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Curly Girl: The Handbook
The Curly Girl manifesto is back, now completely revised, updated, and expanded by more than a third with all-new material. Created by curly hair evangelist Lorraine Massey—the go-to curl expert featured in Allure, InStyle, Lucky, Seventeen, and The New York Times; owner of the Devachan salons in New York; and creator of a multimillion-dollar line of all-natural Devachan p...more
Paperback, 188 pages
Published
January 13th 2011
by Workman Publishing Company
(first published December 20th 2001)
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Jun 04, 2007
thefourthvine
rated it
1 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
People who enjoy unintentional humor.
Shelves:
non-fiction,
slashy-or-gay-interest
This is without doubt the most unintentionally humorous book I read in 2006; it's about care for curly hair (the author calls it Curly Girl because apparently guys never have curly hair, or if they do it just magically takes care of itself or something). And it is written, no joke, in the language of every coming out of the closet manual on earth.
Seriously. The back of the book says, "our curls, ourselves." The author talks about her history - how she started out being "in denial" of her curly...more
Seriously. The back of the book says, "our curls, ourselves." The author talks about her history - how she started out being "in denial" of her curly...more
This book helped me learn that my hair is not naturally unruly, frizzy, and wavy, as I once believed. When I care for my hair according to Lorraine Massey's instructions, I have cascading Botticelli curls! I am so glad I read Massey's book and learned to care for my curls properly.
My only problem with the book is its tone. Massey should remember that anyone reading the book does not need to be converted—the reader likes her curls, otherwise she wouldn't be reading the book! The affirmations at...more
My only problem with the book is its tone. Massey should remember that anyone reading the book does not need to be converted—the reader likes her curls, otherwise she wouldn't be reading the book! The affirmations at...more
After I had two kids, my hair suddenly turned wavy. Having been a straight-haired girl for years and years, this was shocking to say the least, and I wondered why I couldn't blow-dry my hair without looking like Roseanne Rosannadanna. If I blow-dried, I HAD to flat iron, and then my hair had started feeling like straw.
I picked up this book on a whim at my local library, now I see that had no idea that I needed to treat my waves differently than I did my straight hair. I also never knew that the...more
I picked up this book on a whim at my local library, now I see that had no idea that I needed to treat my waves differently than I did my straight hair. I also never knew that the...more
**Above and below the scalp**
Being a psychology junkie, I tend to read books that focus on what’s happening just below the scalp. So, when a co-worker handed me this hair-care handbook to borrow, I honesty wasn’t so sure I was going to read it before returning it back to her.
After I tucked the book away in my bag, I did take notice of just how healthy and controlled my co-worker’s curly locks looked. As I ran my fingers through my own set of curly craziness, I thought that maybe—just maybe—this...more
Being a psychology junkie, I tend to read books that focus on what’s happening just below the scalp. So, when a co-worker handed me this hair-care handbook to borrow, I honesty wasn’t so sure I was going to read it before returning it back to her.
After I tucked the book away in my bag, I did take notice of just how healthy and controlled my co-worker’s curly locks looked. As I ran my fingers through my own set of curly craziness, I thought that maybe—just maybe—this...more
I picked up this book because since living in Miami, I have discovered how truly, natually, wavey my hair really is. I have curl! No one bothered to tell me this. After several months of living here with my hair tied up in a bun because I could not get my hair to behave, I saw a hairdresser. When she saw the state of my afro -puff she thought I needed to have it all lopped off and deep conditioned. I told her that I had natural wave and wanted to just embrace it and not fight it. I've permed my...more
This book got two stars from me because I do use the "curly girl method". I don't use shampoo, blowdry or brush my hair, and it's gorgeous now. However, I'd recommend getting your curly information online and saving your money for a book that isn't so, well...pointless?
Massey has a complex about hair. Let's get that out there. She seems to believe that if you don't straighten your hair, suddenly your life will begin to work out. Men will want to date you. You'll get a promotion at work. People w...more
Massey has a complex about hair. Let's get that out there. She seems to believe that if you don't straighten your hair, suddenly your life will begin to work out. Men will want to date you. You'll get a promotion at work. People w...more
Wearing my hair curly is a relatively new thing for me, so I'm still working out how to make it look its best. Curly Girl has some pretty helpful tips. The book helps readers identify their curl type and gives instructions for how to care for each curl type. I have wavy hair, so I have to care for my hair differently than if I had spiral curls. The book has a lot of tips that I had already discovered through trial and error, like using a final coat of gel to keep down the frizz, breaking up the...more
Now that many sulfate-free shampoos are available, there are more options available for us curly haired people to clean hair. I believe that earlier books may have not discussed boy and men hair, however the updated version 2010 does. When this book first came out, curls went from being merely undesirable to downright shunned! So Massey began the campaign to re-introduce curls as an acceptable hairstyle.
I have had DRY, DRY, DRY wavy hair all my life (think Gilda Radner & Rosanna Anna Danna)....more
I have had DRY, DRY, DRY wavy hair all my life (think Gilda Radner & Rosanna Anna Danna)....more
Review based on skimming.
Massey's written a manifesto. Embrace your curls! That's cool. However, what I'd like is good waves some of the time. Massey repeatedly points out that isn't an option. If you want good hair, you need to stop (or just once a week) shampooing, give up brushes, and never straighten or blow dry (excluding defusers) ever again, and only ever have curls.
Not gonna happen. For me, hair's not an all or nothing kind of thing.
It's a little obsessive. To Massey, if you don't accept...more
Massey's written a manifesto. Embrace your curls! That's cool. However, what I'd like is good waves some of the time. Massey repeatedly points out that isn't an option. If you want good hair, you need to stop (or just once a week) shampooing, give up brushes, and never straighten or blow dry (excluding defusers) ever again, and only ever have curls.
Not gonna happen. For me, hair's not an all or nothing kind of thing.
It's a little obsessive. To Massey, if you don't accept...more
Recommended for the curly-haired folks out there. There are even chapters dedicated to kids, guys, and chemo curls. The expanded second edition also includes a video with demonstrations on it.
I knew some of the tips from the web already but I haven't tried them all yet. Massey explains why they are important, and I'm pretty much on board.
Using an old t-shirt or a microfiber towel instead of a terry cloth towel to dry your hair is definitely worth doing. I gave up brushing/combing my hair a coupl...more
I knew some of the tips from the web already but I haven't tried them all yet. Massey explains why they are important, and I'm pretty much on board.
Using an old t-shirt or a microfiber towel instead of a terry cloth towel to dry your hair is definitely worth doing. I gave up brushing/combing my hair a coupl...more
I want to give this book more stars, but I had higher hopes for it, and it just didn't have enough new information to be really useful to me.
I have had wavy-to-curly hair my whole life, and have developed my own ways of dealing with it and showing it off to its best advantage. I picked up this book from the library to give it a look through before I decided whether or not to buy a copy. It's a good thing I did, since i will not be buying this book for reference.
The book is written for women who...more
If you told me that not to touch my hair with shampoo, brush, or comb for a month, I’d look at you funny. If you told that and that my hair would look fabulous too, I’d ask if you were crazy. But Lorraine Massey proposes “curly girls” do exactly that—and it works. I haven’t brushed, combed, or shampooed my hair in weeks. I’ve worn my hair down more this month than I ever had in my life. Total strangers compliment me on my full-bodied, glossy, frizz-free curls, even on those high-humidity days wh...more
Had heard about this book for several years but never got around to purchasing it. Then a few weekends ago I saw a friend with curly hair that I had not seen in about a year. Her hair looked wonderful. Big healthy curls, no frizz, no halo! Nothing but healthy curls. Of course I immediately asked her what products she was using and she told me it wasn't the products but she was following this method. Came home and ordered the book. Turns out I was doing a lot of it correctly but just not complete...more
I read this book so fast it didn't even have a chance to make it onto the "currently reading" list. Granted it's not long but it is life-changing, no exaggeration whatsoever, for any one with curly or wavy hair.
I've only been following the main cardinal rule -- don't use shampoo, wash your hair with conditioner -- for a couple of weeks. Having just read the rest and starting to implement her wisdom, I can safely say that friends might have to do a double take to recognize me I've got such a mop...more
I've only been following the main cardinal rule -- don't use shampoo, wash your hair with conditioner -- for a couple of weeks. Having just read the rest and starting to implement her wisdom, I can safely say that friends might have to do a double take to recognize me I've got such a mop...more
After finally getting a hair cut from a DevaCurl trained stylist, and learning from him about the right way to care for my curls, I wanted to know more than he could teach me in one hour. I found this book at the library, written by Lorraine Massey, creator of the DevaCurl technique. Lorraine tells about her history of fighting her curls and how the beauty industry teaches stylists to work against curls rather than with them. She teaches how to figure out which type of curl you have and how to w...more
Jun 03, 2008
Christie Hagerman
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
curly girls!!
I got a lot of good tips out of this book. It was a quick, easy read, with good pointers for curly hair care. The author definitely had some sort of spiritual connection with her hair (I'm not there) and that colored the whole book. All that aside, I learned some recipes for homemade conditioners and rinses, and I am trying the homemade "shampoos" to replace the harsh store-bought ones we all use. We'll see if I'm a shiny goddess. :)
I'm giving this book 5 stars--not because it's well-written or particularly well-organized or even professional-looking (it's def. not), but because it hits on a truth that few--even hairstylists--are willing to admit: That girls with curly hair are flat-out (!) discriminated against. I could rant about this forever, but I won't. Anyway.
I've finally come to the conclusion (dumb as it may sound) that I'm stuck with my hair. After having to chop the whole thing off in order to get the straight per...more
I've finally come to the conclusion (dumb as it may sound) that I'm stuck with my hair. After having to chop the whole thing off in order to get the straight per...more
This book kind of rocked my world. I especially liked all of the interviews with curly-haired women: they know my pain! They have been struggling with their hair their whole lives! And they are in various stages of acceptance, they don't all love their hair now. Just keeping it real.
My life would seriously be so much easier if I could just like my hair the way it is and stop wishing it were straight, trying to straighten it, wanting a different style, etc. I'm trying. I tried not shampooing, as...more
My life would seriously be so much easier if I could just like my hair the way it is and stop wishing it were straight, trying to straighten it, wanting a different style, etc. I'm trying. I tried not shampooing, as...more
Helpful, but certainly not enough information if you are actually going to follow the Curly Girl method. Lorraine gives the basics but very little details, so for me this guide to curly hair care is a starting point only. (For example, how to recognize silicones -- she gives incomplete info there, even though that is a fundamental point!) Her method is worth a shot, but it doesn't work for everyone (myself included).
This is not a novel or a book you sit down and read cover to cover. It's more of a manual for curly hair-all types of curly hair, including wavy hair. I picked it up at the library today, skimmed it, realized it could potentially change the way I take care of my hair completely, and decided that I have to look for my own copy at Powells soon, because I won't remember everything unless I have my own copy.
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I've changed my mind about this book. After trying their suggestions...more
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I've changed my mind about this book. After trying their suggestions...more
I have been a closet curly girl for years, hiding my sad and frizzy curls behind my blow dryer and straightener. Recently I complimented someone, who had lovely curls I envied, who recommended that I read this book. I was in high school when I stopped wearing my hair curly (although there was a brief disastrous retrial in college), and there never seemed to be anything available to help me with my curls or more likely I just never felt like seeking it out, instead I sought to make my hair look l...more
Every person with curly hair should read this book, if not cover to cover, at least hitting the hair washing highlights.
I think I first read of this book in Bitch magazine, in the column they do about things they love. I've been meaning to check it out, then a library patron requested it through interlibrary loan, prompting me to request it through interlibrary loan too.
Today I followed the hairwashing instructions for the first time, and my hair looks GREAT! I haven't had this many beautiful cu...more
I think I first read of this book in Bitch magazine, in the column they do about things they love. I've been meaning to check it out, then a library patron requested it through interlibrary loan, prompting me to request it through interlibrary loan too.
Today I followed the hairwashing instructions for the first time, and my hair looks GREAT! I haven't had this many beautiful cu...more
This book CHANGED MY LIFE. No, literally, it CHANGED MY EVERYDAY, DAY-TO-DAY life and made me not hate my hair as much anymore.
Ever since I was a wee one, I've hated my hair. Absolutely hated it. I have yet to meet a person who had hair as curly and unruly as mine was as a younger child. (For those of you who have known me only the last decade or so, my hair is WAY better due to me flat-ironing it on a regular basis. Even though the book discourages flat-ironing and blow drying your hair, this r...more
Ever since I was a wee one, I've hated my hair. Absolutely hated it. I have yet to meet a person who had hair as curly and unruly as mine was as a younger child. (For those of you who have known me only the last decade or so, my hair is WAY better due to me flat-ironing it on a regular basis. Even though the book discourages flat-ironing and blow drying your hair, this r...more
Curly Girl / 978-0-7611-2300-2
I've had curly hair all my life, and have only just recently learned that there are books written BY curly girls, FOR curly girls. I first read Teri LaFlesh's "Curly Like Me", and while I was deeply impressed with the deeply scientific explanation of hair, coupled with practical daily tips and overlaid with an incredibly positive message, I was cognizant of the fact that "Curly Like Me" was written for a much different type of curly hair than my own. I turned to "Cu...more
I've had curly hair all my life, and have only just recently learned that there are books written BY curly girls, FOR curly girls. I first read Teri LaFlesh's "Curly Like Me", and while I was deeply impressed with the deeply scientific explanation of hair, coupled with practical daily tips and overlaid with an incredibly positive message, I was cognizant of the fact that "Curly Like Me" was written for a much different type of curly hair than my own. I turned to "Cu...more
A cute little book that I read through in about an hour.
This book has some revolutionary ideas regarding caring for curly hair.
1. Never Use a Brush. Apparently, curly girls are to comb through their conditioned hair with their fingers and gently pry apart knots. A brush or comb is not to be used because it destroys the curl formation.
2. Never Use Shampoo. The sulfates in normal shampoos damage and dry out curly hair, so curly girls are instructed to use sulfate-free "cleansers" not "sham-poo" o...more
This book has some revolutionary ideas regarding caring for curly hair.
1. Never Use a Brush. Apparently, curly girls are to comb through their conditioned hair with their fingers and gently pry apart knots. A brush or comb is not to be used because it destroys the curl formation.
2. Never Use Shampoo. The sulfates in normal shampoos damage and dry out curly hair, so curly girls are instructed to use sulfate-free "cleansers" not "sham-poo" o...more
This book made me laugh...it is so full of cheesy, lame hair-related puns...and it is written like a "coming out of the closet" manifesto. So, let's just get it out there...I am not straight :-) I am curly; very, very curly! The author has some good tips for caring for curls that I am willing to try. But what she calls "going natural" with curly hair actually sounds very obsessive. I can't change the way I sleep, I can't bring myself to spritz my hair with lavender spray all day, let alone cook...more
Oh I wish I had had this book as a teenager! I had so many bad hair days because I didn't know how to reveal my inner curl and enhance it instead of fighting my naturally curly hair. My hair has a mind of its own. I remember crying one morning in junior high (during the days when teenagers used curling irons on bangs) because I couldn't get my naturally curly hair to curl according to my use of the curling iron. My hair ended up turning into a bush. Now I am in love with my hair, thanks to this...more
Jul 15, 2012
Kathy
added it
This book is really fabulous! Every girl/woman with curly hair (and the author does have a brief men's section)should study this!
I read it and bought it, and will keep it for reference. Lorraine Massey is a curly girl herself and a curly girl stylist in New York, and she reaaaalllly knows her curly hair of all sorts.
This book will tell you what your kind of curls are called (not all curls are the same), how to determine your "spring factor", how to wash and condition curly hair properly, how t...more
I read it and bought it, and will keep it for reference. Lorraine Massey is a curly girl herself and a curly girl stylist in New York, and she reaaaalllly knows her curly hair of all sorts.
This book will tell you what your kind of curls are called (not all curls are the same), how to determine your "spring factor", how to wash and condition curly hair properly, how t...more
I learned a few tricks from this book and love how well my curls look after just a few modifications to my hair routine... however, the book has lots of little "jokes" and nicknames for all things curl-related and it is overkill (and in my opinion, obnoxious instead of cute or funny). The author also presented as very 'elite'- she made it seem as though having curly hair is the ONLY way to live, and if you ever straightened your hair (gasp!!) you were bringing down curly girls everywhere. She al...more
Reads a bit like a curly hair religion and my rating may change based on whether or not this process actually works with my hair (it's only been a day, so we'll see!), but contains a lot of interesting details... very instructive and the facts are formulated in a way that really makes sense. One thing I really enjoyed were the testimonials from other curly haired people and what they'd been through. There's a section on taking care of a curly haired child that I thought was great for those who h...more
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“I often have the fantasy that curly girls are mermaids who have had to adapt to life on dry land. We come from the sea. The ocean is in our blood. It sings through our heart and lungs, our skin and hair. Our curls require the nourishment only a watery environment can provide. Both ocean waves and curly hair are forces of nature that can't be tamed. We can only accept and admire their power and beauty.”
—
35 people liked it
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Jun 07, 2007 12:07pm
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Jun 07, 2007 12:13pm