The Curly Girl Method: Part 3: 5 Factors Affecting Your Wash and Go

The CG Method is essentially, a wash and go (WnG) method but not all wash and gos are Curly Girl methods.

Gerrit? :)

Wash and Gos are not as simple as the name suggests. They are really more like wash, condition, spritz, apply oil or buttter, apply styling product, rake/shingle/pray, THEN go!

How well a wash and go works on your hair depends on a number of factors:

The Curly Girl Method: Part 2: Does it work on Kinky Hair?

My answer? Yes, but only with modifications*.

*Disclaimer: this is my own theory; I have no scientific evidence to back this. If you have a differing opinion, please comment below; I'd love to hear it.  

Ok, now that's out of the way...

The CG method, by definition, is meant to enhance curls. Or waves. Or coils. So technically, you should have curls to enhance in the first place. If, however, you are a kinky haired natural, like me, with no curl pattern to speak of, doesn't it mean there's nothing to enhance? I think so. 

So why is the CG method so popular among naturals; kinkies, curlies and coilies alike?

The Curly Girl Method: Part 1: What It's About

The Curly Girl (CG) Method was popularised by Lorraine Massey and quickly became a favourite of curlies worldwide.  This is because it recognises that curly hair differs from straight hair and should, therefore, be treated accordingly. 

Oil travels freely down the shaft of straight hair, and, without regular washing, oil buildup can leave the hair looking limp and greasy. On the other hand, the twists and turns in curly hair make it difficult for sebum (natural oil produced by the scalp) to travel down the hair shaft, making it difficult to retain moisture and leaving it feeling and looking dry and frizzy. 

The CG method, therefore, is a regime designed specifically to enhance curl definition by moisturising curls and encouraging them to clump.