017 at 1:32 pm
I find some of this information to be helpful for some hair types more than others. Every curly girl has a different curl pattern, hair porosity, thin or thick, etc.
For instance: You noted that using “2 pumps” or as directed on the bottle of styling products is not nearly enough for curly hair. Unfortunately, for those with low porosity hair (also, some wavy/looser curl pattern hair types), using anymore than 2 or so pumps of styling product will simply leave their hair greasy or crunchy. This can also depend on the product, as well. When I use more than a quarter-sized amount of DevaCurl’s StyleCream & Wave Maker, my hair looks like a grease ball and my curls do not form correctly. Whereas with some other products, my hair looks fine with 2 quarter-sized pumps.
There were a couple of other things listed in your post that may work better for some curly girls more than others, but overall there was a lot of great information. Everyone just needs to test different types of products and methods out to find what works for their individual curly hair. 🙂
Anjana
February 15, 2017 at 3:30 pm
Yes I totally agree. It happens to me too with richer products like Cantu coconut curling cream or OGX coconut curls butter 🙂
Tracey
March 31, 2020 at 11:04 am
I finally found a gel that is not drying, sticky or stiff. This stuff is magic . The product is “As I Am” (seriously it’s amazing ) it’s all natural and healthy for the hair. Prior to finding the product at Sally’s I tried- Paul Mitchell gel, pillow soft curls, Monet, Tg , la curls all were either super drying or did not work for my hair type
Valeria
November 17, 2020 at 10:05 pm
What is your hair type?
crlsth
April 8, 2017 at 10:36 pm
I rake through my hair when I apply product because my roots can be conditioned more easily then. And I still detangle my hair in the styling/condtioning step. Despite raking, I still remain my clumps. But I can try the scrunch method between (co) washes.
Anjana
April 9, 2017 at 11:20 am
What’s your hair type? I have really bad results raking 🙁
Afra
November 18, 2020 at 5:46 pm
Hi! How do I prevent wet frizz? This is especially the case when I start scrunching.
Valeria
November 18, 2020 at 9:20 pm
What is your hair type and what do you use?
Linzi Clark
May 21, 2017 at 4:41 pm
Some great tips, here I really struggle with my curly hair and never know why. I have watched your video and have taken note of each step – fingers crossed that my dry, frizzy hair will soon be gone!
Anjana
May 29, 2017 at 1:47 pm
Let me know how it goes!
Amber
August 31, 2019 at 7:13 am
I do all that and my permed hair is doing great.
Varsha
August 30, 2017 at 12:24 pm
This is the most extensive list I have found on curly hair mistakes! Thanks much, Anjana 🙂
Anjana
August 30, 2017 at 1:38 pm
The pleasure’s all mine Varsha ❤
Alex
October 5, 2017 at 8:05 am
I have wavy hair maybe something between 2b and 2c, but I also have pcos which means if I don’t wash my hair everyday it’ll fall out. I tried to go without washing my hair last year and it did indeed fall out and now I’m having trouble re-growing it. What do you suggest for someone like me?
Anjana
October 5, 2017 at 12:29 pm
Hey Alex…Washing will not affect hormonal hair loss. The reason you feel so is because the dead hair strands from each day don’t fall off easily until you comb or wash your hair and just sit in between your curls. So when there is a gap of say 4 days after your last wash, all the dead hair from the last 4 days fall off all at once onto your bathroom floor making it look like you lost a lot of hair on that day.
Jill
May 26, 2019 at 2:47 am
I began taking Hair, Skin and Nails vitamins. After a month I have new hair coming in. HUGE DIFFERENCE! Not losing hair and gaining hair and in my 50s. All ladies no matter the age should try these little wonderful vitamins!
Michelle
July 14, 2020 at 6:08 am
When I used a product like that my snail were finally harder, my hair shiny but my curls straighten. I quit using it to keep my curls! I will be 54 in two days!
Angela
October 6, 2017 at 7:12 am
Awesome, I do all these methods, you’re info is spot on. It does make a difference in the gels or creams you use, so test them all. Thank you.
Anjana
October 10, 2017 at 11:23 am
🙂 🙂
Daliagarwal@yahoo.com
December 12, 2021 at 3:47 pm
Hi Anjana
Firstly, so happy to see a video from an Indian currie.. hair differs by countries too!
1. You say, use conditioner on soaking wet gair..won’t the conditioner just drip off ?
2. If you shouldn’t run fingers thru curls, then how should you “comb” your hair? It will look like a bird’s nest otherwise
Thanks a bunch.
Dali
Bombay ( humid weather, yaaay)
Anjana
December 13, 2021 at 2:53 pm
Hi Dali,
1. No it won’t. Did you see me doing it in my video? Try it out 🙂
2. You shouldn’t comb curly hair. That’s the whole point. The routine and products will help you define your curls.
Braelyn
October 18, 2017 at 8:15 am
I’ve always had very short dry frizzy hair, even on good days my hair would frizz up ,scrunch up, and look incredibly thin, my hair is a loose spiral curl and is shoulder length, do you have any recommendations for growing my hair or keeping it from getting dry? *i don’t use any heat on my hair and wash it every other day*
Anjana
October 18, 2017 at 11:57 am
Hey Braelyn, do you have a curly hair routine? Also what products do you use?
Braelyn
October 18, 2017 at 4:15 pm
I do not have a routine and I use carols daughters hair milk and that’s about it
Anjana
October 19, 2017 at 11:54 am
I think you should start with a routine 🙂 Check this – Start Here
Kim
November 29, 2017 at 5:35 am
Another tip that I use is to wash and rinse my hair in COOL water. It seems to help relax my hair
Anjana
December 1, 2017 at 11:07 am
Thanks for the tip Kim!
Justine
November 26, 2018 at 5:29 am
Hi yes that’s because the cold water closes the hair folicils so smooths the hair strands
Curly piscean
February 28, 2020 at 4:26 pm
Great tips.. my day 2 hair always become sry n frizzy.. ill try using more products! Reading ur tips aftr evry couple of months is like a revision!!
Thanks
Anjana Kumar
November 30, 2017 at 3:29 pm
I love all the information here- need to rehaul my entire curly hair routine…Since I live in Dubai I keep having to deal with the heat and the AC and my hair gets into one hot mess- any suggestions for me?
I also work out 4 times a week…
I oil once a week and i’m pretty sure no amount of co washing will get rid of that parachute coconut oil.. correct?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Anjana
December 1, 2017 at 11:06 am
Hey Anjana! How about using a scarf to protect your hair from the heat and AC? For some people cowashing removes oil – give it a try.
Anuja Shah
December 1, 2017 at 3:41 pm
Hi,
I have recently started using the curly gurl method (using sulphates and silicones) after stumbling upon your blog. But i am doing something wrong, as my hair got definition and became frizz free but ended up looking unnatural – they were not hard or anything but looked unnatural despite of me breaking the cast using the scrunching method (they also looked sort of wet). Though when i refreshed my curls on the third day using conditioner mixed with water and using the squish to condish method they turned up to be perfect. Not sure what i did wrong on the wash day- maybe i applied too much hair gel -or dint apply it correctly – can you please help. I used the schwarzkopf taft marathon looks 48h long-lasting hold 6 power gel.
I followed all the other steps to the T, i am confused on the gel application and plopping part – is the gel to be applied post removing the plop or before ? also the plopping has to be kept overnight or only for sometime (20 mins or so) and then the hair should be allowed to air dry? I washed my hair at night.
Anjana
December 1, 2017 at 6:12 pm
Sounds like an issue with too much gel. Gel should be applied on dripping wet hair. Plopping can be done for as long as you want to – there’s no fixed time
Anuja Shah
January 10, 2018 at 1:18 pm
Hi Anjana,
Anuja again. I have been following this method. However i have been noticing that instead of individual curls as yours or in the reader testimony section- mine tend to stay together and form ringlets – is my hair type different ? or am i doing something wrong?
Anjana
January 10, 2018 at 2:26 pm
I love when I get ringlets on me!! I guess it is your curl type; you can mail me some pics to confirm 🙂
Tricia
January 22, 2018 at 6:18 am
Hi Anjana! I’m very new to embracing my curls and I have question I don’t think I’ve seen covered… do you avoid putting your hair up at all–eg, pony tail, braids, clips? I have a lot of hair and when it’s hot out I like putting it up to cool off, is there a certain way this should be done? Thank you! Tricia
Anjana
January 23, 2018 at 11:52 am
I put my hair up in a pony while working out using a strong plastic claw clip. I braid if it’s day 3 or day 4 because braiding spoils my curl definition.
Rimmi
February 13, 2018 at 5:48 pm
I have a lot of problems regarding my curls…I have a lot of hair loss …applied a lot of product..although no affect…help
Anjana
February 14, 2018 at 10:11 am
Mail me pics of your hair
PREETHI
April 9, 2018 at 12:04 am
Hi Anjana, those are some really useful tips !! Thank you !! I would also like to know how you would put up your hair when doing some sort of errands in the house? Like washing ur face, Bathing, cleaning, cooking etc. I put mine up in a bun but I feel that it disturbs my curls a lot !! Any tips ??
Anjana
April 9, 2018 at 2:54 pm
While running errands or doing chores, it’s always in a high pony like in my workout post . While bathing, I put it in a loose bun and remove it immediately after bathing.
Neha
May 23, 2018 at 2:33 pm
Hi Anjana! Thanks for taking out your time and sharing these wonderful tips. I have type 2b wavy hair and this is the first time I have discovered that our hair type should not be combed when dry. I am looking forward to follow some of the tips shared by you. Hope it works for me too 🙂 Keep posting more such useful stuff, cheers!
Anjana
May 23, 2018 at 2:47 pm
I am glad Neha 😊
Sandhya
August 1, 2018 at 3:30 am
Hi Anjana
I have extreme dandruff issue.. and after 2 days if shampooing I start getting super itchy so I have to shampoo again. What shall I do? Will I be able to continue CG?
Thanks
Sandhya
Anjana
August 1, 2018 at 12:34 pm
You can continue CG but meet a doctor meanwhile
Rachel
August 1, 2018 at 3:42 pm
I have been following the curly hair routine and I have beautiful well-defined curls at the front but the back of my hair near my scalp looks frizzy and damaged.Any suggestions?
Anjana
August 2, 2018 at 3:57 pm
https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/7-ways-to-make-your-crown-area-frizz-free-tackle-baby-hair/
Jessica
September 7, 2019 at 6:07 am
What product do you use in your hair?
Anjana
September 12, 2019 at 11:16 am
Jessica, I experiment with a lot of products. This post has my suggestions – https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/beginner-friendly-simple-curly-hair-starter-kit/
Kate
August 29, 2018 at 5:28 pm
Hi Anjana, thanks so much for all your tips! Plopping helped my hair incredibly much to bring the volume. But together with the volume came the fact that I can no longer manage it. Maybe my haircut is not fully right, but I struggle to spread it the dry hair throughout my head to look normal, and flopping from side-to-side non stop doesn’t look on it either. Before I used mousse and dried my hair without plopping and it looked very styled, but not with enough volume. Do you think there’s a way for me to take the good from both worlds? Volume + pretty hair style?
Anjana
August 30, 2018 at 1:52 pm
Diffusing is the best way to achieve that Kate 🙂
Rasika
September 5, 2018 at 11:09 pm
Hi anjana!! Your curls, and you, are so GORGEOUS!! You inspire me to embrace my natural thick 2c/3a waves and curls. I’ve just been getting started with the CG method and have already seen a BIG improvement by plopping my head of curls in a t-shirt overnight. However I still battle with mid-day frizz – my hair is a triangle of frizz by 2pm. How can I try to minimize this? Thanks so much for inspiring me to love my curls and take care of them 🙂 -Rasika
Anjana
September 6, 2018 at 7:53 pm
What products do you use?
Rasika
September 6, 2018 at 8:24 pm
Hi Anjana! I’m only just getting started and didn’t want to throw out all the products I already owned, so the routine is pretty basic at this point. 🙂 I use a tiny amount of shampoo to cleanse every 4 days (what’s on the shelf currently is Pantene intense hydration) and detangle with conditioner (also currently Pantene) – I leave some of it by squish-to-condish. I then use STC to apply my leave-in conditioner (Pantene detangling milk) and then scrunch in some hair gel (Tresemme Level 4, strong hold). I then plop my dripping wet hair into a t-shirt and let it stay overnight. Curls are lovely in the AM. However they don’t seem to hold that well all day and I develop a frizz halo by mid-afternoon. Day 2, 3 and 4 are cmmitted to a messy bun for this reason. Thanks so much! ~Rasika
Anjana
September 7, 2018 at 2:20 pm
What’s your curl type, coarseness and length? How much of each product do you use?
Rasika
September 7, 2018 at 6:50 pm
I have thick, coarse, shoulder length, 2c/3a spirals. Hair is not dry and is actually pretty soft. I believe it’s low porosity – I have no color damage and products tend to build up in my hair easily. I use a tiny dollop of shampoo (Used to use two whole palmfuls!!!), a generous palmful of conditioner, about 3-5 dollops of leave in and 2-3 small dollops of gel. Still nervous about using too much gel! All my current products have silicones. 🙁 The shampoo does have sulfates but the bottle is almost over and I plan to try the Mielle cowash next. Thanks!! ~Rasika
Rasika
September 7, 2018 at 6:55 pm
My hair actually looks like yours in the header photo labeled “No, Ugh, Stop”. Lol 😀
Anjana
September 10, 2018 at 2:32 pm
hehe 🙂 then your 1st step would be to switch to a CG routine – no silicones and sulphates. Because in this photo I used to use both in spite of following a curly hair routine 🙂
Rasika
September 17, 2018 at 1:21 am
Thanks Anjana! I’ve already received my first set of CG products in the mail and I’ve passed along the old products to the hubs 😉 I also probably need to have patience with the process. Thanks so much for your super-useful posts and for devoting your time. Take care 🙂 ~Rasika
Seema
September 17, 2018 at 2:58 pm
Hi Anjana! I recently started following CG method and changed my products to Giovanni root 66 Shampoo and enliven natural coconut and vanilla conditioner. its been 2 weeks and I washed with shampoo once in a week, did deep conditioning before every wash. I used little amount of shampoo and very good amount of conditioner(way more than I generally use). Still I have not been able to achieve good result with my curls. My hair turn out to curly in front but very frizzy at back. My hair type is 2c/3a bit coarse.
How long did it take you to achieve the curls you have now?
Anjana
September 17, 2018 at 3:05 pm
Mine took about an year, but I started seeing results immediately. I’d suggest including a gel, Seema.
Seema
September 21, 2018 at 3:01 pm
Hi Anjana,
Thanks for the advise, I got my bottle of gel today. I see slight difference in the way my hair look. However I feel patience is the key here to find best suited routine for my hair.
Ranjusha
September 18, 2018 at 12:53 am
Hi
My daughter has curly hair can you suggest some comb and regular routine for her she is 7years old
Thanks and regards
Ranjitha
Anjana
September 19, 2018 at 5:04 pm
https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/curly-hair-care-kids/
Anushree Somani
September 27, 2018 at 1:14 pm
Hi!! After applying the product and gel my curls are not well defined. And back of my head it looks real mess no curl well defined. And what to do with the front baby hair
Anjana
September 27, 2018 at 2:30 pm
What’s your curl type, coarseness and length? How much of each product do you use? https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/7-ways-to-make-your-crown-area-frizz-free-tackle-baby-hair/
Sierra
October 2, 2018 at 5:39 am
OMG I have been struggling for years trying all kinds of different products and curly hair routines and I’ve never found one that actually works for my hair. I am so stoked!!!!!! Thank you so, so much Anjana, this was so helpful and had lots of great tips.
Anjana
October 2, 2018 at 6:56 pm
I am so glad Sierra !
Prachiti
October 17, 2018 at 5:50 pm
How should i take care of my hair between washes? I spray them with water&some product and try to scrunch them but they still don’t look good… like not presentable for work. And so I try combining and I create a mess
Anjana
October 17, 2018 at 6:15 pm
Don’t scrunch, try the 1st method in this, that works best for me – https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/3-ways-refresh-curly-hair/
Swaroobini
November 26, 2018 at 2:35 pm
Hi Anjana,
I’m keeping shifting with my shampoo. Sometimes dandruff shampoos and others. I have tried some Indian products like wild earth and bio bloom. Have you tried any of these?
Also can you suggest good hair dryer?
Anjana
November 27, 2018 at 7:08 pm
Nope I haven’t
https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/wahl-5439-024-hair-dryer-diffuser-review/
Yasmina
December 12, 2018 at 2:29 pm
Hi Anjana,
This is a fantastic article. I wish I had found this years ago, but alas I learnt most of these lessons by trial and error. I haven’t tried the silk sleeping cap yet, but that’s next on my list.
My question is about diffusing. I live in a cold climate and the air is extremely dry. It can take up to 8 hours for my hair to dry, so in the winter I often diffuse my hair. The issue is how crazy frizzy my hair gets. I recently purchased a Dyson blowdryer and diffuser, and that has decreased my frizz by about 50%, but I am still frizzy.
At what point in the drying time should I begin to diffuse? I can never master the diffuser. Should it be half dry to start, or after plopping? Also, are there products that are more suitable for diffusing?
For reference I just cut my hair from mermaid length to bust level, I have ringlets of various diameters and I have what my hairdresser calls Caucasian curls.
Thanks for the great article!
Anjana
December 12, 2018 at 4:38 pm
Hey Yasmina, I start diffusing after plopping for about 10 mins. I have noticed that gels that give a good cast help prevent frizz due to diffusing. Also have you seen this – https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/everything-diffusing-curly-hair/
Yasmina
December 12, 2018 at 3:10 pm
Sorry me again. Forgot to mention that my curl type is 3B. 🙂
Satwika
January 13, 2019 at 4:07 pm
Hi,my name is satwika.. n I have 3a curls. Is it required to use both leave in conditioner and cream? or any one is enough! N I dont leave my hair loose, I always wear a ponytail. So I comb it and found that my curls are getting disturbed.. can u suggest me what to do for ponytail.. hope u reply..
Anjana
January 14, 2019 at 3:20 pm
One is enough Satwika. You don’t have to comb to put your hair into a ponytail. Check this – https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/11-easy-everyday-hairstyles-curly-hair/
Rossana
January 24, 2019 at 12:14 am
Hi. My hair is waived and I’m so confused with the amount of products that people recommend. I end up not knowing what to use and the price are ridiculous. I want to have it sometimes curly, sometimes straight. You mentioned washing 2 times a week. How to keep the curls between washes please?
Anjana
January 24, 2019 at 2:55 pm
https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/3-ways-refresh-curly-hair/
Angela Vaz at Stray Curls
January 24, 2019 at 11:05 am
Hey Anjana!
Just found this post via Pinterest! 😀 Love the fact that it’s so detailed! I’m definitely making quite a few of these mistakes and I need to up my game! Thank you for this.
Anjana
January 24, 2019 at 3:01 pm
Hey Angela! Good to see you here 🙂
Samhita
January 29, 2019 at 6:04 pm
Hi Anjana
So I used more conditioner this time and lesser gel (Didn’t like how gel made my hair look). The frizz has reducing significantly. However, I find that most of my curls are defined on the inside of my hair? Is there anything I could do to make it curl up the same on the outside?
Thank you
Anjana
January 30, 2019 at 1:54 pm
More gel 🙂
Damini
February 9, 2019 at 6:34 pm
Hi Anjana,
I have always had curly thick hair and have no idea how to deal with it and neither do my family. My friend recommended you to me and your tips have helped me so much! I have a question though, my curls always loose their definition when sleeping how would I deal with this?
Anjana
February 11, 2019 at 2:13 pm
Damini, have you seen this https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/4-ways-to-sleep-with-curly-hair/
Samhita
February 26, 2019 at 5:14 pm
Hi Anjana
I’ve tried increasing the quantities of my products, a month later my frizz has reduced but it’s still there. Mostly on the outside, the inside of my hair remains defined. The days following wash day only get frizzier. I find increasing the gel quanitity weighs down my hair.
The crown of my head is usually most frizzy and less defined. It’s almost like waves on top and curls on the bottom?I have, I guess, 2c – 3a waves/curls. I use enliven conditioner, Loreal strong hold gel and cantu curl activator.
Any suggestions as to how I could switch up my routine would really help.
Thank you
Samhita
Anjana
February 27, 2019 at 2:23 pm
Try lighter gels like https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/devacurl-ultra-defining-gel-review/
Samhita
March 2, 2019 at 10:02 pm
I’ll try that. Thank you!
Priya
March 29, 2019 at 9:59 am
I have curly hair but less hair due to hormones/stress. I am trying cg method but still lots of frizz.. pls advise. I use Giovanni shampoo, L’Oréal conditioner and Arati hair cream ( alternate hair wash day)n Arati hair gel. I shampoo 2-3 times a week . And apply diy mask twice a week.
Anjana
March 29, 2019 at 2:24 pm
What’s your curl type, coarseness and length? How much of each product do you use?
piscean
March 30, 2019 at 8:10 am
my curly hair reaches my mid upper arm. i hv 3a i think- no big curls, i use conditioner & gel generously
Anjana
April 1, 2019 at 2:54 pm
How much is ‘generously’ ? 🙂
Allia
May 13, 2019 at 1:46 am
After applying gel.. My hair becomes oily unmanageable … I have tried twice and everytime i had to wash it off….
I am using enliven shampoo conditioner and i used schwarzkopf taft hair gel
Anjana
May 16, 2019 at 2:37 pm
Do you scrunch out the crunch?
How much gel do you use?
What’s your hair coarseness and length?
Binita
June 19, 2019 at 6:53 pm
Hi Anjana,
I have recently started shampooing twice a week down from washing hair with shampoo every alternate day. However, when i dont wash my hair, my scalp starts itching. I tried using body shop ginger anti dandruff shampoo. But the itchiness is still there. I used to shampoo every alternate day as my scalp sweats a lot.
Any advise on washing schedule or shampoo to be used?
Anjana
June 20, 2019 at 1:22 pm
It will take time for your scalp to get adjusted to your new washing schedule Binita
Binita
June 20, 2019 at 2:14 pm
Thank You Anjana!
So i should stick to shampooing once or twice a week and co wash in between, right?
Anjana
June 20, 2019 at 5:01 pm
Yes
Piscean
June 19, 2019 at 9:18 pm
Even i have got an itchy scalp wid lil bumps all over, since i startd refresh
Rani
June 21, 2019 at 10:00 pm
Can I use serums like livon for SOTC ?
Anjana
June 26, 2019 at 5:43 pm
Rani ,I don’t prefer serums anymore because I avoid silicones; you can do it if you aren’t avoiding silicones
Luann
July 16, 2019 at 9:54 am
Also rinsing your hair with apple cider vinegar once a week helps. It helps get all the old product for the week off your hair that you put on and adds shine, moisture and control to hair. You can even leave it on for about 15 mins then rinse well
Trishna
August 19, 2019 at 9:05 am
I have shoulder length ,not so dense curly hair (because I lost them due to extreme hair fall , thanks to all the dryness and split ends that I still have ) . And I always end up of tying them into a bun getting sick and tired of styling them. I am a college going teen and want my hair to look different everyday , but at the same time I don’t want to make them frizzy. Suggest me some hairstyles that would suit my hair and I can do them on the go, not spending more time on it. Also suggest me some hair styling products that are really really really inexpensive as being a hostellite I have a very tight budget. I have seen the list of your suggested products but I find them quite expensive. Help me to get it sorted out.
Anjana
August 19, 2019 at 1:33 pm
Trishna, this post has a kit for low budget too – https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/beginner-friendly-simple-curly-hair-starter-kit/
Also check this https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/list-curly-hair-products-india-for-every-budget/
If not, you can start with the products you already have and concentrate well on the routine and product application – https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/my-curly-hair-routine/
Check this for hairstyles https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/11-easy-everyday-hairstyles-curly-hair/
Nabanita Dhar
September 19, 2019 at 1:05 pm
Hi,
Let me first say that I love your blog and I have take this as the holy grail to start properly caring for my hair.
I have identified my hair as type 3a and it is thin, I think if I have understood correctly.
So, I was reading your post above and you mentioned that ‘wavies/fine-haired curlies/low porosity hair can do with lesser product.’
So, does that mean I should not use lemon sized amount for conditioner or not use more conditioner?
If you can let me know, I shall be really obliged :)’
Have a nice day.
Anjana
September 23, 2019 at 7:25 pm
Hi Nabanita, conditioner amount should be ok as you rinse it out. By quantity, I meant for leave ins and gels as you leave them in 🙂
Plabanee Pravanjana
October 25, 2019 at 7:07 pm
Hi Anjana,
I came across your blog when I was searching for tips to maintain my wavy but super frizzy hair. And when I brush my hair it becomes even frizzier. I learned about the curly girl method from your blog and OMG!! I cannot wait to start it. My hair starts waving from mid-length to being curly towards the end but my roots are straight. I believe I have the same texture as you before you started the CG method.
Is it feasible to start the CG method while keeping roots straight and the end curls as it is? Another doubt, doesn’t your hair get tangled with no combing? Mine gets super tangled if I do not comb. And doesn’t wet detangling lead to more breakage and more hair fall. I am worried about that part. 😟
Anjana
October 28, 2019 at 2:35 pm
Plabanee, the routine is like a healthy change for your hair. It will show what it really is. You can’t pick and choose how you want it to behave 🙂
Check this https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/7-ways-keep-curly-hair-tangle-free-between-washes/
Wet detangling should be done with gentle care. That’s why a good conditioner which melts tangles and provides slip is important. Then you don’t have to worry about breakage !
Plabanee Pravanjana
November 18, 2019 at 7:11 pm
Thank you Anjana. That was a good thumbs before I start it. More power to curls 🙂
Jo
December 13, 2019 at 1:28 am
HI! I just discovered your blog and am blown away about this hair care for curly hair! My hair wasn’t curly until after having 2 kids and getting off birth control. My hair is also wacky so I am not sure of my curl type yet! My hair is very coarse, thick and curly in the back, and the front is finer and less curly (at least it seems that way) I just went today and got a new conditioner, new blow dryer with a diffuser, gel, cream and a protein hair masque. I am intimidated about not shampooing every couple of days and how it will look every morning and having to start over. Do you shower and co wash daily? Or should you be able to rock the curls for days before starting over again? I also had my hair cut a few months ago with short layers so I am not even sure what it will look like curly.
Anjana
December 13, 2019 at 2:37 pm
Hey Jo, I only wash when I feel like my hair needs it 🙂 Which is probably once or twice a week. You can do what suits you best!
vanessa
February 28, 2020 at 11:01 am
This article is so complete ! I spend a fortune at the hairdresser, (curl specialist) and I haven’t got the half of this information. Thanks a lot!
Anjana
February 28, 2020 at 2:44 pm
I am glad, Vanessa 🙂
Tanya
March 31, 2020 at 5:34 am
Hi! I was wondering if you know any tips for keeping my hair healthy if I work at a pool? I’m often swimming in chlorinated water and I always have to wash my hair after swimming or it gets extremely frizzy. I’m worried that it’s ruining my hair 🙁 Is there anything I could do better? Thanks!
Anjana
March 31, 2020 at 6:56 pm
Hi Tanya, I have a small note to swimmers at the end of this post – https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/clarifying-curly-hair-what-when-and-how/
Sophia
April 28, 2020 at 1:54 pm
Hi,
I used shea moisture curl cream after deep conditioning and applied gel but my hair didn’t really cast and has dried greasy and looks wet still. I did scrunch but there wasn’t much going on. Have I used too much product?
Anjana
April 28, 2020 at 7:07 pm
Hi Sophia,
What’s your curl type, coarseness and length?
How much of the cream and gel did you use?
Which gel did you use?
Sophia
April 28, 2020 at 7:18 pm
I think it’s 3a, past my shoulders and can be quite dry and coarse in places. Not all over, if that makes sense. More heat damaged than anything else now really. I used about a large coin sized amount of the shea cream and probably a bit more of the gel but per section, I split it into two. I used L’Oreal invisihold gel.
Thanks
Anjana
April 29, 2020 at 3:21 pm
Sophia, the cream maybe a little too rich for your hair type. Also on not getting a cast, check this https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/8-reasons-you-are-not-getting-a-gel-cast/
Emily
June 27, 2020 at 4:59 am
Hi!
I wanted to confront you about my hair because I don’t really know what to do with it! Do you have any tips on evening out curls? My hair is like tight curls underneath and on the top it has sections that are wavy and curly. 🙄 it’s kind of hard to explain but I have used gels sprays and creams and I have tried them all individually but I can’t seem to make my hair get curlier on top and even! When my hair is wet it actually looks good and very curly on the ends looking like spirals but straightened out towards the top and once it’s dry it all goes wavy. I know my hair has better potential I just don’t know how to bring it out! Thanks, you have been a big help with my hair!
Anjana
June 29, 2020 at 12:40 pm
Hi Emily, it is natural to have multiple hair patterns. It’s best to embrace them as-is rather than forcing one to become the other.
Silpa
August 19, 2020 at 12:59 am
Hai Anjana ,
I have been following your post for quite a while and trying by best to follow all your tips….i have 2c wavy curly hair mostly..course hair and medium porosity.i am currently residing in bahrain and started strictly following cg m this year march onwards …a few months back i found that after shampooing and applying conditioner …my hair will immediately break from the clumps the moment i do squish to condish….same case if i do srunching while styling…..i was using giovanni triple tree conditioner ..after raking I use denman brush to distribute and then the moment I do STC hair break from clump….for styling I use noughty leave in cond ….giovanni la hold gel and cantu activator cream….again srunching with gel causes clump to break …after drying lot of frizz of unclumped hair….yesterday I decided to try same routine using enliven raspberry cond and ultra doux leave in milk …STC didn’t end up like giovanni prod application but STC immediately gave clump break …i tried to be gentle with StC and srunching ….added more water ….added more products ….but still sTC and srunching causes clump break….i am confused as I didnt have this problem when I first started….is it the products or the technique itself that needs to be changed ? Sorry for the long post … Kindly help
Anjana
August 19, 2020 at 3:58 pm
Maybe you need to clarify your hair? https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/clarifying-curly-hair-what-when-and-how/
Rayna
October 24, 2020 at 8:27 pm
It seems like my hair is different every day. I do my same routine after every wash day and my hair gets different results each time. On average my hair is type 2c but sometimes it’ll be almost straight or super curly like in the 3s. Any advice?
Anjana
October 26, 2020 at 4:51 pm
That’s completely normal Rayna. It depends on many factors like weather, water saturation, etc
Michelle
October 25, 2020 at 5:16 am
I stopped doing almost everything curly girl method. None of the curl cream, gel’s or methods were helping my curls stay formed for more than a couple hours. I finally discovered texture paste and it’s the only thing that is working for me. I highly recommend you try it? I’m using a Redken brand, that might not be available where you live.
Maija Roe
December 13, 2020 at 9:23 am
I recently spent a year and a month going through chemo treatments for breast cancer. In that time I lost all my hair. Before that it was very long and straight. When it finally started growing back it was curly and I’ve had no idea what to do with it! I’ve spent so much time reading blogs and watching tutorials but I’ve been unsuccessful at making my hair look good. I’ve come so close to shaving it all off and embracing the shaved head again. So thank you for all your help! Thank you for taking your time to help others!
Anjana
December 14, 2020 at 3:59 pm
Thanks for letting me know Maija, wishing you good luck!
Amal
January 15, 2021 at 1:07 pm
Hiiii! Thank you for your tips! But I had a question.
I use a leave in conditioner and curling cream on my wet hair as styling products after a shower. I am not sure if I am using too much or too little. After applying the products, I can still feel it on my hair. It’s quite slimy.
After applying the products, using the praying and raking method such that it’s fully distributed, should I still be able to feel the products on my hair strands if I just lightly touch them? I am worried I am using too much product and it’s causing build up!
Thanks 🙂
Anjana
January 15, 2021 at 2:07 pm
Hi Amal, you can determine that by how your hair looks when dry. If you are happy with the results, you are using the right amount
Amal
January 15, 2021 at 2:54 pm
Hmm in that case, I would say maybe it is not enough since there is some amount of “halo frizz”! Thanks 🙂
Joee Harton
April 8, 2021 at 9:05 pm
Okay I usually do all this, but the top of my hair doesn’t curl, and then all the products just make my roots greasy. Any tips?
valery
April 8, 2021 at 11:47 pm
this is the same for me too what helps to get at least a wave is by picking up sections of hair and scrunch to the roots with gel in your hand. Hope this helps!
Anjana
April 9, 2021 at 10:11 am
Hey Joee, have you seen this post https://www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/10-ways-prevent-crown-lying-flat-curls-roots/
Monique
May 30, 2022 at 2:52 am
Beautiful! I’d like to know how it is cut though. The bangs look like my length, but I am unable to see the angle from the sides to the back. Also are there any layers?
Jennifer
October 25, 2022 at 8:11 am
So I have tight curly hair and just don’t know what to do with it. I rake through it after my shower with product in it and it makes it very tight on the in side and underneath but on top is like long and soft with long loose curls and I have never used leave in conditioner so now that I seen your video I am lost again lol. I use Aussie gel flex hold and coco nut shampoo and conditioner. If you have and tip I will have them and try what I can. I am 38 and still learning how to manage my hair.please help
Anjana
November 8, 2022 at 2:21 pm
Could it be that you have multiple curl patterns naturally?