Routine Guide
Routines that work
for your actual hair.
The Curly Girl Method is a starting point, not a rulebook. Build a wash-day flow that fits your curl family, porosity, and lifestyle — then refine it with a Curltine AI hair scan.
3
Hair families
LOC / LCO
Core methods
3
Seasonal variants
01 · The Foundation
LOC vs LCO
The most important moisture-layering idea for textured hair. Same three layers, different order, different results.
LOC Method
Liquid → Oil → Cream
- L
Liquid
Water or a water-based leave-in to hydrate the strand.
Water mist, aloe spray, light leave-in
- O
Oil
A sealing or penetrating oil to slow moisture loss.
Castor, jojoba, or light coconut oil
- C
Cream
Curl cream or butter to close and hold the layers in.
Curl cream, butter-based styler
LCO Method
Liquid → Cream → Oil
- L
Liquid
Water or a light leave-in while the cuticle is open.
Water, light leave-in spray
- C
Cream
Medium-weight cream first — better for lower porosity absorption.
Leave-in cream, light butter cream
- O
Oil
A light oil last to seal without smothering the pattern.
Argan, grapeseed, sweet almond
Prefer a scan over guesswork? Read the curly hair routine pillar or download Curltine for an AI-built plan.
02 · 2A · 2B · 2C
Wavy hair.
Wash frequency
2–3× / week
Between wash days
Mist with water + leave-in spray. Scrunch. Air dry or diffuse briefly.
Night routine
Loose pineapple or satin bonnet. Skip cotton pillowcases.
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Wash day, step by step
- 1
Pre-poo
OptionalOptional: apply a lightweight oil to dry hair 30 minutes before washing.
- 2
Clarify
Sulfate-free shampoo. Waves pick up silicone and heavy-product buildup quickly.
- 3
Condition
Slip-based conditioner for 3–5 minutes. Rake with fingers or a wide-tooth comb.
- 4
Apply products
On soaking-wet hair: lightweight leave-in + mousse or gel. Scrunch in — don’t rake.
- 5
Dry
Diffuse on low/medium, or air dry. Plop with a microfibre towel for ~10 minutes to cut frizz.
- 6
Scrunch out the crunch
Once fully dry, scrunch to break the cast and release soft waves.
03 · 3A · 3B · 3C
Curly hair.
Wash frequency
Every 5–7 days
Between wash days
Mix water + leave-in in a spray bottle. Spritz and scrunch curls back to life.
Night routine
Pineapple or loose twists. Satin bonnet or satin pillowcase.
Not sure this is you? Take the quiz →
Wash day, step by step
- 1
Pre-poo
OptionalOil or conditioner pre-poo for 20–30 minutes to detangle and protect.
- 2
Cleanse
Sulfate-free shampoo or co-wash. Massage the scalp, not the lengths.
- 3
Deep condition
Protein–moisture balanced deep conditioner under gentle heat for 20–30 minutes.
- 4
Detangle
Wide-tooth comb or fingers through conditioner. Ends first, then work up.
- 5
Apply stylers
Section by section: leave-in → curl cream → gel. Rake through each section.
- 6
Dry
Diffuse or air dry. Avoid touching until completely dry.
04 · 4A · 4B · 4C
Coily hair.
Wash frequency
Every 1–2 weeks
Between wash days
Remoisturise with water + leave-in. Seal with light oil. Finger coil or shake to revive.
Night routine
Satin bonnet or pillowcase. Pineapple for wash-and-gos. Retwist before bed for twist-outs.
Not sure this is you? Take the quiz →
Wash day, step by step
- 1
Pre-poo
Penetrating oil or conditioner on dry hair for 30–60 minutes. Essential, not optional.
- 2
Detangle
Detangle while pre-poo is in, in sections, from ends to root.
- 3
Cleanse
Co-wash or sulfate-free shampoo. Never rub — squeeze cleanser through in sections.
- 4
Deep condition
Heavy moisture or protein–moisture deep conditioner under heat for 30+ minutes.
- 5
Moisturise (LOC)
LOC or LCO section by section on damp hair. Don’t skip the seal step.
- 6
Style & protect
Twist-out, braid-out, wash-and-go with gel, or a protective style.
05 · Climate Matters
Your routine changes with the seasons.
Summer / Humid
- Anti-humectants as a top layer to limit frizz
- Lighter products so styles don’t wilt
- Occasional ACV rinse for shine
- Protective styles for longer wear
Winter / Dry
- Extra sealant step in LOC / LCO
- Protective styles to reduce breakage
- Increase deep-conditioning frequency
- Glycerin can help in low-humidity air
Tropical Climate
- LOC / LCO stays essential when humidity swings
- Castor oil as a sealant holds up in heat
- Dial back glycerin in very high humidity
- Refresh with a light water mist as needed
Personalised for you
Get a routine built
for your hair profile.
Curltine’s AI hair scan reads curl pattern, porosity, and density, then builds a wash-day plan, hair score, and report you can refine with product scan.
Free to start · iPhone & Android
Also explore hair porosity — the other half of why products fail.