Curly Gil Method Basics

Hey Everybody,

Sooo, I dont know why I was thinking I did a whole blog about the curly girl method. I just talked about it a little and mentioned that's how i'm building my regimen. So here are the basics:

1. Dry hair = Breaking hair... Our hair needs water and to be moisturized just as our body and our skin does. If we don't keep our hair moisturized, then its more fond to break off and become very damaged. Just like if we keep our skin dry, this leads to problems such as eczema. Our bodies is, on average, 70% water. So if we don't drink wateron a daily basis, we will dehydrate.

2. Sulfates strip your hair of its natural oils and leave your hair very dry and without moisture. We already discovered how important moisture is for your hair with the previous paragraph. Sulfates are very harmful towards your hair. Sulfates are also the same chemicals in dish detergents.
Here is a very good article on sulfates I found:

"Sulfates are used to remove all dirt and grease. While this is perfect for a dinner plate, your head is a different story. Unbeknownst to you, there is an extra layer on top of your skin that is essential to healthy body function. Your scalp produces natural oils called “sebum” which coats your skin and provides anti-microbial properties, vitamin E to the upper layer skin, pro-and anti-inflammatory properties, and acts as a delivery system for antioxidants, pheromones, and hydration to your outer skin cells. Sebum is completely natural and everyone’s body secretes it. The problem is that sulfates do not discriminate between natural, good oils and unhealthy foreign oils and dirt, and therefore removes all of it from your scalp. This leaves your skin dry and irritated and can lead to eye irritation, swelling of the hands, face and arms, tangled hair, split ends and frizzy hair. Prolonged use of products containing sulfates can cause even more serious damage."

The link to this website is: http://usemeproducts.wordpress.com/2012/02/17/what-are-sulfates-and-why-are-they-bad-for-your-hair/
There is a lot more information on sulfates in this article other than what I put up, you should definitely check it out.

3. Silicones are in various conditioners just as Sulfates are in shampoos. Silicones, in a way, does the exact opposite of sulfates. How sulfates srtips your hair, most silicones remain in your hair causing build up. While you may be thinking the silicone can just wash out while your washing your hair, well unless you use a sulfate to wash your hair, then the silicone will remain in your hair. Silicones are mainly non-soluble, and can't be removed from your hair unless you use something that can strip your hair, like a sulfate shampoo.

Here is a list of silicones to avoid and some that may actually be safe to use:

Silicones that are not soluble in water and build up on the hair: Cetearyl methicone, Cetyl Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, Stearyl Dimethicone, Amodimethicone (and) Trideceth-12 (and) Cetrimonium Chloride, and Trimethylsilylamodimethicone. Note: Trideceth-12 and Cetrimonium Chloride are only considered a silcone when both are combined with Amodimethicone.

Silicones that are slightly soluble in water and will build up on most types of curly hair: Amodimethicone, Behenoxy Dimethicone, and Stearoxy Dimethicone.

Silicones that are soluble in water and safe to use (they are not listed with PEG in front of them): Dimethicone Copolyol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein Hydroxypropyl Polysiloxane, and Lauryl methicone copolyol

I got this info straight from the curly girl website:
http://thecurlyhairproblems.tumblr.com/cgmethod

So what do I do now,

wash your hair with a no-poo shampoo, or you can just wash your hair with a silicone free conditioner like I do. It keeps your hair just as clean and also moisturized!!! Anytime your looking for a shampoo or conditioner, just look at the back of the label at the ingredients and check to see if there are any sulfates or silicones.

Trust me, it works... and my hair is actually very curly!!!

For any other information about the curly girl method, go to http://thecurlyhairproblems.tumblr.com/cgmethod and you'll learn more about it:):)