Hello my lovelies! Believe it or not, I only realized I had naturally curly hair in the spring of 2016. I always assumed my hair was just unruly and wild. But, after I read about how to tell if you have curly hair, I discovered why my hair had been such a struggle. And the Curly Girl Method transformed my hair from a huge, frizzy mop to beautiful curls. If you are always struggling with your hair, you might be a curly girl, too.

Read on for how to tell if you have curly hair and where to start.

5 Signs You Might Be A Curly Girl

If you’re wondering if you are a curly girl, here are 5 tell-tale signs of how to tell if you have curly hair. If you’ve been using lots of hot tools and/or blowdryers, these signs may be less obvious. Think back to your childhood hair or before you started regular styling routines. Believe it or not, an estimated 65% of women have naturally curly hair. Chances are good that you’re one of them!

1. Your hair develops a TON of volume in humid weather. 

When the weather is rainy, foggy, or just damp, your hair has tons of volume and even more frizz than normal. That’s because your dehydrated curly hair is reaching out to the atmosphere for moisture. When your cuticle isn’t well moisturized, it will swell and create more volume. This will be difficult to tame.

2. Your wet hair naturally forms into waves and ringlets.

Next time you wash your hair, wet it thoroughly and then step out of the water. Look down at your hair, and see if it’s curling into waves and ringlets. If it is, you’re probably a curly girl. Water resets your hair to its natural state. If it’s curly, you’ll be able to tell!

3. You’re constantly fighting with frizz and static.

If your hair is naturally curly but you’re treating it like straight hair, it will probably be dehydrated. This causes frizz, frizz, and more frizz. Curls need more hydration than straight hair to be happy and healthy. If you’re tried every frizz-fighting product in the drugstore and nothing works, you probably have curly hair. It’s a big clue for how to tell if you have curly hair.

4. Your hair holds curls for days and days.

If you curl your hair with a wand or curling iron, it lasts for days. (This used to happen to me.) But, if you straighten it, it stays straight for less than a day (or a few hours in humid weather). This is a definite sign that your hair WANTS to be curly!

5. Your biggest worry for special events is, “What am I going to do with my hair?”

Because your hair is unpredictable, you spend more time worrying about your hair than your outfit. You do your best to apply lots of heat protectant and anti-frizz creme, and you turn up the flat iron to high. But, if the forecast says 60% chance of showers, you know that your hairstyle is doomed to frizz and huge volume. 

Now for the moment of truth. How to tell if you have curly hair? How many of these signs apply to YOUR hair? If only one or two apply, you may not have curly hair. Instead, you may just need to provide more hydration for your hair. But, if you said yes to most or all of these questions, welcome to the curly girl family! 

Not sure what to do with your hair? Here’s what I recommend you do next.

Start the Curly Girl Method.

First, many curly girls follow the Curly Girl Method. It’s a simple method of caring for your hair that helps you avoid damage and keep your hair hydrated and gorgeous. To learn more about this method, I recommend reading Curly Girl: The Handbook (2nd Edition) by Lorraine Massey and Michele Bender.

Lorraine, who created the Curly Girl Method, is a hairdresser who was born with curly hair but had no idea what to do with it. One day, she had a moment of inspiration. If we wash delicate fibers like cashmere with gentle cleansers, why do we wash the delicate curly fibers of our hair with harsh detergents? She started cleansing her hair with a botanical conditioner instead of harsh sulfate-laden shampoos. And her long-dehydrated hair loved it! 

One of the cornerstones of the Curly Girl Method is avoiding shampoos that contain sulfates (harsh detergents that are also used in common dish soap). Instead, curly girls should cleanse their hair with a gentle sulfate-free shampoo or a botanical conditioner. 

Reading this book helped inspire and educate me about the Curly Girl Method. Even better, it also contains many stories of curly girl who embraced their hair after years of hating it. 

What to Buy First

To start the Curly Girl Method, you’ll only need 2 or 3 products. I don’t recommend that you go out and buy an entire line of cleanser, conditioner, leave in, gel, and deep conditioner. There are a ton of Curly Girl products on the market (some amazing, and some not so good), so try just a few things at a time. Read the chapter on hair products and ingredients in the Curly Girl Handbook to know what you’re looking for.

My Recommended Products

First, you’ll need either a sulfate-free shampoo or co-wash. If your hair is very dry and definitely curly, you may be able to simply use a good Curly Girl-approved conditioner to cleanse your hair.

Here are two of my favourite cleansers:

Live Clean Argan Oil Restorative Shampoo

As I Am Coconut Cowash (better for thick, dry, curly hair types)

Although you can buy them on Amazon, you may also be able to find them in drugstores and grocery stores.

Next, you’ll need a conditioner. My favourite affordable conditioner is the Tresemme Botanique Nourish & Replenish Conditioner. If you find it too heavy for your hair, you can always water it down a bit in a measuring cup and then apply.

In addition, you’ll need a gel. Depending on your curl type and the look you are going for, you may want a strong hold gel or a light hold gel. A strong hold gel will give you tight, well defined curls that last for days. A light to medium hold gel will produce looser, softer waves and curls.

I would recommend starting with either the Aussie Instant Freeze Gel (budget friendly and strong hold) or the Jessicurl Spiralicious Gel (great hold and moisturizing).

Try these products out for a good 3 or 4 weeks. You’ll be amazed at how much progress your hair can make! Later, you’ll probably want to try new products. Just remember to try only one new thing at a time- so you can tell what works best for your hair. Happy experimenting!

What to Do First

Before you start the Curly Girl Method, you’ll need to do one final wash with a sulfate-containing shampoo to remove product buildup and silicones from your hair. Wash it thoroughly and then apply a Curly Girl-approved conditioner. 

From then on, you’ll want to wash your hair with an approved shampoo or co-wash and conditioner. When you get out of the shower, blot dry with a microfibre towel or old t-shirt to avoid causing frizz. Then, flip your head upside down and apply gel to soaking-wet hair.

Scrunch thoroughly and gently lift your head. I recommend using small jaw clips to clip the top sections of your hair up. This helps relieve your curls of their weight so they can dry nicely. [Video: How to Clip Curly Hair]

When your hair is fully dry, use your hands to gently scrunch upwards and release the gel cast. Once in a while, I like to coat my hands with a hair oil first to make my curls more shiny.

In addition, there are a few rules to follow in the Curly Girl Method.

• No hot tools or blowdryers (exception: you can blow-dry your hair on a cool temperature with a diffuser attachment).
• No sulfates, silicones, or other prohibited ingredients.
• No brushing or combing curly hair (except wet brush in the shower).
• No detangling curly hair when dry.

For more details on how to wash and style curly hair, get a copy of Embrace Your Curls: An Ebook for Curly Hair. You can also read more about my personal hair routine here.

Embrace Your Natural Hair

I believe God made each of us with uniquely beautiful hair. Whether your hair is curly, wavy, or straight, you will be most happy when you embrace the hair God gave you. And it’s a lot easier to work with your hair’s natural texture than try to change it.

Although curly hair used to be frowned upon, more and more women are learning to love their hair. If you have curly hair, don’t try to hide it or straighten it into submission. Learn to care for your hair and be patient with it. Your hair doesn’t have to be “perfect” to be truly beautiful. 

To learn more about the Curly Girl Method (or if you have any questions), send me an email at whatdinnywore@gmail.com I’d be happy to help!

p.s. Some of the items in this post are affiliate links. I only post about products that I love + think you’ll probably love, too! As an Amazon Associate or affiliate for other programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. When you purchase through my link, I receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. Thank you SO much for your support!