Curly hair glossary: Top 10 jargon you MUST know if you’re a curly girl!

In the year 2021, social media has been dominated by young women with textured hair finally embracing their natural curls, and encouraging other curlies to do so too! There has even been a surge of products designed to nourish, maintain and bring out natural hair textures in the market. Long gone are the days when straight hair was the aim for a ‘good hair day’ - it is about time we love ourselves for exactly who we are and stay our authentic selves!

From a plethora of options for products to buy, tons of different methods to practise and various techniques going around social media, there are a million things to know if you have curly hair! It can honestly feel overwhelming, especially if you have just begun this beautiful journey - which is why we are here to help! 

Here are the top 10 jargon popular in the curly girl universe, some of which you would have come across if you just decided to bring out your natural hair texture. Discover what they mean, and how to ace it using the right products! 

1. Deep conditioning 

Chances are that you, as have most of us, have unknowingly been breaking the curl pattern by incorrect care or dry combing. This is why, a conditioning product formulated to penetrate the hair shaft and nourish the cuticle is a must. Ideally, you should lather it on, put on a shower cap and rinse after 30 minutes once a week. This is called deep conditioning. Here is a good product to use -

Fix My Curls Hydrating Deep Conditioner

₹ 680.00 – Buy Now.

2. Accordion technique 

This is a highly effective technique to emphasize your natural curl pattern and train your hair (which is essentially restoring your hair’s ‘curl memory’). After you shampoo and condition your hair, apply a hair cream and then a gel with a natural, medium to strong hold all through the strands while they are soaking wet. Then, tilt your head in different angles as you cup your palm to press the hair towards the scalp (which is called scrunching, and looks like you are playing an accordion). A great gel -

Arata Natural Hair Gel - Flaxseed and Olive Extracts

₹ 524.25 – Buy Now.

3. Hover diffusing 

You must have seen curly haired influencers using a special hair dryer with prongs - that is called a diffuser. The special attachment is designed to evenly disperse air as you dry your hair, while ensuring the curl pattern is not disrupted. It is suggested that you should hover the hair dryer, making it face the bottom from your scalp to tame flyaways and significantly reduce frizz as your curls dry. This technique is called hover diffusing. Here is what you should use -

Havells Hair Dryer with Diffuser and Thin Concentrator

₹ 1,554.00 – Buy Now.

4. SOTC technique 

This is one widely used jargon, and often a mystery. The abbreviation simply stands for ‘Scrunch Out The Crunch’. This technique is an essential step after your hair is dried. Styling products like creams and gels can make the hair feel crunchy or crispy. This is when you should take a lightweight, smoothening serum in your palms and scrunch the hair to your scalp. This breaks the cast of the styling products, leaving your curls bouncy and natural! You can use -

Matrix Biolage Smoothproof 6-in-1 Serum

₹ 299.00 – Buy Now.

5. Co-washing in the Curly Girl Method

Firstly, the Curly Girl Method (CGM) is an innovative approach to hair care designed by hair stylist and author Lorraine Massey for naturally textured hair. This method discourages the use of shampoos as they can strip the hair of essential oils, proteins and hydration necessary to maintain curl patterns. One of the suggested methods within this system is co-washing, which is a contraction for ‘conditioner-only’ washing. A good, hydrating conditioner for this -

L’Oreal Paris EverCurl Conditioner

₹ 2,111.00 – Buy Now.

However, doing this too often can weigh your hair down, making it feel greasy and uncomfortable. Hence, you should alternate between co-washing and using a gentle foaming cleanser such as this one -

Schwarzkopf Professional Mad About Curls Cleanser

₹ 1,035.00 – Buy Now.

6. L.O.C method

The L.O.C method is a suggested guide for the order in which you should apply products to the lengths of your hair - Leave-in conditioner, Oil and Cream. This is one of the simplest and most efficient ways to achieve healthy, bouncy and natural curls! Please note that this is to be utilized on soaking wet hair. Here are great products you can use for this -

Ashba Botanics Right Ringlets Leave-in Conditioner

₹ 1,550.00 – Buy Now.

91Ayurveda Red Onion Black Seed Hair Oil

₹ 174.00 – Buy Now.

Arata Natural Hair Cream - Flaxseed and Olive Extracts

₹ 449.25 – Buy Now.

7. Brush coiling and Denman Brush

This technique is used to train your hair to follow the desired curl pattern and to achieve more defined ringlets. This technique uses the special Denman Brush, designed by John Denman Dean in the 1930s, which is selling like hot cakes this year! When your hair is wet and you have applied the desired styling products, take little sections and pull them through the brush, rotating as you move down. The nylon bristles provide the tension to create the curl.

Denman Medium Hair Styling Brush

₹ 1,499.00 – Buy Now.

8. Plopping or bagging

This is a technique which involves using a soft cotton t-shirt or a microfiber towel to gently remove excess water without breaking the curl pattern. When your hair is soaking wet, hang your head upside down for maximum volume later on, and scrunch upwards. Tie it on your head and let it naturally dry for a few hours or even overnight, or you could top it off with a diffuser.

9. Pre-poo

As amusing as it sounds, pre-poo is just a contraction for ‘pre-shampoo’. When you do get to cleansing or shampooing your hair, which should not be too often (depending on your scalp type), many find a prior nourishing treatment to be successful in preventing excessive dryness and maintaining their curls afterwards. You can do a pre-poo using this product -

BBlunt Curly Hair Pre-poo

₹ 375.00 – Buy Now.

10. Fluffing

This is usually the last step in your routine, and basically refers to gently lifting and separating hair as desired to create more volume. You can do this with your fingers, but a more effective way is to use a hair pick like the one below. Gently pull outwards from your scalp, and remember to never brush your curls all the way through when your hair is completely dry. That only disrupts the curl pattern, invalidating every other step! Use this pick to shape and create volume in your curls -

Roots Professional Pick Comb No. 408

₹ 99.00 – Buy Now.

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