Extra-Special Care for your Curls
(look for detailed recipes and directions in the Curly Girl: The Handbook)
Brown Sugar Scrub
exfoliate your scalp and “candy” those curls
Mix equal amounts brown sugar (or uncooked quinoa) and conditioner, gently massage into scalp, and rinse well. It smells so good we call it “Boy Bait”!
Lavender Mist
revitalize, moisten, and cleanse those curls
Boil 1/2 gallon water for 1 hour, then add 5 drops Pure Lavender Essential Oil. Keep several misters full — in your backpack, car, at work, at home — for a quick curly pick-me-up wherever you are.
“Whatta Curl Wants”
removes product build-up to make your hair feel squeaky clean
Dose conditioned curls with 1 Tbsp. Baking Soda combined with 1 cup warm water. Let your curls sizzle, then rinse well, and condition again.
Love is in the Hair
give those curl ends some TLC with a deep dose of moisture
Mix olive oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, or shea butter with conditioner and a few drops of essential oil. Distribute throughout wet curls, or apply just to the ends. Wrap your hair with clear plastic wrap or a hair turban if desired. Leave on for a few hours or overnight, then rinse well (use “Lemon Aid” if necessary), condition, and style.
Lemon Aid
removes chlorine, cleanses and clarifies your curls by restoring PH balance
Mix equal parts lemon juice and/or vinegar with some conditioner, distribute through hair, and rinse well.
Blond Conditioning
eliminate product buildup and discoloration of blond hair
Mix lemon juice with your conditioner for regular application.
Glistening Spritz
moisturize your curls and make them shine
Mix 1 T. vegetable glycerin with 1 1/2 cups water and few drops of essential oil. Use with a spray bottle — a little goes a long way!
Cholesterol
keeps your curls soft as can be with a good dose of protein!
Scrunch on your curls right before you apply gel, or mix and apply with conditioner while in the shower.
Fruit & Veggie Wrap
nourish your curls with good old-fashioned fruits and vegetables
Combined mashed avocado and/or banana with several tablespoons honey or agave syrup, and 1 tablespoon olive, almond, coconut or jojoba oil. Smooth into wet curls, especially the ends. Wrap with clear plastic wrap or a hair turban if desired. Leave on for half an hour before you rinse and condition your curls.
Homemade Hair Gel
Mix 1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin per 1 cup of warm water, with plenty of lavender essential oil. (Gel must be stored in the refrigerator.)
Spray Gel
make your own spray gel for loose, wavy curls
Mix 1/2 cup gel with 1 cup boiling water; cool and apply with a spray bottle.
Extra Tips
- Use a mustard-like squeeze bottle with nozzle to apply a treatment to your roots only.
More Concoctions
- “Home Remedies” for Curls – from “the curly hair masters” at Live Curly, Live Free
- Homemade Beauty Recipes – from April H. at YLCF
Have your own curly concoction? Share it with us in the comment form below. We reserve the right to edit all comments.
This is a light, moisturizing hair gel.
Mix 2 ounces water to 1 ounce aloe vera. Add 1/2 teaspoon of jojoba oil and 2 drops of an essential oil. I use lavendar. Mix well and transfer it to a spray bottle.
I like to use the brown-sugar recipe but a variation I have found works just as well and sometimes even better is to substitute white sugar for brown sugar. Perhaps it is not as “candied” and doesn’t smell as wonderful, but it has a softer effect and is great as an exfoliant.
My favorite vinegar rinse:
For every cup of water add two tablespoons of vinegar (I use regular white stuff but I’ve heard that apple cider vingear works very well), one tablespoon of honey, and one teaspoon of vanilla. I usually make two or three cups of water’s worth at a time. Bring the water to a boil and simmer it together for a few minutes, stirring to work the honey through. Let it cool, then pour it over your head and hair as the last thing before you leave the shower. You don’t need to rinse it out much.
Often before I use the vinegar, I use plain old baking soda (mixed with water to be a paste) as a shampoo. Massage it into your scalp the same way you do shampoo- it just won’t bubble! Make sure you rinse it out well before you move on.
This routine works just as well on straight hair, because the baking soda is a base like soap but the vinegar is acidic and restores your scalp’s natural pH balance. I used it constantly for two months before I got my perm.
Rosemary works well to help hold a curl and wave. I have tried it and it seems to really work.
And it helps de-tangle.
I’ve been experimenting with Coconut Oil as a lightweight hair-styling product. I’ve been loving the results I get when I gently scrunch a small amount in lightly damp curls. My hair has been much softer after using it!
Next I’m going to try the Coconut Oil as an intense moisturizer– applying a good amount, let set overnight, and wash in the morning.
I’ve been wanting to try that ever since I read about using coconut oil as a conditioner on passionatehomemaking.com. Now I just need to get some coconut oil!
I LOVE using coconut oil for a deep conditioner, especially in drier weather. I left it in overnight and it made my hair so much silkier. Warning: It is very easy to get way too much all of a sudden, and then you look and feel rather over oiled.
Haven’t been brave enough to try it as a styling aid..
HELP! Everything I’ve read on here talks about wonderful curls after three weeks, but after three weeks of the CG method my hair is getting flatter and flatter! I leave allot of conditioner in
so my hair wont be horrible and I use spray gel. I can’t get my hair to really get the idea! I’m almost ready to go back to frizzy strait-ish hair. Thanks!
Ruth, I wonder if perhaps you are leaving too much conditioner in your hair? That can tend to weigh it down.
Did you check out the Curly Links and the Curly Girl book? They have lots of great suggestions!
I’ve been wondering that too but, the more I rinse out the flatter my hair is! I’ve tried gel to see if my curls needed more hold, spray gel because it seemed they needed less, more conditioner, less conditioner, gel, no gel and nothing seems to really work! I’ll try again! I know I’m a curly girl because I fit all the “requirements”, and yes to answer your question I have read the Curly Girl (about 3 times!
And I’ve checked out websites! This one has been the best though! I was so encouraged to find it! Thank you! I’m still open to more suggestions!
-ruth
Ruth, could it be possible that your hair is starting to change its status? I had long, truly straight, silky hair until I was in my late teens. I tried the curly girl method because I had a lot of “body”, but it just stayed greasy and icky. Then it got a little bit wavy in my late teens/early twenties. Curly girl method worked a little better, with modification. The past two years it has really taken a turn for the curly, and I’ve actually needed conditioner on my scalp. I don’t really follow the whole method now, but definitely have to keep it in mind if i don’t want a mound of frizzy, tangly hair.
But…my thought is, your hair could be changing, and maybe experimenting with different types of the method will bring one up that works for you, even if you don’t follow the “rules” to the T.
I know that it is considered a no no but I have found that if I use a diffuser my hair gets all those lovely curls that you see on celebs. It is super easy to use I also use Catwalk Curls ROCK creme a little goes a long way. I love my curls since discovering the Curly Girl Book. I adore them even. Because I finally have those curls I always wanted. My family thinks I am nutz for not using shampoo but I actually do occasionally now because L”oreal came out with a sulfate free system. I love it. It smells great and doesn’t leave my hair all dry. I am going to try the brown sugar scrub tonight that sounds wonderful.
Ruth,
Is it after a day or part of a day it starts to look heavy from product? i get that, I just started this process. I complained about the weighed down slightly greasy look (from products) to my hairstylist and she thought it might be from the weight of my hair, so we did a layered trim, but i’m getting it again.
What products do you use to style?
I used mousse today and it was heavy looking by noon (styled at 630am)
A couple of hair tips:
I have found that changing shampoos and conditioners every now and then seems to prevent your hair from going blah. I’ve heard the the PH balance in your hair changes once it gets used to a certain prduct.
One of my FAVORITE products is Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Spray. It has olive, avocado, and shea oils to condition your hair. I love it because I have fine hair, and even though it has oils in it, it doesn’t weigh my hair down at all. It makes your hair SUPER glossy, soft, and conditioned, and it smells nice as well.
I do have a question. Does anyone know how to make your hair grow? Mine is very fine and it does NOT grow fast. I’ve been growing it out for as long as I can remember, and it’s still only a few inches past my shoulders. I’ve always dreamed of long, thick hair, but that might be hoping for too much.
Thank you so much for advice!
I’ve heard that doing scalp massages, brushing your scalp with a bore bristle brush (I know, very UN curly girl, but I did this before my shower, just for hair growth) can stimulate new hair growth, but I’m not sure how to make hair grow more quickly! Make sure you’re getting the vitamins you need, drink LOTS of water, and treat your hair gently and it will grow…even if only in its own time!
In the “Homemade Hair Gel” and “Lavender Mist” is it okay to use something other than lavender? It gives me severe headaches! Just curious!
I just got started on the Curly Girl method – I found it through a friend and decided to try it. After nearly a week of not using shampoo my hair was starting to feel a bit greasy even after a wash with conditioner and I was considering a using a little shampoo but after using the Brown Sugar Scrub my scalp is now really clean and my hair feels nice and soft. Its great!
I just discovered this today. I have a couple questions. should I first stop shampooing then use the brown sugar mix after it begins to feel greasy? Because currently, I shampoo every other day, and it just begins to get greay each time. (keep in mind i work out almost every day). So when do I know exactly when to do the brown sugar thing? and can i still shampoo my hair at all? because i play soccer, and sometimes it gets muddy, and maybe it’s just me and I’m gunshy with this right now, but I feel like just some brown sugar won’t make it un-gross.
Thanks!
About the “greasy” feeling hair…when I stopped using hair products with silicones in them, I stopped having problems with greasy hair. Used to be (when I shampooed with regular shampoo and conditioners) that I could hardly skip shampooing even for a day, because my hair would feel greasy and dirty. Read online about silicones building up and feeling greasy and evidently that was my problem because since switching to nonsilicone conditioners to conditioner wash with, I’ve not had a greasy hair day….and it’s been 3 months! I always did think it was odd that I could have such dry hair and yet be so greasy feeling after only a skipped day of shampoo.
i tend to use a lot of hairspray but if i cant use shampoo what is another way to get the hair spray out but not dry out my hair?
Try using gel or gel spray instead of hairspray.