Search Results: Tasha Swearingen
Growing up in the 80s, neither my mom nor I had any idea what to do with my biracial hair. My mom, who is white, raised my brother and me, so hair care duties were all on her shoulders until I got older and was able to do something with the “mess” on my head.
My mom, bless her heart, tried all kinds of products, never really knowing how to use any of them. I remember the horrendous smell of Pink Lotion (a cross between car grease and burnt hair”> being gooped into my hair..
The last time I was in Sally’s about a year ago, I picked up a bottle just to smell it and reminisce. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who wasn’t too keen on the smell twenty years ago, because it has since changed for the better.
Then there was the S-Curl stuff for Jherri curls. I even had the “no-drip” bottle. (Seriously, “no drip?” Bleck!”> Although we weren’t exactly aiming for Jherri curls, it seemed “logical” to attempt to use that stuff on my hair.
Straightening Obsessions
Enter the early 90s when I discovered that people with curly hair can straighten their hair! I would literally sit and dream about what I’d look like with straight hair. I fantasized about how my hair would flow and be easy to brush through (and free of any “no-drip” hair goop”>.
We found a friend in the church we grew up in who was African-American, because African-American women know how to do relaxers, right? Wrong! We assumed she’d know how to do a relaxer, but my flaming hot scalp and half-relaxed hair would prove this assumption to be faulty.
In the late 90s, when I was in tenth grade, I met a professional stylist and decided to try letting her relax my hair. From 1995 until 2011, I religiously made trips to the salon to have my hair relaxed. Then in early 2011, I stumbled across NaturallyCurly.com. While I couldn’t fathom how anyone would actually WANT to wear their hair curly, I kept reading and learning.
Curly Hair Reform School
One of the first things I learned was that not all curly hair is alike. Standard information for most curlies. However, I hated my curly hair, had no idea what to do with it and hid it under the veil of a relaxer for close to 20 years. As a result, I had no idea how to manage it, much less that it was as unique to me as my finger print!
Once I learned that there are actually different types of curly hair, my first endeavor was to figure out what kind I had. It turns out I have a mixture of 3C and 2C depending on the day. Looking around the forums on CurlTalk, I was also able to see pictures of people with hair just like mine. The paragraph long signatures on these photos detailing what hair products they used showed the great care they took in keeping their curls beautiful.
I had no idea about the products mentioned when I first came across the site, so I started reading and learning all I could. I learned what to look out for and avoid in hair care products (such as sulfates and detergents”> and what would be good for my curls.
The most important thing I learned, however, was to ENJOY my own curly hair. Before stumbling across the site, forums and articles, I would have laughed at the idea of wearing my hair naturally. I payed good money to have my hair straightened; why would I wear my hair curly? Besides, it’s just a big poof ball and looks horrible. I could never wear that out in public.
Learning to Love Being Natural
Nonetheless, I took to heart a lot of what I learned at NaturallyCurly and decided to have a go at wearing my hair curly. And you know what? I love it! It’s true, I do!
Now, I won’t say that I wear it my hair curly every day of the week. I paid good money for a professional relaxer, and I’m not about to throw that down the drain completely. However, I’m able to wear my hair however I want, both curly or straight, on any given day. I’ve even had days where I’ve worn it curly in the morning and straight in the evening. I’ve had days where I’ve worn it fresh out of the shower and down in the morning, then dry and in an updo in the evening. Common sense to most curlies, but a brand new experience for me!
While it’s taken me several years to learn how to wear and enjoy my curly hair, I’m so glad I have finally learned. I only wish I would have learned this information sooner.
Learn to embrace your curly hair and don’t try to hide it under the disguise of a hair relaxer or flat iron all the time. Enjoy the versatility of being able to choose how you’ll wear your hair that day, or even that hour!
Want More?
Want more transitioning tales and tips from those women going through it? Read all about Lisa Michelle’s road to natural hair, and her tips for why you should do it, too!
Final Thoughts
My natural hair journey has only just begun, but I’m excited to see where it will take me from here!
What hair routines do or did you follow as you were transitioning from completely straight to natural? I know you have advice to give; I’ve seen it in the forums!
One of the biggest challenges for girls with square shaped faces is finding curly hair styles that don’t make their face look even squarer.
Avoid a “boxy” look by choosing a cut that softens the edges of your face. You can also hide sides of your face either with bangs, or with your style. Fortunate, curls, by their nature, practically do this on their own.
Short Curly Hair Styles
Curlies with short hair will probably have the most luck here. The key to rounding out the edges of a square face lies in rounding out the face as a whole, which is something short curly hair styles generally do.
The wrong style can make your face look like one huge square. Choose curly hair styles that gives you some “oomph” near the top of your head. If you can create the look of an overall circle for the top half of your face (from around the bottom of your ears on up”>, you will be well on your way to rocking your curls!
Larger curls work well for this. Be careful though: adding too much body to the top of your head with nothing at all near your chin can make your head look top-heavy. You can avoid this by adding accessories, such as a necklace or earrings that dangle down past the bottom of your hair.
Medium Curly Hair Styles
Having hair that extends past the jaw line is a huge help for square shaped faces. In fact, the length alone can give the look of having a more oval face. Here, Jessica Simpson gives her face a rounded look by hanging her curls on her shoulders. The medium length draws the eyes to her cheeks and eyes instead of to protruding edges.
In addition, the extra body from her curls (something all of us curlies know a lot about!”> rounds out the vertical edges of her face. The curls also let her hide her face somewhat, which is perfect for someone with high, defined cheekbones.
Long Curly Hair Styles
Long hair is an asset in the styling world, and curlies with square faces are no exception. Not only can you style long hair almost any way you like, you can also just “wash and go” if needed. After washing with your favorite shampoo, just towel dry, add a good leave-in conditioner, comb through with either a wide tooth comb or your fingers, and you’re done!
This works particularly well if you have thick, curly hair. If you choose to pull your hair up in a ponytail, pull some bangs forward to take away from the sharp edges that an updo will highlight. Depending on your hair texture, you may also need to add some type of hardening product (gel, mousse, etc.”> to lock in the curl and prevent frizz, especially with thick hair.
An oblong shaped face (also known as the “rectangular” face”> is one that is longer than it is wide. As a result, it’s important to avoid curly hair styles that add even more length to your face. Ideally, your style should either give your more width or help your face look evenly proportioned.
Luckily, no matter what style we prefer to sport, curly girls have volume on our side, which can help to counter the lack of width in an oblong face.
Short Curly Hair Styles
If you don’t have long hair, or simply prefer not to deal with a longer mane, you will do well to choose curly hair styles that protrude at the sides. Feel free to style your hair in such a way that you will have some bangs, since this will help disguise the length. In addition, a simple wash, rinse, scrunch (with some mousse or a gel“> routine is fabulous for short haired curlies on the go who don’t have time to fuss with their hair.
A few layers can also work well for shorter styles. Choose this type of hair style if you are afraid your curls might “poof” too much if encouraged to flow out to the sides.
An inverted bob on a curly girl will accomplish the same thing. The inverted bob is tapered around the edges to keep it close to your neckline. The hairstyle gives your bob more height and fullness at the top rather than in the back or on the sides.
Medium Curly Hair Styles
With medium length hair, you don’t want to focus too much on adding height. While long and high hair may have been popular in the 80s, it definitely won’t work for you today! Instead, focus on adding some width and let your long tresses just rest softly across your collarbone area. Alternatively, feel free to add a small cap, such as a beanie, to add height without giving your hair too much volume.
For a more formal look, pull your locks into a loose bun (either in the middle or off to the side”> and let a few ringlets softly outline your face.
Long Curly Hair Styles
Long haired curlies get all the luck! Long curly hair hair styles work wonderfully with rectangular faces. With a long face, long locks blend nicely and make the face and hair both appear proportioned. Wearing it down works for a casual affair.
For some long haired curlies, the mere thought of just letting it all hang down is frightening. You know who you are! Feel free to pull your hair up into a loose ponytail, giving yourself a little bump at the crown. This is also a great hair style for working out, or just plain lounging around the house.
You can also simply pull the top layer of your hair up while leaving the middle and back down for a fancier look. Long rings will instantly create a romantic look, or a great wedding hair style.
Jess does a co-wash and shows us how to do her puff hairstyle.
