Hello, everyone!
If you have curly or wavy hair and you’ve ever scrolled through hair groups online, you’ve definitely seen the Curly Girl Method (CGM) everywhere. It started with Lorraine Massey’s 2001 book Curly Girl: The Handbook and has basically turned into a lifestyle for thousands of people. The rules are pretty rigid: no sulphates, no silicones, no mineral oil, no heat, no brushes, co-washing only, plopping, scrunching out the crunch… you know the drill.
I gave it a proper go – twice, actually – and each time I followed the “official” rules for months. Both times I ended up walking away convinced that, although some people genuinely get amazing results, the method itself isn’t grounded in real science or evidence. Today I want to explain why I personally don’t follow it anymore (and why I think that’s perfectly okay).
Here are the main reasons I stepped away:
1. Sulphates aren’t the devil they’re made out to be.
The CGM bans sulphates completely, claiming they strip natural oils and destroy curls. The truth is that sulphates are strong cleansers, but they don’t automatically “strip” everyone’s hair. For lots of us (especially those with high-porosity or fine curls), a proper shampoo with sulphates once or twice a week is the only thing that removes buildup, hard-water minerals, and excess oil. Without it, my scalp got greasy and itchy in days. Apple cider vinegar rinses and “reset” routines never worked as well as a simple clarifying shampoo.
2. Silicones are banned for almost no good reason.
The method says silicones coat the hair and can only be removed with sulphates, so you must avoid them forever. That’s only partly true, and it’s outdated information. Most modern silicones are water-soluble (look for 'PEG-' in front of the name) and rinse out easily with any cleanser – even a sulphate-free one. Silicones reduce frizz, protect from humidity, and make detangling easier. In my very humid climate, a tiny bit of silicone is often the difference between defined curls and a fluffy mess.
3. The whole “protein overload” thing has no real test.
You’ll see people online swear they’re “protein sensitive” because their hair felt stiff after one conditioner. There’s no lab test, no trichologist exam, nothing official to diagnose this – it’s all guesswork. Hair is made of keratin (a protein), so avoiding protein completely for years never made sense to me. Once I started using ingredients like hydrolysed keratin or wheat protein, my curls actually became stronger and less prone to breakage.
4. Co-washing only can wreck your scalp.
Washing with conditioner feels luxurious at first, but conditioners aren’t formulated to clean the scalp properly. They don’t remove oil, pollution, or dead skin cells efficiently. During both of my CGM attempts, I ended up with flaking, itching, and redness that disappeared the moment I went back to using a real shampoo a couple of times a week.
5. Hard water exists – and CGM pretends it doesn't.
The original book was written in New York with soft water. Many of us have extremely hard water full of calcium and magnesium. Those minerals stick to the hair and make it dull and tangly no matter how much conditioner you pile on. The only reliable fix is a chelating or clarifying shampoo – which the strict method doesn’t allow.
6. It’s built on anecdotes, not evidence.
If the method works brilliantly for someone, it’s “proof” that CGM is perfect. If it damages your hair, you’re told you did it wrong or didn’t wait long enough. That’s not science; that’s a belief system. Real hair care should be flexible and based on what actually works for your individual hair and scalp – not a set of unbreakable rules from 2001.
Where I am now
These days I just do what makes sense for my own curls:
- I shampoo when my scalp needs it (sometimes with sulphates, sometimes without).
- I happily use products with silicones and proteins.
- I clarify or chelate when hard water starts winning.
- I deep condition when my hair feels dry.
- I microplop with a microfibre towel.
- I diffuse on low/medium heat.
- I use a heat protectant.
My curls are healthier, shinier, and far more predictable than they ever were on strict CGM.
If the Curly Girl Method changed your hair life for the better, that’s fantastic – keep doing what you love! But if you’ve tried it and felt confused, guilty, or like your hair got worse, please know you’re not failing at having curly hair. You’re just someone whose hair doesn’t respond well to that particular set of rules, and that’s okay.
So, over to you: Have you ever tried the Curly Girl Method? Did you stick with it, modify it, or ditch it completely – and what made you decide? Drop your experience in the comments; I read every single one!
Lots of love,
