I hope I never hear those words from my little Q. But really, it's so common. and I think it's so incredibly sad!
(This post inspired/instigated by the following incident last night.... this is what I posted on the Curly Hairdo Ideas facebook fanpage...)
I have SO rarely ever heard a girl say she likes her natural hair. And especially girls with curls seem to rail and complain and think they've somehow been cheated. I don't get it. (And often this seems to be passed down from mother to child! How sad!!) And this phenomenon isn't restricted to race or color of hair!
People have devoted an entire industry to telling others that they're not good enough the way they are and that if they just bought this or that - or looked like this, that they'd be happier. It doesn't matter if you've got curly hair or straight - somewhere along the line I bet you're thought "gee I wish I had --insert opposite type of hair here--"! Grass is greener syndrome.
Ya know what?? If your hair is kinky - celebrate it! If your hair is straight - celebrate it! If it's wavy, curly, spirally, or a mixture of them all - CELEBRATE it! Trying to change it is only going to make it harder to manage in the long run. Plus you can't ever make it look truly natural unless you were born with it! Wishing won't make it so...
No matter your hair type, color, porosity, etc - there are ways to make it easier to live with. I hope your starting to find some of them just by being on this website! :) (and of course, if you have questions - I'm no expert - but please don't hesitate to email me! curlyhairdoideas@yahoo.com )
Q actually has really goofy hair, if you ask me! I wanted to get a picture of it tonight so badly to share with you because the different hair types were so obvious - but I missed it. Anyway, her hair is almost straight on top, and the middle has slight wave on the ends, and the back/nape of her neck is tight little spiral ringlets! Now, I would be lying if I said I don't hope that she gets to keep the ringlets as she gets older - I do! I LOVE curly hair!! But....I also have to accept that maybe as she grows up - the curls will leave!
Even if that happens, we will still love her hair! We will find the best way to honor it and take care of it that we possibly can! Right now - that means taking care of curls :)
We're definitely still learning - but some things that have made life a ton easier in the hair department around here are -
1. sleep with a satin pillowcase! (silk might work, too?)
2. satin carseat cover!
3. very infrequent shampooing
4. experimenting with using baking soda instead of shampoo!
5. Organic and Natural products
6. checking ingredients against the cosmeticdatabase.com
7. using organic coconut oil and shea butter instead of highly processed "products"
8. rinsing and scrubbing (gently) her scalp with just my fingers and water in between hair washings
9. braid hair at night
10. spritz with water and gently detangle every morning
11. detangle with fingers first!
12. never use a brush - use a wide tooth comb
Well, ok. I'm getting off my soapbox now! :D Does anyone else have anything to add to the list?!? Or insights into how we can stop this curl-hatred from spreading even further!?
(This post inspired/instigated by the following incident last night.... this is what I posted on the Curly Hairdo Ideas facebook fanpage...)
At the park last night I complimented a little girl (in front of her gramma) about her lovely curls. The gramma responded by going on a rampage about how hard curls are to wash and take care of and how awful they are :( :( :( WHY are people determined to hate their hair?!! It makes me so sad :(
I have SO rarely ever heard a girl say she likes her natural hair. And especially girls with curls seem to rail and complain and think they've somehow been cheated. I don't get it. (And often this seems to be passed down from mother to child! How sad!!) And this phenomenon isn't restricted to race or color of hair!
People have devoted an entire industry to telling others that they're not good enough the way they are and that if they just bought this or that - or looked like this, that they'd be happier. It doesn't matter if you've got curly hair or straight - somewhere along the line I bet you're thought "gee I wish I had --insert opposite type of hair here--"! Grass is greener syndrome.
Ya know what?? If your hair is kinky - celebrate it! If your hair is straight - celebrate it! If it's wavy, curly, spirally, or a mixture of them all - CELEBRATE it! Trying to change it is only going to make it harder to manage in the long run. Plus you can't ever make it look truly natural unless you were born with it! Wishing won't make it so...
No matter your hair type, color, porosity, etc - there are ways to make it easier to live with. I hope your starting to find some of them just by being on this website! :) (and of course, if you have questions - I'm no expert - but please don't hesitate to email me! curlyhairdoideas@yahoo.com )
Q actually has really goofy hair, if you ask me! I wanted to get a picture of it tonight so badly to share with you because the different hair types were so obvious - but I missed it. Anyway, her hair is almost straight on top, and the middle has slight wave on the ends, and the back/nape of her neck is tight little spiral ringlets! Now, I would be lying if I said I don't hope that she gets to keep the ringlets as she gets older - I do! I LOVE curly hair!! But....I also have to accept that maybe as she grows up - the curls will leave!
Even if that happens, we will still love her hair! We will find the best way to honor it and take care of it that we possibly can! Right now - that means taking care of curls :)
We're definitely still learning - but some things that have made life a ton easier in the hair department around here are -
1. sleep with a satin pillowcase! (silk might work, too?)
2. satin carseat cover!
3. very infrequent shampooing
4. experimenting with using baking soda instead of shampoo!
5. Organic and Natural products
6. checking ingredients against the cosmeticdatabase.com
7. using organic coconut oil and shea butter instead of highly processed "products"
8. rinsing and scrubbing (gently) her scalp with just my fingers and water in between hair washings
9. braid hair at night
10. spritz with water and gently detangle every morning
11. detangle with fingers first!
12. never use a brush - use a wide tooth comb
Well, ok. I'm getting off my soapbox now! :D Does anyone else have anything to add to the list?!? Or insights into how we can stop this curl-hatred from spreading even further!?
I am a straight hair mama. I have ALWAYS had stick straight hair. Its fine and does nothing :( I curl it every single day almost with hot rollers (ceramic) in hopes of making it through the day with curls but after a hour or so the curl falls out :(
ReplyDeleteit doesnt bother me that it does but I try to pretty it up each day lol
when apparently its already pretty ;) bedhead anyone ? LOL just kidding.
I agree. You should love you as you :) you are a beautiful person!! ((HUGS))
I wasted a LOT of my teen years straightening my hair - I'm talking, an hour every morning probably. But then, what teenager DOESN'T have an image complex? I think it goes with the territory. But I guess, knowing what I know now, I can help my daughter embrace her curls and hopefully 10 years down the road I won't be screaming at her to get out of the bathroom like my mom did to me...ha.
ReplyDelete