I’ve been actively trying to train my curly hair to be curlier/accentuate my natural curl pattern through the Curly Girl Method (CG Method) for about 1.5 years now. I had stopped heat styling, using sulfates or silicones, and even started wearing more protective hair styles, but then I noticed my hair was falling out!
Deva Curl and Hair Loss
I was following the Curly Girl/Guy Method for a while, and using all DevaCurl products. I thought my hair was doing great. But then, I noticed that I was losing a lot of hair in the shower — like more than normal shedding. I was concerned and started researching to see what could be causing it.
Apparently, I wasn’t alone in experiencing hair loss while using DevaCurl products. I didn’t experience it to the extreme that some other people had, but it was enough for me to stop using all DevaCurl products completely. I was so frustrated because I thought I had finally found something that worked for me. DevaCurl isn’t inexpensive either; I thought I was doing the best for my curls but instead, it was making my hair fall out.
Acure & Shea Moisture
I was back to square one. Since DevaCurl was out of the picture, I tried to find a new solution that would hopefully not make my hair fall out. I tried the Acure Argan & Pumpkin line and tried the shampoo and conditioner. It was ok, but I didn’t love it.
Then, I found Shea Moisture’s Coconut & Hibiscus line at Target which is CG Approved and inexpensive. I bought a few of their products and used them for a while, but they weren’t my favorite either.
Mini Review:
- Curl & Shine Shampoo – nice consistency; lathers; not drying
- Curl & Shine Conditioner – thick consistency – like lotion; not a lot of slip; ok hydration
- Curl Enhancing Smoothie – nice slip; good hydration; kind of sticky
- Curling Gel Souffle – hard, jello-like; crumbly; impossible to work with. don’t buy.
- Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque – pretty thick consistency; ok moisture.
- Hold & Shine Moisture Mist – very light hold; oil spray. nice for refreshing after wash day.
I wasn’t really getting the results I wanted with Shea Moisture, but I’m glad it was available to me after I got rid of my Deva Curl. I used Shea Moisture for a while and I noticed that I wasn’t losing as much hair in the shower anymore. Hallelujah. But I felt like my curls were bad, and that I could get the same results using even more inexpensive Garnier.
CG Method Break
So, I took a break from the CG Method and started using my pre-CG shampoo and conditioner from Garnier Fructis. I used it a few times before my hair started feeling like hay and I knew I needed to get away from sulfates and silicones again. I started researching new CG Approved brands to try and bring my hair back to life and I discovered Adwoa Beauty.
Adwoa Beauty
I found Adwoa Beauty on Sephora; they don’t use sulfates, silicones or parabens, and are listed as ‘Clean at Sephora’. I started watching YouTube reviews and learning about the products and thought they could work for my 3a/3b curls.
I ordered the shampoo, the deep conditioning treatment, and the leave-in conditioner just to get started and see how I liked their products.
Sephora is having a $20 off $100 “sale” for VIB Rouge and $15 off $75 for other Beauty Insiders from August 14th – 23rd. Use code: WELCOMEBACK. This is like 20% off for Rouge if you can keep your total right at $100 so it could be a good time to check out Adwoa Beauty if you’re interested.
How I Care For My Hair
Now that I’m back on the CG train, my hair is better than ever. I’ve found what really works for me and simplified my routine.
Product List
- Adwoa Beauty Baomint Moisturizing Shampoo
- Adwoa Beauty Baomint Deep Conditioning Treatment*
- Adwoa Beauty Baomint Leave In Conditioning Styler
- Spray Bottle
- Wet Brush
- Uncle Funky’s Daughter Curly Magic Curl Stimulator
- SheaMoisture Coconut and Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie
- LA Looks Sport Gel
- Microfiber Towel
- Satin Hair Ties
- Hair Bonnet
Step-by-Step
I recently cut my hair at home since all salons in California are still closed. It actually wasn’t as intimidating as I thought. I watched a lot of videos and my husband helped. I already had shears which made it really easy to cut through a lot. Overall, it was a success and my hair looks a lot thicker and healthier.
I’ll wash my hair with the Adwoa shampoo, focusing at my roots and managing my scalp. I like the shampoo because it lathers a good amount and has a nice consistency. It has a minty smell that I enjoy, and it’s a little tingly on my scalp. As I rinse the shampoo, I rub the rest through the length of my hair.
*I only use the deep treatment every other week. I’ll just apply it to the ends of my hair and let it sit for the rest of my shower; then rinse out. If I’m not using the deep conditioner, I’ll use the regular conditioning leave-in and not rinse it out. The conditioners are both minty/tingly. The deep conditioner is super nice; I love the slip and the consistency. I really feel like it’s hydrating my hair. The leave-in conditioner is a thinner consistency, but also really hydrating.
Once I’m out of the shower, I’ll section my hair into quadrants with little clips. Then I use my spray bottle to re-wet a section of hair and brush it out with my brush. Since my hair already has slip from the leave-in conditioner, it’s really easy to detangle. Re-wetting my hair to almost dripping wet has been a game changer for me.
While my hair is wet, I’ll apply my curl creams — Curl Magic and Curl Smoothie. I like both for enhancing my curls and giving a little structure/hold. I’ll brush my hair through again to make sure all the product is evenly distributed. I really want to get a Denman brush for styling, but it looks like the ones on amazon are fake. UPDATE: I bought one of the limited edition colors Denman Brush from Amazon and it appears to be authentic. I think maybe the original black version has the counterfeits.
Then, I’ll gently scrunch my hair with my hands to get the curls started. I’m really careful to not separate the curls since that will cause frizz for me. I’ll use my gel to gently coat that section of hair. I try to cover each curl, but still without raking through my hair or messing with it too much.
I’ll repeat those steps with the remaining sections of hair, and then I sit in front of my fan while I get ready for the day. I like letting my hair air dry with just a fan because it doesn’t use any heat and it’s not so concentrated that the air blasts my curls. It’s warmer out now but it still takes all day for my hair to get 90% dry. If I was more in a hurry or had real places to go, I would try to air dry for as long as possible before using a diffuser.
Once my hair is completely dry, I’ll use my microfiber towel to scrunch my hair and break the gel cast. I like using the towel because I can catch a lot more hair in with each scrunch, it doesn’t make my hands sticky, and the towel is really gentle on my hair.
I’ve been wearing my hair down a lot more lately, but when I do want it up I use a satin hair tie. Wearing a normal hair tie can break off your hair, but a silky one is way more gentle and they’re cute too. I have them in a bunch of colors. You can untie the little ribbon part too so it’s just a normal scrunchie.
When I go to sleep, I wear a huge hair bonnet now. It’s actually amazing. It’s silky so my hair can more around and not get caught or dry out. It’s really comfortable with the elastic gathering, but still strong enough that it doesn’t slip off at night. I really think it makes a huge difference in how long my curls can last.
Overall Thoughts
I think I’m in a good place with my hair now. I’m loving Adwoa Beauty so far and I feel like my routine has really improved. My curls are super shiny, juicy, and defined. I’m excited to see how my curls will continue to improve now that I’ve trimmed off all the frizzy ends and am treating them better.
