Girls with curly hair endure lots of comments, touching, and products -- good and bad. Sometimes they collude to destroy our curly happiness, creating problems that it seems only girls with curly hair can relate to. But, really, these issues apply to any hair type. Girls with curly, coily -- and even straight -- hair, raise your fists in product loving solidarity if you have experienced any of these situations.
Now, we girls with curly hair know how spectacular our curls can be. Some days they are so spectacular that people want to touch it – uninvited. Wherever we go, our hair draws attention … and the odd wandering hand. Babies, grown-ups, friends, stylists, strangers, and passers-by sometimes sneak a feel of your luscious locks. This is problematic for a number of reasons, including breakage, cleanliness, and boundary issues.
Curly hair adds a bit of exotic mystery to the wearer. Because of this it seems that everyone wants to know about our lineage, if our curls are natural. That shine and texture has got to be manufactured, right? Well, not always and not in the way that question implies. One common misconception about curly hair is that it is exclusive to certain groups of people. Curls and waves of all shapes, textures, and degrees of frizziness know no boundaries.
Do you remember that movie, The Mummy? That endless terrain of dry parched desert is much like our hair on a day deprived of a moisture boost. Our hair experiences bouts dryness very easily. Without proper moisture maintenance we are headed for disaster. As such, we must avoid dryness as if it were the plague! Or else end up with a head full of straw-like strands, and that is not a good look for anyone.
We seek nourishment in any form that works for our hair. It feels great to leave home with fantastic hair crafted from years of lessons in curl care. That is until humidity hits and POOF! Our hair swells like an inflated balloon. While some of us totally love that humidity-induced, fabulous poofiness, we can also empathize with a curly whose style is destroyed by humidity.
Curls and hats look great together! Those dreamy curls and stylish toppers seem made for each other. That is until the hat comes off. Unless you have curls of steel or an amazing curl keeping product (which you should share), hats are not always your friend. They often fit too snugly, leaving us with oddly shaped hair, flat roots, and ruined style.
When I was little my hairline had such tiny curly frizz that it looked like a headband. My mother called it my "halo." As a curly you likely experienced a sweet and endearing nickname or two. If you have ever been referred to as “Curly-Q” or the like, raise your curls and embrace your fierceness. No one can rock a curly mane like you, nickname or no.
Products vary greatly in price and ingredient. While there are many singularly affordable options out there, the costs still add up pretty quickly. Our hair seems to linger at the precipice of sandstorm dryness ready to tip over at anytime unless we intervene with moisturizing products. This can get costly. As curlies we are always on the hunt for the one perfect dryness combating product but inevitably end up with an arsenal!
Ok, we know that curly hair problems are not always as bad as all that, but it can sometimes feel that way. And this is a fun little reminder that our hair can be an uneven balance of fun and work. Can you relate?