Why I No Longer Follow the Curly Girl Method & Why This Is Important for Straight Hair Too
- Isabella Wimmer
- Apr 30
- 8 min read
Updated: May 4
Whether you are a curly gurly like me or have straight strands, and for anyone in between, figuring out what haircare routine works best for your hair type is more of an epic odyssey than a relaxing holiday. Rest assured, I tried it all in an attempt to tame my mane, and I have learned a few things about all types of hair along the way.
Growing up as the only one with curly hair in my family, the only advice I was given was to just brush my hair, it'd be fine. A few Einstein-ish looks later, I hopped on the Curly Girl Method bandwagon presented by my favourite YouTubers, and something magical happened. No silicones, no sulfates, a curl cream and gel/mousse, deep condition once a week, microfibre towels, a Denman brush, and a diffuser. That is all it took for my frizzy curls to transform into luscious locks, and for the first time in my life, I was proud and happy to have naturally curly hair, after wishing for it to be straight throughout my entire childhood. I strictly followed this method for 6 years, so what changed?
My hair stopped looking nice, no matter what CGM-method approved products I tried, and I was desperate to find out what was wrong. I started getting more regular haircuts, but then I could never grow my hair past a certain length. Resolutely, I returned to the University of YouTube and dove deeper into the science of hair care.
What is the truth behind sulfates?
According to the CGM method, sulfates are too harsh of a surfactant, or cleansing agent, and will strip hair of its natural moisture, which curly hair is already lacking in more than straight hair. Silicones are presented as artificial filler ingredients that only make our hair feel soft because they form a coating around it, supposedly preventing moisture from penetrating the hair follicle. To prevent silicone buildup, you would need to use sulfates to properly clarify the hair, which will, in turn, further dry it out. These beliefs were so deeply ingrained in me as sure as cereal precedes milk.
Only the experts themselves could convince me that my previously held beliefs were wrong. I discovered Abbey Yung on YouTube, and she is a certified trichologist (=study of hair and scalp). In a series of science-based videos, Abbey tackles the many myths the Curly Girl Method spreads about haircare and dispels them convincingly.
One of her major points about sulfates is that in haircare, they are formulated at different concentrations than in household cleaning products, and then combined with other ingredients to suit the scalp. This means, people should focus less on single ingredients, but rather on the formulation as a whole. She also points out that there are fungi on our scalp, which feed off of oils, dirt, and buildup. If we do not properly clarify the scalp with effective surfactants like sulfate, this can be detrimental to scalp health, often leading to issues like dandruff, itchiness, and flaking. For this reason, Abbey also recommends washing your hair as often as it needs, rather than stretching it out because you think that is healthier. She, herself, tried washing it once a week for a while, only to realise her scalp was oilier than ever, which directly impacted the feel and look of her strands. When she switched to washing it more regularly, her hair grew healthier over time.
Abbey does mention that you do not need to clarify your scalp every single hair wash if it is not needed, but there is also nothing wrong with doing so if oiliness is your biggest issue. On top of that, she recommends the use of over-the-counter medical shampoos for dandruff, like Head & Shoulders, even if you do not suffer from a flaky scalp. She says the key ingredients used in those types of shampoos (piroctone olamine, zinc PCA, salicylic acid) are often soothing and anti-inflammatory, which can be beneficial to anyone's scalp equilibrium.
Are silicones really bad for our hair?
On the topic of silicones, Dr. Michelle Wong, a chemistry Phd with a specialisation in Cosmetic Chemistry, from LabMuffin on YouTube and her blog, made a series of lengthy and informative videos about silicones and how they work in haircare. In her book, The Science of Beauty, she even includes useful graphics to further illustrate the chemical structure of hair. She explains that the outermost layer of the hair, the F-layer, is hydrophobic (hates water) and is made up of oil. When hair gets damaged due to bleaching, colour dye, heat styling, or even mechanical damage like brushing and tight hairstyles (sleek bun, I am looking at you!), the F-layer gets destroyed, making our hair feel more frizzy and dry. This is what people mean when they talk about porosity, by the way. The more damaged the hair, the higher the porosity, which means the hair absorbs more moisture, but cannot retain it as well, because the outermost F-layer has been damaged.
Now, imagine each hair cuticle like a pine tree with its branches protruding from the stem, leaving gaps in between. This is where conditioning products are deposited in blobs to seal the cuticle again, like often shown in commercials. However, some of it is rinsed off by water if not left in long enough, and most of it is probably concentrated on one spot if you do not brush your hair to evenly spread the product. This means, product buildup is not that easy to achieve in the first place. But, it is important to point out that looking for ingredients that form a film around the hair, meaning they effectively try to replace the damaged F-layer, is desirable and not the same as product buildup. Product buildup is more of a concern for people who never use sulfates. Can you guess which ingredients are the best at forming a protective film around the hair cuticle? You guessed right, it is silicones!
Some silicones, like the amazing amodimethicone, attach to the negative charge of the damaged hair and form a protective layer. Others prevent the hair from getting damaged from too much water, which makes our hair more brittle since the temporary hydrogen bonds are dissolved when our hair is wet. This is why curly hair has a looser structure when wet, making it easier to detangle, but also more prone to breakage. The F-layer, which is hydrophobic in nature (water-hating), would do the same thing as some of these silicones. Moreover, Abbey Yung points out that silicones are great heat protectants, and they can even protect the hair from mechanical damage like harsh brushing (way more damaging than we think!). Other silicones work as bond repair systems, but I will do a separate piece on how bond repair works.
The natural vs. chemical debate
For those who are still convinced that silicone-free products are always better, did you know that a lot of natural oils, butters, and waxes (argan oil, shea butter, beeswax, etc.) do not penetrate the hair shaft (the best oil to do so with the most backed research is coconut oil), but rather they form occlusive layers, meaning they will eventually do the same thing silicones got demonized for: cause product buildup? If the argument is that you would still rather use the organic rather than the "chemical" products, hear me out: the one ingredient most universally accepted in the beauty industry is hyaluronic acid because it naturally occurs in our skin, so it is natural. How do you think companies put hyaluronic acid in products? They certainly don't suck it out of people's skin, but they artificially create it in a lab. Another example is how a lot of proteins good for our hair are from natural sources, like wheat and soy. But the only way they can attach to the hair is if they undergo a chemical process to be hydrolysed. So, let's get rid of this idea that anything that is chemical is bad for you. Life is chemical, and chemicals are life.
What about straight hair?
All of this applies to straight hair as much as it does to curly hair. The only difference I would point out is that due to its smoother texture, straight hair tends to get oilier quicker since the naturally-produced scalp oils travel south. Curly hair, due to its wavy texture, prevents this from happening. This is why curly hair seems inherently drier than straight hair. We do not benefit from our oils as much! This means curly-haired people might need thicker and richer conditioning products, like masks, whereas people with straight hair can get away with more lightweight options. But the ingredients, like silicones, are beneficial to both.
Is the CGM Method to be Completely Dismissed?
Keeping all of the above in mind, I will never completely dismiss the curly girl method for the following reasons: it made us all ingredient-savvy customers who want to enquire beyond marketing claims, and it offers the best techniques for hair styling that I still swear by, namely leave in conditioner or curl cream, brush styling each strand, followed by a gel or mousse, and only using microfibre towels to minimize frizz. That is what completely changed the hair game for me and made me appreciate my curls for the first time. Combine this with the benefits of sulfates and silicones, and there shall be nothing in the way of achieving all your hair goals.
In conclusion, sulfates and silicones are not bad for our hair at all, but rather quite beneficial, and when combined with the right styling techniques, such as the CGM Method, then get a fan and serve because you just look like Beyoncé hit the stage!
Product Recommendations:
This head & shoulders shampoo is my favorite for the incredibly refreshing feel of peppermint that is not too strong, so your scalp feels cool and clean, but not painfully tingly. Furthemore, it contains the brand's most important anti-dandruff ingredient piroctone olamine, sulfates, and salt of salicylic acid. It is not too stripping since they also added gentler surfactants derived from coconut, lemon balm, and hyaluronic acid, too. It is also the only shampoo of theirs to not include silicone. Silicones are great in conditioning products, but I prefer my shampoos without them, so that they clarify deeper.
This Loreal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Rapid Reviver Power Conditioner (say it three times fast) lists amodimethicone as its third ingredient, indicating a high concentration of this powerful silicone. As previously mentioned, amodimethicone's positive charge attaches to the negative charge of damaged hair, effectively recreating the F-layer. It is also incredibly smoothing, which makes detangling all the easier. In addition, it contains hydrolised castor oil and other conditioning ingredients like fatty alcohols (which are good for you).
For curly girlies this styling duo is the drugstore OG. The curl cream contains coconut oil, which is proven to penetrate deep into the hair cuticle and condition. It also contains heat protectants and film-forming silicones to create shape. The jelly is the best hold product I have ever tried, and it gives long-lasting, humidity-proff coils.
There are many more product recommendations to come, this will be a separate piece on my favorite drugstore haircare products I found after reeducating myself on sulfates and silicones.
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