What exactly is being "C G"?

So what does it really mean to be going or have gone "C G" (Curly Girl)? Is it a state of being, is it something you eat, do you need to study for it, what is it even?

Curly Girl is a term that was coined by Lorraine Massey when she wrote her book "Curly Girl: The Handbook" & describes a method used in caring for naturally curly hair. The book is a fabulous resource, like a reference book, for people of curl & is often read by both new & regular clients in my salon, although a growing number have the book at home themselves. 

It is also a term that is used by many people in quite a loose structure. This is how a conversation can go: 

Client: "Oh, I don't use shampoo, I do CG" 

Me: "That's great. So tell me, what are you using?" 

Client: "I bought xyz brand conditioner at the supermarket & I use that" 

Me: " Ok, do you use it to co-wash? How is it going for you? Are you using styling products?"

Client: " Co-wash? It's my conditioner. I dunno, it's ok. My hair is still frizzy though. Yes, I use a leave in waxy product & gel sometimes. But I don't really like them".

Yes, this blog was inspired by frustration. I don't accuse anyone of anything, cast blame or want to make my clients feel like naughty children. I want to teach. I want to inspire. I want my clients to be able to look after their hair so much better than what I could ever do to their curls. And I want them to know that! Henry Kissinger once said " A diamond is a chunk of coal that is made good under pressure". This quote can apply to the frizzy hair you see in the mirror as well. It really can become more defined ( the diamond ) with time & perseverance ( the pressure )

I get really frustrated when a client contacts me after a couple of weeks or so & tells me it's not working for her. I also get sad for her because I totally get it!! Sometimes I try a whole new way of doing something & it doesn't seem to be working out for me. But, you know what? Every single time when something hasn't worked out, when it has "failed", it is because I haven't followed the steps correctly or used the wrong ingredients. I can put it down to this every time! Here's an example from a while back. I wanted home made bread so I had all the ingredients ready to go. It said to use warm water to help the yeast rise. I used water from the tap that wasn't exactly warm, but water is water. Right?? Umm, no! The bread didn't work out. It didn't rise & I made a brick (blah! It was horrible) & I'm sure it could have been classified as a lethal weapon. There was a good reason it didn't work out- I didn't follow the instructions. Simple. 

There is no magic potion or wand when we do curly hair. We disclose exactly what we are using & show you exactly how to use it as well. (The right ingredients + the correct steps = recipe for success). Yes, we will advise you to use the product/s we use in your hair because we know they work. They work beautifully in conjunction with the methods we show you at the basin & in the chair. 

Yes, there are alternatives out there & we will often mention a couple of them, BUT, are you going to get the same results? Probably not. But, you may achieve something similar & in the end, the choice is totally yours.

Some of the traits you need to have or develop when going over to the curly method:

- Trust ( Trust what we are teaching you & have the belief you can do it too )

- Willingness ( To embrace new ideas ) 

- Enthusiasm ( For your own curl outcome )

- Patience ( It WILL take time & effort. You are practicing something new & you are also reversing many years of how your hair was cared for previously - & that may include chemical &/or heat damage which needs to be addressed.) 

When a new client tells me her hair is is still frizzy or unmanageable after just a week or 2, But that she really is trying, I feel excited that she is reaching out for confirmation that things will turn around. The journey to Curl-vana can be longer for one curl person than another, don't give up, don't have unrealistic expectations that can make you feel upset or angry. We don't all begin the journey from the same starting point. 

When a client says she has used the techniques she was taught & has the right products, but doesn't want to invest the time, I know she's not ready. YET! 

When a client tells me her hair hasn't changed & she is still using those same "good" products she was using before coming to see me & there is no difference, I know she has unrealistic expectations.  If you change nothing, nothing will change- Unknown.

So CG means different things to different people but to me it means that I use healthy hair products to feed my curls to give them every opportunity to be defined & happy as well as nurturing them. That's my definition. 😊💕🌀

This Week in Hair.......

This past week, an iconic stylist overseas chose to think about curly hair & post those thoughts on her Facebook page. That's fine, it's her page & she can have an opinion. The trouble was, she referred to curly hair as "wool" & how she sees curly people come into her salon & ask to be able to dry natural under gentle heat. She went on to say they probably don't want to pay for a "proper" styling service & that their "wool" looks HORRIBLE when dried naturally!! 

For starters, I believe that a "proper" styling service is in relation to the type of hair I am finishing as a stylist. I choose not to do a blowout on naturally curly hair, that does not mean the curly haired client is not being styled sufficiently, it means their finish is appropriate to the type of hair. I do have clients who have long, sleek hair who do have their hair blown out & even have the hot iron used. 

The stylist the storm erupted around is a traditional stylist who does prefer her clients leave with sleek hair. ( And most likely enough silicone laden product to protect the space shuttle from heat damage) The post went mega-viral within hours & although she did have some supporters, the majority were from people who felt angry & hurt by the comments & rightly so. It went a lot deeper than people being precious, the stylist stepped away from displaying professionalism on social media & several comments accused her of bullying. 

The saga went on for a few days with thinly veiled apologies & the majority rejected those apologies as the damage had been done.

There are two morals to this story:

- Be careful what you post on social media. Screen shots shared last a lot longer than a deleted post

- The most important one for people of curl is simple. Don't expect someone who does not understand (or see beauty in) your hair work with it or manipulate it into anything but it's natural beauty. 

You don't go to GP when you need a specialist service. See a professional curly hair stylist for your curly hair.