Love and Hate the Curly Hair
Tired of looking at your curly hair? If you do, then this article is definitely for you.
I remember my parents telling me a story. When I was born, I looked like a freaky troll - the little dolls with huge eyes and thick hair standing upwards. Yes! upwards! They didn't know what kind of creature I was until after they gave me my first bathe. My hair dropped and as they were drying me, it started to twist and turn into crazy positions. I was a little baby Nick Jonas. A little cupcake of curly frosting. And so my curly journey begins.
Toddler days: How everyone thought it was cute.
My mom would never stop telling me stories about how people come to me just to take notice of how cute I looked with my curly hair. They'd twist it, brush it, and play with it. Of course, being a toddler I wouldn't mind. It's my curly hair that gets people's attention and it makes this little baby different from all the straight haired babies.
Awkward stage: It's not so cute anymore.
Having curly hair as a baby is no problem. Children's hair looks better. As I grew up and started to do all these weird things with my hair like trying out all those different hair styles using elastic bands, brushed it uncontrollably, shampooed with the harshest chemicals etc. It began to look horrific. I didn't even know what type of curls I actually had. Sometimes it's crazy twisty and sometime it's just frizzy wavy. I didn't know how to style it. I just thought that how I work with my hair is the same way every other girl work with theirs - wake up, wash it, blow dry, brush it and let it go. But I ended up not having the same results as everyone else did.
I can't wear it down. I always had to tie it. My curly hair was too thick and living in a tropical country isn't helping. I had to watch all those stereotypical straight-haired girl commercials and wonder why I can't have hair like theirs. Even those TV shows with curly-haired girls didn't look anywhere near as what my hair looked. My hair was crazy. I felt like Medusa. I even went through a stage where I was so frustrated that I just wanted to have it permanently straightened. I was too young to make that decision though.
Live with it! As I slowly turned into a young adult, I tried to work with what I got. I frantically and drastically searched online day and night on what to do and how to take care of my unruly hair.
I've been living with my hair for 20 years and I've been known for it. It becomes my character. Whenever I straighten it for events, people would go and tell me "Hey, you look very different!" Yes, I'd hear a lot of compliments on how pretty it looked and all, but at the end of the day, my friends and family would still say they miss the old curls - so will I.
What I did
Curly hair is NOTHING like straight hair. I realized that taking care of my curly hair is very different than how my straight haired friends took care of theirs. I don't know all the specifications but all I know is, I shouldn't have listened to the shampoo commercials with straight haired girls. I only frustrate myself.
Less shampoo. Contrary to popular belief, shampoo on your hair everyday is NOT healthy. Especially if it has sulfate in it. Find sulfate-free shampoos.
Hair treatments. Give your hair a little hot oil or keratin treatment once every two months.
Deep conditioners! Yes! DEEP! It's different from an ordinary conditioner. Deep conditioners are used at least once a weak to bring back moisture in your head.
DON'T brush it! Curly hair isn't meant to be brushed.
Grew it out! I grew it out. The curls will weigh down your hair to make it look less thick.
Use anti frizz serums
DUH! DON'T TOUCH IT! :) Seriously please! Don't touch!... and touch.... and touch. Just style it and let it go - just like that Frozen song.
Love the curls you have.
I know you may feel like having curly hair is a curse. But trust me, it's a blessing! An ordinary messy bun would look divine with your curly hair. You don't even have to go to the salon just for curling it up. Having curly hair will add a little "Umph!" to your every day look. Change it, style it, play with it! There are endless possibilities of your curly hair.
Lastly.....
You are unique! No two curly-hairs are the same but there are two very similar straight-hairs.