Learning to accept how we naturally look is important for building confidence and a healthy mindset. This could mean celebrating your morena or mestiza skin, loving your curves or skinny shape, and embracing your natural hair- be it curly or straight!Decades of TV shampoo commercials have depicted beautiful women with shiny, and super straight tresses. This has set a beauty standard to strive for, which has boosted the popularity of straightening irons and hair rebond treatments in the last few decades. But the current generation is turning to newer methods of hair care for all types of hair. And when it comes to embracing one’s curly hair, there are two women who are in the forefront in advocating proper hair care methods: Devacurl founder Lorraine Massey, who literally wrote the handbook for curly girl hair care; and Ria Fernandez, the founder of a Facebook group called Curly Girl Philippines.

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Inconvenient Truths: UncOILing and UnMasking. Since Curly Girl: The Handbook was released 20 years ago, most of my core values have not swayed or changed when it comes to the simplicity of looking after your curls, waves, and micro curls. Over the years, we have witnessed natural and synthetic oils/silicones and heavy mounds of butter prove to be problematic in organic hair fiber – no matter what curl or hair type you may have. They are impermeable and non-water soluable. The hair becomes coated and water resistant and over time (usually 6 months to a year) it begins to starve of true moisture. When you stop using oils you will see how remarkable the difference is and how the natural hair fibre receives water and like us-the hair needs to breathe. On the following recipe pages just replace all of the oils, butters and honey with aloe vera and small amounts of coconut water ❌NOT COCONUT OIL❌ #cgmbylorrainemassey #cgmethod #curlygirlthehandbook #cgmapproved •This will all be in the new CGKids book (out in July) & Curly Girl:The Handbook update ?❤️? Coarse/Frizz is not a hair type-It is naturally drier hair that is reluctant to take in hydration oils /silicones & sulfates- Don't block but unlock ?? Verdades Inconvenientes: Desenrolar e Desmascarar. Desde que o Curly Girl: The Handbook foi lançado há 20 anos, a maioria dos meus valores fundamentais não se alterou nem mudou quando se trata da simplicidade de cuidar de seus cachos, ondas e microcachos. Ao longo dos anos, testemunhamos óleos / silicones naturais e sintéticos e montes pesados de manteiga provam ser problemáticos na fibra capilar orgânica – independentemente do tipo de cacho ou cabelo que você possa ter. Eles são impermeáveis e não solúveis em água. O cabelo fica revestido e resistente à água e, com o tempo (geralmente de 6 meses a um ano), começa a passar fome da verdadeira umidade. Quando você parar de usar óleos, verá como a diferença é notável e como a fibra capilar natural recebe água, como nós, o cabelo precisa respirar. Nas páginas de receita a seguir, substitua todos os óleos e manteigas por aloe vera e pequenas quantidades de água de coco ❌ NÃO ÓLEO DE COCO❌

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Sharing what she learned from Lorraine’s book has turned Ria’s Facebook group into an overnight sensation. Its membership has surged as many curly-haired Filipino women finally began to understand the nuances of properly caring for their hair type. Unlike straight hair, curly hair is more sensitive and doesn’t respond so well to the normal shampoo and conditioner routine. The Curly Girl Method (CGM) prescribes a list of do’s and don’ts to keep curly hair healthy and enhance their natural shape.

Basic Rules for Curly Girls

1.Avoid silicones, sulfates, alcohol, and fragrances in your hair products. These can damage and weigh down hair. Swap your shampoo for conditioner. Instead of washing hair the usual way, curly girls are recommended to “co-wash” or use a silicone-free conditioner instead. Shampoos can dry out curly hair, so it should only be used once a week or once every two weeks, depending on the type of curls you have. 

Apply the conditioner all over your hair and scalp and let it sit for a few minutes. Those with thick curls should fully rinse out the product, while those with waves and coils can do a quick rinse then just allow the leftover conditioner to dry on their hair.

2.Use a microfiber towel or clean t-shirt to gently squish your hair dry. Don’t use a normal towel as the rough surface can give you frizz. If you must use a hair dryer, make sure to use a diffuser attachment so that your hair doesn’t turn brittle from direct heat exposure.

3.Say goodbye to combs and brushes! If you get tangles, apply some leave on conditioner or hair serum then use your finger to carefully remove the knots. To style hair, apply a bit of gel or mousse while hair is damp. When it dries, you can scrunch the hair to remove any stiffness from the product.

4. Wear a silk scarf or use a silk pillow when you sleep. Silk is a smooth fabric that can prevent your hair from being exposed to a lot of friction and getting frizzy. This fabric also helps to retain the shape and shininess of your curls. New York-based silk scarf brand Maison Du Silks carries the highest quality Mulberry and Charmeuse silks specifically made to add smooth protection to sensitive curly hair.

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✨Samira?Charmeuse Silk Sleep Scarf

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5. Before you start your CGM journey, you’ll have to do a one-time process called The Final Wash. It sounds ominous but it’s actually just using dishwashing soap to wash your hair! This removes silicones and other product buildup from your hair so that the Curly Girl Method can effectively work.

With almost 50,000 members, the Curly Girls Philippines Facebook group has made finding CGM-approved products a lot easier compared to when Ria first started. Members carefully vett recos and give tips on where to buy. More importantly, the group promotes self-acceptance and provides support for those who experienced bullying because of their curly hair. It’s a place of safety and change, and it’s changing the old standards of beauty, one curly girl at a time.

Local beauty brands are paying attention to this growing movement, too. Human Heart Nature offers sulfate- and silicone-free shampoos and conditioners.

Zenutrients, another local brand, recently launched a dedicated Curls by Zenutrients line of CGM-approved products and tools.

Indeed, the beauty scene has come a long way when it comes to encouraging women to embrace their natural features from skin, body to hair. It’s nice to know that hair care products today widely cater to all types of hair.  

Images from @zahraabani, @annikaledesma, @radeozai and Unsplash.com.