Search Results: NaturallyCurly
Jesse Reese, Grand Prize Winner of the DevaCurl Challenge, was treated to an all-expenses-paid weekend trip to New York City in September.
With her curly mom, Maryann, in tow, both lovely ladies spent the day at the Devachan Salon and Spa on Broome Street while the Curly Girl herself, Lorraine Massey, tended to their tresses. Lorraine Massey had little to do to condition Reese’s curls because they were “Deva Healthy. “
Reese has been a DevaCurl lover for as long as she can remember and a true crusader for curly girls. She told the Deva staff story after story about how she constantly had to defy the norm as people all around her encouraged her to straighten her hair. The worst culprit was a college professor who told her that her curls were messy and unkempt looking and that if she wanted to get a job after college and be taken seriously, she should straighten her hair. Well, not Reese! Instead she continued to embrace her curls every step of the way and is a strong, smart, beautiful curly girl!
Deva teamed up with NaturallyCurly in the spring for the Curly Girl Challenge, which encouraged readers to try the Deva 3-step regimen and and to share their stories.
As the Grand Prize Winner, Reese will appear in Massey’s “Curly Girl 2” — the sequel to her popular curl bible “Curly Girl“.
We love our CurlTalkers! Here’s a fun peek at the threads that got the most posts yesterday, Nov. 5. All threads are from Non-Hair Discussion, except “Hand Dry Hair Glove”, which is on the General Discussion about Hair forum.
Ms. Yuko Yamashita
The people who make the Yuko Hair Straightening System offer this information about their product.
Yuko Hair Straightening System smooths curly, dry, unruly hair permanently with a revolutionary straightening system that uses heat to restructure the hair’s protein bond. The result is smooth, sleek, shiny, straight, regenerated (repaired”> hair!
The protein-based professional Yuko System uses a specially-designed, patented heat iron set at over 300 degrees to seal in moisture once the cystine bone in the hair is cut off, allowing hair to be molded into any shape. Heat consolidates the straightening process – repairing and regenerating hair. The shine and softness are evident. Salon professionals and the customer both love the system’s results.
Ms. Yuko, who created the system in 1996 with the intent to create a non-coating, straightening system that uses the heat oxidation process to seal in and rebuild hair from the inside out. One of the Yuko steps includes using shark oil on hair and also using steam instead of direct heat to condition hair.
Both an unconventional idea and a breakthrough in the art of hair straightening, the Yuko Straightening System actually uses the hair’s small amount of “living body electricity” to cut off the hair’s cystine bone, reshaping it to appear straight. This goes against the notion that straightened hair is damaged hair: the result is hair that can breathe from a lack of coating, and a hair shaft that is rejuvenated for the first time. If desired, the Yuko process can be reversed to obtain natural curls again.
Yuko Hair Straightening System FAQ
Q: How many touch-ups do you need and how long does the process take?!
A: Expect to have the process done at least twice a year. Long hair takes four and a half hours to be processed. Short hair is about three hours.
Q: How long does the Yuko straightening last?
A: Once the hair is processed it is permanently straightened. There are NO traditional waxes used, therefore time does not “wear down” the process. The straightening comes from a re-structured protein bond inside the hair shaft.
Q: What if I want to wear my hair in a curly style or what my old curls back?!
A: Your hair will respond to any curling iron. If you want to grow out your hair, the Yuko System can be reprocessed with new solutions to bring back curly hair!
Q: What is the youngest age a person can use the Yuko System?
A: It is safe for a child as young as twelve years old to use the process.
Q: Can senior citizens use the Yuko System?
A: YES! The system is processed the same on aged hair but performs just as beautifully.
Q: Is it safe to use this revolutionary hair straightening system?
A: The system has been tested in three continents: Asia, Europe and the USA. It is safe for children over age 5 and for seniors as well!
Check out this video: Susie Essman of the HBO hit show “Curb Your Enthusiasm” speculates with Joy Behar as to whether her comedy comes from her curls. Go Susie!
Reality-TV hairstylist from the hit “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” TV show—Dwight Eubanks—recently shared some of his style secrets on a segment of the Ellen DeGeneres Show, which aired on September 9. Inviting Ellen and her audience into his Purple Door Salon in Atlanta, Ga. Dwight highlighted his must-have Design Essentials products to keep his high-profile clientele ready for their close-ups.
Chief among Dwight’s recommendations for products to help obtain camera-ready hair are Design Essentials’ shine boosting selections, including Design Essentials Stimulations Super Moisturizing Conditioner, Reflections Liquid Shine and Formations Styling Spritz to name a few. Design Essentials products help Dwight do everything from restoring his client’s dry and damaged hair to maximizing shine without weighing the hair down. Photos below show the divine, reality-TV sensation in action!
In a recent episode of “Desperate Housewives of Atlanta”, Kim Zolciak confessed that she wears a brand-new hairpiece every day. And her wigs cost $430 each, sometimes more. $13,000 a month? On wigs?
My gosh! The good she could do for others with that money.
Hopefully, the hair pieces she creates for her upcoming wig line won’t cost that much, and hopefully her customers will have the sense to wear the pieces more than once.
In “My Hair Is Curly” Sidney is a four-year-old little girl who enjoys going to school and who loves to learn. She has gray eyes, a beautiful smile and long, curly hair. On her fourth birthday she starts preschool and makes some new friends. One day, Sidney comes home from school and reveals she hates her hair. After listening to a story about wishing, Sidney decides to make a wish and quickly learns all the things that she would miss if she were just like everyone else.
Retired school superintendent Eleanor D. White, Ed.D, says, “ “My Hair is Curly’ is a clever tale that offers young children an opportunity to learn to appreciate who they are, showing once again that being accepted in not guaranteed by looking like everyone else.”
“My Hair is Curly” is a beautiful book with a beautiful message of learning to love one’s specialness. It’s a great tool for parents working with kids who might be struggling with accepting their curly hair.
Return to Beauty: Old-World Recipes for Great Radiant Skin
By Narine Nikogosian
Atria Books ($25″>
Return to Beauty offers regimens made from fresh ingredients that can be found right in your kitchen. With recipes for winter, spring, summer, and fall, you can look beautiful throughout the year. Narine Nikogosian’s natural and inexpensive products can be whipped up in less than ten minutes. Have a jar of honey in your pantry? Mix it with a few crushed walnuts to create a sensual, aromatic scrub for oily skin. Use dabs of cottage cheese to lighten under-eye circles, or almond oil to rehydrate cracked lips. Narine also provides recipes based on astrological signs, such as for Scorpio, a Gracious Grapefruit Mask made of grapefruit, egg yolk, and soothing honey to rejuvenate your skin even after a late night.
There are even a couple of recipes in the back of the book for hair preparations: Shiny Hair Mask and Last Bottle of Beer.
Narine is from a long line of Armenian women who have been harnessing the powers of nature to create everlasting beauty. For the first time, she reveals her secrets so that you can have star-worthy skin.
Chris Rock is being sued by filmmaker Regina Kimbell, who claims he stole the idea for his upcoming film “Good Hair” from her. Kimbell’s movie, “My Nappy Roots: A Journey Through Black Hair-itage” has proven similar to “Good Hair.” They each were inspired by the filmmakers’ daughters, interview medical professionals, feature a comedian, and travel to India to investigate the hair black market.
Kimbell allowed Rock to see a pre-screen last year. During the screening, Rock yelled out, “We’ve got to go to India!” He then refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement, which would have ensured his discretion and trust regarding “My Nappy Roots.” Rock is being sued for at least $5 million for copyright infringement, unfair competition, fraud and deceit. She is also trying to block the release of “Good Hair,” according to the Associated Press.
Rock’s publicist declined to comment.
“Good Hair” opens in select cities this week and nationwide on October 23, while Kimbell’s film received several awards at independent movie festivals between 2002 and 2007.
Look for a preview of “Good Hair” early next week here on NaturallyCurly.com, and a full review after the nationwide release later this month.
“My Nappy Roots” Trailer
“Good Hair” Trailer
Michael Boychuck, hair aficionado, celebrity stylist and owner of three of the nation’s most stylish salons, offers his expert opinion on the fiercest trends for hair during the fall and winter seasons. Boychuck’s team of expert stylists at AMP at the Palms, COLOR at Caesars Palace and PRIMP at Palms Place in Las Vegas are beautifying their clients with full-bodied hair and brown hues in preparation for the cooler temperatures.
“The key to gorgeous hair during the winter is to make it appear full, lush and shiny,” said Boychuck. “Colder weather will zap the moisture out of the hair cuticle, leaving it dry and lifeless.”
A savior for hair in need of TLC this winter is the keratin straightening treatment, according to Boychuck. Keratin treatments — also known as Brazilian straightening — revive and replenish hair, leaving it soft, smooth and camera-ready. Keratin straightening eliminates 99% of unruly frizz and will not damage hair, unlike other straightening products and services.
Boychuck states this season dark, rich shades of chocolate and mahogany will take center stage as a main trend in hair color, adding that the darker hues will make hair look shinier, longer and healthier. Loose, flowing waves will continue to dominate as the preferred hairstyle of women across the country this winter.
Boychuck is best known for his work on the golden locks of longtime client, and biggest fan, Paris Hilton, who recently wrote on her Twitter page, “At my house with Michael Boychuck getting my highlights done. He is the best colorist in the world! I love how he makes my hair look.”
George Maloof partnered with Boychuck to open AMP Salon at the Palms in 2001. AMP is known for its laid-back style and is popular among the city’s most stylish locals. COLOR opened late last year at Caesars Palace and is Boychuck’s biggest salon. Its luxurious design provides guests with style, in style. His newest salon, PRIMP, opened in May 2008. Visit www.MichaelBoychuck.com for more information on Boychuck and his salons.
Jennifer Love Hewitt mixes romance, glamour, and boho with this style. We love the side twists and the slight messiness of the waves.
- Work a small amount of gloss cream onto damp hair to help prevent frizz and add intense shine. Part hair in the center and blow-dry straight with a round brush.
- Set hair in large rollers or use a large-barrel curling iron to get large loose waves, spraying hair with a thermal protectant priming spray as you create each wave
- Take two small portions of hair at the front of the head, on each side of the part, and twist them back, securing with a pin
- Coat fingers in more gloss cream and separate waves carefully, while lightly coating them with the cream. Keep some of the waves intact ·Spray hair with a dry hair spray to set the style
Products we recommend
Alterna’s Hemp with Organics Repair Gloss, $19
Alterna’s Caviar Styling Tonic, $26
Alterna’s TEN Hair Spray, $35
Kate Gosselin
“You have a new hairstyle. It’s a first!” said Barbara Walters, as today’s show began.
Joy Behar added, “It looks cute!”
Finding the perfect stylist isn’t always easy, but when you do, it’s nirvana.
It takes a special stylist to work with curly haired clients, doesn’t it? We’re picky and we’re fickle. We want the perfect curl and we want it now, and we want it affordably. And we want it on the second day, the third day ….
Most stylists don’t get curl-specific training in cosmetology school, so a curl specialist has to be someone who’s struck out on her own to get extra training, through classes or just lots of experience. Curl expertise is hard-won, and it’s something to be treasured.
A few lucky CurlTalkers have found nirvana—curl-expert stylists who have made their curls shine. In this month of celebrating stylists, we asked these CurlTalkers to describe how stylists have affected their lives. Here are a few of their stories.
Wookiemouse
I had never even heard of the Curly Girl method before meeting my stylist, Sharon Pell. I just used whatever drugstore products I could find that could tame my massive head of frizz and just chalked it up to “just my hair type.” I had a good curly stylist before and always got a good cut, but I still was lacking in product. When I left the salon, the frizz came back and I felt like I was back to square one. Whatever confidence I had coming out of the salon was gone as well.
When I moved to a new town, I called around looking for someone experienced in curly hair. A local salon said Sharon was excellent and a curly as well, so I booked an appointment — blindly. When I arrived, her hair was SPECTACULAR — like straight out of a magazine! I asked her her secret, and she said she shampoos maybe once every 6 weeks or so. At the time, I was beyond grossed out. Wasn’t her hair supposed to be stringy and gunky at that rate, not full of shiny bouncy curls? That’s when she clued me in to the whole Curly Girl routine with sulfate free shampoos and no-cones. I found it pretty easy to do and my hair responded pretty fast — I went from what looked like an ’80s frizzy wave perm to actual curls! That was in 2007 and I never looked back — or went elsewhere. Sharon has changed salons since then and I just follow her around like a puppy. I have never once had a bad cut from her or walked away without learning a new styling tip. She has had a profound impact in my life — from going to “how can I manage my hair so it doesn’t look like something is living in it today”, to “let’s see what this combo will do!” — because even on my “bad” hair days now, my curls still look fantastic! And that will give you one heck of a confidence boost.
sarahsmiles
CurlTalker sarasmiles has accepted her curls, with the help of a great stylist.
Last year (when I was in 10th grade”> I went to the hair salon, and as my hair stylist, Kristy Prescott, was washing my hair, she goes, “Wow! You hair is curly, isn’t it?” I said “Yup.” She asked me if I leave my hair curly often and I was a little embarrassed. I said, “No. Never.”
As she was cutting my hair she told me all about curly hair and how to handle it. I learned to diffuse my hair, dry my hair with a T-shirt, etc. I got a mousse that day so I could leave my hair curly.
At the end of the school year I wore my naturally curly for the first time since 7th grade. People couldn’t believe it was my natural hair. They all wanted to touch it, and spring my curls. One girl came up and said, “Wow, it must have taken you forever to do your hair.” And I said, “Actually only about 10 minutes.”
It was so liberating for everyone to see the real me. Now I’m accepting of my curly hair. I’ve learned to appreciate how special and unique my hair is. Instead of fitting in at school with my stick-straight hair I’ve found out it’s way more fun to stand out!
Meghuney
From the Sun-In incident of 1994 to inverted bobs and finally, a desire to go natural — my hairstylist, Sharon, has been with me for almost 20 years.
I’ve been going to the same stylist since I was 11, if you can believe that. I am now 29. When I first went to Sharon, I was 11 and in elementary school. My 3B/C hair had become too huge for own 3A fine-haired mother to handle. Blown straight in the morning, by the afternoon of heat in Southeast Texas, my hair had reached the mammoth size of a blown-up cotton ball. Finally, my mother dragged me to an “ethnic” salon, as she called it. My mother had no clue how to handle hair with a little bit more kink.
Through flat irons and later, relaxers, Sharon helped me work my way through elementary and middle school without being called “Frizz Fest” as I had been not-so-affectionately named previously. One summer, when I was 12, I decided I wanted lighter hair and when Sharon wouldn’t dye it for me at such a young age I turned to the hair-dye devil…Sun-In. As my hair fell out in clumps, Sharon was there for me each week with a trim and deep-conditioning treatment.
You should have seen her face once my hair grew back and I decided to do my own Halle Berry type cut that looked more like Bozo the Clown. Months later, when my hair grew out, Sharon talked me into going natural.
I saw myself in the mirror with loopy curls and fell in love. Years later — I still went back and forth with straight and curly but Sharon has always been there…every snip, cut and curl of the way.
pjsmommy12
I’ve had the same stylist for over 15 years. Her name is Cindy and have followed her to 3 different salons. She has done everything to my hair … and that’s NOT an understatement. I am totally comfortable with her and can tell her anything. The funny thing is that I went to make an appointment with another stylist who was recommended, but she was unavailable. I guess fate intervened. When I decided to start wearing it curly again (a little over a year ago”>, she went with the flow. When I started CG a few months ago, again she understood. Even though she is not “trained” in curly hair, she understand it, listens to me and gives me beautiful cuts. She uses sulfate- and ‘cone-free products, but I do leave with it wet. I am just happier with how I fix my own hair. I love her like a sister and told her that if she retires, she’ll just have to come to my house and do my hair. I have sent her several clients recently and they feel the same way. In a word … she is awesome.
misfitcurls
Tiffany Anderson (aka our very own struttswife”> is my wonderful curly stylist.
On my first visit to Tiffany I already knew a very good amount about being cg thanks to NC. It was fantastic to have finally found a stylist who was not only a great curly cutter but someone who knew all the acronyms and procedures!
She provided me with a pamphlet that she created on going cg (which I was able to pass on to my mother”> that spelled everything out clearly and was very user friendly!
She also informed me of things I could not figure out on my own (texture, porosity, etc!”> and was able to help me pick products based on what my hair needed. No more getting sucked in by advertising claims!
The best thing I have received from my stylist (besides beautiful hair cuts!”> was the inspiration, advice, and support on not only being a proud curly, but to become a curl stylist myself.
She has helped me find a great school and promised to “teach” me her method so I can pass this wonderful gift onto other curlies!
She has been such an inspiration and I hope I can become even just half as good as she is!
She has changed my life and helped me find a career that I am sure I will really love.
M2LR
CurlTalk’s M2LR — her hair was “saved” by the right stylist.
A few years back, someone introduced me to the “Curly Girl” by Lorraine Massey. I’d just had my first baby, and my hair was a wreck. It started falling out, was no longer full due to the pregnancy, and I was back into the hair-hating days of my youth. I had tears, I had sadness…I felt like I was in my teens again. I was NOT happy.
I tried the Curly Girl (CG”> routine. Stopped using shampoos, and anything with a ‘cone in it. It was a miserable failure. My hair was frizzy, lifeless, and stringy. I know that’s hard to picture, but clearly my hair was in a war with itself.
In August of 2008, a thread was started on NaturallyCurly.com about haircuts. Someone mentioned a ‘Deva cut.’ A Deva cut is the cutting method developed by Lorraine Massey. It involves cutting the hair dry, at a specific angle. There is also a method to cutting the under-part of the hair, and then the canopy. I lamented on the site that the only salons that do the Deva cuts were in the San Francisco area, at least 2 hours away from me.
Another poster posted the link to the Deva site and said, “Hey! You never know!!!” I did a search for a salon, and there was one only 17 miles away. I could do 17 miles. I called immediately. I talked to the owner Susan. She said that she does the Deva cuts. It was about 10 a.m., and my appointment was for 2 p.m. I was shocked that something was open so soon! I took the appointment without question.
Susan then gave me my instructions:
Wash hair, let it air dry without touching it, and without product in it
I did so, and my hair didn’t look too bad. It was still a little damp when I arrived for my appointment, but that didn’t seem to matter too much. Susan explained how the cut works, and why they cut it dry. She then grabbed a small rolling chair, her comb and scissors and set to work. It’s a SLOOOOOOW process, your first Deva cut. I closed my eyes a few times, relishing in the feeling of the small pointed end of the comb searching out curly strands, and the quiet snip of the scissors. She worked all around my head and was done in about 30 minutes. During the cut, she explained that she also had curly hair, and always felt that knowing how curly hair works, how it’s formed and why it’s so different from straight hair was something she needed to do. She told me about her experiences in New York, meeting Lorraine and taking her course on learning to cut curly hair with the Deva method.
She didn’t wash it, didn’t do anything else to it, not even any kind of de-frizzing pomade! I looked in the mirror and I felt transformed. My hair didn’t have any product in it and it looked great. I had found a new like, no LOVE, for my hair!!! She explained some of the Deva products, how and why they work with curly hair. I ran out to my nearest ULTA and purchased her suggestions.
It’s been a year and I have been using these products ever since. Getting my first Deva cut from Susan was truly a transformation in my feelings towards my hair. I very rarely have a bad hair day, and two-day hair isn’t the nightmare that it was in the past. Spraying a bit of lavender-water on it, scrunching a little and it is good to go.
In the last year, I have gotten 4 Deva cuts. I go in maybe every 4 months, and my hair doesn’t turn into triangle-head like it used to with the “straight-across” cuts I used to receive. I have never received more compliments on my hair, either. It was as if my hair was something people started to notice more, and it actually looked GOOD!
TooSense
I found my stylist when I had to cut off most of my hair after straightening turned it into a frizzy mess. I had extensions put in and she was the only stylist in the immediate area with experience cutting hair extensions. She also happens to be African-American.
She did a beautiful job w/the extensions, so when I had them removed I went back to her for a cut. She is truly phenomenal. My hair has never looked better. When I first went to her I was crying myself to sleep every night. Today we can laugh about her holding my hand through all my hair trauma.
Why it took me 38 years to realize an AA stylist would be really good at cutting curly hair, I don’t know. But I’m glad I finally did.
Amanda Statham
Master Stylist and Artistic Director
Ann Kelso Salon
Austin, Texas
1400 S Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78704
(512″> 467-2663Q: How many years of experience do you have?
A: As a master stylist for 13 years, I have been deeply involved in the burgeoning Austin fashion scene.
Q: What influences your creative style?
A: My experience in major music, fashion, film and editorial styling throughout the region has afforded me the venue for the type of creative exploration and expression that has helped Austin and Ann Kelso Salon burst onto the national style scene. Lisa Lobe, Go-Go’s, Austin Music Awards, Flashback, Blender, and countless commercial and independent films are just a few of the places you can experience my interpretation of the increasingly popular “Austin Style”.
Q: What are some of your responsibilities around the salon?
A: As one of Ann Kelso’s design team leaders, it is my responsibility to inspire and motivate staff to create and deliver the authentic urban glamour that Ann Kelso Salon is known for in the city.
Q: What is your perspective on fashion, style and beauty?
A: Currently we’re in a very cool place where every single era is in style. The possibilities and combinations are endless and it’s my passion to take things that feel standard – and tweak them – to create something fabulous for my clients. And my “anything goes” personality doesn’t just make it possible, it makes it a reality.
Tyra Banks
Tyra Banks announced plans last week to reveal her natural hair to kick off the ninth season of “The Tyra Banks Show.”
“Guess What! I’m rockin’ my REAL hair on my talk show September 8th. No fake hair at all!” she posted to her Twitter page. “Will be the hair coming out of my scalp! 4 all 2 C! no ponytails, no ballet bun head. hair will be out and free!”
In an official statement, Tyra said her show is “taking it to the next level and getting more real than ever before by encouraging women everywhere to own and rock what they’ve got and be proud.”
Going a step further, she’s declaring Sept. 8 National Real Hair Day. “We welcome everyone to go natural with me,” she said.
Tyra, we at NaturallyCurly hope you will embark on this with the knowledge that women everywhere are watching, and that they want to know you are serious about this — that it’s not a short-lived publicity stunt.
CurlTalk poster Marah Mizrahi says: “If so… well alright! But removing a wig or weave for a day or a season is not the same thing as transitioning to natural hair.”
Phoenix concurs: ” If you really want to make a difference, don’t do it for just one day or one episode. That’s not transitioning IMO; it’s just the same as taking your wig off.
We know it won’t be easy. Even for those who aren’t in the public eye, making the transition from straight to natural hair can be difficult. It is about learning to accept the texture with which you’ve been born rather than trying to mold it into something else. Making the decision to embark on that journey can be the hardest part of the transitioning process. Many people spend years thinking about it before they ever take the leap.
You have an opportunity to be a role model to all who have transitioned, are in the midst of it or are thinking about it. You are the most most famous star to ever go natural in such a public way. With that comes the responsibility of being committed to that journey, even after the television cameras are switched off.
In the past, you were quoted as saying you didn’t want any guy to see you without your wigs or extensions because feels like guys are with you for the image that they see on TV and in magazines. You even went so far as to say you feared that if one woke up next to you without your glamorous hair, he might not call back.
While they may not be famous supermodels, many women share those same insecurities. Through you, Tyra, a generation of women can see that they don’t have to perm their hair to be considered beautiful. Through you, they can see that one of the world’s most beautiful women is confidently rocking her natural texture, and so can they.
This poster speaks to the impact you can have: “It’d be nice to see Tyra go natural and show the masses that highly textured hair can be just as fierce as a long blonde wig. We need to teach our youth this NOW. My daughter hates her naps, and it breaks my heart when I see her pining behind her straight haired counterparts.”
So you go, girl. Rock that natural texture. We support you in this journey and can’t wait to see the au natural Tyra.
It turns out that in August, we celebrate International Beer Day!
We think there’s no better way to celebrate than by treating yourself to a beer hair rinse.
Some experts say the proteins from the malt and hops found in beer coat, rebuild and repair damaged hair. So this August, and once a month hereafter, give your hair a special malty-hoppy treat!
How to Beer Rinse
1. Choose a beer that does not have a strong odor.
2. Shampoo and rinse hair as usual.
3. Pour the flat, warm beer on your hair and work it through.
4. Rinse with lukewarm, not hot, water.
By Special Contributor Helen Hyun-hwa Lee
Helen Lee, with straight hair.
I have naturally curly hair. I inherited the trait from my father, whose hair neatly bundles up to sophisticate his demeanor.
My curvaceous locks are tangles when brushed numerous times, and a bush when I awake in the morning. My friend Yoon-joo claimed the tangles formed a frizzy iron pot scourer, making me look like a North Korean who crossed borders to escape poverty (a nasty joke, given the distress above the 38th parallel”>. With its suggestions of rustic backwardness, the North Korean nametag was something I naturally wanted to dispel. So I took 40,000 won to the neighborhood hairdresser, who ironed my crumpled hair into slick conformity.
I used to flaunt my curly hair with great pride. I thought the coils were cute, as did my loving parents (but of course what part of you isn’t cute to them”>. But my love for my mane was challenged when I came to Korea after having lived in Chicago for the bulk of my childhood. The glossy, regular curls celebrities donned were all right, even beautiful, but my unruly, outspoken (pasta”> were out of the question. They had to go.
At first, the girls simply implied: “Well doesn’t (put celebrity’s name here”>’s straight hair look amazing?” Then their objections grew in volume until they outright said, “Your hair’s really ugly.” I was indignant, I was hurt, but I wasn’t stupid enough to brush away their advice. Korean communities are so tenaciously interwoven that peer pressure is a dominant driving force in many decision-makings; this one was no exception. I thanked them for their selfless advice.
By razing my hair with a steam hair straightener, I not only burnt each tip ― severe hair damage that took years to recover ― but also flattened my self-esteem and distinct identity, that quirk I had thought so characteristically me. Self-consciousness and individuality are prized above all in the American classroom, where the best advice a teacher can give is, “Be yourself, not what people tell you to be,” but I had been brainwashed into believing that I wasn’t good enough ― nor was my frizzy hair.
While living in Korea, I felt as if every opportunity was bent on repressing my individuality, my inherent desire and need to be different. I’m too outspoken. I use my chopsticks incorrectly. What’s wrong with my brain? Don’t I know what I must do? Every time someone corrected my ways, I could feel my anger gauge rising to the tip of my head, but Korean values had swamped me by the time I was full to the brim. The anger just oozed out with no particular violence or vengeance, but a sweet resignation. A white flag.
Of course, I remained different. Simply taming my Medusa didn’t restructure my genetic makeup, which ensures that I differ from everyone else (even if just by the slightest”>. However, I wasn’t who I was “made” to be. This distortion of self was perhaps inevitable. It wasn’t just my friends, but an entire societal juggernaut out there to get me (no, I’m not paranoid, thank you very much”>. The Korean education system enforced homogeneity ― uniforms; hair length restrictions; no makeup, high heels, or unconventional ideas. The message inculcated was “Study, study, study, get rich, be polite, don’t talk back to elders.” I was told what to wear, what to say, what to do ― basically, how to live.
The uniformity enforced in society had spilled over into cosmetics to nag me about my curls.
There are ideal models of beauty in all societies, suggested to the unknowing teenager through jean commercials, magazines and television shows like Gossip Girl, but none so enforced as the Korean.
You want large eyes, with double eyelids; a large, pointy nose; luscious lips; a V-lined, egg-shaped face and a slender, graceful figure complete with large breasts and a tempting derriere. The celebrities that teenagers are typically exposed to look virtually identical, as if stamped and assembled on a forever busy conveyor belt.
The situation’s not so different for teenage boys. Slick cars, six-packs, tall height, wide shoulders, gorgeous face ― these are the criteria for male perfection in Korean society. No wonder Korea’s infamous for cosmetic surgery. I don’t want to be overcritical of my own nation – I’m actually quite patriotic ― but that doesn’t change the fact that change is urgent. I want to live in a nation where curly hair, ugly faces and obesity aren’t looked upon with disdain, where the community embraces individuals as they are. Individuality, rather than uniformity. Is that too much to ask for?
Well, I guess it’s “I once had curly hair.” I’ve ceased to straighten my hair, but the past can’t be unwritten. I hate to admit it, but the straightening became addictive, until I couldn’t control myself when the slightest curl led me to the closest hairdresser. My curls are now limp, verging on nonexistent. They will never be as curvaceous as they once had been. I suppose this is the price I pay for conforming.
The writer is a senior at the American International School of Guangzhou, China. She has lived in the U.S., Korea and China, and can be reached at 98leeh@aisgz.edu.cn.
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