For many years I was imposing my hair through a journey of heat, harsh chemicals, heavy products as well as the trend of Brazilian blow dry treatments. This was all to achieve a silky straight hair! Many women went through this same journey and the market will continue to bring out more trends for a straight hair outcome.
Ever questioned why the fuss? I did a research on this particular topic as a woman from the middle East I was born with curly hair but never felt secure to show it off.
Let’s take a step back in time for a moment, to the 1600s Hair was a sign of your class. If you were wealthy, the curls might add some glamour to your extravagant styles and to hang over your rich crowns and clips.
If you were a commoner, let alone a schoolgirl, your curls were pulled into a tight bun at the top of your head. It was believed that hair curled due to sins or evil within one. People were wary of those with curls
As we wander through the 1700s, we follow the traditions set by our ancestors with wigs and powder now lasting two centuries through wars and revolutions. Our perception of hair stayed basically the same, to serve as a societal mark for class and prestige.
In the 1800s, hairstyles could be described in one word, “up”. Braided and clipped up, loosely clipped up to one side, a ponytail with clips, clips here and there and bands everywhere. No one had time to spend on his or her hair, constructing houses and monitoring the harvest didn’t leave enough time in the day, let alone while caring for a family. So hair was over-looked and decidedly bland for everyone, the one tone of up hid any curious colors or shapes to be spotted or appreciated.
In 1984 the first ever salon opened in Manhattan serving curly hair and offering treatments for healthy locks. In January of 2015, Dove launched a “Love Your Curls” campaign to teach young girls to love their hair. Hair has curled for centuries and it has taken us until the 21st century to teach people to appreciate them. So many girls have already been lost to the heat of a straightening iron, to the comments of classmates, to the lack of information circulated to parents. Curls are incredible and beautiful and we should appreciate them.
When I was six years old I had so much hair that was curly and a little hard to manage that is when my hate for curly hair started because my parents shaved all my hair off! It was a CULTURAL myth that if you shaved the old coarse hair the new hair will be less curly and more manageable. 30 Years later I can still remember the pain of having my hair shaved and the embarrassment of being bold and laughed at.
The moment that changed my life was when I was on my honeymoon in Spain with one lost luggage which had all my beauty gear! I had no option but to let my hair be left natural and curly for the first time in decades (literally)
on the first evening while having dinner the family sitting next to us complimented my hair thinking I curled it. I was happy with the comments but brushed it off. It was the next day when me and my husband joined the games and sports list that woke me up. Everyone would either compliment my curls, touch my curls or use sign language as I had zero Spanish.
From that moment I knew I was brained washed by culture, media, traditions and social media affecting how comfortable we should be in our own skin.
Embrace your curls
So now that we want to show some love to our curls how do we do it?
When washing curly hair, you need to load up on hydration in the shower and then style with creams, serums and gels to provide that extra surge of moisture your curl pattern requires.
Begin by rinsing your hair with warm water or a sulfate-free, curly hair shampoo like the Shea Moisture Shampoo or Our Hair Bian argan oil Shampoo, followed by a moisturising conditioner, ideally, one that’s targeted for textured hair like the Shea Moisture Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner or Hair Bian Curly Hair conditioner.
Rinse the conditioner, then pat your hair dry with a Microfiber Towel, or an old cotton T-shirt. Once it’s dried slightly, apply an intensive leave-in conditioner, working it through your hair. You may need to section your tresses at this point to ensure you moisturise every strand, you can also apply hair oil to seal the cuticle and lock in hydration. Our Senior stylist Tracy suggests finishing by drying your hair by a diffuser attachment.
Don’t leave the house with damp hair: Tracy believes that one of the most damaging things you can do to your hair is to leave the house with damp hair and expose it to cooler temperatures.She explains “We all know that water freezes when temperatures are very low. If this happens on the outside of your hair it can actually damage the cuticle layer. Plan ahead and protect your hair it is your Crown.
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