Curly Hair

When I was a child, I grew up in a world where it seemed that every adult woman that I met would say 'Oh what beautiful curls! You'll be so pleased when you grow up and all your friends are paying for perms, you lucky thing!'

Lucky? Lucky?? Were they crazy?

I also wish I had a pound for every time I was told how much I was like Shirley Temple or asked to sing 'On the good ship Lollipop'

My family all thought I was cute. They also told me how much like my Grandfather I was. He's the one I have to thank for this mop of unruly curls... thanks Grandad!

Eliza Caroline Phillips was my Great Grandmother and when someone kindly sent me this photograph of her a few years ago, I finally knew who I looked like. If my hair is pulled back and I don't have my mask on, I'm the double of her.

When I started school, I left the protective bubble my family had provided and found I was in a world where I was the only one to have hair that grew up and out instead of flat and down.

Of course, in no time at all, the teasing started. That was soon joined by the name calling and as I progressed through school, this turned to full on bullying.

I didn't know how to handle this and spent many hours crying or saying 'it's not fair!'.

This period of my childhood wasn't helped when at the age of seven, my one and only sister was born and wouldn't you know it, she had straight hair! She took after my fathers side of the family and my roots were firmly planted on my Mothers side.

I tried allsorts of things to make my hair straight. Of course, as a child there's not a lot you can do so I became quite inventive. I remember taking some of my Mum's tights (pantihose) off the washing line and asking her for a stocking. I then made the three legs into a plait and VOILA! A home-made wig LOL! I played in my garden with my wig and pretended I had the longest straightest hair.

Over the years, the name calling and bullying got worse. When Cadburys brought out 'Curly Wurlys' I felt like my world hit an all time low. Just because I had curly hair.

When I left school and was earning my own money, I invested in a chemical straightening kit. Fantastic! Flat straight hair for the first time ever. Shame the chemicals made my hair snap off and it went slightly green, but hey, it was straight!!

As I've got older and wiser, I've come to realise there's no point in fighting Mother Nature.

So if you're like me and wake up looking like you've had a fright, just relax, learn to love the curls and rejoice in being known as 'The One With The Hair'

What I have learnt from living with this natural disaster on my head, is that you should NEVER use a hair brush on curly hair.

If you can afford to, use a good quality specialist shampoo, conditioner and curl definer. I constantly change what I use as I find my hair becomes resistant to one product after a while of continual use.

After washing, blot your hair dry. Don't rub it as this will cause it to frizz.

Apply specialist mousse, serum, gel, creme or lotion. You may need to try a variety of different ones before you find the product that suits your hair.

Don't use too much product as it will weigh heavy in your hair. Mouse products will go 'crunchy' on curls if you put too much on. It's a case of trial and error with each product until you find the right amount for your hair.

After applying the product, I usually just run my fingers through my hair, trying to persuade it to go where I want it to go. If you have time, allow your hair to dry naturally. If you need to use a dryer, make sure you have a diffuser fitted to it as a blast from a dryer will part your curls and leave you with a touch of frizz.

A brush may be ok on naturally wavy hair but not on curly hair. By pulling a brush through those curls it causes them to separate and frizz. Use either an Afro comb or your fingers. This keeps the curls and ringlets in place.

Try and avoid steam or very humid conditions. The curls absorb the heat and then you'll get the Frizzy Lizzy's setting in.

If it's windy or you're going to the beach, tie it back. The wind can be as damaging to curls as humidity, as can the sun! My hair was like straw after three months in Florida.

Find a good hairdresser who is experienced at cutting naturally curly hair. I must be a pain for my hairdresser because I'm always at her when she's cutting it by saying 'Not too much, just a little snip' she now knows if she cuts the amount she thinks she should cut, my hair will spring into such tight curls and look three inches shorter in a heart beat.

Be happy with your hair. I wouldn't be me if I didn't have my curls :)

I hated my curly hair. It made me stand out. I was already different. Taller and heavier than anyone in my class. I didn't really have feelings one way or the other about my curls until about 8th grade, when I realized I was a girl. Then suddenly life became very complicated. I had curls...

I did everything to rid myself of this albatross. I used chemicals like UNCURL and Curl Free, They worked well, but were expensive then I noticed they were killing my hair. So I started using less drastic, but still effective methods. I ironed my hair, I used orange juice cans to roll it on, I blew dried it while stretching the curls out. And last but not least. I taped it down while still wet, then I slept very carefully and when i untapped it in the morning, it was very straight, at least until I walked a little too fast and had one bead of sweat. in the humid area that I grew up in.

This went on for several years until I was in nursing training in my late teens and then suddenly my curls were acceptable and I had more important things to think about. So whether my vanity changed or my life changed, suddenly it became okay to have curly hair. And as happens to all of us, my mother became brilliant and was right...yet again. :)