Curly Girl Method/ Finger Combing

[UrbainChic]

The whole stay away from brushes and combs aspect of the Curly Girl Method is what gets me the most.

Do those of you who curly girl REALLY never use a comb or brush?

How long does it take you? Do you wash every day in order to limit the tangles? I know the more frequently I wash the less tangles I have but I am not an every day washer.

I would say I am on a modified Curly Girl Method, because I finger comb and squish, and stay away from cones, but I detangle with a denman in the shower, and i use a boar bristle brush to flatten down my hair when i put it in a bun or other tied back style.

ETA: I am trying to decide whether or not I need to lay off the brush/comb.

 

[lamaria211]

i use a comb (wide tooth ofcourse) twice a month. you hair is beautiful by the way

 

[kinkycurlygurl]

I tried not using a comb, my curls looked good with the curly girl method, but eventually I developed matted, dreadloc-like areas. I didn't even know they were there until I found them and had to cut them out. Thereafter I modified the CG method to include using a wide toothed comb.

 

[yaya24]

kinkycurlygurl

How often are you cowashing/wetting your hair a week while doing the CG method, and are you using the wide tooth comb every single time?

I have an area in my crown that mats easily but I have been skipping the wide toothed comb, but think it would be beneficial.

TIA

 

[isawstars]

I tried not using a comb, my curls looked good with the curly girl method, but eventually I developed matted, dreadloc-like areas. I didn't even know they were there until I found them and had to cut them out. Thereafter I modified the CG method to include using a wide toothed comb.

The same thing happened to me.

I was texlaxed when I used the curly girl method. I co washed every other day.... I went to my stylist 4 months later for a touch up and she told me my hair was matted in the back. I haven't gone back to that method. I use a wide tooth comb once a week and fingercomb throughout the week.

 

[melissa-bee]

I don't really follow the curly girl method, or maybe I do I don't really know what the rules are. Regardless, I've been finger combing my hair for over 8 months now and have never had any problems. Funnily enough I rarely need to detangle as well. I just pull the shed hair out now and again and after washing and that's it.

 

[greenandchic]

I tried not using a comb, my curls looked good with the curly girl method, but eventually I developed matted, dreadloc-like areas. I didn't even know they were there until I found them and had to cut them out. Thereafter I modified the CG method to include using a wide toothed comb.

I ended up with a few locks too. I think its more common for those of us with defined curls. Mine are like ramen noodles in certain areas and they like to eventually mat if I don't separate them often.

 

[AltheaGarden]

The whole stay away from brushes and combs aspect of the Curly Girl Method is what gets me the most.

Do those of you who curly girl REALLY never use a comb or brush?

How long does it take you? Do you wash every day in order to limit the tangles? I know the more frequently I wash the less tangles I have but I am not an every day washer.

I would say I am on a modified Curly Girl Method, because I finger comb and squish, and stay away from cones, but I detangle with a denman in the shower, and i use a boar bristle brush to flatten down my hair when i put it in a bun or other tied back style.

ETA: I am trying to decide whether or not I need to lay off the brush/comb.

I recently realized that I have been using the CG method for almost a year now. It only takes me a few minutes to de-tangle, and I do it on dry hair I just ended my year transition at the end of February and I haven't used a comb or brush since April of last year. I haven't had any issues with matting or crazy knots; I finger comb every other day, moisturize daily and that's pretty much it. I wash my hair with castile soap and dc every two weeks. I sometimes dampen my hair in the shower during the week if I want to define my curls more. I have A LOT of shrinkage, and I've been playing around with stretching my hair sans heat so that may also help prevent tangles.

 

[ravenhairedcharm]

I'm not a CG and I don't use combs. I usually let my hair clump and detangle itself under the shower stream after shampooing and after deep conditioning. I use my fingers to separate my coils and my hair has never been so tangle free. I know it doesn't work for everybody, but it works for my hair texture.

 

[simplyhair]

I tried not using a comb, my curls looked good with the curly girl method, but eventually I developed matted, dreadloc-like areas. I didn't even know they were there until I found them and had to cut them out. Thereafter I modified the CG method to include using a wide toothed comb.

Me too! My hair was so matted that I had to break out my rake. My hair was very matted. My coils are too tight and dense that I cannot finger comb.

Everytime I show my dh a natural on YT with my coil pattern, he always tell me, "Babe, yeah, same curl pattern but you have WAY more hair than her (density not longer)...it just ain't gonna work the same for you".

I just can't run my fingers thru my hair and finger detangle like Massey or other naturals can.

Plus, I had a lot of shedded hairs/coils that would pop out and be everywhere when I would moisturize or rub in my hair.

So, I am definitely modified CG with my rake and brush.

 

[kinkycurlygurl]

When I was doing the CG method, I was cowashing daily and wearing a wash 'n go. I divided the hair into sections and I used the wide toothed comb every time. That was the only way I found to avoid matting.

The crown area is where I used to develop matting too. I guess it's in the back and it's hard to reach and see. When I was finger combing I didn't divide the hair into sections and go through each section individually. I think I got matting because I just missed spots that were hard to reach.

You could also try sectioning the hair and finger combing it that way. I think any method that helps you get to all of your strands will help avoid matting.

@kinkycurlygurl

How often are you cowashing/wetting your hair a week while doing the CG method, and are you using the wide tooth comb every single time?

I have an area in my crown that mats easily but I have been skipping the wide toothed comb, but think it would be beneficial.

TIA

 

[Shadiyah]

I like to co wash everyday because I get fresh hair and no tangles. I do detangle with the conditioner in. when it comes to using the curly products I do not use combs nor brushes. I fingers everything through my hair and it air dry after I scrunch my curls up. If I wet my hair I don't have much problems not even if I spray it real good the next do to refresh my curls.

 

[BillsBackerz67]

I shed a lot so not combing at all doesnt work for me.

 

[melissa-bee]

The key to not combing is using conditioners with slip. Without that my hair would be a matted mess as well.

 

[bride91501]

I'm not sure what's involved with the curly girl method, but I've been finger detangling exclusively for nearly 3 months. At first, my comb withdrawals were really strong lol, buy they've gotten much better over the last month or so. No matting or locking, and doing it in the shower with a slippery conditioner and a strong shower stream helps a lot.

I PS for 4 weeks at a time, so I'm only doing a full detangling once/month....takes me about 40 minutes. However, during the week my hair is loose, I do find myself doing a couple of light detangling sessions.

 

[UrbainChic]

Thank you for the responses everyone. I am going to try to cut back on combing/ brushing to leave my hair a bit more undisturbed since i feel as though my curls do look nice with finger combing but these matting stories tell me to trust my instincts about giving up combs not working for me.

In order to truly have my hair detangled I just feel like it takes forever with my fingers. i dont have that kind of time, and dont want to do it daily to cur back on tangles. In addition I dont like to wear my hair out at work. Its distracting, large, and i get comments about it looking "sexy" which is not the look I need at work.

I really wish she offered more styling options with this method. I find it unrealistic to want to wear your hair out every day.

I think i will stick with a modified version of the method.

Sent from my iPhone

 

[Embyra]

I dont consider myself modified i follow the cg method and have done since last march

I dont finger comb as i shed too much for that i wear my hair out everyday she does have some styles in the dvd that you get with the book

you can still do buns twist outs braids and any other style you want and follow the cg method the main points are not using silicones or sulphates

 

[FindingMe]

UrbainChic: Girl, Sorry I'm responding late to this thread. This (no combs/brushes) was definitely the sticking point for me to doing full CG. I recently started CG, I'm like 5 weeks in now and I definitely have a harder time with detangling with just my fingers. I'm still working on my method, but it takes almost triple the time it took when I was using a wide tooth comb or 4x longer than tangle teaser.

My coils look much better (more defined/less frizz/more shine), but I haven't done a twist out in this whole 5 weeks. I think when I do the twist out, that's when I'll break out the tangle teaser and really give my hair a good detangling & remove sheds as I twist each section. I am shooting for about every 6 weeks to do the twist out, and just finger comb/detangle in between using strict CG. Especially since I plan on doing a ton of WnGs this spring/summer and I really would like my hair to be a little more defined.

HTH

 

[greenandchic]

UrbainChic I don't see why you can PS while using these methods. For me, I wait until my hair is dry and/or stretched before doing so.

 

[UrbainChic]

UrbainChic I don't see why you can PS while using these methods. For me, I wait until my hair is dry and/or stretched before doing so.

Well the thing is with the no combing. As I said in my OP, I cannot really see myself doing neat twists, sleek buns, or flat twists in the front without a comb or brush. I am style challenged as it is and can barely part my hair straight.

In addition, I usually shower in the morning, after the gym. I do not have time to let my hair air dry and stretch it AND go to work. It would be out or nothing.

Also in the book, there are very few styling suggestions besides wearing your hair out.

 

[UrbainChic]

FindingMe

I have done no combing for like a day or two, and I agree my curls look a hundred times better, but the time involved is just killing me, and I love me a slick bun. Are you washing every day?

The product part of the curly girl method is easy as pie. Its the finger combing thing I find challenging.

So far I find I still have improved results if I use the denman to detangle in the shower, but then while in the shower rake my fingers all over again as though I am detangling, and do the squishing thing she suggests in the book.

 

[~~HoneyComb~~]

I'm still working with the finger combing method. I'm proud that I've graduated to not using my denman, but it's taking me a while to fully embrace fingercombing only because I feel like it doesn't detangle well and get the shed hairs completely.

I ran across this video, her hair is beautiful and it appears that she does the curly girl method. She makes finger combing look so easy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZrmdskI57I

Her hair is gorgeous!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCPh1hYylA0&feature=related

 

[Embyra]

^^^^^^I am subscribed to her and that vid is exactly what im talking about she only does her hair once a week like me HOWEVER..... when she removes the shed hair there is barely anything coming out just a few strands if i had that few strands coming out i would finger comb weekly too

 

[~~HoneyComb~~]

^^^^^^I am subscribed to her and that vid is exactly what im talking about she only does her hair once a week like me HOWEVER..... when she removes the shed hair there is barely anything coming out just a few strands if i had that few strands coming out i would finger comb weekly too

I wonder if she's getting all the shed hair that way. Most of her curls are still clumped together and I wonder with fingercombing should you separate the clumps to get at shed hair or leave the clumped hair alone. This also confuses me, because I feel I have to separate my hair when it clumps together. Does that make sense?

Her hair looks like a 3b/c or something.

 

[thecurlycamshow]

I fingered detangle prior to using the CG method and currently do not use a comb. I prefer to finger detangle since i can feel the tangles in my hair. If I wear WNGs, I cowash every other day in cold weather and daily in warm/hot weather. If I wear braid-outs or rod sets, I don't go 3 days without co-washing.

 

[NikkiGirl]

I use the Curly Girl Method and I don't use a brush or a comb. I finger comb in the shower and I really haven't had any issues. If you are finger combing up and out you will catch the tangles and any shed hairs. This method works for me, but my hair really doesn't tangle badly at all, so maybe that is the difference. I co-wash every two days and finger comb the conditioner in and it takes about five to ten minutes at the most.

 

[Embyra]

I wonder if she's getting all the shed hair that way. Most of her curls are still clumped together and I wonder with fingercombing should you separate the clumps to get at shed hair or leave the clumped hair alone. This also confuses me, because I feel I have to separate my hair when it clumps together. Does that make sense?

Her hair looks like a 3b/c or something.

I understand what you mean i feel you have to separate the clumps otherwise how are people getting at the roots? erplexed
its like when you use a wide tooth comb to detangle you can leave knots inbetween the gaps of the comb which is why alot of people then finish off the detangling session with a smaller tooth comb to make sure all strands throughout the head are good to go

I dunno i have tried it and its not for me you can do just as much damage to your hair by ripping through it with your fingers as you can with a comb whatever method you use the key is having patience imo...

 

[~~HoneyComb~~]

I understand what you mean i feel you have to separate the clumps otherwise how are people getting at the roots? erplexed
its like when you use a wide tooth comb to detangle you can leave knots inbetween the gaps of the comb which is why alot of people then finish off the detangling session with a smaller tooth comb to make sure all strands throughout the head are good to go

I dunno i have tried it and its not for me you can do just as much damage to your hair by ripping through it with your fingers as you can with a comb whatever method you use the key is having patience imo...

Last night I finger-combed, and got a few shed hairs, but after that I used a smaller tooth comb afterwards and found I had shed hairs that I couldn't get with just finger-combing alone. Had I not used the fine tooth comb, I'd still have those loose hair intertwined with the rest of my hair erplexed.

The girl in the video made a statement in her comments that it takes her no more than 1/2 hr to do her whole head. Last night it took me 1 hour. But she did say it gets easier with time.

Then again, perhaps leaving the hairs that are clumped together is what keeps the frizz down---I'm trying to figure this thing out

 

[Embyra]

Last night I finger-combed, and got a few shed hairs, but after that I used a smaller tooth comb afterwards and found I had shed hairs that I couldn't get with just finger-combing alone. Had I not used the fine tooth comb, I'd still have those loose hair intertwined with the rest of my hair erplexed.

The girl in the video made a statement in her comments that it takes her no more than 1/2 hr to do her whole head. Last night it took me 1 hour. But she did say it gets easier with time.

Then again, perhaps leaving the hairs that are clumped together is what keeps the frizz down---I'm trying to figure this thing out

Your hair would have matted DONT DO IT SAVE YOURSELF!

I do think that it gets easier with time like most things but im still not convinced if your a heavy shedder AND with dense hair its enough...im going to be keeping a eye on your progress

 

[BillsBackerz67]

Not to be a smart arse but there is really no need to follow the method down to the T if you're finding difficulty and less than desired results in the suggested methods. Do a modified one. If u want to wear protective styles wear them. If you feel you need to comb or brush your hair...comb or brush it . Make the CG work for you, not the other way around