Hi my name is Vanathi and I am a curly girl. There is a whole spectrum of us ranging from 2A to 4C, and if none of that means anything to you, you’re either new to the game like me or have straight hair. I am here to break this down for you a little more because I was utterly overwhelmed when I first stepped into the curly girl community and if I’m being honest, I still am, but at least now I am a tad more experienced.
Essentially, straight haired ladies got it good, with their wash and go routines. However, us curly girls have a LOT of work to do especially depending on what kind of hair type we have. 2A – 3B hair is more wavy/curly, whereas 3B and beyond is full on beautiful curls, ringlets, and afros. There are photos for each type of hair, so once you can identify your hair in one of those images, you can then start working your way through the products recommended for that hair type. I had to learn all of this information at 21. For 21 years of my life, my hair has gone through so many iterations. I had relatively straight hair as a child, then it turned real frizzy but slightly bent at the ends, and as I got into high school I just kept braiding it wet because I did not know what else to do with my hair, and the curls from braiding felt like the only option. It wasn’t until one day I decided I wanted to know what my hair looks like without braiding it, that I found out, I had beachy waves with some curls in there.
As young girls, so many of us did not realize what to do with our hair. No one teaches us all the various products we need, especially, as a South Asian it was simply oil, shampoo & condition, and then go on about your day. Ladies I am here to tell you that it is more than that. Here is a simple, gateway method to entering into better curls/waves. Start by incorporating a styler; this can be a curl/wave gel, cream, or mousse. Scrunch these products in your hair after your shower to prompt curl/wave patterns. Next, try to switch to sulfate free & alcohol free hair-care products. You will also want to invest in a good clarifying shampoo to get rid of all the buildup. Finally, you will need a deep conditioning hair mask that will nourish those curls once a month.
The unfortunate truth is, curly hair requires so much trial and error. I still haven’t found my go to products yet, but what I have discovered is that mousse provides my hair the best type of styling. As you go on your journey you will discover your hair and it won’t be on anyone’s timeline but your own, so do not compare yourself. I know that’s hard because I do it constantly, but at some point I had to get real with myself and realize that my hair is not everyone else’s hair and vice versa. Just remember that you are not in this journey alone and there are so many curly girl groups out there that you can connect with such as on facebook or instagram, and more. Step into your power ladies, our hair is beautiful, and the struggle is real, but we are in this together.