Curly Girl: The Handbook

Good quality book! I would recommend buying this book if you would like to follow the curly girl technique. Trying to trawl through online videos and reviews is boring and overly complicated whilst also being incredibly vague, if you can imagine such a thing. I felt like the curly girl gang was some sort of exclusive cult. This book is nothing like that. It helps you work out what type of curly hair you have in a much easier way to understand than online. Everything is laid out in easy to understand steps. Including tips for cutting curly hair (which I never considered warranted different technique - good to know) There are even make you own hair masks and treatments in the back, which I love, including a rice water rinse and I highly recommend the lavender spray. I use an online curly girl approved website to check the products I'm buying arnt full of evil sulphates or silicones or whatever. (I'm lazy and can't be arsed to read every bottle of flipping conditioner in the world) Bottom line, I'm lazy! The curly girl method seemed like alot of effort. But it's actually not that hard, it's just a change in products touching your head. Once you stop using shampoo, and learn to embrace your natural curl, your hair is alot more manageable. Don't be put off by all the implied effort!

For years I have straightened my hair to avoid the frizz and weird kinks, muttering why can't I have straight hair like the rest of my family. Then a friend who happens to have corkscrew curls suddenly started to have picture perfect hair, last month I thought I need to tackle my mane and asked her 'how do you manage it'; the answer was you need to check out Lorraine Massey. And so after checking Lorraine's website I bought the book, which is a revelation. It has true stories akin to my situation; it doesn't matter what type of curl you have it will enlighten you that unless your hair's poker straight you are more than likely a curly girl. Once you start looking through it's clear its all about making sure you use the right products and hairdresser to release the perfect curl. With sections dedicated to all curls (be it wavy, afro, for men or curls after chemo) this book is a must read! I have been recommending the book / Lorraine to everyone I know who has definite curly hair or those that I can see are struggling with the fight to tame! You will always continue to reference and won't regret purchasing!

This at first appears to be quite an intense manual, however the basics are all easy to grasp. The book breaks down what different curls need, states to avoid silicones and brushing as well as promoting oil, microfibre towels, scrunching in gels & creams in wet hair and other techniques. Much of the information is already on the internet, you tube offers informative videos that explain the book well, however I do like the book and have followed the recommendations with good results - even reviving my curls even after years of bleach and heat. I’d recommend, it’s surprising what curls can be unearthed once you learn these handy tricks.

I bought this book not really expecting it to be of much help. I have thick curly hair and have spent years and years and hundreds of pounds on products trying to define my curls, control my frizz and be happy with my hair. So I thought I'll get this give it a read and see what it says. Well.....I have been following the routines and advice in this book for only about 3-4 weeks now and OMG do I see a difference in my hair or what??!!!! My curls scream out loud now. You can see them, they are defined instead of being just a mass of frizz. I have found a curl specialist hairdresser (as advised in the book) and can't wait to see how with more time and a great cut how my hair will transform. It already has shown a massive change. This book teaches you what type of curl you have. Curls are not all the same. I did not know this. But each curl should be looked after differently to achieve the best curl and definition and to maintain healthy hair. It will show you how to wash and style your hair for each different type of curl. It teaches you what products to use and which to avoid and it gives you ingredients and directions to make your own herbal concoctions for your hair....I have already made some and LUSH!!! It tells you about the dangers of using certain products, heated styling tools and how having your hair cut by a stylist not trained in curls can ruin your hair. It even gives you step by step instructions to create some great styles for curly hair. I love this book. I have read it through and still go back to it. It has become my hair bible. A must buy for any curlies!!!

I read all the hype on this book & debated whether it was worth buying long before I eventually bought it. I need not have debated. It tells you all you need to know about curly hair. I have used hair straighteners & hot blow driers on my hair for 15 years, all to achieve a nice smooth, straight finish. Finally I got fed up it & chopped all my hair off. It was an inch long a year ago. I hated it. I found a wonderful hairdresser who I trusted & he has shown me how to grow it with style & more importantly given me the confidence to wear my curls (for the 1st time in my life). I now have shoulder length curls! This book is fantastic. It is worth every penny. If you want to know about your curls, how to nourish your curls & most importantly how to love your curls, look no further. This is 'the book', every curly girl should proudly have a copy! Three cheers for Lorraine Massey. And three more cheers for all you curly people out there!

I love this book!After many years (more than 20) spent in using of very expensive products and getting nothing but a lifeless damaged hair with a burned look, I finally found my way of treating. Thank you Lorraine!!! The book is ease to read, gives you a lot of really helpful ideas and teaches you how to accept and love your hair. There is no more need to spend a fortune for treating products.The advices in the book are easy to follow, natural and inexpensive. For my hair, I combined Lorraine's method, no shampoo method (see how to do it in youtube) and use natural homemade flaxseed gel (200ml cost me less than 2$ - see how to do it in youtube) and now I have the hair of the gurl on the cover page. That's it - the book worths every cent!

I embraced my curly hair 8 years ago after learning through a friend, and then her hairdresser, how to take care proper care of it. Nonetheless, I found this book very informative and I’ve learnt quite a few good tricks with it. This book will be especially good to those who are not aware yet about how to treat their curls, and I bet that’s a lot of people. Despite being obvious that much of its info can be found online, sometimes is hard to know from where to start, so that’s how the book can be helpful too. Cons: 1. Silly chapters like the 12 steps one and the horoscope one that really should be removed all together 2. The DVD that comes with the book, which I actually wanted to watch, but at this day and age I don’t have any DVD player at home (not even on my laptop), and who has it? The publishers need to update themselves urgently 3. Their cleanse/conditioning method. The book explains that curly people should stick to sulfate-free shampoo and mention that we should avoid products that contain silicone. It would be very good if the author explained that if you happen to use a product with silicone in your hair, the sulfate-free shampoo will NOT be able to clean it, unless is a water soluble silicone. This is a complex point that needs further explanation. If silicone is left in the hair, it will build up with time and it can causes hair loss. Overall I would give at least four stars to this book, but because of point #3 above, I am giving it three.

I bought this as a present for somebody. They say it’s a really good book and they’ve got some good ideas from it. They were pleased that I bought it for them as they’re just starting their journey on curly hair.