I remember showing my mother a section of my wavy hair against a section of my “straight hair,” and saying, “See? See the difference?” I couldn’t be happier. I finally fit in with the girls at school. I finally had pretty hair.
Now that I’m older, I’ve had plenty of time to pore over numerous beauty magazines and people watch at UO. When I look around campus, it seems like the majority of girls straighten their hair, and it makes me wonder, “Why?” In a society with airbrushed magazine covers, it’s hard not to compare yourself to the women in those pages, even if they’re obviously touched up. Also, not many magazines actually advertise the curly look and tell us to embrace it. When there is certainly no shortage of products to make us look gorgeous, why do we insist upon straightening our hair? Is it more about fitting in, convenience, and time saving, or do we think we look our best with straight hair?
“I straighten my hair because if I don’t, it looks like a bush,” University student Kadence Reimer says. “When I straighten it, it comes out all smooth and shiny. I don’t have to worry about frizz at all.”
Kadence is just one of many girls on campus who doesn’t want to deal with frizzy hair. Summer is approaching fast, and with warmer weather comes the dreaded humidity. Fortunately, Oregon’s humidity level isn’t as high as, say, Florida’s. Still, when it’s too hot outside and nothing cools us down during a straightening session, making peace with our hair and working with, not against, it suddenly doesn’t seem like such a bad idea after all.
Going natural has obvious benefits. One, you’re not burning your hair between two hot metal plates. Granted, some straighteners are less harsh than others, but heat is heat, right? It’s still harmful. Second, when I let my wavy hair take over, I suddenly take on a more care-free attitude. I can roll the windows in my car all the way down because I’m not worried about the wind ruining my hair.
Just for kicks, I Googled “curly or straight hair” to see what would come up. Five of the first eleven results asked which style men prefer and find sexier. And, surprise surprise, some guys actually do prefer a curly-haired girl.
“I think when it comes to sexy, it’s no doubt curls, but not those hard, scary to touch ones. I would prefer the soft, sensuous ringlets.”
“I do like straight hair, but it shouldn’t just hang there like rags. I do like to see some effort made with hair.”
“The best answer is that the guy likes her, not her hair. Maybe if you tell her that enough, she’ll eventually stop freaking out about her hair all the time.”
If you’ve always wanted to try the curly/wild child look, here are several hair products you should try:
David Babaii for WildAid Bohemian Beach Spray, $12
From what I’ve heard, this spray works wonders. Kate Hudson partnered with David Babaii in 2008 to create the WildAid line, and women have had nothing but good things to say about the products. This spray works for all hair types and can be used on wet or dry hair to create a variety of textures and styles. It even smells tropical.
Garnier Fructis Style Sleek & Shine Anti-Humidity Smoothing Milk, $4
Air dry your hair, work in a dime size amount of this product, and watch your curls transform. It smells good and won’t make your hair oily or greasy. “I love it in the summer on beach vacations. I put this in my hair, braid it, and when I come up from the ocean, it is easy to comb right through before I wash it,” one UO student says.
Bed Head After Party Smoothing Cream, $12
Softens hair, adds shine, smells good, controls frizz, and lightweight… what’s not to love?!
Whether you’re continuing classes, picking up a summer job, or going back home, try something new that might make you gutsier and step out of your “beauty shell.” The warmer weather can have an unusual effect on our attitude, so instead of questioning it, let your curls run free!
(Photo credit: Good Housekeeping and Holiday Salon)