Tame That Mane! As a lifelong sufferer of hair that has made me either resemble a backcombed 80s throwback dragged through a hedge backwards or a rather parched mushroom in silhouette, I have always been on the hunt for anything that will enable me to take a photograph without looking like Robert Smith on a bad day.
Having tried most of the usual solutions, including using enough frizz ease serum to groom several large wooly mammoths to perfection I still suffered hair that could not be tamed.
Thus it was with much cynicism that I embarked on a new experiment in haircare recommended to me by a friend, the 'Curly Girl' system, I decided not much could make my hair worse and as it was winter I was wearing a lot of hats anyway so I took the plunge.
So long shampoo! The system in based on the fact that most hair care products these days, contain two ingredients known as 'silicones' and 'sulfates', which are not friends with curly hair.
Silicones are designed to smooth hair and lock in moisture, and are used in many conditioners and styling products; however they are not usually water soluble and can only be removed by using a harsh cleansers known as sulfates, of which the most common is sodium Laureth Sulfate, and is found in the majority of shampoos.
The logic behind the 'Curly Girl' system is that curly and wavy hair is often too dry and fragile to cope with the repeated use of a harsh sulfate cleanser and that this dries out the hair causing it to frizz and poof up like a sheep with it's hooves stuck in an electrical socket.
The 'Curly Girl' method, which despite the name is not gender specific, involves cutting these ingredients out and forgoing shampoo altogether, though if one is more timid or at the finer, wavier end of the spectrum a 'low poo'; a shampoo with a gentler cleansing agent, can be used.
The theory is that if one uses silicone free products hair can be effectively cleansed by using only conditioner, thus keeping hair moist and manageable.
So after finding an appropriately silicone free conditioner, which is quite a hard task on the high street, I was off.
The first time was odd indeed, being so used to shampoo I was unused to the foam free practice of 'co-washing' (washing hair using only conditioner), but being the pioneering sort I persevered.
The key to a good co-wash is a good scalp massage, you need to get right to the roots and spend a good few minutes being quite firm with your fingertips.
Scalp massage is good for stimulating hair growth and is rather relaxing to boot.
Then one rinses out the conditioner and applies yet more conditioner, usually a thicker more moisturizing sort, to comb through those tangles gently and painlessly; which for someone who spent a childhood screaming in agony when having tangles brushed out was quite the revelation.
Then another rinse, some leave in conditioner and you're onto the shower section.
The curly girl rules stipulate that a silicone free gel can be used to create definition and hold and that under no circumstances should you rub your hair with a towel! Instead you 'scrunch' using a microfibre cloth, tea towel or old t -shirt.
You can also use this as the basis for a 'plop', which is a way of making sure your curls stay squashed in the right way in a nifty turban style headdress.
It is recommended you let hair dry naturally or use a difusser on your hair dryer.
Oh and don't brush or comb it when dry! Ta Da! Curls! So after spending more time on my hair in one day than I usually did all week I was ready to see the results.
To my surprise I was genuinely amazed, gone were the half hearted excuses for waves shrouded in a halo of frizz and in their place were actual curls, real live curls! After keeping up the method for about a year now I can confirm it was not just a fluke and I am the proud new owner of a head of defines curls, waves and spirals that are soft and manageable.
I have even started wearing my hair out, something I never did before, and have become a bit too used to the compliments I get on my locks.
Keeping Up with The Curls It is however a bit of a nuisance to find suitable products on the high street and I have become a profuse label reader, scrutinizing the perplexing lists of ingredients on all my products.
As a simple guide you should avoid any ingredient ending in -one or -xane.
Demethicone is the one used most often.
Sodium Laurther Sulfate and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate should also be avoided if one is 'low poo' ing.
It is best to look out for organic and natural brands as these often advertise as being silicone and/or sulfate free.