Wash day using CG-approved products is often done once or twice a week. Some wash more frequently while others opt to wash their curls only a few times a month. There is actually no right or wrong frequency when it comes to washing your tresses. It will boil down to your decision and your hair needs.
Making a wash day schedule can be overwhelming, especially for beginners. It might take a while before you can settle on a good CGM wash hair schedule that will suit your lifestyle and your daily routines. During the transition phase, your hair will undergo drastic changes. This can affect your scheduling since you might get very different results on your washes. There can be days when your hair will look amazing after not washing it for three straight days. Other times, your day three hair might look like a disaster. This is normal since curly hair is often dubbed as having life of its own. This can be exacerbated during the transition phase since your hair is going through massive changes.
Take your time and don’t sweat the schedule during these times. You will likely settle on a schedule once your hair has also got used to your new CGM routine.
CGM Schedule
To set your CGM wash day schedule, take note of the condition of your hair during washes and during non-wash days. It would be ideal to have a CGM diary so that you can easily determine how many days until you need to wash your hair.
Take note not only of the dust and product accumulation on your hair but also the oiliness of your scalp. Once your scalp starts itching and you know that your product is not the cause, it is time to wash your hair. The dust and product that has accumulated may have caused your scalp to itch. Make sure that you clean your scalp and hair thoroughly to remove dirt and product buildup. This will improve the health and maintain the condition of your curls.
Dry Hair & Oily Scalp
If you have dry hair and oily scalp, like I do, it would be best to wash your hair at least twice a week with low-poo shampoo. This will keep your scalp fresh and will prevent product buildup. Washing your hair with low-poo at least twice a week will also keep your scalp from having foul odor.
Maintain your wash schedule to keep bad odor from developing on your scalp. Once it’s there, it can be hard to remove and when you do, it can easily come back once you start slacking off on your wash days. Hence, to keep this from happening, develop a good wash day schedule and use products that can clarify your scalp.
Apple cider vinegar wash is a good option if you want to get rid of product buildup and keep your scalp from smelling bad. Just make sure to use lots of moisturizing conditioner or treatment after as ACV can be quite drying on the hair. Using pre-poo is also ideal as it can protect the hair and keep it moisturized during washes.
Co-washing your hair daily, in addition to low-poo washing, is also advisable. It will keep your scalp fresh while avoiding drying your hair. Rinse thoroughly to avoid product buildup when using conditioner only to wash your scalp.
Oily Hair & Dry Scalp
For oily hair and dry scalp, the low-poo wash should be lesser frequent. The scalp needs more moisturizer to keep it from drying out as well. But since product buildup can be an issue for using conditioners on the scalp itself, using moisturizing oils to massage the scalp would be best.
Coconut oil is a good moisturizer as it does not only add moisture but also gives nutrients that can help make the scalp and hair healthy. The same goes for other types of oil such as avocado oil, jojoba oil and argan oil. These oils will not only stimulate the hair follicles but can also improve the blood flow.
Dry Hair & Scalp
If your hair and scalp are both easily dried from washing, use low-poo shampoo less frequently. You can clean your hair and scalp by co-washing your hair so there is no need to worry about frequent low-poo washing.
Use CG-approved pre-poo for every wash day routine to keep both your hair and scalp moisturized.
Oily Hair & Scalp
It feels like a blessing to have oily hair and scalp when you are curly since you won’t have to worry too much about the drying effects of cleansers. But, it can also be troublesome as it promotes dirt and product buildup. The excess oil can also attract microorganisms and foul odor. Hence, it would be ideal to wash more frequently. Every other day would be ideal for some. It allows the hair to rest for a day while being able to use low-poo cleansers more frequently to stave off product buildup and odor.
Even though the hair and scalp are oily, it is still advisable to use pre-poo once in a while. This will protect the hair from drying and will also improve the health of the scalp. With routine pre-poo and low-poo treatment, the scalp can adjust and produce lesser oil, which can stabilize the oiliness of the hair and scalp.
CGM Wash Routine
Washing curly hair is not really a complicated task but it can be overwhelming for some as it involves more steps, a few more accessories and a lot more CG-approved products than regular hair washing. But, once you get the hand of it, it will become part of your regular routine and won’t put a dent on your schedule.
Pre-Poo
The first step in washing curly hair is using CG-approved oils as pre-poo treatment. Applying these oils will protect the hair and the scalp from drying.
Some people wet their hair using water in a spray bottle to make it easier to manage while some prefer completely dry hair during pre-poo treatment. It will also be up to you if you decide to detangle your hair with a wide-toothed comb before pre-poo application. Others opt to detangle their hair during the STC step to keep their hair shafts from breaking.
Divide your hair into sections then use a spray bottle to get your hair just a bit damp – not dripping wet. The hair sections don’t need to be too small. Just make sure that you can distribute the product on your hair evenly for better results.
Apply oil on your hair sections by raking or by using a comb. Massage the oil onto your scalp using the tips of your finger. Do not use your fingernails. Leave it on your hair for a couple of minutes. Some opt to leave it on their hair for a minimum of 15 minutes to let the oil soak into the hair.
Low-Poo
After letting the oil soak in, it is time to wash off everything using CG-approved low-poo shampoo. You can either bend over to let your hair fall in front of you or you can just stand up straight as if you are taking a regular shower.
Some opt to bend over to avoid making their hair flat on top due to the force of gravity. This will also allow you to work on your hair properly though it can be straining to the back.
Using low-poo shampoo, massage your scalp using your fingertips. Do not put too much shampoo on our hair tips as it can be quite drying. The excess product dripping from the scalp should be enough. Do not use more shampoo if it doesn’t lather up. CG-approved shampoo doesn’t really need to lather up to clean. It is more of a psychological effect since more foam or bubbles equate to a cleaner feeling. But in truth, the foaming agents can dry out your hair and scalp and do not provide much benefit.
Rinse your hair thoroughly making sure that all of the shampoo is rinsed off. This will keep your scalp and hair from dying and having product buildup.
STC
While your hair is still dripping wet, apply a big dollop of CG-approved conditioner on your hair and scalp. Use as much as needed until your hair feels smooth and slimy. Unlike straight hair, curly hair needs a lot of conditioner to keep it healthy. It also needs a lot of water to keep it moisturized. And unlike straight hair, curly hair cannot easily absorb moisture. Hence, you need to squish in the product and water to moisturize your locks.
While your hair is dripping wet and slimy from water and CG-apprved conditioner, squish sections of your hair. Make sure that you are hearing a squishing sound; it not, add more water but do so slowly and carefully to avoid rinsing out the conditioner. This is the ideal time to detangle your hair if you did not do so prior to washing. Just rake your fingers carefully through your hair to remove tangles then continue squishing.
Squish the water and conditioner from the tips towards the roots. Just put your hair onto your palms and close y, liker fingers on them like squishing slime. This will lock in the moisture on your hair strands. Do this for at least five minutes before rinsing out 50% to 80% of the product.
Do not rinse out thoroughly – it is okay to leave at least 20% of the conditioner on your hair.
Deep Con
Using a thicker type of CG-approved conditioner, or other hair treatment for deep conditioning, deep condition your hair. Apply a big dollop on your hair, and more if needed, and massage it unto your hair and scalp. Leave the product for a couple of minutes before rinsing 50% to 80% of it.
Deep conditioning is done sparingly especially if you are using a protein-rich product. Too much protein can cause the hair to snap and break easily so do not overdo it. Once a week to twice a month would be good enough interval.
Use microfiber towel or old shirts to lightly dry your hair. Pat it dry or plop it but do not rub as it can cause damage to your hair strands.
Styling
Using CG-approved styling products is optional. Styling gels, mousse and creams can make your hair look livelier but they can also add product buildup. But since most styling products for CGM are specifically made for curly hair, they do not pose a lot of side effects and are mostly more natural.
Apply styling products while your hair is still damp. Do not use dry hands, especially when using gel, as it can cause frizz. Wet your hands a little when touching your hair during the styling process to keep it from frizzing.
Diffusing
If you are using a hair diffuser, use the coldest setting on your blow dryer. Heat can easily damage curly hair so be careful when diffusing. This is especially true for industrial type hair dryers as they can be quite hot. Also, do not set your dryer on the highest airflow setting as it can disrupt the natural pattern and clumps of your hair. Setting your blow dryer on low to medium will prevent disturbance in your curl pattern while allowing you to dry your hair quickly.
You can also opt to air dry your hair. Just let it down and allow it to dry naturally. Some hair types do not look as good when air dried but heatless drying can prevent heat damage in the long run.
Some of the things listed above may not suit your schedule, lifestyle or hair type. It takes getting used to before you can determine which techniques suit you and which ones don’t. Use these as a guideline to help you establish your own routine. Creating your own CGM wash day schedule and routine is a personal experience but with the help of this guideline, you won’t be fumbling about. It may take some time but it is worth it.
Check out this post to learn more about CGM terms. This will make following CG-approved hair care instructions a breeze.
Like our FB Page for daily updates!