Curly hair, just like any other type, is a very beautiful thing. Powerful and liberating on its own accord, we got down to business on how to care for it properly.
“Basta kulot, salot!” and so the tired saying echoes in my mind as I continue threshing out the push-and-pull of my relationship with my curly hair. Trust me, it wasn’t my choice to be born with thick, natural, and almost always tangled tresses. Being the only curly girl in a sea of females with long, shiny hair became my source of insecurity (not to mention my dark, bold eyebrows) and had easily turned me into one of the targets of big-boned bullies—both boys and girls, the young and old, causing me to have my hair rebonded for more than 10 years straight—pun intended. It was only a year ago where I lost care in the world and decided to wear my natural hair out, which to my surprise was met with a lot of kind and lovely words. It felt liberating. I felt powerful and thank goodness, I never looked back since then.
Not too long ago in the internet sense, it came off as a surprise when Ariana Grande tweeted an image of her sans the signature high and tight ponytail. In it, she posed with a fascinating revelation—her naturally curly hair. Not all was lost though, because her winged eyeliner was well in place, of course. It might be the effect of the quarantine, or just a general IDGAF attitude, but lately, a lot of ladies have been letting their twists and curls rock out, and it is quite the most refreshing and beautiful sight to see. More than just the bounce and volume of the curls, it is in this distinct sense of liberty emanating from within that is most arresting. How many times do we have to reiterate, natural is always a good thing. So, to anyone who called someone kulot as salot, you’re the only stressing yourself out, because clearly, we are loving this freeing hair moment.
Curls have long been shamed by the media for as long as I can remember, but ever since the rise of Russian Doll’s Natasha Lyonnes, Euphoria actress Zendaya and Rihanna’s flawless Fenty selfies, countless celebrities are embracing the curls (natural or not) more and more. Below are 5 tips on how to take care of your mane that I’ve learned along the way.
- KNOW YOUR CURL TYPE
Figuring out your curl type plays a huge role in maintaining them. It’s a number-based classification system referring to different curl families such as 1 (straight, no curls at all), 2 (wavy), 3 (spiraled curls) and 4 (kinks and coils). It serves as a blueprint in identifying your hair care routine.
2. CHOOSE SULFATE-FREE PRODUCTS
Listen to what your hair needs and stay away from harsh chemicals as much as possible. There’s no specific formula for each curly girl, but opting for natural products and reading the labels make styling it a little easier.
3. JUST KEEP SQUISHING
Discovered by Melissa Stites of Naturally Curly in 2009, “squishing” is a curl-enhancing technique where you wash the hair with your head upside down, soaking wet and you squish it with conditioner. It may take a few tries but tighter curls need a lot of time to be properly hydrated and revived in order to distinguish your hair type’s pattern.
4. TIME YOUR WASHES
Washing your hair everyday can cause more damage than you know and curly girls are definitely no exception. Plan your hair in advance. For example, if you’re going to a party on Saturday, wash it no later than Thursday for more defined and textured curls.
5. SAVE SOME TLC FOR YOUR SCALP
Do weekly scalp treatments to exfoliate dead skin, avoid dandruff and any product buildup in your hair. It’s easy to make your own DIY hair masks too. Reduce frizz and create volume with some ingredients you already have at home such as banana and olive oil. Bananas are filled with potassium and natural oils to keep it well-moisturized while olive oil has a high amount of anti-oxidants to keep it healthy. The internet provides and there are lots of recipes that you can definitely try from curly-friendly sites such as naturallycurly.com or curlsandbeautydiary.com.
(This article first appeared on MEGA.onemega.com)
