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Having Curls: A Curse or a Blessing?
by Nikki who lives in Leeds
I have always struggled with getting my hair right. It has a mind of it’s own. Growing up in Jamaica women take care of their hair, they like to look good. So every now and again my Mother would send me to the hairdressers. On returning home she would say “Now you look like somebody’s pickney!”
Needless to say after a few hours of ‘romping’ in the Jamaican sun it would be curly and frizzy again.
I have always felt a bit self-conscious about my out of control, curly, frizzy hair as the message to me was that straight hair was more attractive and demure.
I think that perspective is still echoed in the media today. Most of the advertisements you see on television are of woman with straight and shiny hair. Very little is out there for us curly hair babes, who perhaps need a bit more help taming our wild luxurious hair. Or who just need to find the right products to enhance our lovely curls.
Curly hair is beautiful, and for those who want to be their natural selves it’s high time we embrace them. So now I think that my hair isn’t so bad, just need to give it some loving attention with the right curly hair products.
About Nikki who lives in Leeds
Nikki has a doctorate in Psychology and is the proud mother of one.
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Posted By chiks on 17 June 2009
OMG I felt so selfconcious the first time I wore my hair au naturale. It was kind of short and so different from everyones else’ around me. It didn’t help that I did not know how to style it at all and when my 7 year old daughters friend told her that her Mum looked weird I was gutted and nearly cried (I know, I know- pathetic but I was incredibly sensitive.) Fast forward a few months down the line after lots of conditoning, henna and general TLC plus growth and an addiction to youtube how-to videos I have learned how to style it properly and if I may say so myself it looks pretty fly! I now love looking unique but best of all I have gone past that mental block about kinky-curly hair.
Posted By blackcurly28 on 17 June 2009
You tube, is great for ideas on how to style natural hair. They really help restore my confidence in my hair whenever I’m having a bad hair day and I’m looking at my straightening irons..lol.
My partner and children seem to prefer my hair curly too which is also another confidence booster. My biggest fear is frizz and dryness, however, I have found a really good shea butter conditioner which restores moisture to my hair pefectly.
My only slight gripe now is the cost of the products I use on my hair (which are all natural/organic and chemical free. They do great for my hair, but not so well on the purse..lol
Posted By Transitionista on 22 July 2009
I have gone from relaxed to natural a few times over the years but since the end of my teens never felt too conscious about wearing my hair natural, I believe this is because my mum was almost always natural and held out as long as she could before letting me relax my hair the first time and my dad is really anti relaxers.
I am now transitioning to my natural state for the last time (I will never again reach for that tub of acid) and am quite in love with my natural hair, I can’t wait to cutting off the last of the straight!
The media is very practically useless on this issue, but the thing that I find the saddest is when I see young girls as young as 5 with relaxed hair, if we don’t teach our children how beautiful their hair is, who will. Both of you will a massive inspiration to your kids as they grow up - I know my natural mum was (and still is to me).
Posted By casey_smart on 29 March 2010
hey, ive been recently wearing my hair natural (when i was at school curly hair wasnt nice so i had to always straighten it!) and i quite like it, i think im a type 3b, my hair is very damaged, due to straightening and excessive amounts of colouring. i totally agree with you and i feel very self-concious about wearing it natural, for some reason people seem to find straight hair more proffessional and nice. xx
Posted By proudcurlygirly on 22 September 2010
Totally right - with the right care and use of products, curly hair can look every inch as beautiful as sleek and straight tresses. I’ve learnt to embrace what nature gave me, and web sites like this make the process a whole lot easier!
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Posted By blackcurly28 on 11 June 2009
I’ve been natural for over 5 years now, but have only stopped pressing my hair with my straightening irons from this year…I have to agree with Nikki on the self concious bit. For some reason there are a lot of black people who do find wearing ones hair au naturel somewhat of a taboo.
A lot of it is down to the media, especially black hair magazines which I’ve found always seem to lean towards the straight look - to be sexy and attractive you need to have straight hair…
Fortunately, I haven’t had any negative reactions to wearing my hair natural. I must admit, I do sometimes struggle to find varied style ideas, but I love the fact I can walk the street knowing that I’m being true to myself and being me.