I have been a curly girl all of my life. At present, I have mid-back length, Botticelli-type curls. Coming from a curly family (with curly parents, curly siblings and even a curly dog!), I not only accept curls, I love them!
I became interested in the Curly Girl book when my dear friend Melinda shared pictures of her newly discovered curls. “Wow,” thought I, “How curly would my hair be?” About two weeks later, I met Melinda and her Curly Girl book in person and I excitedly began to read. I really enjoyed the comprehensible writing style and the “you-can-do-it” attitude. I couldn’t stop reading!
Becoming thoroughly convinced that the hair care methods described in Curly Girl described were the way to go, I bid a fond farewell to my brush and shampoo and plunged myself into the CG routine. Even though I have never blow-dried or used harsh shampoos, I was quite addicted to my hairbrush. Giving that up was going to be a challenge, but thanks to Curly Girl, I felt confident that I could do it. With visions of luxurious ringlets dancing in my head, I faithfully conditioned, scrunched, gelled, clipped and air-dried every day. After three weeks, I was thrilled at my wonderfully defined and bouncy curls! Every day they seemed to retain more and more curliness. After years of being brushed into oblivion, my curls were breathing a happy sigh of relief.
Every curly girl is different. I’ve learned that my hair needs a lot of moisture to reach it’s fullest curly potential. When I used a lighter moisturizing conditioner, I noticed the ill effects almost immediately. My hair was crispy and crunchy and prone to tangling. The worst part was that nearly all of my curls disappeared. After a few frustrating days (no, I did not give in to the temptation to pull my hair out!), I bought a conditioner with a higher moisturizing level. Even after one conditioning with the new product, my hair was curlier and much softer. Then I tried the Love is in the Hair recipe. The results were incredible! Hopefully, if I continue to use the moisturizing conditioner every day and do the Love is in the Hair routine at least once a week, my hair will be it’s healthy, happy curly self.
Besides recognizing that my hair needs extra moisturizing treatment, I have also acknowledged that I have always been obsessed with “tidy” hair. If my hair wasn’t smooth and tight, it just wasn’t right. Clips, barrettes, elastic bands, bobby pins, and more, were in constant use to keep my hair neat and secure. I simply couldn’t tolerate the “free” look. But since I have become a curly girl, I have realized that it’s okay to just let my hair be unconfined and allowed to do its own thing. Now, I like to wear it in more relaxed, “romantic” styles. Items like hair sticks, claws and headbands (that, a few months ago would have sent me into loosey-goosey convulsions) are now my top choices in hair accessories. Becoming curly provided a good excuse to break free from old hair care habits and to acquire a new, and much-enjoyed, “look.”
More importantly than moisturizing and hairdos, I’ve learned that being a curly girl isn’t about have the most striking testimonial or most voluminous amount of ringlets. This is a realization that I’ve really struggled with. Being of a competitive nature (thanks to being a first-born!), I felt that my hair had to be the curliest – or else I despised it. Besides being an entirely unattainable goal, my thinking was just wrong. Being a curly girl is taking care of and being content with the beautiful hair that God has given me, and only me! After all, God’s way is perfect. He made my hair exactly how He wanted it to be and my curls are perfect for me. Once I reached this contentment, I felt so liberated…just like my curls!
Keep on curling!
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