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Hey Curlfriends! There has been a lot of conversation, some of it apparently not so nice, going on in the natural hair community concerning curly cuts and The I Am Black Girl Curls wash-n-go methodology. Settle in, because this is a long one and there are a few things we need to talk about!
If I Am Black Girl Curls sounds familiar, you may recall back in August of 2021 I wrote a blog post titled No Oils, No Butters sharing the #the30dayhairdetox which was created by the I Am Black Girl Curls duo. In that post I linked to a video all about the hair detox, however that video has since been taken down but you can read about the challenge on their blog.
Most of the social media chatter appears to be heavily focused on possible hair damage as a result of curly cuts. I have never gotten a curly cut mainly because (1) they can be pretty pricey and need to be done on a consistent basis and (2) on those rare occasions that I want to straighten my hair, I want it to be even. So, having never experienced a curly cut, I can’t speak to any of that but I will list a few videos where you can watch natural hair influencers Rosie Ameila and Shelly V share the details of their hair challenges after receiving curly cuts and following the I Am Black Girl Curls (BGC) method. It is the BGC wash-n-go method that I really want to talk about. Also, having possibly introduced I Am Black Girl Curls to my little piece of the internet, I thought I should at the very least follow up the No Oils, No Butters controversy and provide a bit of commentary.
As I mentioned in that post, I wouldn’t be doing the 30 day hair detox because I had already stopped my use of raw coconut oil (although I have considered reintroducing it sparingly) and felt like the challenge was targeting naturals who used raw oils and shea butters, co-washed only and went for extended periods of time between washing. They also offer a Wash Your Damn Hair Styling & Product Guide for $65 as well as a subscription visual library course, SeeSomeCurls, for $35/mo. I didn’t purchase these digital products either, but after listening to a recent live by Jenn Jackson and reading the comments of those who did, I’ve got a few thoughts. Mostly it surprised me the lack of knowledge around the basics of shampooing and conditioning.
What I gathered from Jenn’s live and after taking another look at the BGC website, blackcurlmagic.com, is their wash-n-go method consists of using a minimal number of products which includes:
- Shampoo (All purpose, moisturizing or clarifying depending on your hair needs)
- Moisture Conditioner
- Base Gel (Botanical gel)
- Topper Gel/Cream/Foam (this one I don’t understand, it would never occur to me to put a cream or foam over a gel?)
With the last step being to dry hair under a hooded dryer.
Notice anything missing? Styling without a leave in? I could never! Their method suggests that the conditioner is your sealant. While I agree that conditioner helps to smooth and close the cuticle, I personally feel that a leave-in is necessary to help it stay closed and aid in keeping the moisturizing benefits of the conditioner locked in. Which isn’t going to happen if you are only applying a styling gel, even if it is a botanical gel, and then sitting under a dryer to lock in the style. And depending on the thickness or density of one’s hair, could mean sitting under a dryer for quite awhile. Not to mention, they have failed to include any sort of heat protection.
I’m not convinced that a hooded dryer provides indirect heat, but indirect heat is still heat. And if you’re going to be drying your hair weekly under a hooded dryer, you should definitely be using a heat protector. In fairness, it has been a long time since I’ve used a hooded dryer and I’m sure the technology has improved, but from what I remember from my roller set days, is basically my scalp being on fire from what sure as heck felt like direct heat blasting from the hooded dryer. Basically you are sitting stationary under the dryer with constant streams of heat blowing from the air vents in one direction directly onto the hair. Depending on the dryer heat setting and how far the hair is from the dryer air vents, I think this could definitely create an opportunity for heat damage. I mean if you think about it, you are pretty much baking your hair in this dryer/oven for however long it takes your hair to dry without having applied any heat protection or moisture barrier product. I mean I am just flabbergasted that people have been doing this weekly for months or years! The shock, the horror!
We often use botanical gels for wash and go styling with additional water, dried under a hood dryer to provide a set that can last 4+ days depending on Essential Elements, styling technique and desired finish.
The Ultimate Prime Day 2023 Natural Hair Shopping Guide, Black Girl Curls, July 5, 2023
And worse, it looks like my beloved Uncle Funky’s Daughter Curly Magic is one of the recommended stylers for the BGC method. And you know I can’t have nobody talking s@#& about my favorite styling gel! But seriously, Curly Magic seems to be the botanical gel of choice because “botanical gels provide hold, tend to be water soluble, and typically contain humectants used to promote water retention in your hair by pulling moisture from the air and adding it to your hair.” Which makes sense and sounds great if you live in a humid climate like I do, but how do humectants perform if you live in a dry climate? BTW, pretty sure I heard Shelly V say that she lives in Arizona, a very dry climate, so a humectant is going to have the opposite effect on her hair. If there is no moisture in the air, a humectant could instead draw moisture from the hair causing dryness which could lead to breakage.
So perhaps this is where the topper gels come in to play? According to a blog post from the BGC website, they suggest to layer an anti-humectant gel over the botanical gel, a process they call “double gelling” with the purpose of allowing the hair to maintain hold and hydration. Well why not use a leave in and a styling gel versus using two different styling gels? However, listening to the ladies who followed the BGC method, none of them ever mention this double gelling method.
We use anti-humectant gels with polymers and carbomer as a topper layer over the botanical gels for a wash and go when the climate or lifestyle of the client determines that there is either way too much or way too little humidity in the atmosphere.
3 Reasons Why We Use Botanical Gels for Tight Curly + Natural Hair, Black Girl Curls, March 26, 2023
In my opinion, this styling method is definitely playing a part in causing the damage these ladies are experiencing. As a general rule, I treat my hair and scalp like my skin, well your scalp is skin but you get what I’m saying. They need moisture, for example, would you get out of the shower and get dressed without applying something to keep your skin moisturized? No, because as soon as the water evaporates the skin is going to feel dry. Why would that same principle not apply to your hair? Your hair needs to be moisturized. I even find irony in the idea that the BGC method doesn’t suggest a deep conditioner or hair mask to at least try to make up for the lack of a leave-in conditioner. And don’t even get me started on the benefits of deep conditioning.
I mean I could but this blog has gone on long enough. However I will say this, everything is not for everyone. Sometimes you have to take what resonates with you and leave the rest. Please leave me a comment and let me know what your thoughts or questions are on this situation. Be sure to watch the videos and let’s have a conversation.
My Current Natural Hair Favorites
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