Learning to accept how we naturally look is important for building confidence and a healthy mindset. This could mean celebrating your morena or mestiza skin, loving your curves or skinny shape, and embracing your natural hair- be it curly or straight!Decades of TV shampoo commercials have depicted beautiful women with shiny, and super straight tresses. This has set a beauty standard to strive for, which has boosted the popularity of straightening irons and hair rebond treatments in the last few decades. But the current generation is turning to newer methods of hair care for all types of hair. And when it comes to embracing one’s curly hair, there are two women who are in the forefront in advocating proper hair care methods: Devacurl founder Lorraine Massey, who literally wrote the handbook for curly girl hair care; and Ria Fernandez, the founder of a Facebook group called Curly Girl Philippines.

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Sharing what she learned from Lorraine’s book has turned Ria’s Facebook group into an overnight sensation. Its membership has surged as many curly-haired Filipino women finally began to understand the nuances of properly caring for their hair type. Unlike straight hair, curly hair is more sensitive and doesn’t respond so well to the normal shampoo and conditioner routine. The Curly Girl Method (CGM) prescribes a list of do’s and don’ts to keep curly hair healthy and enhance their natural shape.

Basic Rules for Curly Girls

1.Avoid silicones, sulfates, alcohol, and fragrances in your hair products. These can damage and weigh down hair. Swap your shampoo for conditioner. Instead of washing hair the usual way, curly girls are recommended to “co-wash” or use a silicone-free conditioner instead. Shampoos can dry out curly hair, so it should only be used once a week or once every two weeks, depending on the type of curls you have. 

Apply the conditioner all over your hair and scalp and let it sit for a few minutes. Those with thick curls should fully rinse out the product, while those with waves and coils can do a quick rinse then just allow the leftover conditioner to dry on their hair.

2.Use a microfiber towel or clean t-shirt to gently squish your hair dry. Don’t use a normal towel as the rough surface can give you frizz. If you must use a hair dryer, make sure to use a diffuser attachment so that your hair doesn’t turn brittle from direct heat exposure.

3.Say goodbye to combs and brushes! If you get tangles, apply some leave on conditioner or hair serum then use your finger to carefully remove the knots. To style hair, apply a bit of gel or mousse while hair is damp. When it dries, you can scrunch the hair to remove any stiffness from the product.

4. Wear a silk scarf or use a silk pillow when you sleep. Silk is a smooth fabric that can prevent your hair from being exposed to a lot of friction and getting frizzy. This fabric also helps to retain the shape and shininess of your curls. New York-based silk scarf brand Maison Du Silks carries the highest quality Mulberry and Charmeuse silks specifically made to add smooth protection to sensitive curly hair.

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5. Before you start your CGM journey, you’ll have to do a one-time process called The Final Wash. It sounds ominous but it’s actually just using dishwashing soap to wash your hair! This removes silicones and other product buildup from your hair so that the Curly Girl Method can effectively work.

With almost 50,000 members, the Curly Girls Philippines Facebook group has made finding CGM-approved products a lot easier compared to when Ria first started. Members carefully vett recos and give tips on where to buy. More importantly, the group promotes self-acceptance and provides support for those who experienced bullying because of their curly hair. It’s a place of safety and change, and it’s changing the old standards of beauty, one curly girl at a time.

Local beauty brands are paying attention to this growing movement, too. Human Heart Nature offers sulfate- and silicone-free shampoos and conditioners.

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Zenutrients, another local brand, recently launched a dedicated Curls by Zenutrients line of CGM-approved products and tools.

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Indeed, the beauty scene has come a long way when it comes to encouraging women to embrace their natural features from skin, body to hair. It’s nice to know that hair care products today widely cater to all types of hair.  

Images from @zahraabani, @annikaledesma, @radeozai and Unsplash.com.