I’m sure we’ve all heard the phrase "less is more." However, when it comes to applying hair products to my natural hair, I thought it was more was certainly the merrier. Show
Styling my 4B/4C curly coils has always meant mixing my favorite curl creams, gels, and serums to find the right combination. Because my hair is a mix of texture types, it means different sections need more product, moisture, and hydration than others. Recently, when I visited my stylist for my curl-maintenance appointment, she noticed my scalp appeared drier in certain parts, and after cleansing my hair the first time around, she realized there was a product buildup. I had no choice but to tell her I’ve been scooping chunks of styling gel and stretch cream and applying generous amounts to my curls. This led me to ask: How much product is too much product and how has using too much affected my curls? We chatted with Devachan stylist, colorist, and curl aficionado Nicolle Lemonds for the ins and outs of product usage. Keep reading for her expert advice on how to reset if you accidentally go overboard. Meet the Expert
Signs You've Used Too Much ProductIf and when you’ve used too much product on your natural hair, some visible signs will tip you off. Whether you apply your product in the shower or not, one of the first signs is crunchy or stiff curls once they’ve dried. According to Lemonds, you may see this due to “product buildup in your hair from constant overuse, which can also cause dullness and decrease your natural shine.” If your hair seems drier than usual or lacking its usual luster, you may want to try reducing the amount of product you’re using on your hair. The Correct Amount of Product for Your HairSome products, if not most, come with instructions to use a dime-sized amount of product or more depending on the texture and length of your hair. “It definitely depends on the desired results and texture of your hair," Lemonds explains. "If you have fine curls, you will need a very lightweight product so you won’t overload your curls and weigh your hair down. Thicker and tighter curl patterns will need more product if you desire length and definition. If you want more volume and height, with thicker hair, you will need to use less product as well." When figuring out how much product to use on your hair, take note of the length and thickness of your hair, then use your judgment to decide how much product you’ll need. Lighter hold gels like spray gels or DevaCurl's Light Defining Gel work great for looser patterns. If you’re looking for a tighter hold, try using a thick curl cream like Pattern Beauty's Styling Cream. “Spray gels, which tend to be lighter than your typical gel, are great to minimize product usage. [Use] this or spritz, mists, creams, mousses, and spray leave-ins,” adds Lemonds. Product Picks
How to Rejuvenate Your Curls After Using Too Much ProductNoticing the signs early can help, but if they go overlooked, it’s good to know what can happen to your natural hair after consistent overuse of curl products. “Using too much product and improper methods of rinsing can lead to product buildup and lackluster curls," Lemonds explains. "Product buildup creates a film on the hair and prevents moisture and even water from getting into your hair follicles. Curls need water and moisture to remain soft and bouncy. The most obvious signs are dullness and a sticky feel." If you feel like you’ve used too much product in your styling routine and can’t get the extra product out of your hair by using a spray bottle or light scrunching with a towel, Lemonds suggests rinsing your hair and starting over. If there is excessive buildup, then you’ll need to use a clarifying shampoo to remove it. Many people think that wavy and curly hair are the same thing, but they’re not. Don’t get us wrong; they’re both beautiful! But waves have different needs than curls, which is why a different hair routine is important. Believe it or not, they are different things, and curly and wavy hair require unique care and different products. You need to follow a different routine to get the most out of your beautiful, natural waves. If you have wavy hair and have started the Curly Girl Method, you may not get the best results. That’s because your hair actually needs different products and techniques! Gladly they have discovered a new way to get amazing hair with the wavy girl method. Wondering which ones? In this article we’ll tell you all about the Wavy Girl Method. Also read: How to start the Curly Girl Method: steps for beginners In this article: In this article:
The Curly Girl Method is a hair routine for people with curls, and the Wavy Girl Method is one for people with waves. It’s very similar to the Curly Girl Method but there are a few slight adjustments that are needed to make it more suitable for waves, instead of curls. You can see the differences in this image:  The basic principles of the Wavy Girl Method are as follows:
It doesn’t matter which hair type you have. Oily hair, naturally wavy hair, a different natural hair texture of straight and curly hair. Each curly hair journey is different. And we are here to explain different types of a curly hair method so you can explore a new curly girl journey. Call us your curly girl handbook :). The differences between the Curly Girl Method and the Wavy Girl MethodWavy hair has different needs than curly hair, so it’s important to have a different routine. These differences are mainly related to the natural oils that the scalp produces, and how easily they’re able to travel down the lengths of our strands. This takes longer with curls than with straight hair. So for Wavies, who have less curls than Curlies, it’s easier for those oils to naturally moisturize the hair from root to tip. That’s why as a Wavy girl you can achieve better results with the Wavy Girl Method than with the Curly Girl Method. A lot of similaritiesThere are many similarities between the CG Method and the Wavy Girl Method though. For example, both recommend the following: sulfate-free shampoos or co-washing, silicone-free conditioners, no heat styling tools (such as a flat iron or curling iron) and no chemical relaxers. Buy CG approved products in our webshopIn our webshop for curls we sell different curly girl approved products for the Curly hair method and all the different curly hair journey that fits you most. That aside, there are also many differences! We’ll list them below. You can brush wavy hair with the Wavy Girl MethodWhen starting the Curly Girl Method, it’s recommended to throw away your hairbrush. When following the Wavy Girl Method, this is different: wavy hair can be brushed without significant risk of breakage. Certainly people with wavy hair type 2a and 2b can brush their hair using the Wavy Girl Method. With what styling tool can I best brush my hair?You can use a Tangle Teezer or Denman Brush. Always do this before applying the conditioner or else you’ll probably comb out your waves. See, the Wavy Girl Method isn’t that difficult at all! Also read: Discover which Denman Brush you need Co-washing may not work with the Wavy Girl MethodThe Curly Girl Method recommends to no longer wash your hair with shampoo, but start co-washing. It’s a great way to preserve moisture, but for wavy hair this isn’t always the best choice. Build up and wavy hairYou may experience build up over time, as your sebum plus the ingredients of your co-wash add up. In general, if you have thick or coarse hair you can try co-washing, but if you have fine or thin hair it probably isn’t a good idea to use the Wavy Girl Method. Especially in the summer months this can lead to limp, lifeless, weighed down hair. Then it’s better to opt for a sulfate-free shampoo or a low-poo. How can I get rid of build up in my hair?Like we said, products can build up over time. It’s important to give your hair and scalp a deep cleanse every now and then. Either grab a sulfate shampoo or one that is specifically for clarifying, and make sure to use it at least once a month! In our webshop we have our favorite products of clarifying shampoo you can try out. But what if I do want to co-wash my hairWant to try co-washing in combination with the Wavy Girl Method? Choose a conditioner that you can also use as a ‘normal’ conditioner, just in case. Or go for a consistent washday rotation, by doing a cowash after two low-poos. You can then try to cowash every 3-4 washes and see whether it has a positive impact. You can brush your wavy hair. Unlike curly hair that should be left unbrushed most of the time, you have a little more freedom with wavy hair. Go find out and experimentIt is always an experiment. So use the Wavy Girl Method in different ways to find out which Wavy Girl Method style is the best wavy hair routine for you. Also read: Everything you want to know about co-washing Wavies can use sulfates (in moderation) in combination with the Wavy Girl MethodSulfates are banned within the Curly Girl Method routine but not for the Wavy Girl Method. Sulfates are ingredients that are often added to shampoo. They ensure that your shampoo will foam nicely after contact with water. That foaming effect not only gives you a nice clean feeling in the shower, but also helps remove dirt, oil and dead skin from your scalp and wavy hair. But that cleansing effect is actually too intense for your scalp and hair. Sulfates cleanse your hair so good, that they strip your hair of not only dirt, oil and dead skin, but also of the natural oils on your scalp. And these oils provide hydration to the hair. Still, some people with wavy hair and using the Wavy Girl Method do need this from time to time to remove build-up from their hair. Be gentle with sulfatesTry to do it as little as possible, for example once a month. In this way you can still try the Wavy Girl Method and check what’s best for you. Use a mousse instead of gel with the Wavy Girl MethodMany Curly Girls use gel to get hold and definition, but for Wavy Girls this often is way too heavy. It probably will result in weighed down hair and build-up, which will likely make you wash your hair too often. Mousse creates more definition for wavy hairTherefore, preferably opt for mousse, which provides more definition, soft curls and no build-up. Don’t apply it too close to your roots, but about 4 cm from it, otherwise it will cause build-up anyway. And especially go for lightweight products, because these provide more resilience and therefore more waves! Yay to the Wavy Girl Method! Pay attention to how you apply hair products when using the Wavy Girl MethodIn terms of styling, curls and waves really need a different technique. For example: where a lot of Curly Girls rake their hair, most Wavy Girls can say goodbye to their waves if they rake. The raking techniqueRaking is a technique that you can use when applying styling products. You detangle your curls with your fingers, while at the same time distributing the product over the wavy hair, from the roots to the ends. Wavies will destroy the clumps (curls that curl together or form one larger curl) and their hair will stay limp. Instead of raking, divide the product over your wet hair using the praying hands technique and start scrunching. Be careful not to smooth your hair with this technique too. The praying hands methodIt’s not just curls that need to be quenched with moisture, waves do too! Apply a generous amount of a light but moisturising conditioner using the Praying Hands method, starting from the crown of your head to the ends of your waves. Then detangle using a wide toothed comb. While applying styling products to wavy hair, remember to use the Praying Hands method and not the raking method so as to prevent clumps from breaking and disrupting your curl pattern. This should be followed by flipping your hair over and scrunching it up gently so as to preserve the clumps without shrinkage. The ‘squelch’ noise is an indication that the hair is appropriately wet for the stylers to spread evenly and work well. Also read: The main techniques of the Curly Girl Method Your Wavy Girl Method routine will change throughout the yearEvery season is different for wavy hair. Each season your hair has very different needs. In the dry winter months, cowash may work best to keep your wavy hair moisturized, defined and bouncy. But in the warm and humid months, this can lead to weak, lifeless, weighed down waves. So pay attention to the time of year! It can change in a few weeks. The styling process will change, so the styling techniques will as well. Change your routine according to the seasonsBut the Curly Girl Method steps will remain the same. Only maybe with different products such as deep condition, curl cream, leave in conditioner, final wash of dry shampoo. This can be very frustrating, but once you’re through one year, you know roughly what to expect. Be sure to make notes so you can read them back next year! Does the curly girl method work on straight hair?It won’t work because straight and curly hair differs in texture. For instance, silicones in caring products only benefit straight hair, but, at the same time, they won’t be healthy for curls. Can I brush my hair when I have wet hair?We advise only brushing your hair when it is soaking wet. This reduces the risk of causing strain on your hair strands, which results in breakages. It is possible to brush your hair when it is air dry or blow dry. But having dry hair can be possible harmful for your hair and result in damaged hair. So to avoid that, just blow dry after brushing your loose curls. How can I safely air dry my hair?When you are airdrying your hair with a hair dryer keep in mind to always keep on the cool mode. the airflow should be aimed towards the lower end of the spectrum to keep frizz somewhat under control. But it is even better to allow your hair to air dry. Whatever you do, remember to refrain from touching or handling your hair during the drying process as this encourages frizz. As your hair dries, a gel cast will form on your curls, making them feel hard and crunchy. But keep in mind, this is a good thing! What do I need to do when my hair is too dry?It is possible that you have over-conditioned hair. Although curly hair tends to be dry and needs a lot of moisture, some products can overload it, especially if your hair is very fine. If this happens, clean your hair with a sulfate-free shampoo and use lighter conditioners and moisturizers. Do not use a deep conditioner too often. We hope we can help you achieve the best method for wavy girls!These were our tips to get the most out of the Wavy Girl Method. Feeling inspired and aren’t able to wait to start styling and wearing your hair wavy? You can comment below and start talking with other wavy or curly hair girls. Do you have any questions about the Wavy Girl Method? Let us know on Instagram! 87 Comments
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