How to Start the Curly Girl Method in India

Curly Girl Method in India and CG Friendly Products in India (Intermediate and Advanced Curly Hair Care)

Wondering how to start the Curly Girl Method in India?

A strict Curly Girl method may be too overwhelming for beginners who have just decided to embrace their curly hair which is why I have a fuss-free kit for beginners – Beginner Friendly Products – Curly Hair Starter Kit

Some people can benefit with a 100% Curly Girl friendly routine. So if you have got the basics right (that is your hair looks defined, clumped and hydrated but you feel like it can maybe look a little better), try out the strict CG method.

What is the CG method / Curly Girl method in India?

The CG method is just a nickname for all the things described in the Curly Girl Handbook by Lorraine Massey (Founder of Devacurl!). The book is a great read to know how curly hair behaves and how it should be taken care of. I think every curly girl should read it at least once – Curly Girl Handbook

Sulphates are known to be very drying and some of you may realise that avoiding sulphates completely may help your hair become more moisturized and shiny. You can either use cowashing only method with occasional clarifying with a shampoo or you can use sulphate free shampoos.

Silicones (water insoluble ones) build up without sulphates and that’s why you need to avoid silicones as well.

This MEGA list has CG method approved products in India – List of CG Friendly Curly Hair Products in India for Every Budget

So like I said before, if your curly hair looks quite good, you can move on to a strict CG method by reading product labels and understanding ingredients.

CG Method – Ingredients to avoid and use

• Harsh surfactants to avoid:
  • * Laureth Sulfate/Sulphate (for eg Sodium Laureth Sulfate/Sulphate, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate/Sulphate)
  • * Myreth Sulfate/Sulphate
  • * Lauryl Sulfate/Sulphate
  • * Lauryl Sulfate/Sulphate
  • * Cocyl Sulfate/Sulphate
  • * Alkyl Sulfate/Sulphate
  • * Cetearyl Sulfate/Sulphate
  • * Coceth Sulfate/Sulphate
  • * Coco Sulfate/Sulphate. * can be Sodium or Ammonium for all the above
  • Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
  • TEA-dodecylbenzenesulfonate
  • Alkylbenzene Sulfonate
  • Ammonium or Sodium Xylenesulfonate
  • MEA, DEA, TEA (monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, and triethanolamine) compounds – For e.g Cocamide DEA, Lauramide TEA
  • Note : Behentrimonium methosulfate is NOT a sulfate that you want to avoid. It is a cationic surfactant(which means it has conditioning properties and smoothens the cuticle). Anionic surfactants are detergents and anionic sulphates are what we want to avoid in the CG method.
• Gentle cleansing ingredients:
  • Cocamidopropyl betaine
  • Coco betaine
  • Decyl glucoside
  • Capryl glucoside
  • Caprylyl glucoside
  • Coco glucoside
  • Lauryl glucoside
  • Cocoamphoacetate
  • Cocoamphodipropionate
  • Ammonium cocoyl isethionate
  • Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
  • Sodium Socoyl Sarcosinate
  • Sodium lauryl/lauroyl Sarcosinate
  • Sodium lauroyl lactylate
  • Sodium caproyl lactylate
  • Sodium laurylglucosides hydroxypropyl sulfonate
  • Cocoglucosides hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride
  • Disodium cocoamphodiacetate
  • Disodium cocoamphodipropionate
  • Lauroamphoacetate
  • Sodium cocoyl isethionate
  • Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
  • Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
  • Methyl Lauryl Taurate
  • Behentrimonium methosulfate
  • Disodium laureth sulfosuccinate
  • Dioctyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate
  • Babassuamidopropyl betaine
  • Ethyl PEG-15 Cocamine Sulfate
  • Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate
  • Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
• Silicones to avoid:
  • Dimethicone
  • Bis-aminopropyl dimethicone
  • Cetearyl methicone
  • Cetyl Dimethicone
  • Cyclopentasiloxane
  • Stearoxy Dimethicone
  • Stearyl Dimethicone
  • Trimethylsilylamodimethicone
  • Amodimethicone
  • Dimethicone
  • Dimethiconol
  • Behenoxy Dimethicone
  • Phenyl trimethicone
• Other ingredients to avoid:
  • Mineral oil (paraffinum liquidum)
  • Petrolatum
  • Waxes: bees wax, candelilla wax, etc.
• Drying alcohols to avoid:
  • Denatured alcohol
  • SD alcohol 40
  • Witch hazel
  • Isopropanol
  • Ethanol
  • SD alcohol
  • Propanol
  • Propyl alcohol
  • Isopropyl alcohol
• (Not to be confused with) Moisturizing alcohols that are good! :
  • Behenyl alcohol
  • Cetearyl alcohol
  • Cetyl alcohol
  • Isocetyl alcohol
  • Isostearyl alcohol
  • Lauryl alcohol
  • Myristyl alcohol
  • Stearyl alcohol
  • C30-50 Alcohols
  • Lanolin alcohol

Source: wikiHow to Determine if a Hair Product is Curly Girl Approved

Hope you know have enough knowledge on how to start the Curly Girl Method in India!