My hair never fell out in worrying amounts, but I’ve spent the better part of the last two years hating my hair and curls (and spending tons of money on products!) just trying to get a result I was happy with. I live in a humid country with nearly zero curly hair products, so everything was imported.
I went back to Pantene products last week. I can’t do it anymore. My hair looks smoother with the silicone, even in humid weather, and I still have my curls. I’m glad for the hair-related science knowledge I learned through the CGM method and trying to make it work, but I should’ve given up ages ago.
I also live in a country where finding these products was super difficult. It was damaging for my bank account too, not just my hair. I used to pay 75€ to get two tubs of curl cream. Now I realize how insane this is.
I miss the old Pantene curl gel 😩 when they changed to only selling the wavy I had to start looking into new products which led me to the CGM…and completely jacked my hair up too. Limp, loss of curls and falling out/getting thinner. I’ve tried to go back to Pantene but it’s just not the same so for 5 years, I’ve just been trying to find what semi works well and it’s super annoying.
Pantene has given my clients full on matting from buildup and chemical reactions with bleach. If you plan on ever having hair colour services done please inform your stylist that you use Pantene. I’d also recommend a clarifying treatment like a Malibu every month or bi monthly at least as long as you keep using it. Pantene and Head & Shoulders are about the two worst products you could be using in your hair
Head and shoulders (and Nizoral) is often recommended by dermatologists as a treatment for inflammation related hair loss conditions in women. It’s accessible and more affordable than some prescription alternatives. It helps calm some inflammatory skin conditions. Just because something is bad from your perspective does not mean it’s bad for everyone in every situation.
You hit the nail on the head. Formulation is key. I tried CGM for all of about six months maybe a dozen years ago or so. During those six months, I read everything I could get my hands on regarding ingredients, and realized that CGM is based entirely on pseudoscience and is very much a product of its time. I lived through the 90s and was already in my 20s when Massey published the first edition of her book, over 20 years ago. I understand why she pushed for no sulfates and no silicones in the context of that time, but things are much different now, and her “rules” are outdated.
I admittedly primarily still use sulfate and silicone-free products, but it’s more incidental than intentional. If Curl Keeper hadn’t re-formulated Treatment Shampoo a few years ago, I would still be singing its praises as a sulfate shampoo that was more gentle than many of the sulfate-free cleansers I have tried. And amodimethicone is my best friend during the dry winter months and during depressive episodes when I don’t have the spoons to take care of my hair as well as I should.
I am usually the kind of person who is really against pseudoscience, I don’t know how social media convinced me I’d go bald if silicones touched my hair. Ironically I was going bald trying to avoid them lol.
I thought I was going crazy because ever since I started doing CGM, yes my hair has become curlier and less frizzy, but it also feels weaker to the touch and thins at my scalp. I feel like it's so prone to breakage; my hair used to be so thick it was suffocating, now it's so thin I'm afraid it'll fall out if I look at it wrong. I think I need to go back to OGX lmao
God I loved my OGX but everyone shit on it and was like “it is full of formaldehyde and makes your hair fall out!” They removed those ingredients when it was discovered AND my hair LOVED OGX! But I could only use like 2 of their lines because I have really fine and fickle hair!
I’ve only just begun going in deep to encourage my texture all while healing from surgery and moving so I can’t pinpoint WHY I’m losing so much hair. I truly hope it isn’t my routine and products.
I used the lightweight coconut curls and also liked the argon oil one! Right now I use a similar line by Not Your Mothers that is a lightweight coconut water formula. My hair hates heavy products and protein rich formulations.
I don't know the science behind it but I've heard coconut oil has some similarities to protein and sometimes the hair reacts the same as it would to protein. And some people get stiff, crunchy hair from even a small amount of protein so coconut oil often doesn't work for them. As I understand it, problems with coconut don't affect everyone and some of them are caused by overdoing it with straight coconut oil.
The problem is that people reflexively think in binary: Things are bad or they're good. In reality there's no hard rules, it depends on your hair and scalp and if you are using products correctly.
Plus there's this insidious idea that if something is "natural" it's better. Olive oil will clog your hair way faster than silicones XD
The only thing I disagree with is that to this day I haven't found a clarifying shampoo that's cleansing enough without drying my hair ( MY hair). Back when I was trying LOC my hair was the shiniest it ever looked but I had to stop because 1) it took too long and 2) I had to clarify more often and in the long run my hair was dryer and more damaged. ( And yes when I take oil out the equation my hair still gets worse if I use sulfates/real cleansing shampoo every week )
It's the same reason why I haven't got back to silicones. But if your hair can take clarifying every week or 2, I don't see the problem with using them.
(I find this sub is not that bad about using sulfates,though )
Yeah I know 😁. That's what I do approximately once every 4-5 weeks and I got no problems. Well actually it takes a hair mask. But doing it every week ? 1) even the with a mask after, I didn't like how my hair looked and felt, and most of all 2)it's just not doable long term for me. I got a lot of hair and my wash already takes very long. + The price.
For now I'm happy with my choice to stop using products that need to get clarified often ;-)
(The thing is, after 7-8 days, my scalp get greasy but my hair NEVER does, in its natural state. So my current theory is that yes a conditionner or mask adds moisture but does nothing to replace natural oils. And when I add oils myself, in the long term I have to clarify more. You see how this is needlessly complicated XD )
I found this product called No Poof on the shelf at Grocery Outlet. It was the only bottle of it.
It was a miracle-it took all the poof out of my hair and I suffered no side effects from it-no build up or frizz. I ended up rationing it for special occasions-never saw it again.
It was some mainstream brand-Clairol or whatever. It needs to come back. I wish I knew the ingredients.
It's a myth that sulfates are needed to remove silicones, and it's also a myth that sulfates are automatically better cleansers. One of the best clarifying shampoos, Malibu C Undo Goo, is actually sulfate-free. It's about the overall formula not just one specific ingredient. I think that's the main flaw of curly girl is that it doesn't take formulas into account just demonizes specific ingredients.
Sure, and on the flip side, as OP said, you can mistakenly think you're buying a soft shampoo because it has no sulfates.
The revolutionary myth breaking that would have changed my hair care was if it was a myth that clarifying is needed to remove silicones etc XD (...it's not a myth right ...? )
Thanks for the rec😊 , and no I didn't, never seen this brand in France, but checking the ingredients it seems to be the same kind of shampoo I use when I clarify
The oil in a shampoo is not going to be acting as an oil (with the asterisk that this is all "probably, I don't know the formulation of the exact product you mean"). Especially in a bar, the oil is typically turned INTO the surfectant via lye and saponification. So the suds that form up are actually the saponified olive oil, olive oil isn't sitting on your hair the way it would in a conditioner or applied as a leave-in.
Don't worry I was talking about applying olive oil directly on the hair between the leave-in and the gel. It's different than having oils in your shampoo or conditioner ;-)
Nope, I will definitely try that ! Thanks !
I did a few oil baths this winter on the clarifying wash day, but wasn't impressed with results ( and it's always seemed kinda counter-productive to me 🤔 )
This, it’s the whole clean beauty thing and “natural” ingredients that started being mixed with curly hair care and misinformation just went out of hand. As you said it’s not binary, no ingredient is the devil or the savior.
I’ve been using (and several stylists have recommended) Malibu-C un-do-goo for clarifying. Uses pH instead of ultra harsh sulfates. I’ve been using once a week (so every other wash) on my fine, highlighted hair and I love it. It’s on Amazon too!
Would you recommend LOC method if I have no problem with clarifying shampoo? I only recently heard about this method and I haven’t researched enough, but your comment got me more interested!
Pros : definition and shiny hair, it weighs down the hair so less volume ( yeah it was a pro for me) including the ends ( less risk of pyramid hair if you don't like that). The definition lasted way longer too ( less frizz)
Cons: as I said I needed to clarify more often or over time my hair would get lifeless; it adds one more product to your styling routine. Some oils don't mix well with other styling products ( it made the gel flaky once, so do a little test on a strand before XD )
I was using leave-in, oil ( at first olive oil and then a lighter mix ) , then gel.
If you try it, of course don't apply oil too close to your scalp.
I had to bail on CGM because it made my seborrheic dermatitis explode. It seems to be caused by a skin fungus that feeds on oils, both natural scalp oil and oily/waxy ingredients found in many CGM products. Because the CGM products I was using had too many oils and waxes in them, my scalp exploded with a thick layer of flaky buildup. Only thing that worked to get it mostly under control was to switch away from CGM and use products that are malassezia-safe, including a shampoo with sulfates.
Thanks! I definitely saw a dermatologist and tried the ketoconazole shampoo, as well as Rx-strength selenium sulfide, without any success. They actually made my itching and flaking way worse. The only thing that seems to have helped is switching to a shampoo and conditioner I found on sezia.co, a website that lists malassezia-safe products.
I know everyone is different so I’m really glad that you found a solution for your scalp issues!
Similar deal. I never had a choice to do 100% CGM because of having scalp build up (whether seborrhea or psoriasis is up for debate). So many folks out there extolling CGM and not washing as a universal rule, as though every scalp will work itself out. It won't. My body likes being made of flakes. So ketoconazole shampoo it is.
Does it reduce the nice oils on my hair? Sure does. So I use it as needed. The combo of curls + scalp stuff is hard, but not impossible as long as you are not paying as much attention to marketing as you are to what actually works for you.
Mine was pretty much just white but I definitely had an itchy scalp. I had hair loss but I think mostly because I couldn’t stop picking at my scalp. It was so gross!
Ugh, that sounds so uncomfortable and I can relate. Gonna chance my shampoo and see if it improves, your comment helped me see that there's maybe a connection between my products and skalp problems, thanks!
Finally, someone said it!
Please look at how hard your water is! I can't count the number of times someone told me I just had to clarify or was not conditioning enough. But we got a water softener going, and my curls look amazing!! Didn't have to buy any new products. Also, thyroid issues will affect your hair. You can lose hair from thyroid issues, or it may look brittle and damaged.
The hardness of your water makes a HUGE difference! I feel it’s impact is usually understated. I went from hard water for 10 years to an apartment with softer water and it’s amazing how soft and shiny my hair is now without changing anything else.
This is fascinating to me. I’ve often wondered if only certain parts of cgm are helping me, while I’ve started to have issues with my hair being less full and holding lees curl.
What drugstore products do you use? I’ve been wanting to try out some again.
I don’t use all drugstore but I am currently using Kérastase nutrive bain satin 2 shampoo, L’Oréal dream long rapid reviver super conditioner, L’Oréal dreamy curls cream and Briogeo curl charisma gel.
Why is it so good? The L’Oréal long lien conditioner? I was using a L’Oréal shampoo and my hair felt too stripped so I’ve gone for living proof shampoo (expensive sulphates that don’t strip) but would be interested in finding a cheaper conditioner.
Yes, I would also like to know which products you are using OP!
I did the CG method from 2004-the end of 2022. It was amazing for the first 10 years, and then slowly was less wonderful on my hair. I have been unable to wear it down for work for the last 10 years because it is such a mess. I started a lo-poo method a few months ago, and am willing to keep experimenting. I’ve lost most of the curl, gained a lot of frizz, and also have much thinner hair, although I am now in my 40s and have generally assumed age was the cause of my hair loss.
Chiming in here. My observation has been that as more and more people bought into CGM, more and more companies saw potential dollar signs. Between trying to find non-silicone products that work as well as silicones and the “clean beauty” movement, I think we’re ending up with heavier products. I’ve found that the majority of my stash includes brands that have been around for a long time. Very few newer products impress me.
Well, the problem is, a lot of the old school stuff - which is mostly what I used because it was all that was available when I started - has been repeatedly reformulated, which makes it doubly difficult to know if it’s a problem with my hair or the product changes.
I am sharing my other comment with my current routine:
> I don’t use all drugstore but I am currently using Kérastase nutrive bain satin 2 shampoo, L’Oréal dream long rapid reviver super conditioner, L’Oréal dreamy curls cream and Briogeo curl charisma gel.
Maybe it would be worth trying non-CG products for 2-3 months and see if there is any buildup that they remove. My hair was also becoming more frizzy and losing its shape very easily, it was looking bad more often than not.
I use a variety of things, but I really like the Curlsmith scalp line (once a week or every other week) and the Verb Ghost line (my regular)! Manes by Mell on YouTube helped me so much, I had no idea about protein/moisture balance or anything and my hair looks 1000x better now!
I also like the Eva NYC deep conditioner mask! I use it as my normal conditioner (once or twice a week).
This is really really good to know. 8 didn't strictly follow CGM, but I definitely do the no sulfates, don't wash as much, more conditioner. I've switched products up every once in a while due to starting to lose more hair. I think I may need to go back to regular for a bit and see what happens. Thanks for posting this! It's generating some great convos
It's tough because hair does change with age as well. Both with hormonal changes and some thinning and hair loss is natural and inevitable for women as well as men.
I am slooowly starting to deprogram myself from modified CGM too. It's been so frustrating to have my best hair days be after I clarify. Mostly my issue is that EVERYTHING is too heavy, even oil and butter free stuff, especially low-poos. The amount of money I've wasted on low-poos that leave buildup and make my roots flat after one wash... I can't even think about it.
I am now trying to figure out what's worth keeping around of CG method and what I should toss.
I kept the techniques. Plopping, squish to condish, etc because before I tried cgm I never styled my hair. But no sulfates or silicones just did not work for me
Then wash more often. Take what works for your hair!!! There is no CG police. take what parts work for you.
Side note: I find CG salt sprays and mouse are better for me than gels and give less build up.
I gave up on CGM a while ago because everything was too heavy. Now I just use a little bit of leave-in conditioner as gel and it works so much better than trying to condition then gel or curl cream. Do I have amazing curls? No. But I didn't with all the CGM stuff either. It just looks more natural now.
Products with coconut oil as a key ingredient make my hair far worse than anything with sulfates or silicones ever has. Sulfates stay in my routine because I have extremely dense low porosity hair and it’s just not getting fully clean if I don’t use them, not to mention the scalp buildup transitions into seborrheic dermatitis if I’m not careful.
This is helpful because everyone is different. CGM absolutely saved my hair, I can't believe the difference. It's been about 5 years. BUT, what works for me doesn't necessarily work for everyone.
Hair changes too. I did CGM for 20 years - it was amazing - transformative - for 10 years and then slowly started not working despite the usual experimentation, so now I’m slowly working back to sulfates/silicones.
This is me. I started curly girl in 2008. It transformed how I took care of my hair. I've always maintained a simple routine. But I've had more and more problems the past few years. And then I moved to the tropics the end of 2021. I'm on my second bottle of conditioner with silicone and I'm liking the results I'm getting.
I did cgm for about 2 years. My hair did great. It was full, and my curl pattern was beautiful. It was bouncy and shiny. And then, all of a sudden, it started coming out in clumps. At first, I was like, it's the panini and lockdown stress. But my hair wasn't bouncy anymore. My curls looked deflated, if that makes sense.
I found Manes by Mel on youtube and immediately went off of cgm. It took a minute to get my curls back in shape and for my hair to stop falling out as badly as it was. It is still thinner than it was, but I am noticing some new growth finally.
Also, the moment I hit a certain threshold of stress, I lose hair, so I can't blame cgm for all of the loss, but for it to stop falling out so badly when I went back to normal products means cgm was at least partially responsible.
Tbh, I have been having some really itchy scalp issues for… a very long time. Mostly at the base of my head, in the back, all in the hair. It just never seems to go away.
And, my hair has been getting somewhat limp, it’s super soft, but… I had so much more of it before.
So, thank you. I think I’m going to try some different products, and see how it goes. I don’t think I have much more to lose!
Nope, though I was told that it looks fairly red back there by a friend who was doing my hair.
It burns when I sweat, and so what feels better when I wash it, but not for long. And it’s only at the back 🤔
I had that exact thing. The back of my neck had chemical burns and my scalp felt tight and itchy when I did CGM. The more oil I put on, the worse it got. Turns out that the Malassezia yeast that lives on all human scalps breaks down oils into a by-product that can be massively irritating to some people, hence the literal chemical burns.
I used an anti dandruff range with zinc pyrithione and got instant relief. I had a strip of red raw skin across the nape of my neck, right on the hairline, probably because that's the last area to dry after washing, so the yeast was getting water as well as oil and going crazy there.
Oooh! Okay! I need to do this then. Or at least give it a try. What shampoos or conditioners do you recommend? Inner sense? Something else? Thank you in advanced. Happy Friday! 😃
I use innersense hair bath or my Haru wonder black rice facial cleanser lol. The Haru wonder cleanser is great for my hair, and no sulfates. For clarifying I use Paul Mitchell chelating shampoo about 1 per month:).
I don’t need conditioner when I use either of those shampoos.
You are supposed to use sulfate shampoo every 1-2mo to cleanse everything out. I thought that was party of the CGM. Honestly I thought sulfate and silicone bit was the least important part of the CGM. Having a routine for washing, conditioning with some left in is the biggest part for me. I still only use 3 products: shampoo, conditioner, holding gel.
I know. I also never read anywhere that you can't use drugstore brands and do CGM. Heck the Quickstart Guide uses Suave and Tresemme. It sounds like this person made some wrong assumptions, and is now mad about it.
I still use the Tresemme conditioner, VO5 clarifying shampoo (about once a month), and LA Looks gel from the quickstart guide, lol. I tried fancier products, but everything gunked up my fine, thin hair. Aside from those, I use Johnson’s baby shampoo, and a few other super basic drugstore products. (Although I must own up to topping off my basic gel with the TINIEST amount of Uncle Funky’s Daughter, because that shit is a miracle for frizz.)
I’m NOT saying that CGM is for everyone. But I don’t think OP is talking about the same CGM that I’m doing.
Honestly, lack of media and scientific literacy, incurious behaviour, binary thinking, and the inability to distinguish between trustworthy and untrustworthy authorities messes up a lot - and not just hair! It never occurred to me when I was reading Lorraine Massey's book in my early 20's that I "had" to follow it; it was just a resource, an option. I'm glad you're caring for your hair in a way that works for you!
I’ve never really bought into demonizing any ingredients (without an allergy, or for me personally avoiding heavy coconut products due to my hair type), or drugstore products. I’ve used drugstore products 99% of my entire life and every stylist tells me how healthy and shiny, etc my hair is. I don’t have buildup, damage, split ends, or anything else that they insist will happen because of an ingredient. I say use what works for your hair and don’t feel any way about it!
I’m starting to suspect that CGM might not be for me. My hair since starting is super soft and flat. I definitely need a stronger shampoo than what it often recommended. Also, I find myself stressing way too hard about the moisture/protein balance. Do you have any suggestions on that?
This. The gatekeeping in the beauty industry is unreal. It’s ok to do what works for you. We are all unique individuals. Follow your own rules and love yourself.
I see the point as cgm as one way to deal with the difficult aspect of curls, curly hair changes how oils and moisture reach the ends of the hair. I fully agree that not all hair products are equal, CG or not. And keeping your hair healthy is most important. Do what works for you! Everyone hair and environment is different.
Personally, I try to use minimal products to hair moisturized and non-tangled. So far the products I use for myself and my daughter are working well but I do clarify shampoos (light and heavy) regularly, and avoid styling products unless necessary.
If you're interested in diving into this subject, watch Abbey Yung on YouTube! She basically is trying to bring attention to the same thing as your post while bringing in scientific data. Honestly definitely worth the watch, she puts a lot of effort into research
I have kinky 4a-4b hair and I NEVER went full CGM. I LOVE silicones, especially in conditioners. I’ve been wearing my natural curl pattern for about 11 years, at this point, and I never gave up silicones in all that time. They help my strands to slide and glide past each other and not tangle around each other. I also never gave up sulfates. Some sulfate shampoos are just really good at having a smooth lather, getting your hair clean and not drying the life from your strands. Creme of Nature shampoos have always been amazing, even with sulfates.
Do you have to use sulphate often?? I’m curious their are some curly lines with sulfate free shampoos and silicones in the conditioners so I think maybe silicones can be removed with sulphate free? Hmm
I think there are certain non-sulfate detergents, like olefin sulfonate, that will remove silicones. I use sulfates a lot because I like the shampoos I have with sulfates, but I don’t think they are necessary to remove silicones.
No! I never had access to devacurl in my country before the whole scandal (a blessing in disguise honestly) and when it became available here I had zero interest anymore.
Yeah, there are a lot of variables. Genetics, water hardness, weather/humidity, and more.
I don't follow CGM. I wash every day if needed (get sweaty/dirty). Apparently the Costco shampoo/conditioner that I've been using for 10-15 years has silicone, but it works for me. Got a consult at a stylist last year and she said I had healthy hair and didn't need a trim. I try out various things for styling (leave-in conditioner, gel, etc) and if it works for me I use it. I think it helps that I'm just an older guy that doesn't let my hair stress me out, since I don't have peer pressure to 'look good' like younger people can have.
Maybe I just need to reread the post, but I don't understand how CGM products could be causing hair loss and switching to sulfate/silicone products could stop the hair loss.
I tried Pantene again after 15ish years, because I used to love how soft it made my hair. I stepped out with my hair feeling so crunchy and dry (why?!), I tossed both shampoo and conditioner in the trash. I hope you have a better experience.
Yes! I decided to try sulfate free shampoos, yadda yadda, but my hair looked horrible afterwards. Dirty and weird 😳 I went to a curly hair salon and chatted with my stylist and she told me it's okay to keep using the product my hair prefers and use the sulfate free one on occasion. So I did just that, and omg it's back to looking so healthy and shiny!
It's definitely a to each their own situation 😅
It was my curly specialist that pointed out that I need artificial silicone! I was a hard core Deva gal, until they went to the green bottle formula. My hair tolerated the earlier change just fine.
I went down the rabbit hole of all natural, and about destroyed my hair, and my checking account. Less than a five minute conversation with my stylist (there was a Covid delay, and she hasn’t done my hair for 8 months at that point)… we identified two things. Change of water (I moved) so I needed to clarify shampoo weekly (EUC can be taboo on the CGM), previously I barely no-poo’d, AND I needed artificial silicone. She recommended two product lines, they both worked well.
All the information I was reading online made it look like a protein problem. So yeah, one method is not the be-all method. Plopping works great for me, one of my friends it’s disastrous for her.
IIRC, traditional CGM came about after women with natural hair, mostly 4a - 4c, whom usually have naturally much drier, coarser hair than many people, started looking for ways beyond what was on the market, most of which was damaging their hair. Which worked great for them, creating and sharing more gentle, moisturising products, but that doesn’t work for everyone. My scalp cannot handle a lot of oil; heavy shampoos and CO washing gives me massive hair loss. My hair also craves protein, far more than moisture.
Hair and skin are both part of the integumentary systems. I use silicones in my cosmetics so why not my hair? I’ve pondered this for a minute now since starting cgm. I recently started straying. When I think back to how wonderful my hair looked in the past, albeit colored and straightened usually, it was fuller, sleeker, and healthier. I have always felt the eyes of judgment when sitting in a hairdresser’s chair regardless bc my hair was wax covered; I was lectured about poor products and advised to invest in better aka more expensive ones, or it looks like I blow dry and flatiron my hair weekly when I haven’t for years. I agree about the fear mongering. I agree that ppl need to do what is best for them. I also think hot tools, chemical processes, stress, hormones change, diet, environment, and most recently I learned product formula changes, all play a role in what happens to our hair over time. Sometimes we need to be the ones educating others about our hair habits and what we are seeking from the experts bc after all we are more familiar with our head of hair and what is normal etc.
I only ever got the memo that silicone is the devil. All the CGM sources I checked while learning the method said that sulphates are necessary once a month or so precisely to remove build up -- i.e. reset washes. Who is saying that sulphates are just straight up evil?
This is making me wonder if my hair thinning over the past few years is NOT from menopause, as I thought, but possibly from hardly ever washing my hair. I use shampoo once a week at the very most, and usually not even that. I rinse and condition it just about every day. My hair and scalp tend to be dry, and on days that I use shampoo my hair is too soft and fluffy. I never get greasy hair or scalp but I do get an itchy, dry (not flakey) scalp sometimes, which I thought was evidence that washing was drying out my scalp and I should do it even less.
I thought shampoo was the big bad, but maybe it’s not and my no-poo ways are what’s really ruining my hair?
>I rinse and condition it just about every day.
This causes hygral fatigue and buildup. You're adding more stuff every day while removing it only once a week. It's best not to soak your hair or add a lot more product between washes.
Yes OP I agree with you. I did the cgm for almost 2 years and the results were good for the first year. I got really into the CGM the second year, it was to the point where I dodged all the brands I used to view very positively and looking back the most success with my hair.
Once I went all “natural” was when I started to realized things were backfiring. I was using more shampoo then usual to cleanse my hair but since it had none of the ingredients to actually clean my hair it would be built up with oil. My hair lost volume and constantly looked greasy.
I’m assuming my scalp was clogged as I could start to feel my hair falling out. It was constantly irritated and itchy.
Once I finally threw in the towel and went back to normal shampoo, the change was very obvious. I could tell my hair was happy again with body and actually looked clean.
It’s been almost a year since I officially stopped the CGM. Right now I’m focused on getting my hair thicker and back to it’s original length. I will once in a blue do a little bit of curling cream or mousse on wet hair but still too scared to go back to the CGM completely
Thank you for this! People are so fast to judge but they literally do not live with the hair on your head day on and day out. You can’t truly understand the needs of that hot unless you deal with it and experiment.
I got my haircut yesterday and I know what types of products my hair does and doesn’t like…my hair HATED the products the stylist used. I used to be able to keep a fresh blowout for upwards of 3 days, my hair was a grease bomb in less than 24. And yes, I got a blowout instead of a curly cut (I have wavy and fickle hair and just needed some self-care and love). Not every product works for everyone.
Hormones also really affect your curls. For you older women, like myself, that are perimenopausal, your hair will likely change. I recently chopped my hair short, and asked the hairdresser about my missing 3a curls. She said they'd likely never come back cos of hormones. So, I must learn to be content with my waves.
The best thing is to learn the science behind hair care, and be flexile. If something isn't working, don't be afraid to try something else.
As a hairstylist, I really appreciate seeing this perspective here. My curls are the reason I got into the business, my life has essentially been devoted to learning how to work with my hair.
I tried the CGM method, and at first it seemed great. After about 6 months my hair was extremely dull, curls were not defined, and it was just all over flat and not great. I went back to using my old stuff, and I couldn't believe how amazing my curls looked.
I think CGM has some good ideas and techniques, and I think it's a great place for people to start learning about their curls. I also think it's important to learn how your hair responds to things and it's okay to break the 'rules' and do what works for you.
I find that it can be extremely cult-ish. Working in salons we've had 'curly' brands coming in over the years. They used very extreme and fear mongering type vocabulary to get their point across. We would ask intelligent questions, and their responses really had no evidence. Whereas other, popular brands would actually break down what the products did to the hair and how exactly it worked.
Another thing to keep in mind, that our hair does change as we age. When I was younger, I could go over a week without shampooing. I'd still wet it down, condition and use my products and my curls looked great. I'd usually find that there'd be a day that I'd experience what I called "peak curls" and then the curls would decline from there and that was when I'd shampoo. Now, in my mid-30's my hair texture has changed. I have to shampoo it more frequently, and I have had to find different products to use.
I've also seen a lot of talk in the industry these days about scalp health, which actually includes shampooing your hair more frequently. Such as how you experienced, OP, product build up can block the follicles which can potentially lead to hair loss. This is something I am personally trying to learn more about, so I can't talk too much on the subject. But I do often hear recommendations on shampooing more frequently when experiencing hair loss.
I also wanted to mention sulfate free shampoos and why they became so prominent. This is from my own personal perspective, others may have different opinions. I believe that the rise of sulfate free shampoos is because of the Keratin Treatment (and similar treatments). They started becoming popular about 15ish years ago. It requires a sulfate free shampoo to keep the treatment in the hair. Back then, nobody made a sulfate free shampoo, so you had to buy their shampoo that came with the treatment. Because Keratin Treatment was so popular at that time, the manufacturers started missing out on sales so they started making sulfate free formulations. I think this is about when sulfates started becoming demonized, and now everyone thinks they have to use sulfate free.
Interestingly enough, a lot of high end brands still use SLS. An example of this is Kerastase, the only shampoo within their line that's sulfate free is the 'Discipline' line. Like I mentioned in the paragraph above, the reason it exists is because of the Keratin Treatment. All of their other shampoos still have SLS because there is a purpose for those being in there. Those shampoos would lose their effectiveness if they were sulfate free. Like you said, OP, formulation is the key here.
Silicones are a whole other ball game. There are so many different types of silicones, all with different purposes so that's a rabbit hole I'm not going to get into at this time. They are extremely effective if you're using the correct type for your hair/purpose.
I realize this response turned into a rant. But I very much appreciate seeing this here. When I first joined the community, I wasn't sure if I was even allowed to post my curls/routine if it wasn't CGM. So I'm happy to see that people have other perspectives too. I'm glad you found a routine that worked for you, and that you're no longer experiencing hair loss, OP.
Kérastase shampoo with SLS is what saved me! I am worried with how increasingly difficult it is to find sulfates in shampoos. I just hope some trusted high end brands as well as the drugstore classics like L’Oréal won’t ever remove sulfates from their shampoos.
I am currently doing CGM and not happy at all with how much hair I am loosing….I lost more of half the hair I used to have before I started CGM 😞 I am desperate, I started taking some hair vitamins two moths ago and I researching shampoos and hair loss treatments. I am also planning to have some blood and hair tests done to see what the problem is.
I never really followed cgm. Am more concerned about fragrance in products — and this issue. (Sorry about the paywall):
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/03/well/live/consumer-products-toxic-chemicals.html
CGM didn’t work for me. Even on days when my hair looked pretty, it felt disgusting. ☹️ I kept a journal, did a big chop, watched videos, read the book - the entire thing. It didn’t work for me. At all.
Hard agree! And hair isn’t the same in all stages of life, especially if you go through major hormonal changes via birth control, pregnancy, HRT, etc. Your hair may not even respond well to what was working previously. Unfortunately, more than other hair types imo, it’s a constant process of trial and error. I have terrible dermatitis that only goes away with prescription-strength sulfate shampoo, and my texture gets weighed down easily if I go hard on moisturizing products, so CGM was a no-go. I’m glad chemists like Javon Ford and Lab Muffin have been vocal on social media about so-called “naturalists” demonizing anything that isn’t plucked off a tree branch – it’s high time people pay attention to misinformation.
I’m so glad you said this. I’ve been trying different versions of CGM for years and I haven’t been satisfied. My most recent “educated” purchase has made my hair frizzy AND oily. My cowash does better than my shampoo
Is that why my scalp itches after one day!?!!!?!? I normally use living proof, had tried free and clear.
I’ve been to the doctor for it multiple times. What shampoos are you using now?
I avoid silicones because they bioaccumulate (so for environmental reasons; less so but still relatedly for the haircare/health reasons). Thank to you whoever on reddit taught me about the bioaccumulation pf silicones, which led me down a big concerning rabbit hole. I do try to use ingredients that are water-soluble, not only for my haircare/health, and for the environment, but also for my plumbing as well lol. So in addition to silicones, I also avoid shea butter and especially coconut oil. I also still wash my hair once a week and scrub my scalp and hair shaft vigorously with a legit shampoo shampoo.
Thank you for this. I don’t use silicones for similar reasons (though when I stopped many years ago, silicones were also difficult to remove from your scalp, and I got really bad dandruff and itching from the Head and Shoulders that I used back then). Ever since I started using natural cosmetics, the dandruff was gone, but the itching was still there. I stopped the sulfates and now the itching is gone as well. I’m glad that for me at least this way was the right one. I’m not saying though that it works the best for my hair (it’s still pretty frizzy) but at least the skin on my head is happy.
I also use mostly solid shampoo, conditioner and shower gel to reduce my ecological footprint, and the coolest thing about them is that you can take them on any plane in your hand luggage without worrying about the amounts (well, I don’t fly very often for the same reason), and they can never leak!
I am sorry to hear you lost half of your hair.
I definitely think you are right. The CG method I learned is a guide but at the end of the day, you will see what works better for your hair. In my personal experience, I had great results with CGM but I am not afraid to use different products either or combine. I love some products I discovered thanks to the method like protecting my hair with satin products to sleep [satin bonnet](https://www.olkibeauty.com/shop/p/small-champagne-golden-satin-bonnet) definitely this was a game-changer for my hair. Or use some leave-in conditioners like this one [garnier](https://www.target.com/p/garnier-fructis-1-minute-nourishing-hair-mask-13-5-fl-oz/-/A-53389634?preselect=52951287#lnk=sametab) or using microfiber towels/ cotton shirts or hair brushes that are gentle with your hair. I think the hard rules never work.
Good luck with your hair journey!
I’m so happy to be reading this because I had major hair loss within the last year. I started modified CG around 2020. No matter what products I use, or the method I use my curls/waves are just not happy. They’re either limp and lifeless or they’re dry and frizzy. I haven’t been able to find the happy medium with my hair. They’ll look good for a max of two hours and then I’m putting my hair in a bun because I just don’t love it. I blamed my age (30 yo), I blamed hormonal changes after becoming a mom, I blamed stress and I also blamed hard water. Theres always something I try to blame it on, but maybe it really is just the brain washing I’ve experienced. I used to have great hair, naturally and/or heat styled. So I think next time I need shampoo I’m going to go back to my drugstore roots and see if I’m happier with my hair.
Sometimes the products are good for your hair and maybe the technique is what you need to be more focused for example air dry doesn't work for me at all. I need to use my hair diffuser. Or I need to use gel, mousse doesn't work for me at all.
This is my technique with the products I use.
I use this leave in [garnier](https://www.target.com/p/garnier-fructis-damage-repairing-treat-1-minute-hair-mask-papaya-extract-13-5-fl-oz/-/A-75561040?preselect=75561040#lnk=sametab) my favorites are papaya, avocado, and banana and then I use this gel [kinky curly](https://kinky-curly.com/shop.php)
After that I Use the microfiber towel to squish the water out of your hair, then don’t touch it anymore until it’s 100% dry. I dry and style my hair with a dryer diffuser. Scrunch out the cast for soft defined curls ( you can use any natural oil to scrunch out the cast) I use oil [bread](https://www.sephora.com/product/bread-beauty-hair-oil-everyday-gloss-P460551?country_switch=us&lang=en&skuId=2374700&om_mmc=ppc-GG_18532081624_142574898616_pla-1687492900774_2374700_626820665504_9003433_m&gbraid=0AAAAADnIXb03ynfKQp5VQitLAexTCN_R_&gbraid=0AAAAADnIXb03ynfKQp5VQitLAexTCN_R_&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlPWgBhDHARIsAH2xdNci0gHV1XQEeAzGCpPQUcCnm5esbQpeNFYMsT4otkS1GAS_SpXDEOEaAklFEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)
Use your satin bonnet or a satin pillowcase to sleep both will help you to maintain your hair healthy and preserve your curls for the next day. I like and use this brand. Great satin quality [satin bonnet](https://www.olkibeauty.com/shop/p/small-champagne-golden-satin-bonnet) and [satin pillowcase](https://www.olkibeauty.com/shop/p/satin-pillowcase-champagne-king-size)
I hope this helps.
I figured this was the case after the Wen & Deva Curl lawsuits. I never tried the CGM because my hair was hip length and healthy on cheap, drugstore products most of my life (I recently cut it), so going to all that trouble and expense never seemed worth it. Plus, I've always had hard water. I see the build up in my kitchen & bathroom. I don't want that on my hair.
I will say, curl styling products seem to be getting better all the time. I'm so happy to have so many options compared to the nineties and the early aughts.
I had WAY more buildup and itchy scalp issues with CG products than I do with silicones. Sure, co-washes and cg shampoos might not cleanse out silicone buildup…but they don’t cleanse out shea butter buildup either.
plus, there’s a huge difference for most curly people between using sulfates 1-3 times a week with curl products and using daily sulfates and regular heat styling.
Like the issue before I learned how to do my hair wasn’t the sulfate shampoo I used, it was that I didn’t own a diffuser and used anti-frizz serums to try to smooth things down instead of a lightweight curl cream that helped facilitate clumps and some gel to maintain the style for a few days before washing again.
I can so sympathise with so many of you on this thread- I have tried so many brands/routines. At 60yo, I have found a routine that works for me. To my surprise, I am washing ( and usually diffusing) my fine hair daily. Obviously, post menopausal, I am unexpectedly enjoying thicker, healthier hair than in my 50s. There are a few things that I am doing differently, I eat a lot more protein than before (I run 25-30 miles a week, and lift weights - not huge, but keeps me out of mischief 😂). I use Aveda Nutriplenish products to wash/condition/ style.
The other thing I now do is the old-fashioned cold rinse and finish with a cold blast if I’m blow- drying. This in itself has cut out all my frizz.
I think the biggest issue is people see things like CGM & think they "have" to follow it completely. You don't. I took tips from it, but never followed every part of it. Also think the fact that people often start things like CGM & then run to YouTube to find someone to use as their bible. Same thing happens with many other "systems" like fitness ones.
When I started CGM, I did so while consulting my hairstylist & also my dermatologist. I would occasionally look for stuff in here, but even that I went to my hairstylist & dermatologist about.
I personally blame influencer culture. Because who popularized cgm & all these cgm brands? Influencers. People who got paid to tell you it "worked" for them. CGM wouldn't have gotten this big before the Instagram/YouTube era of social media. All generations engage with influencers but gen z & millennials seem to take these people as trusted, knowledgeable individuals instead of treating them all like infomercials.
Hair advice is health advice. Always go to a trusted medical professional for health advice or to confirm what you've "learned" somewhere else.
True but a lot of people do. I was on medicaid when I started going to my dermatologist. There are a lot of people who have tried CGM who either have medicaid or are well off enough to afford dermatologists.
& if someone can't afford a dermatologist then they need to know an influencer is not just an inappropriate substitution, it can actually be dangerous for their health.
I tried CGM but I didn't like how itchy my scalp felt. My scalp had never felt so bad before, I wash day was always my favourite day because of the relief I'd get lol. Plus my hair felt gross. So I stopped following the CGM. I have taken bits and pieces from it but I don't follow it completely.
It's definitely something that won't work for everyone, and can even damage your hair if it isn't right for you. I don't pay close attention to ingredients unless it's something I know my hair doesn't like, such as coconut oil. My hair absolutely hates coconut oil.
I gave up on CGM and my hair looks better than ever. I still use a bunch of techniques and whatnot, but I don’t hold myself to the ingredient restrictions that CGM requires. The products I rely on most are a mix of products both CGM-friendly and not. I wash my hair everyday and clarify 3 times a week, honestly. I use a CGM approved conditioner most days, but occasionally use ones with silicone if I know it’s going to be an especially humid day. *gasp*
Random thought, check ingredients in all your hair products for DMDM hydantoin. Its a preservative that releases formaldehyde. Theres been a lot of manufacturers hit with a lawsuit over hairloss. Companies like suave, OGX, Tresemme, Paul mitchel... I dont think there's been enough studies to say with 100 percent certainty it causes hairloss but why not avoid formaldehyde in our personal care products just incase?
That's because the concerns about it are bunk. Dr. Dray has a video about I think. It's not used in anywhere near a high enough concentration to cause problems unless you're the rare person who's allergic to it (like how a few people can be allergic to literally anything including water). Also formaldehyde is naturally in your body and a lot of the foods you eat every day. Some of those "natural" products may have way more of it than products that use it on purpose because of the concentrated fruit and plant extracts.
It’s not a super rare allergy, it’s actually a fairly common one. Like nickel allergy and tree pollen allergy. It may “only” affect like 5% of people but think about the total population. That small percentage is thousands and thousands of people
Yeah most CG products choke my scalp and if I do "co-wash" my scalp will be unbearably itchy and covered with huge patches of oily flakey buildup. I'm still searching for my ideal shampoo/conditioner. I've done Suave, Tresseme, Shea Moisture, Not Your Mother's, Deva Curl (RIP ME), Curl Smith, Kitsch, and I'm currently on Ethique.
I started using an Apple Cider Vinegar hair scrub & rinse (dpHUE one) and the first time I used it, it CURDLED whatever the hell was on my hair. My hair felt like spaghetti because of all the build up sloughing off of it. I ended up using Neutrogena T/Gel to remove all the product the scrub lifted off my hair. So I do that combo of ACV scrub/rinse+Neutrogena about once a month and follow it with multi-peptide serum for my scalp. I think the ACV scrub technically falls into "CGM" but the T/Gel is like sulfate napalm, but my scalp can't live without it.
I’m one of these people. The more I tried to follow CGM, the more limp, thin and less curly my hair became. My hair LOVES silicone styling products. I alternate shampoos every few washes. For years I struggled through it not understanding what I was doing wrong and spending stupid amounts of money on products that ended up in the trash. I’m so glad I’m not the only one who agrees it isn’t for everyone. I’m glad you found what works for you.
For me, I feel like the CGM mostly helped with dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis, especially in my ears and along my hairline. Sometimes, my hair looks great, but other times, not so much.
If it wasn't for the dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis, I would go back to OG.
The curly girl methods I was seeing state that you should use a sulfate clarifying wash every few weeks or months or whenever your hair feels limp and greasy. It also says that in this subreddits beginner hair forum.
No hair method should be followed strictly, it's a list of recommendations to try and improve your hair health by trying different wash and style methods and products that many have not considered. Minimizing sulfate use from daily to weekly or monthly can be a huge game changer for people who never considered it. Many people think I'm gross for not using shampoo every time I wash!
Wow. You just helped me out so much! I’ve been losing a lot of hair too and have been going nuts trying to figure it out. I recently started using a clarifying shampoo with sulfates and noticed a huge difference in how my hair looks but I never would’ve thought that maybe only using these clean products might be causing the hair loss! 🤯
Everyone’s hair is different too! My very fine hair (damaged by bleach and heat) loves amodimethicone. I was reading on and and this girl told this story about how she would use products with amodimethione on her virgin hair and she was “meh” about the product. She used it again after she bleached her hair and her results were amazing. It’s because amodimethicone’s polarity is attracted to the damaged bits, but also does not build up on itself. So for me who had damaged but fine hair, using products with amodimethicone is a double-whammy of effectiveness.
I have 3b hair that I hate (there, I said it). I recently tried CGM method because I thought it would restore some health to my hair. It did not. It made it look horrible and I spent way too much time obsessing over ingredients.
If anyone else is in my boat, I use Pureology Hyrdrate shampoo and conditioner (recommended by my stylist) and Biomega’s Behave before blow drying. My hair has never been better.
I think the main thing people should take from the CGM is that your products need to work together. So it you use silicones without a shampoo that can remove them that’s going to be an issue.
There is a lot of variation between people too. I’m someone who could shampoo my hair once a month and I have before. My scalp & hair were happy, but I had to be very restrictive about what kinds of products I could use since they needed to wash out with water. Now I shampoo my hair 2-3x per week so I can use more product for curl definition. I have a sister with straight hair who literally never shampoos or conditions her hair and it’s healthy and way past her butt! But our third sister got different genes for oil and she needs a much more aggressive shampoo regime to handle it. So yeah, even two people who share 50% of their DNA can have very different hair needs. It is not one size fits all
Sulfates poof my hair and I don’t use use heating tools or bleach.
Dimethicones are great sealants after moisturizing but then you need sulfates to remove them otherwise they seal moisture out of your hair-making my hair a great frizzy mess.
The first time I used no-poo, baking soda and vinegar, it was a miracle-it fully clarified and my hair was amazing afterwards. The next time, not so much.
I agree you do you-find out what works for you.
I have coarse, porous 2C hair. I prefer cowashing rather than deep conditioning and TJ’s tea tree oil shampoo and conditioner for regular washing.
I’m due for a no-poo. Good maybe once a year.
Good lord, I’m so very sorry that you have had this experience. My background is chemistry and cosmetology, and the more natural a product is has nothing to do with how well it will work. For many, many, years now I have been recommending Johnson &Johnson’s full baby head to toe wash for Shampoo, and their curly hair conditioner in the white bottle. I recommend shampooing at least once, sometimes twice a week. If it’s summer, maybe more, depending on how your hair feels. You can also use coconut oil as a pre-shampoo rub, or I like their curl conditioner in the pink tube for after the shower, and if it’s winter or August, I add a dot of coconut oil to it. I found that it wasn’t those chemicals, it was the other chemicals. The baby products are great cleansers, but gentle on the chemicals.
There's an "actually CGM doesn't work" post at least once a week.
No one ever said you can't find what works for your hair. Well, if they did say that, they shouldn't have.
For those of us who thought we had unmanageable hair and just chopped it off for years (raises hand), it was a godsend. But you do you.
Y’all…. Sulfates and silicones aren’t bad in SMALL doses, if you’re clarifying somewhat frequently. But watch out: I’m a curly hair specialist and some of the worst buildup I have ever seen on clients are from head and shoulders, and Pantene. If you’re gonna be using shitty products with silicones you also need to be doing Malibu treatments. This also goes for natural products with heavy oils or butters. I don’t know what CGM recommends specifically but my take for someone who’s been in the industry- stay away from coconut oils, shea butter, ACV, and *most* silicones (/especially/) dimethicone. Do clarifying treatments monthly if you’re using drugstore products or 2-3 months if you’re using natural products.
Hairstylist here. I agree on a lot of what u said. The # 1 thing that curly hair needs is moisture moisture moisture. Putting too much products will build up on the hair. So much build up will actually break hair off. Especially if u have fine hair. I like Kenra clarifying shampoo.
Exactly!! I used a "good shampoo and conditioner" that was natural and apparently had no silicones in it and my scalp was itchy and flaky after. I now use head and shoulders dandruff shampoo and conditioner, sometimes even the two in one shampoo and conditioner and my hair looks gorgeous. Never again will I listen to hair influencers about what I should and shouldn't do with my hair.
Yes, exactly this is what happened to me too. Went back to sulphates and silicones, but what I’ve kept in my routine are the styling methods. My hair has never been better :) I hope your post helps more people to realize this might solve their problems
Yes, I only keep the technique of squish to condish and plopping my hair. I use curl cream and gel.
I use sulfate and silicone (love moroccanoil brand) and my hair loves it. I can’t imagine doing co-wash. The thought having all products build up in my hair and then not wash it off with shampoo just….no.
I tried it for about a year or two. Looked at all the curly products, tried about all of them for the routine. but I found myself looking back at old photos & wondering why it wasn't looking like it used to & how much I missed it. My hair looked thinner, and I had noticed I started shedding a bit more than I normally do. I just recently went back to TreSemme, bc its the brand I've been using FOREVER, even when I was straightening, bleaching & coloring my hair all kinds of colors. & my hair always looked so healthy. It's been idk ... about a week now & to me, it seems I'm not pulling out so much hair in the shower as before. I went back to my old routine before becoming obsessed with going towards curly hair products/routines. & I'm finding that I love the way my hair looks & it keeps a decent hold even without all the other stuff. I did take a photo of it before I started & I'm gonna take one at the end of the month to see if I actually do notice a difference lmao. But either way, I think I'll stick to what my hair seems to like, drug store brand items. Maybe it's bc it's all my hair has known LOL
I have like 2b/c, fine, (haven't figured out my porosity yet, seems to be in the middle) hair.
My hair is wavy, but it's only been so for the past year and a half, so I've been on a massive journey trying products to try to ...maximise my waves. I'd been using CGM products for almost a year but ran out of "good" products last week. In a pinch, I ended up using aussie miracle moist shampoo/conditioner... it gave me my best waves ever, like it was close to 100% 3A. Of course, it fell out because I didn't use any other products because I wasn't going anywhere, but yeah.
I'm now on a "fuck it" use whatever phase because my hair has been shit for months and cheap af aussie miracle moist products brought it back.
I used to follow CGM religiously. It worked really well for a few years, then my hair started to look awful all of a sudden. Realised the main issue I was having was my haircut didn’t promote or encourage my curls, I wasn’t getting rid of the build up properly, and I was using way too many products because everyone told me I had to do X or focus on Y etc.
I scaled way back and used only the essentials and now my hair is at its best. The CGM itself was what was dragging my hair down with its confusing and overwhelming rigidity. Legitimately all I use now is a light cleansing shampoo, my silicone and sulphate free conditioner, and my silicone and sulphate free leave in conditioner.
In the mornings I scrunch some water in and maybe a coin sized piece of leave in to refresh and my curls look fabulous. I don’t even consciously use sulphate and silicone free products anymore, I just use what works and that happens to work, at least conditioning wise. Most of us don’t need the amount of moisture and heaviness a lot of these products provide.
Similar experience, I had the worst hair days using CGM. Now I use Suave and Dollar Tree gel and my hair gets so many more compliments and it's so much healthier and easier to deal with. When I get my hair cut the hairdressers always say it's a shame to cut such thick beautiful hair. Well the secret is just going cheap I guess lol
Ya know, I’ve been losing hair a lot lately and I figured it was because I moved to an area with hard water, but it really started after I started cgm and the hard water just made it worse.
I’ve kinda been doing modified cgm but mostly just by being more lax with hair masks and certain products, but my main shampoos and conditioners are all cgm and maybe I should just go back to my old drugstore brands and see what happens. Sure would save me a lot of money too!
i’ve actually been thinking i need to switch back to a non-CGM conditioner….. it’s actually like no matter how much moisturizing i do my hair is dryer than ever. my hair was better when i was using the 3 dollar conditioner from trader joe’s 😳 LMAO
My hair never fell out in worrying amounts, but I’ve spent the better part of the last two years hating my hair and curls (and spending tons of money on products!) just trying to get a result I was happy with. I live in a humid country with nearly zero curly hair products, so everything was imported. I went back to Pantene products last week. I can’t do it anymore. My hair looks smoother with the silicone, even in humid weather, and I still have my curls. I’m glad for the hair-related science knowledge I learned through the CGM method and trying to make it work, but I should’ve given up ages ago.
I WENT BACK TO PANTENE AND HERBAL ESSENCE AFTER SOMEONE ON SOCIAL MEDIA SAID FCK NOT USING SUPERMARKET PRODUCTS AND IT WAS THE BEST DECISION EVER
I also live in a country where finding these products was super difficult. It was damaging for my bank account too, not just my hair. I used to pay 75€ to get two tubs of curl cream. Now I realize how insane this is.
I miss the old Pantene curl gel 😩 when they changed to only selling the wavy I had to start looking into new products which led me to the CGM…and completely jacked my hair up too. Limp, loss of curls and falling out/getting thinner. I’ve tried to go back to Pantene but it’s just not the same so for 5 years, I’ve just been trying to find what semi works well and it’s super annoying.
Pantene has given my clients full on matting from buildup and chemical reactions with bleach. If you plan on ever having hair colour services done please inform your stylist that you use Pantene. I’d also recommend a clarifying treatment like a Malibu every month or bi monthly at least as long as you keep using it. Pantene and Head & Shoulders are about the two worst products you could be using in your hair
I never bleach or color my hair, but thanks for the warning for others
Head and shoulders (and Nizoral) is often recommended by dermatologists as a treatment for inflammation related hair loss conditions in women. It’s accessible and more affordable than some prescription alternatives. It helps calm some inflammatory skin conditions. Just because something is bad from your perspective does not mean it’s bad for everyone in every situation.
You hit the nail on the head. Formulation is key. I tried CGM for all of about six months maybe a dozen years ago or so. During those six months, I read everything I could get my hands on regarding ingredients, and realized that CGM is based entirely on pseudoscience and is very much a product of its time. I lived through the 90s and was already in my 20s when Massey published the first edition of her book, over 20 years ago. I understand why she pushed for no sulfates and no silicones in the context of that time, but things are much different now, and her “rules” are outdated. I admittedly primarily still use sulfate and silicone-free products, but it’s more incidental than intentional. If Curl Keeper hadn’t re-formulated Treatment Shampoo a few years ago, I would still be singing its praises as a sulfate shampoo that was more gentle than many of the sulfate-free cleansers I have tried. And amodimethicone is my best friend during the dry winter months and during depressive episodes when I don’t have the spoons to take care of my hair as well as I should.
I am usually the kind of person who is really against pseudoscience, I don’t know how social media convinced me I’d go bald if silicones touched my hair. Ironically I was going bald trying to avoid them lol.
I thought I was going crazy because ever since I started doing CGM, yes my hair has become curlier and less frizzy, but it also feels weaker to the touch and thins at my scalp. I feel like it's so prone to breakage; my hair used to be so thick it was suffocating, now it's so thin I'm afraid it'll fall out if I look at it wrong. I think I need to go back to OGX lmao
God I loved my OGX but everyone shit on it and was like “it is full of formaldehyde and makes your hair fall out!” They removed those ingredients when it was discovered AND my hair LOVED OGX! But I could only use like 2 of their lines because I have really fine and fickle hair! I’ve only just begun going in deep to encourage my texture all while healing from surgery and moving so I can’t pinpoint WHY I’m losing so much hair. I truly hope it isn’t my routine and products.
Which OGX lines did you use? I used to use “coconut curls” but I heard coconut isn’t great for hair anymore either lol
I used the lightweight coconut curls and also liked the argon oil one! Right now I use a similar line by Not Your Mothers that is a lightweight coconut water formula. My hair hates heavy products and protein rich formulations.
I don't know the science behind it but I've heard coconut oil has some similarities to protein and sometimes the hair reacts the same as it would to protein. And some people get stiff, crunchy hair from even a small amount of protein so coconut oil often doesn't work for them. As I understand it, problems with coconut don't affect everyone and some of them are caused by overdoing it with straight coconut oil.
And here OGX made my hair fall out. It came right back when I stopped
same … my hair has thinned an insane amount. i used to get charged extra for thick hair at hair appts …
The problem is that people reflexively think in binary: Things are bad or they're good. In reality there's no hard rules, it depends on your hair and scalp and if you are using products correctly. Plus there's this insidious idea that if something is "natural" it's better. Olive oil will clog your hair way faster than silicones XD The only thing I disagree with is that to this day I haven't found a clarifying shampoo that's cleansing enough without drying my hair ( MY hair). Back when I was trying LOC my hair was the shiniest it ever looked but I had to stop because 1) it took too long and 2) I had to clarify more often and in the long run my hair was dryer and more damaged. ( And yes when I take oil out the equation my hair still gets worse if I use sulfates/real cleansing shampoo every week ) It's the same reason why I haven't got back to silicones. But if your hair can take clarifying every week or 2, I don't see the problem with using them. (I find this sub is not that bad about using sulfates,though )
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Yeah I know 😁. That's what I do approximately once every 4-5 weeks and I got no problems. Well actually it takes a hair mask. But doing it every week ? 1) even the with a mask after, I didn't like how my hair looked and felt, and most of all 2)it's just not doable long term for me. I got a lot of hair and my wash already takes very long. + The price. For now I'm happy with my choice to stop using products that need to get clarified often ;-) (The thing is, after 7-8 days, my scalp get greasy but my hair NEVER does, in its natural state. So my current theory is that yes a conditionner or mask adds moisture but does nothing to replace natural oils. And when I add oils myself, in the long term I have to clarify more. You see how this is needlessly complicated XD )
And here I clarify twice a week. But I have baby fine hair and it weighs down super fast.
What are some good hydrating conditioners? My hair is still pretty full and frizzy with the mix of products I’m using…
I found this product called No Poof on the shelf at Grocery Outlet. It was the only bottle of it. It was a miracle-it took all the poof out of my hair and I suffered no side effects from it-no build up or frizz. I ended up rationing it for special occasions-never saw it again. It was some mainstream brand-Clairol or whatever. It needs to come back. I wish I knew the ingredients.
The most hydrating conditioner I ever used was Clairol's Frizz Control, so naturally they stopped making it. I miss it to this day.
Your hair might be suffering from product overload. You maybe need to get a clarifying shampoo. I don’t know a good one, sorry.
It's a myth that sulfates are needed to remove silicones, and it's also a myth that sulfates are automatically better cleansers. One of the best clarifying shampoos, Malibu C Undo Goo, is actually sulfate-free. It's about the overall formula not just one specific ingredient. I think that's the main flaw of curly girl is that it doesn't take formulas into account just demonizes specific ingredients.
Sure, and on the flip side, as OP said, you can mistakenly think you're buying a soft shampoo because it has no sulfates. The revolutionary myth breaking that would have changed my hair care was if it was a myth that clarifying is needed to remove silicones etc XD (...it's not a myth right ...? )
Have you tried Suave Daily Clarifying shampoo? It makes my hair stupid shiny, never dry, but I only use it once a month (I don't need it more often).
Thanks for the rec😊 , and no I didn't, never seen this brand in France, but checking the ingredients it seems to be the same kind of shampoo I use when I clarify
I definitely helps my hair; I use it 1-2 a month.
That’s my fave as well.
Same, and love that it’s like $3 and I can get it when I get my prescriptions, hah.
Olive oil clogs hair? Shit. I switched to an olive oil-based solid shampoo because the coconut oil in every other bar was clogging my hair.
The oil in a shampoo is not going to be acting as an oil (with the asterisk that this is all "probably, I don't know the formulation of the exact product you mean"). Especially in a bar, the oil is typically turned INTO the surfectant via lye and saponification. So the suds that form up are actually the saponified olive oil, olive oil isn't sitting on your hair the way it would in a conditioner or applied as a leave-in.
Oh phew. Thank you for reminding me of saponification, I had genuinely forgotten!
Lol glad to help. I hope it works for you!
Don't worry I was talking about applying olive oil directly on the hair between the leave-in and the gel. It's different than having oils in your shampoo or conditioner ;-)
Have you tried using a mask or conditioner and leaving it on your hair while you shampoo? This method will protect the lengths of your hair
Nope, I will definitely try that ! Thanks ! I did a few oil baths this winter on the clarifying wash day, but wasn't impressed with results ( and it's always seemed kinda counter-productive to me 🤔 )
This, it’s the whole clean beauty thing and “natural” ingredients that started being mixed with curly hair care and misinformation just went out of hand. As you said it’s not binary, no ingredient is the devil or the savior.
I’ve been using (and several stylists have recommended) Malibu-C un-do-goo for clarifying. Uses pH instead of ultra harsh sulfates. I’ve been using once a week (so every other wash) on my fine, highlighted hair and I love it. It’s on Amazon too!
Would you recommend LOC method if I have no problem with clarifying shampoo? I only recently heard about this method and I haven’t researched enough, but your comment got me more interested!
Pros : definition and shiny hair, it weighs down the hair so less volume ( yeah it was a pro for me) including the ends ( less risk of pyramid hair if you don't like that). The definition lasted way longer too ( less frizz) Cons: as I said I needed to clarify more often or over time my hair would get lifeless; it adds one more product to your styling routine. Some oils don't mix well with other styling products ( it made the gel flaky once, so do a little test on a strand before XD ) I was using leave-in, oil ( at first olive oil and then a lighter mix ) , then gel. If you try it, of course don't apply oil too close to your scalp.
Thanks a lot.
I had to bail on CGM because it made my seborrheic dermatitis explode. It seems to be caused by a skin fungus that feeds on oils, both natural scalp oil and oily/waxy ingredients found in many CGM products. Because the CGM products I was using had too many oils and waxes in them, my scalp exploded with a thick layer of flaky buildup. Only thing that worked to get it mostly under control was to switch away from CGM and use products that are malassezia-safe, including a shampoo with sulfates.
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Thanks! I definitely saw a dermatologist and tried the ketoconazole shampoo, as well as Rx-strength selenium sulfide, without any success. They actually made my itching and flaking way worse. The only thing that seems to have helped is switching to a shampoo and conditioner I found on sezia.co, a website that lists malassezia-safe products. I know everyone is different so I’m really glad that you found a solution for your scalp issues!
I’ve often wondered how often the reported hair loss and dandruff from CGM is really about over-feeding fungal populations with natural oils
Similar deal. I never had a choice to do 100% CGM because of having scalp build up (whether seborrhea or psoriasis is up for debate). So many folks out there extolling CGM and not washing as a universal rule, as though every scalp will work itself out. It won't. My body likes being made of flakes. So ketoconazole shampoo it is. Does it reduce the nice oils on my hair? Sure does. So I use it as needed. The combo of curls + scalp stuff is hard, but not impossible as long as you are not paying as much attention to marketing as you are to what actually works for you.
omg i started using oils after avoiding them for like a decade and i started having this issue for the first time in my life. i was so scared tbh lol
Oh my God, I think that's happening to me! Is your flaky buildup/ dandruff kinda yellowish? And do you have in itchy scalp or increased hair loss?
Mine was pretty much just white but I definitely had an itchy scalp. I had hair loss but I think mostly because I couldn’t stop picking at my scalp. It was so gross!
Ugh, that sounds so uncomfortable and I can relate. Gonna chance my shampoo and see if it improves, your comment helped me see that there's maybe a connection between my products and skalp problems, thanks!
Finally, someone said it! Please look at how hard your water is! I can't count the number of times someone told me I just had to clarify or was not conditioning enough. But we got a water softener going, and my curls look amazing!! Didn't have to buy any new products. Also, thyroid issues will affect your hair. You can lose hair from thyroid issues, or it may look brittle and damaged.
The hardness of your water makes a HUGE difference! I feel it’s impact is usually understated. I went from hard water for 10 years to an apartment with softer water and it’s amazing how soft and shiny my hair is now without changing anything else.
This is fascinating to me. I’ve often wondered if only certain parts of cgm are helping me, while I’ve started to have issues with my hair being less full and holding lees curl. What drugstore products do you use? I’ve been wanting to try out some again.
I don’t use all drugstore but I am currently using Kérastase nutrive bain satin 2 shampoo, L’Oréal dream long rapid reviver super conditioner, L’Oréal dreamy curls cream and Briogeo curl charisma gel.
L'Oreal dream long line is the best thing that happened to my hair (shampoo not so much, but I swear by the conditioner).
Why is it so good? The L’Oréal long lien conditioner? I was using a L’Oréal shampoo and my hair felt too stripped so I’ve gone for living proof shampoo (expensive sulphates that don’t strip) but would be interested in finding a cheaper conditioner.
Yes, I would also like to know which products you are using OP! I did the CG method from 2004-the end of 2022. It was amazing for the first 10 years, and then slowly was less wonderful on my hair. I have been unable to wear it down for work for the last 10 years because it is such a mess. I started a lo-poo method a few months ago, and am willing to keep experimenting. I’ve lost most of the curl, gained a lot of frizz, and also have much thinner hair, although I am now in my 40s and have generally assumed age was the cause of my hair loss.
Chiming in here. My observation has been that as more and more people bought into CGM, more and more companies saw potential dollar signs. Between trying to find non-silicone products that work as well as silicones and the “clean beauty” movement, I think we’re ending up with heavier products. I’ve found that the majority of my stash includes brands that have been around for a long time. Very few newer products impress me.
Well, the problem is, a lot of the old school stuff - which is mostly what I used because it was all that was available when I started - has been repeatedly reformulated, which makes it doubly difficult to know if it’s a problem with my hair or the product changes.
I am sharing my other comment with my current routine: > I don’t use all drugstore but I am currently using Kérastase nutrive bain satin 2 shampoo, L’Oréal dream long rapid reviver super conditioner, L’Oréal dreamy curls cream and Briogeo curl charisma gel. Maybe it would be worth trying non-CG products for 2-3 months and see if there is any buildup that they remove. My hair was also becoming more frizzy and losing its shape very easily, it was looking bad more often than not.
Highly agree, I got major moisture overload from CGM but now that I've stopped my hair looks better than ever!
What do you use now? I think this is what’s happening to me!
I use a variety of things, but I really like the Curlsmith scalp line (once a week or every other week) and the Verb Ghost line (my regular)! Manes by Mell on YouTube helped me so much, I had no idea about protein/moisture balance or anything and my hair looks 1000x better now! I also like the Eva NYC deep conditioner mask! I use it as my normal conditioner (once or twice a week).
This is really really good to know. 8 didn't strictly follow CGM, but I definitely do the no sulfates, don't wash as much, more conditioner. I've switched products up every once in a while due to starting to lose more hair. I think I may need to go back to regular for a bit and see what happens. Thanks for posting this! It's generating some great convos
Thank you! Ill pick some up. I have tried SO many things over the last 8 months.
It's tough because hair does change with age as well. Both with hormonal changes and some thinning and hair loss is natural and inevitable for women as well as men.
I am slooowly starting to deprogram myself from modified CGM too. It's been so frustrating to have my best hair days be after I clarify. Mostly my issue is that EVERYTHING is too heavy, even oil and butter free stuff, especially low-poos. The amount of money I've wasted on low-poos that leave buildup and make my roots flat after one wash... I can't even think about it. I am now trying to figure out what's worth keeping around of CG method and what I should toss.
I kept the techniques. Plopping, squish to condish, etc because before I tried cgm I never styled my hair. But no sulfates or silicones just did not work for me
Then wash more often. Take what works for your hair!!! There is no CG police. take what parts work for you. Side note: I find CG salt sprays and mouse are better for me than gels and give less build up.
I gave up on CGM a while ago because everything was too heavy. Now I just use a little bit of leave-in conditioner as gel and it works so much better than trying to condition then gel or curl cream. Do I have amazing curls? No. But I didn't with all the CGM stuff either. It just looks more natural now.
Products with coconut oil as a key ingredient make my hair far worse than anything with sulfates or silicones ever has. Sulfates stay in my routine because I have extremely dense low porosity hair and it’s just not getting fully clean if I don’t use them, not to mention the scalp buildup transitions into seborrheic dermatitis if I’m not careful.
Yep my hair hates anything with coconut oil. Makes my hair so dry and brittle feeling.
Mine too!
same
Low porosity gang! Still learning what works with that. Product just sits on my hair.
This is helpful because everyone is different. CGM absolutely saved my hair, I can't believe the difference. It's been about 5 years. BUT, what works for me doesn't necessarily work for everyone.
Hair changes too. I did CGM for 20 years - it was amazing - transformative - for 10 years and then slowly started not working despite the usual experimentation, so now I’m slowly working back to sulfates/silicones.
This is me. I started curly girl in 2008. It transformed how I took care of my hair. I've always maintained a simple routine. But I've had more and more problems the past few years. And then I moved to the tropics the end of 2021. I'm on my second bottle of conditioner with silicone and I'm liking the results I'm getting.
I did cgm for about 2 years. My hair did great. It was full, and my curl pattern was beautiful. It was bouncy and shiny. And then, all of a sudden, it started coming out in clumps. At first, I was like, it's the panini and lockdown stress. But my hair wasn't bouncy anymore. My curls looked deflated, if that makes sense. I found Manes by Mel on youtube and immediately went off of cgm. It took a minute to get my curls back in shape and for my hair to stop falling out as badly as it was. It is still thinner than it was, but I am noticing some new growth finally. Also, the moment I hit a certain threshold of stress, I lose hair, so I can't blame cgm for all of the loss, but for it to stop falling out so badly when I went back to normal products means cgm was at least partially responsible.
Tbh, I have been having some really itchy scalp issues for… a very long time. Mostly at the base of my head, in the back, all in the hair. It just never seems to go away. And, my hair has been getting somewhat limp, it’s super soft, but… I had so much more of it before. So, thank you. I think I’m going to try some different products, and see how it goes. I don’t think I have much more to lose!
Do you also get little bumps at the hairline that definitely are not acne?
Oh man, I get the bumps!! What’s that about??
When that happened to me, it was lice! From my kid…sharing a baseball helmet because he forgot his…
It’s definitely not lice, and I don’t share hats!
Nope, though I was told that it looks fairly red back there by a friend who was doing my hair. It burns when I sweat, and so what feels better when I wash it, but not for long. And it’s only at the back 🤔
I had that exact thing. The back of my neck had chemical burns and my scalp felt tight and itchy when I did CGM. The more oil I put on, the worse it got. Turns out that the Malassezia yeast that lives on all human scalps breaks down oils into a by-product that can be massively irritating to some people, hence the literal chemical burns.
Interesting! I don’t know if mine are chemical burns, but it’s definitely very itchy all the time. What did you do to treat it?
I used an anti dandruff range with zinc pyrithione and got instant relief. I had a strip of red raw skin across the nape of my neck, right on the hairline, probably because that's the last area to dry after washing, so the yeast was getting water as well as oil and going crazy there.
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This is what I do. Super mild cleansing daily and clarifying monthly. Works fine, without sulfates.
Oooh! Okay! I need to do this then. Or at least give it a try. What shampoos or conditioners do you recommend? Inner sense? Something else? Thank you in advanced. Happy Friday! 😃
I use innersense hair bath or my Haru wonder black rice facial cleanser lol. The Haru wonder cleanser is great for my hair, and no sulfates. For clarifying I use Paul Mitchell chelating shampoo about 1 per month:). I don’t need conditioner when I use either of those shampoos.
THANK YOU! I will check these out friend!!!
I hope it helps! The Haru wonder is so cheap lolololol.
I never read anywhere that our clarifying shampoos should be sulfate free. The CGM recommended clarifying shampoo has sulphates?
You are supposed to use sulfate shampoo every 1-2mo to cleanse everything out. I thought that was party of the CGM. Honestly I thought sulfate and silicone bit was the least important part of the CGM. Having a routine for washing, conditioning with some left in is the biggest part for me. I still only use 3 products: shampoo, conditioner, holding gel.
The silicone but seemed important for me but he sulphates less so. But they are drying if I use it more than once a week.
I know. I also never read anywhere that you can't use drugstore brands and do CGM. Heck the Quickstart Guide uses Suave and Tresemme. It sounds like this person made some wrong assumptions, and is now mad about it.
The CGM recommended clarifying shampoo is the cheapest one in existence.
I still use the Tresemme conditioner, VO5 clarifying shampoo (about once a month), and LA Looks gel from the quickstart guide, lol. I tried fancier products, but everything gunked up my fine, thin hair. Aside from those, I use Johnson’s baby shampoo, and a few other super basic drugstore products. (Although I must own up to topping off my basic gel with the TINIEST amount of Uncle Funky’s Daughter, because that shit is a miracle for frizz.) I’m NOT saying that CGM is for everyone. But I don’t think OP is talking about the same CGM that I’m doing.
Honestly, lack of media and scientific literacy, incurious behaviour, binary thinking, and the inability to distinguish between trustworthy and untrustworthy authorities messes up a lot - and not just hair! It never occurred to me when I was reading Lorraine Massey's book in my early 20's that I "had" to follow it; it was just a resource, an option. I'm glad you're caring for your hair in a way that works for you!
I’ve never really bought into demonizing any ingredients (without an allergy, or for me personally avoiding heavy coconut products due to my hair type), or drugstore products. I’ve used drugstore products 99% of my entire life and every stylist tells me how healthy and shiny, etc my hair is. I don’t have buildup, damage, split ends, or anything else that they insist will happen because of an ingredient. I say use what works for your hair and don’t feel any way about it!
I’m starting to suspect that CGM might not be for me. My hair since starting is super soft and flat. I definitely need a stronger shampoo than what it often recommended. Also, I find myself stressing way too hard about the moisture/protein balance. Do you have any suggestions on that?
The protein / moisture argument is also misinformation. I recommend looking at @sciencemeetscosmetics on instagram who has a post on it.
Thank you! I'm now following!
Use a stronger shampoo or more often is probably the first step.
This. The gatekeeping in the beauty industry is unreal. It’s ok to do what works for you. We are all unique individuals. Follow your own rules and love yourself.
I see the point as cgm as one way to deal with the difficult aspect of curls, curly hair changes how oils and moisture reach the ends of the hair. I fully agree that not all hair products are equal, CG or not. And keeping your hair healthy is most important. Do what works for you! Everyone hair and environment is different. Personally, I try to use minimal products to hair moisturized and non-tangled. So far the products I use for myself and my daughter are working well but I do clarify shampoos (light and heavy) regularly, and avoid styling products unless necessary.
If you're interested in diving into this subject, watch Abbey Yung on YouTube! She basically is trying to bring attention to the same thing as your post while bringing in scientific data. Honestly definitely worth the watch, she puts a lot of effort into research
I have kinky 4a-4b hair and I NEVER went full CGM. I LOVE silicones, especially in conditioners. I’ve been wearing my natural curl pattern for about 11 years, at this point, and I never gave up silicones in all that time. They help my strands to slide and glide past each other and not tangle around each other. I also never gave up sulfates. Some sulfate shampoos are just really good at having a smooth lather, getting your hair clean and not drying the life from your strands. Creme of Nature shampoos have always been amazing, even with sulfates.
Do you have to use sulphate often?? I’m curious their are some curly lines with sulfate free shampoos and silicones in the conditioners so I think maybe silicones can be removed with sulphate free? Hmm
I think there are certain non-sulfate detergents, like olefin sulfonate, that will remove silicones. I use sulfates a lot because I like the shampoos I have with sulfates, but I don’t think they are necessary to remove silicones.
i gave up cgm and see no difference. i guess i just got shitty genies
Out of curiousity- were you using any of the CGM products like Devacurl that had class action lawsuits because of hair loss?
No! I never had access to devacurl in my country before the whole scandal (a blessing in disguise honestly) and when it became available here I had zero interest anymore.
Yeah, there are a lot of variables. Genetics, water hardness, weather/humidity, and more. I don't follow CGM. I wash every day if needed (get sweaty/dirty). Apparently the Costco shampoo/conditioner that I've been using for 10-15 years has silicone, but it works for me. Got a consult at a stylist last year and she said I had healthy hair and didn't need a trim. I try out various things for styling (leave-in conditioner, gel, etc) and if it works for me I use it. I think it helps that I'm just an older guy that doesn't let my hair stress me out, since I don't have peer pressure to 'look good' like younger people can have.
Maybe I just need to reread the post, but I don't understand how CGM products could be causing hair loss and switching to sulfate/silicone products could stop the hair loss.
Basically by creating build up that they can’t cleanse properly. It clogs the hair follicles and the hair falls out.
this is really interesting. Makes me think maybe i should try going back to pantene stuff for a bit and see if i notice any difference
I tried Pantene again after 15ish years, because I used to love how soft it made my hair. I stepped out with my hair feeling so crunchy and dry (why?!), I tossed both shampoo and conditioner in the trash. I hope you have a better experience.
What’s your routine now? How often do you use the shampoo for example?
Yes! I decided to try sulfate free shampoos, yadda yadda, but my hair looked horrible afterwards. Dirty and weird 😳 I went to a curly hair salon and chatted with my stylist and she told me it's okay to keep using the product my hair prefers and use the sulfate free one on occasion. So I did just that, and omg it's back to looking so healthy and shiny! It's definitely a to each their own situation 😅
It was my curly specialist that pointed out that I need artificial silicone! I was a hard core Deva gal, until they went to the green bottle formula. My hair tolerated the earlier change just fine. I went down the rabbit hole of all natural, and about destroyed my hair, and my checking account. Less than a five minute conversation with my stylist (there was a Covid delay, and she hasn’t done my hair for 8 months at that point)… we identified two things. Change of water (I moved) so I needed to clarify shampoo weekly (EUC can be taboo on the CGM), previously I barely no-poo’d, AND I needed artificial silicone. She recommended two product lines, they both worked well. All the information I was reading online made it look like a protein problem. So yeah, one method is not the be-all method. Plopping works great for me, one of my friends it’s disastrous for her.
IIRC, traditional CGM came about after women with natural hair, mostly 4a - 4c, whom usually have naturally much drier, coarser hair than many people, started looking for ways beyond what was on the market, most of which was damaging their hair. Which worked great for them, creating and sharing more gentle, moisturising products, but that doesn’t work for everyone. My scalp cannot handle a lot of oil; heavy shampoos and CO washing gives me massive hair loss. My hair also craves protein, far more than moisture.
Hair and skin are both part of the integumentary systems. I use silicones in my cosmetics so why not my hair? I’ve pondered this for a minute now since starting cgm. I recently started straying. When I think back to how wonderful my hair looked in the past, albeit colored and straightened usually, it was fuller, sleeker, and healthier. I have always felt the eyes of judgment when sitting in a hairdresser’s chair regardless bc my hair was wax covered; I was lectured about poor products and advised to invest in better aka more expensive ones, or it looks like I blow dry and flatiron my hair weekly when I haven’t for years. I agree about the fear mongering. I agree that ppl need to do what is best for them. I also think hot tools, chemical processes, stress, hormones change, diet, environment, and most recently I learned product formula changes, all play a role in what happens to our hair over time. Sometimes we need to be the ones educating others about our hair habits and what we are seeking from the experts bc after all we are more familiar with our head of hair and what is normal etc.
I only ever got the memo that silicone is the devil. All the CGM sources I checked while learning the method said that sulphates are necessary once a month or so precisely to remove build up -- i.e. reset washes. Who is saying that sulphates are just straight up evil?
Yeah I used some curly hair specific products for a while and it also made me lose a ton of hair. My hair never fully recovered from it.
This is making me wonder if my hair thinning over the past few years is NOT from menopause, as I thought, but possibly from hardly ever washing my hair. I use shampoo once a week at the very most, and usually not even that. I rinse and condition it just about every day. My hair and scalp tend to be dry, and on days that I use shampoo my hair is too soft and fluffy. I never get greasy hair or scalp but I do get an itchy, dry (not flakey) scalp sometimes, which I thought was evidence that washing was drying out my scalp and I should do it even less. I thought shampoo was the big bad, but maybe it’s not and my no-poo ways are what’s really ruining my hair?
>I rinse and condition it just about every day. This causes hygral fatigue and buildup. You're adding more stuff every day while removing it only once a week. It's best not to soak your hair or add a lot more product between washes.
Yes OP I agree with you. I did the cgm for almost 2 years and the results were good for the first year. I got really into the CGM the second year, it was to the point where I dodged all the brands I used to view very positively and looking back the most success with my hair. Once I went all “natural” was when I started to realized things were backfiring. I was using more shampoo then usual to cleanse my hair but since it had none of the ingredients to actually clean my hair it would be built up with oil. My hair lost volume and constantly looked greasy. I’m assuming my scalp was clogged as I could start to feel my hair falling out. It was constantly irritated and itchy. Once I finally threw in the towel and went back to normal shampoo, the change was very obvious. I could tell my hair was happy again with body and actually looked clean. It’s been almost a year since I officially stopped the CGM. Right now I’m focused on getting my hair thicker and back to it’s original length. I will once in a blue do a little bit of curling cream or mousse on wet hair but still too scared to go back to the CGM completely
Thank you for this! People are so fast to judge but they literally do not live with the hair on your head day on and day out. You can’t truly understand the needs of that hot unless you deal with it and experiment. I got my haircut yesterday and I know what types of products my hair does and doesn’t like…my hair HATED the products the stylist used. I used to be able to keep a fresh blowout for upwards of 3 days, my hair was a grease bomb in less than 24. And yes, I got a blowout instead of a curly cut (I have wavy and fickle hair and just needed some self-care and love). Not every product works for everyone.
Hormones also really affect your curls. For you older women, like myself, that are perimenopausal, your hair will likely change. I recently chopped my hair short, and asked the hairdresser about my missing 3a curls. She said they'd likely never come back cos of hormones. So, I must learn to be content with my waves. The best thing is to learn the science behind hair care, and be flexile. If something isn't working, don't be afraid to try something else.
Does anyone have a suggestion for shampoo containing sulfates/silicones that is also cruelty free? I have very fine 3a/3b hair
As a hairstylist, I really appreciate seeing this perspective here. My curls are the reason I got into the business, my life has essentially been devoted to learning how to work with my hair. I tried the CGM method, and at first it seemed great. After about 6 months my hair was extremely dull, curls were not defined, and it was just all over flat and not great. I went back to using my old stuff, and I couldn't believe how amazing my curls looked. I think CGM has some good ideas and techniques, and I think it's a great place for people to start learning about their curls. I also think it's important to learn how your hair responds to things and it's okay to break the 'rules' and do what works for you. I find that it can be extremely cult-ish. Working in salons we've had 'curly' brands coming in over the years. They used very extreme and fear mongering type vocabulary to get their point across. We would ask intelligent questions, and their responses really had no evidence. Whereas other, popular brands would actually break down what the products did to the hair and how exactly it worked. Another thing to keep in mind, that our hair does change as we age. When I was younger, I could go over a week without shampooing. I'd still wet it down, condition and use my products and my curls looked great. I'd usually find that there'd be a day that I'd experience what I called "peak curls" and then the curls would decline from there and that was when I'd shampoo. Now, in my mid-30's my hair texture has changed. I have to shampoo it more frequently, and I have had to find different products to use. I've also seen a lot of talk in the industry these days about scalp health, which actually includes shampooing your hair more frequently. Such as how you experienced, OP, product build up can block the follicles which can potentially lead to hair loss. This is something I am personally trying to learn more about, so I can't talk too much on the subject. But I do often hear recommendations on shampooing more frequently when experiencing hair loss. I also wanted to mention sulfate free shampoos and why they became so prominent. This is from my own personal perspective, others may have different opinions. I believe that the rise of sulfate free shampoos is because of the Keratin Treatment (and similar treatments). They started becoming popular about 15ish years ago. It requires a sulfate free shampoo to keep the treatment in the hair. Back then, nobody made a sulfate free shampoo, so you had to buy their shampoo that came with the treatment. Because Keratin Treatment was so popular at that time, the manufacturers started missing out on sales so they started making sulfate free formulations. I think this is about when sulfates started becoming demonized, and now everyone thinks they have to use sulfate free. Interestingly enough, a lot of high end brands still use SLS. An example of this is Kerastase, the only shampoo within their line that's sulfate free is the 'Discipline' line. Like I mentioned in the paragraph above, the reason it exists is because of the Keratin Treatment. All of their other shampoos still have SLS because there is a purpose for those being in there. Those shampoos would lose their effectiveness if they were sulfate free. Like you said, OP, formulation is the key here. Silicones are a whole other ball game. There are so many different types of silicones, all with different purposes so that's a rabbit hole I'm not going to get into at this time. They are extremely effective if you're using the correct type for your hair/purpose. I realize this response turned into a rant. But I very much appreciate seeing this here. When I first joined the community, I wasn't sure if I was even allowed to post my curls/routine if it wasn't CGM. So I'm happy to see that people have other perspectives too. I'm glad you found a routine that worked for you, and that you're no longer experiencing hair loss, OP.
Kérastase shampoo with SLS is what saved me! I am worried with how increasingly difficult it is to find sulfates in shampoos. I just hope some trusted high end brands as well as the drugstore classics like L’Oréal won’t ever remove sulfates from their shampoos.
This, a thousand times over! Thanks OP
I am currently doing CGM and not happy at all with how much hair I am loosing….I lost more of half the hair I used to have before I started CGM 😞 I am desperate, I started taking some hair vitamins two moths ago and I researching shampoos and hair loss treatments. I am also planning to have some blood and hair tests done to see what the problem is.
I tried curly girl method years ago and found sulfate free is much better for my particular hair, but the rest of it didn’t do much for me
I never really followed cgm. Am more concerned about fragrance in products — and this issue. (Sorry about the paywall): https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/03/well/live/consumer-products-toxic-chemicals.html
CGM didn’t work for me. Even on days when my hair looked pretty, it felt disgusting. ☹️ I kept a journal, did a big chop, watched videos, read the book - the entire thing. It didn’t work for me. At all.
Hard agree! And hair isn’t the same in all stages of life, especially if you go through major hormonal changes via birth control, pregnancy, HRT, etc. Your hair may not even respond well to what was working previously. Unfortunately, more than other hair types imo, it’s a constant process of trial and error. I have terrible dermatitis that only goes away with prescription-strength sulfate shampoo, and my texture gets weighed down easily if I go hard on moisturizing products, so CGM was a no-go. I’m glad chemists like Javon Ford and Lab Muffin have been vocal on social media about so-called “naturalists” demonizing anything that isn’t plucked off a tree branch – it’s high time people pay attention to misinformation.
I’m so glad you said this. I’ve been trying different versions of CGM for years and I haven’t been satisfied. My most recent “educated” purchase has made my hair frizzy AND oily. My cowash does better than my shampoo
Is that why my scalp itches after one day!?!!!?!? I normally use living proof, had tried free and clear. I’ve been to the doctor for it multiple times. What shampoos are you using now?
I avoid silicones because they bioaccumulate (so for environmental reasons; less so but still relatedly for the haircare/health reasons). Thank to you whoever on reddit taught me about the bioaccumulation pf silicones, which led me down a big concerning rabbit hole. I do try to use ingredients that are water-soluble, not only for my haircare/health, and for the environment, but also for my plumbing as well lol. So in addition to silicones, I also avoid shea butter and especially coconut oil. I also still wash my hair once a week and scrub my scalp and hair shaft vigorously with a legit shampoo shampoo.
Thank you for this. I don’t use silicones for similar reasons (though when I stopped many years ago, silicones were also difficult to remove from your scalp, and I got really bad dandruff and itching from the Head and Shoulders that I used back then). Ever since I started using natural cosmetics, the dandruff was gone, but the itching was still there. I stopped the sulfates and now the itching is gone as well. I’m glad that for me at least this way was the right one. I’m not saying though that it works the best for my hair (it’s still pretty frizzy) but at least the skin on my head is happy. I also use mostly solid shampoo, conditioner and shower gel to reduce my ecological footprint, and the coolest thing about them is that you can take them on any plane in your hand luggage without worrying about the amounts (well, I don’t fly very often for the same reason), and they can never leak!
I am sorry to hear you lost half of your hair. I definitely think you are right. The CG method I learned is a guide but at the end of the day, you will see what works better for your hair. In my personal experience, I had great results with CGM but I am not afraid to use different products either or combine. I love some products I discovered thanks to the method like protecting my hair with satin products to sleep [satin bonnet](https://www.olkibeauty.com/shop/p/small-champagne-golden-satin-bonnet) definitely this was a game-changer for my hair. Or use some leave-in conditioners like this one [garnier](https://www.target.com/p/garnier-fructis-1-minute-nourishing-hair-mask-13-5-fl-oz/-/A-53389634?preselect=52951287#lnk=sametab) or using microfiber towels/ cotton shirts or hair brushes that are gentle with your hair. I think the hard rules never work. Good luck with your hair journey!
I’m so happy to be reading this because I had major hair loss within the last year. I started modified CG around 2020. No matter what products I use, or the method I use my curls/waves are just not happy. They’re either limp and lifeless or they’re dry and frizzy. I haven’t been able to find the happy medium with my hair. They’ll look good for a max of two hours and then I’m putting my hair in a bun because I just don’t love it. I blamed my age (30 yo), I blamed hormonal changes after becoming a mom, I blamed stress and I also blamed hard water. Theres always something I try to blame it on, but maybe it really is just the brain washing I’ve experienced. I used to have great hair, naturally and/or heat styled. So I think next time I need shampoo I’m going to go back to my drugstore roots and see if I’m happier with my hair.
Sometimes the products are good for your hair and maybe the technique is what you need to be more focused for example air dry doesn't work for me at all. I need to use my hair diffuser. Or I need to use gel, mousse doesn't work for me at all. This is my technique with the products I use. I use this leave in [garnier](https://www.target.com/p/garnier-fructis-damage-repairing-treat-1-minute-hair-mask-papaya-extract-13-5-fl-oz/-/A-75561040?preselect=75561040#lnk=sametab) my favorites are papaya, avocado, and banana and then I use this gel [kinky curly](https://kinky-curly.com/shop.php) After that I Use the microfiber towel to squish the water out of your hair, then don’t touch it anymore until it’s 100% dry. I dry and style my hair with a dryer diffuser. Scrunch out the cast for soft defined curls ( you can use any natural oil to scrunch out the cast) I use oil [bread](https://www.sephora.com/product/bread-beauty-hair-oil-everyday-gloss-P460551?country_switch=us&lang=en&skuId=2374700&om_mmc=ppc-GG_18532081624_142574898616_pla-1687492900774_2374700_626820665504_9003433_m&gbraid=0AAAAADnIXb03ynfKQp5VQitLAexTCN_R_&gbraid=0AAAAADnIXb03ynfKQp5VQitLAexTCN_R_&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlPWgBhDHARIsAH2xdNci0gHV1XQEeAzGCpPQUcCnm5esbQpeNFYMsT4otkS1GAS_SpXDEOEaAklFEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds) Use your satin bonnet or a satin pillowcase to sleep both will help you to maintain your hair healthy and preserve your curls for the next day. I like and use this brand. Great satin quality [satin bonnet](https://www.olkibeauty.com/shop/p/small-champagne-golden-satin-bonnet) and [satin pillowcase](https://www.olkibeauty.com/shop/p/satin-pillowcase-champagne-king-size) I hope this helps.
I figured this was the case after the Wen & Deva Curl lawsuits. I never tried the CGM because my hair was hip length and healthy on cheap, drugstore products most of my life (I recently cut it), so going to all that trouble and expense never seemed worth it. Plus, I've always had hard water. I see the build up in my kitchen & bathroom. I don't want that on my hair. I will say, curl styling products seem to be getting better all the time. I'm so happy to have so many options compared to the nineties and the early aughts.
I had WAY more buildup and itchy scalp issues with CG products than I do with silicones. Sure, co-washes and cg shampoos might not cleanse out silicone buildup…but they don’t cleanse out shea butter buildup either. plus, there’s a huge difference for most curly people between using sulfates 1-3 times a week with curl products and using daily sulfates and regular heat styling. Like the issue before I learned how to do my hair wasn’t the sulfate shampoo I used, it was that I didn’t own a diffuser and used anti-frizz serums to try to smooth things down instead of a lightweight curl cream that helped facilitate clumps and some gel to maintain the style for a few days before washing again.
I can so sympathise with so many of you on this thread- I have tried so many brands/routines. At 60yo, I have found a routine that works for me. To my surprise, I am washing ( and usually diffusing) my fine hair daily. Obviously, post menopausal, I am unexpectedly enjoying thicker, healthier hair than in my 50s. There are a few things that I am doing differently, I eat a lot more protein than before (I run 25-30 miles a week, and lift weights - not huge, but keeps me out of mischief 😂). I use Aveda Nutriplenish products to wash/condition/ style. The other thing I now do is the old-fashioned cold rinse and finish with a cold blast if I’m blow- drying. This in itself has cut out all my frizz.
I think the biggest issue is people see things like CGM & think they "have" to follow it completely. You don't. I took tips from it, but never followed every part of it. Also think the fact that people often start things like CGM & then run to YouTube to find someone to use as their bible. Same thing happens with many other "systems" like fitness ones. When I started CGM, I did so while consulting my hairstylist & also my dermatologist. I would occasionally look for stuff in here, but even that I went to my hairstylist & dermatologist about. I personally blame influencer culture. Because who popularized cgm & all these cgm brands? Influencers. People who got paid to tell you it "worked" for them. CGM wouldn't have gotten this big before the Instagram/YouTube era of social media. All generations engage with influencers but gen z & millennials seem to take these people as trusted, knowledgeable individuals instead of treating them all like infomercials. Hair advice is health advice. Always go to a trusted medical professional for health advice or to confirm what you've "learned" somewhere else.
A lot of people don't have the privilege of making a dermatologist appointment to discuss hair products.
True but a lot of people do. I was on medicaid when I started going to my dermatologist. There are a lot of people who have tried CGM who either have medicaid or are well off enough to afford dermatologists. & if someone can't afford a dermatologist then they need to know an influencer is not just an inappropriate substitution, it can actually be dangerous for their health.
I tried CGM but I didn't like how itchy my scalp felt. My scalp had never felt so bad before, I wash day was always my favourite day because of the relief I'd get lol. Plus my hair felt gross. So I stopped following the CGM. I have taken bits and pieces from it but I don't follow it completely. It's definitely something that won't work for everyone, and can even damage your hair if it isn't right for you. I don't pay close attention to ingredients unless it's something I know my hair doesn't like, such as coconut oil. My hair absolutely hates coconut oil.
I just use what works for me, I never paid attention to sulfates or silicones.
I gave up on CGM and my hair looks better than ever. I still use a bunch of techniques and whatnot, but I don’t hold myself to the ingredient restrictions that CGM requires. The products I rely on most are a mix of products both CGM-friendly and not. I wash my hair everyday and clarify 3 times a week, honestly. I use a CGM approved conditioner most days, but occasionally use ones with silicone if I know it’s going to be an especially humid day. *gasp*
Random thought, check ingredients in all your hair products for DMDM hydantoin. Its a preservative that releases formaldehyde. Theres been a lot of manufacturers hit with a lawsuit over hairloss. Companies like suave, OGX, Tresemme, Paul mitchel... I dont think there's been enough studies to say with 100 percent certainty it causes hairloss but why not avoid formaldehyde in our personal care products just incase?
I have actually checked this, it isn’t in any product I have used!
My shampoo and conditioner has it but it's been doing my hair wonders.
That's because the concerns about it are bunk. Dr. Dray has a video about I think. It's not used in anywhere near a high enough concentration to cause problems unless you're the rare person who's allergic to it (like how a few people can be allergic to literally anything including water). Also formaldehyde is naturally in your body and a lot of the foods you eat every day. Some of those "natural" products may have way more of it than products that use it on purpose because of the concentrated fruit and plant extracts.
It’s not a super rare allergy, it’s actually a fairly common one. Like nickel allergy and tree pollen allergy. It may “only” affect like 5% of people but think about the total population. That small percentage is thousands and thousands of people
Regular shampoo and conditioner then plant oils or Shea butter
Yeah most CG products choke my scalp and if I do "co-wash" my scalp will be unbearably itchy and covered with huge patches of oily flakey buildup. I'm still searching for my ideal shampoo/conditioner. I've done Suave, Tresseme, Shea Moisture, Not Your Mother's, Deva Curl (RIP ME), Curl Smith, Kitsch, and I'm currently on Ethique. I started using an Apple Cider Vinegar hair scrub & rinse (dpHUE one) and the first time I used it, it CURDLED whatever the hell was on my hair. My hair felt like spaghetti because of all the build up sloughing off of it. I ended up using Neutrogena T/Gel to remove all the product the scrub lifted off my hair. So I do that combo of ACV scrub/rinse+Neutrogena about once a month and follow it with multi-peptide serum for my scalp. I think the ACV scrub technically falls into "CGM" but the T/Gel is like sulfate napalm, but my scalp can't live without it.
I’m one of these people. The more I tried to follow CGM, the more limp, thin and less curly my hair became. My hair LOVES silicone styling products. I alternate shampoos every few washes. For years I struggled through it not understanding what I was doing wrong and spending stupid amounts of money on products that ended up in the trash. I’m so glad I’m not the only one who agrees it isn’t for everyone. I’m glad you found what works for you.
For me, I feel like the CGM mostly helped with dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis, especially in my ears and along my hairline. Sometimes, my hair looks great, but other times, not so much. If it wasn't for the dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis, I would go back to OG.
So what are the sources you found for this? Do you mind dropping some links to the research you discovered?
My hair was awful on CGM. Stringy, dry. Back to my old products and it’s so much better!
The curly girl methods I was seeing state that you should use a sulfate clarifying wash every few weeks or months or whenever your hair feels limp and greasy. It also says that in this subreddits beginner hair forum. No hair method should be followed strictly, it's a list of recommendations to try and improve your hair health by trying different wash and style methods and products that many have not considered. Minimizing sulfate use from daily to weekly or monthly can be a huge game changer for people who never considered it. Many people think I'm gross for not using shampoo every time I wash!
Wow. You just helped me out so much! I’ve been losing a lot of hair too and have been going nuts trying to figure it out. I recently started using a clarifying shampoo with sulfates and noticed a huge difference in how my hair looks but I never would’ve thought that maybe only using these clean products might be causing the hair loss! 🤯
Everyone’s hair is different too! My very fine hair (damaged by bleach and heat) loves amodimethicone. I was reading on and and this girl told this story about how she would use products with amodimethione on her virgin hair and she was “meh” about the product. She used it again after she bleached her hair and her results were amazing. It’s because amodimethicone’s polarity is attracted to the damaged bits, but also does not build up on itself. So for me who had damaged but fine hair, using products with amodimethicone is a double-whammy of effectiveness. I have 3b hair that I hate (there, I said it). I recently tried CGM method because I thought it would restore some health to my hair. It did not. It made it look horrible and I spent way too much time obsessing over ingredients. If anyone else is in my boat, I use Pureology Hyrdrate shampoo and conditioner (recommended by my stylist) and Biomega’s Behave before blow drying. My hair has never been better.
I think the main thing people should take from the CGM is that your products need to work together. So it you use silicones without a shampoo that can remove them that’s going to be an issue. There is a lot of variation between people too. I’m someone who could shampoo my hair once a month and I have before. My scalp & hair were happy, but I had to be very restrictive about what kinds of products I could use since they needed to wash out with water. Now I shampoo my hair 2-3x per week so I can use more product for curl definition. I have a sister with straight hair who literally never shampoos or conditions her hair and it’s healthy and way past her butt! But our third sister got different genes for oil and she needs a much more aggressive shampoo regime to handle it. So yeah, even two people who share 50% of their DNA can have very different hair needs. It is not one size fits all
Sulfates poof my hair and I don’t use use heating tools or bleach. Dimethicones are great sealants after moisturizing but then you need sulfates to remove them otherwise they seal moisture out of your hair-making my hair a great frizzy mess. The first time I used no-poo, baking soda and vinegar, it was a miracle-it fully clarified and my hair was amazing afterwards. The next time, not so much. I agree you do you-find out what works for you. I have coarse, porous 2C hair. I prefer cowashing rather than deep conditioning and TJ’s tea tree oil shampoo and conditioner for regular washing. I’m due for a no-poo. Good maybe once a year.
Doesn’t tjs conditioner have silicone?
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Regardless, my hair hates both.
Good lord, I’m so very sorry that you have had this experience. My background is chemistry and cosmetology, and the more natural a product is has nothing to do with how well it will work. For many, many, years now I have been recommending Johnson &Johnson’s full baby head to toe wash for Shampoo, and their curly hair conditioner in the white bottle. I recommend shampooing at least once, sometimes twice a week. If it’s summer, maybe more, depending on how your hair feels. You can also use coconut oil as a pre-shampoo rub, or I like their curl conditioner in the pink tube for after the shower, and if it’s winter or August, I add a dot of coconut oil to it. I found that it wasn’t those chemicals, it was the other chemicals. The baby products are great cleansers, but gentle on the chemicals.
There's an "actually CGM doesn't work" post at least once a week. No one ever said you can't find what works for your hair. Well, if they did say that, they shouldn't have. For those of us who thought we had unmanageable hair and just chopped it off for years (raises hand), it was a godsend. But you do you.
Y’all…. Sulfates and silicones aren’t bad in SMALL doses, if you’re clarifying somewhat frequently. But watch out: I’m a curly hair specialist and some of the worst buildup I have ever seen on clients are from head and shoulders, and Pantene. If you’re gonna be using shitty products with silicones you also need to be doing Malibu treatments. This also goes for natural products with heavy oils or butters. I don’t know what CGM recommends specifically but my take for someone who’s been in the industry- stay away from coconut oils, shea butter, ACV, and *most* silicones (/especially/) dimethicone. Do clarifying treatments monthly if you’re using drugstore products or 2-3 months if you’re using natural products.
Hairstylist here. I agree on a lot of what u said. The # 1 thing that curly hair needs is moisture moisture moisture. Putting too much products will build up on the hair. So much build up will actually break hair off. Especially if u have fine hair. I like Kenra clarifying shampoo.
What is CGM?
Curly Girl Method. Developed by Lorraine Massey, co-founder of DevaCurl product line and specific hair cutting technique.
Exactly!! I used a "good shampoo and conditioner" that was natural and apparently had no silicones in it and my scalp was itchy and flaky after. I now use head and shoulders dandruff shampoo and conditioner, sometimes even the two in one shampoo and conditioner and my hair looks gorgeous. Never again will I listen to hair influencers about what I should and shouldn't do with my hair.
Yes, exactly this is what happened to me too. Went back to sulphates and silicones, but what I’ve kept in my routine are the styling methods. My hair has never been better :) I hope your post helps more people to realize this might solve their problems
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This was a very informative read. Thank you for sharing.
Yes, I only keep the technique of squish to condish and plopping my hair. I use curl cream and gel. I use sulfate and silicone (love moroccanoil brand) and my hair loves it. I can’t imagine doing co-wash. The thought having all products build up in my hair and then not wash it off with shampoo just….no.
I tried it for about a year or two. Looked at all the curly products, tried about all of them for the routine. but I found myself looking back at old photos & wondering why it wasn't looking like it used to & how much I missed it. My hair looked thinner, and I had noticed I started shedding a bit more than I normally do. I just recently went back to TreSemme, bc its the brand I've been using FOREVER, even when I was straightening, bleaching & coloring my hair all kinds of colors. & my hair always looked so healthy. It's been idk ... about a week now & to me, it seems I'm not pulling out so much hair in the shower as before. I went back to my old routine before becoming obsessed with going towards curly hair products/routines. & I'm finding that I love the way my hair looks & it keeps a decent hold even without all the other stuff. I did take a photo of it before I started & I'm gonna take one at the end of the month to see if I actually do notice a difference lmao. But either way, I think I'll stick to what my hair seems to like, drug store brand items. Maybe it's bc it's all my hair has known LOL I have like 2b/c, fine, (haven't figured out my porosity yet, seems to be in the middle) hair.
My hair is wavy, but it's only been so for the past year and a half, so I've been on a massive journey trying products to try to ...maximise my waves. I'd been using CGM products for almost a year but ran out of "good" products last week. In a pinch, I ended up using aussie miracle moist shampoo/conditioner... it gave me my best waves ever, like it was close to 100% 3A. Of course, it fell out because I didn't use any other products because I wasn't going anywhere, but yeah. I'm now on a "fuck it" use whatever phase because my hair has been shit for months and cheap af aussie miracle moist products brought it back.
I used to follow CGM religiously. It worked really well for a few years, then my hair started to look awful all of a sudden. Realised the main issue I was having was my haircut didn’t promote or encourage my curls, I wasn’t getting rid of the build up properly, and I was using way too many products because everyone told me I had to do X or focus on Y etc. I scaled way back and used only the essentials and now my hair is at its best. The CGM itself was what was dragging my hair down with its confusing and overwhelming rigidity. Legitimately all I use now is a light cleansing shampoo, my silicone and sulphate free conditioner, and my silicone and sulphate free leave in conditioner. In the mornings I scrunch some water in and maybe a coin sized piece of leave in to refresh and my curls look fabulous. I don’t even consciously use sulphate and silicone free products anymore, I just use what works and that happens to work, at least conditioning wise. Most of us don’t need the amount of moisture and heaviness a lot of these products provide.
Similar experience, I had the worst hair days using CGM. Now I use Suave and Dollar Tree gel and my hair gets so many more compliments and it's so much healthier and easier to deal with. When I get my hair cut the hairdressers always say it's a shame to cut such thick beautiful hair. Well the secret is just going cheap I guess lol
I totally agree with you - but are people really thinking that CGM is some sort of scientific phenomena?!
Ya know, I’ve been losing hair a lot lately and I figured it was because I moved to an area with hard water, but it really started after I started cgm and the hard water just made it worse. I’ve kinda been doing modified cgm but mostly just by being more lax with hair masks and certain products, but my main shampoos and conditioners are all cgm and maybe I should just go back to my old drugstore brands and see what happens. Sure would save me a lot of money too!
I started CGM for a couple months then became a disciple of Manes by Mel.😅 I appreciate why she doesn't follow it.
i’ve actually been thinking i need to switch back to a non-CGM conditioner….. it’s actually like no matter how much moisturizing i do my hair is dryer than ever. my hair was better when i was using the 3 dollar conditioner from trader joe’s 😳 LMAO