When I was small, I had fine hair. However, through the years, it grew thicker and wavy. I never really cared. I did not get my hair straightened nor treated even up until college. I don't know, I am just the one who really isn't too concerned about my looks. Today, I very seldom wear make up. I go to work with only lipstick. That's it. Besides, with three kids and no house help, I cannot afford to "waste" time putting make up on.
I started rebonding my hair when I was perhaps 22 years old, which went on for around 12 years! Imagine 12 years of chemical treatment. Every 6 months I had to go back to the salon to get my hair done. That, I knew was very unhealthy not to mention expensive. However, it went on for I felt that managing a straight hair was easier and more beautiful.
Since my hair was naturally curly, naturally the hair that would grow was still curly. A few months after spending big money to get my hair straightened, I would have to conceal the regrowths by tying it or wearing headbands. When would I ever wake up that I had to embrace my hair for what it is?
In 2013, I found out that I was pregnant with my 2nd child and therefore I could not get any more hair treatments since that would be harmful to the unborn baby. I had my baby in 2014 and breastfed hence still kept my hair untreated. Managing it was already getting to be a nightmare. But for the baby's sake, I kept it at that.
Come 2015, I got pregnant again. That time, from 2013, my hair was almost all naturally curly already. The straight hair has already been chopped off. Before I went back to work from maternity leave in February 2016, I debated on getting my hair rebonded or to get a pixie hair cut. Having 2 babies and a school boy, I felt that short hair would make my life easier. I decided against it because I feared that short curly hair would be a disaster, so came my researches.
After a lot of reading, I realized that I have been caring for my hair wrongly the whole time!
These are the curly hair's enemies:
- Hairbrush/Comb. A curly girl should never comb her hair (unless while washing). Use your fingers only or a wide-toothed comb.
- Shampoo. A curly girl should never shampoo her hair. Harsh chemicals like Sodium LaurylSulfate (SLS) or the component that makes the shampoo bubble stips the hair of its natural moisture and hence would lead to dry, frizzy and unmanageable hair.
- Heat. Blow drying and ironing the hair to straighten it damages the hair and makes it dry.
- Silicones.Silicones are the component in our conditioners that make the hair feel soft and silky. However, silicones cause build-up on the hair. To remove the build-up, you would need to clean the hair with shampoo(SLS) again.
- Towels. A curly girl must avoid using bath towels to dry their hair. Use a cotton t-shirt or a micro fiber towel instead, as these would leave moisture locked on the hair.
What is the Curly Girl (CG) method?
The Curly Girl Method, from Lorraine Massey’s book “Curly Girl: The Handbook,” is a hair care method that trades in damaging habits (like shampooing and heat styling) for a healthy curly hair regimen using just conditioner and gel.
Step 1: Cleanse. Do not use shampoo, instead, find a silicone-free conditioner to wash and cleanse your hair. This method is called co-wash.
Step 2: Condition. Smooth conditioner all over your hair. When rinsing, you may leave a little bit of the conditioner in, and not wash it off all the way.
Step 3. Dry and Style. Use a micro fiber towel or cotton t shirt to dry your your hair then scrunch from tips to the scalp. Apply your leave in conditioner and hair cream then alow your hair to air dry.
For me, I also follow LOC method:
- Leave In.
- Oil. Any natural oil of your choice - can be argan, coconut, olive oil... whichever suits you best.
- Cream. For me, I use the SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie
AVOID TOUCHING YOUR HAIR ONCE IT DRIES.-- It is hard, I know. But it will help you avoid the frizz!
Indeed. It has been almost three years and I still have to find the best product that would suit my hair. However, now, I have already embraced the nature of my hair and I love it. Even if I had to stop breastfeeding already, I do not think that I would ever revert to rebonding my hair again.
I have also not yet even visited a salon since October 2014 when I got my last professional hair cut. I trim my hair by myself, thanks to You Tube tutorials available. I have been researching for a curly hair stylist in our area, but I am afraid there are less here. If ever there are, they are pretty expensive. I do not want to entrust my hair to just any hair stylist who is just used to seeing straight hair, or are used to ladies who come to them to get their hair straightened. Nope. Nope. Nope.
As I said before, "love your curls, it will love you back!"
There are lots of interesting reads about curly hair, I particularly like to read from https://www.naturallycurly.com
They have almost all the information you would need in caring for your naturally curly hair. From knowing your hair type, to caring and shopping for curly hair products, they have it!
How about you, have you embraced your hair type yet?
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