Search Results: Tracey Wallace
We all know it’s true: kids can be cruel. The media coverage on the effects of bullying from this year alone have proven that bearing the brunt of cruelty, especially at a young age, can have lasting effects, and can even lead to tragedy.
Being different than the status quo can ruin a children’s memories of school and demolish their self-esteem, possibly for a lifetime. So how can you protect your child with curly hair from the straight-haired kids at school? Straightening isn’t the answer.
As parents, we have a responsibility to teach our children to prepare for and face their problems. Unfortunately, however, most of us still don’t even know how to deal with those problems ourselves.
The overwhelming majority of readers on the CurlTalk forum simply say they are glad they are past that stage. For your kids, this journey is just beginning. It’s high time to learn how to prepare them, and yourself, for the school years ahead.
“I Can’t See Over Her Hair!”
Let’s be honest: most curlies have volume, and lots of it. Gravity is unknown to the curliest of us, and this is just as true for kids in elementary school with Afros. So, how do you deal with a head of tall curly hair when the student behind her can’t see the board?
How to deal with this claim
Talk to the teacher.
Most elementary school teachers chose their profession because they love children. God bless them. However, moving your child to the back of the room is an easy solution that will only keep the other children happy, but not your curly kid.
Schedule a conference with the teacher and try to have it in her classroom. Encourage your child to explain the set up of the room before you meet her teacher. This way, when you request that the teacher rearrange her desks – with your help, of course – you can toss some ideas around.
According to Eduplace.com, elementary classrooms benefit more from having separate learning centers in circular patterns instead of traditional lines. Do a little research and see if you can’t persuade her.
Negative Nicknames
Creative or not, they’re plain mean! I’m not sure a single child in the history of elementary managed to escape without a nickname. Even the positives ones back then felt uncomfortable. In fact, the whole idea of having to answer to a name different than the one your parents gave you is a troubling experience.
Mine was, “heart girl,” because I liked to wear a vest that had a heart printed on it. Once the nickname stuck, I never wore it again. In fact, I don’t think I ever wore anything with hearts on it after that, even to this day! You don’t want this to be the way your child feels about her curly hair.
How to talk about nicknames
To avoid the situation, sit your child down before school starts and talk about respect. Explain that everyone’s opinion deserves respect, even theirs. If they don’t like something – explain the difference here between “someone” – let them know that it is OK to express it.
During the year, be sure to consistently ask your child whom their friends are and if they have any “fun” nicknames. If one comes out, ask her how they feel about it. If it’s negatively, let her know that respect is a two-way street. If she is respecting them, they should respect her, and respect means not calling people names they don’t like.
Pressure to Straighten
It starts young…
You’ve worked hard to keep your little girl’s hair natural, curly and beautiful. Now, her best friend is encouraging her to get her hair relaxed like she just did. So what do you do when your child comes home, excited about a new hair ‘do and worried that her curly hair isn’t “in?”
You might think that you can just browse photos of celebrities with curly hair or have her sit down and chat with another curly that you know. But children have a way of thinking their best friend is cooler than just about everyone else. Nonetheless, you should still try to find natural hair role models for her.
How to fight hair envy
Find something else that differs between your child and her friend — skin tone, eye color, hair color, freckles, whatever. Make sure that this something is a genetic feature, preferably something that she has in common with you or her father.
Explain to her that the way she looks is both beautiful and a combination of generations of people, who have worked hard to give her what she has.
You might say, “Look at your dad’s hair, it is the same color as yours! That was a gift from him, to you,” or, “And those curls, Aunt Susan gave those to you.”
Make her see that she is different and original because of what her family has given her. And then, just hope that the conversation doesn’t spring back up in middle school, when her familial ties, and perhaps a small guilt trip, will be less likely to change her mind.
Were you bullied as a child (or as an adult”>? Share your experiences down below.
What’s next?
Not all nicknames are good. In fact, most aren’t.
The sad truth about hair discrimination in school.
Before you can instill confidence in your child, it’s important to love yourself. This is how a mother’s confidence impacts her daughter.
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The natural hair community is getting stronger by the day here in the U.S., but that isn’t the case for the rest of the world. In Brazil, the home of the Brazilian Blow Out treatment that uses formaldehyde to straighten tight curls and coils, the pressure to straighten begins very young.
Much like the stories that comes from those in the natural hair community today, who remember long, painful hours of having their hair straightened before they even stepped into an elementary school, women with tight curls in Brazil are encouraged to straighten their hair as well as that of their daughters. And, that encouragement doesn’t just come from the media and culture — it has also been supported by medical professionals in hospitals.
This story isn’t new. Back in September, the site Black Women in Brazil broke the news about Santa Joana hospital, which posted a response on its Facebook page to the following question:
“Minha filha tem o cabelo muito crespo. A partir de qual idade posso alisá-lo? (My daughter has very kinky/curly hair. At what age can I straighten it?”>”
Their response was to use alternatives to formaldehyde straightening treatments (which the ANVISA [Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária or National Agency for Sanitary Vigilance] strictly prohibits on children”> in order to give your daughter beautiful hair.
Many on Facebook considered the post racist and prejudiced and since, the hospital has removed it. However, per usual, there were two sides to the argument.
While many thought the use of the words “makes children more beautiful” in reference to straightening the hair was an outright declaration of prejudiced and even adultification of children, others thought that the post was simply meant to encourage mothers not to use chemicals on their daughters’ hair — especially in a country that so values straightened hair.
And, to be fair, the post did call out straight hair alternatives to chemical processes.
Either way, the story is just one more reminder that this movement is borderless and just as important globally as it is locally.
Our question to you: what would be your response to seeing the post?
Unfortunately, this article is no April Fool’s joke. You can read the full story on Black Women in Brazil.
The conversation concerning the possibility of a pill that could change a person’s natural hair texture has been a hot topic since 2007, when “The International Journal of Dermatology” published their findings that the texture and curl pattern of your hair depend on the shape of your follicle. According to the findings, people with hook-shaped follicles produce hair containing more kertain protein on one side, rather than evenly distributed, which causes the curl. Those with straight hair have a round follicle that coats the hair shaft evenly in keratin.
Following the 2007 publication, “The American Journal of Human Genetics” published a finding in 2009 suggesting that there may be a way to change the texture medically through gene therapy or a hormone treatment.
Industry Interest
Beauty company L’Oreal Paris has staked the most claim on the findings, researching how the development of a pill to alter the shape of the hair follicle will further affect hair texture.
In 2010, the NaturallyCurly community caught on to the going ons of the pill research from an article in “Essence Magazine” suggesting that there is a “cure” for curly and coily hair in the works. Though neither L’Oreal Paris nor anyone behind the research has mentioned the pill as a “cure” for anything – the pill would potentially offer women the opportunity to try out other hair types without heat damage. Allowing women to switch between hair types simply by taking a pill would very likely prove to be an extremely profitable business model, and L’Oreal Paris is attempting to take hold of that niche.A Long Way Off
Yet, here in 2013, the pill is nowhere near production and remains largely an idea or myth. In a blog question asked to “The New York Times” on May 13, 2013, the newspaper quotes Nick Martin, a professor at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research is Brisbane, Australia, saying that the pill is still “a long way” off.
Despite more than five years of findings and publications, as well as a piqued interest from one of hair care’s largest brands, it’s likely we won’t see any hair texture changing pill anytime soon – if ever at all. The science behind exactly what causes curly versus straight hair is not an absolute one and what causes curls for one person may only be a small part of what causes them for another, meaning the pill wouldn’t work for everyone.
This doesn’t stop the heated debate, though, between women about whether or not they would take such a pill – testing to see if the grass really is greener. If the pill allowed for an easy transition from straight to curly or curly to straight and then back again to your natural texture, many feel that it would be worth a shot. However, as with many hair texture altering methods, it’s likely that your natural texture will never be the same – big chop or not.
Would you pop a pill to change your hair texture?
PHOTO CREDIT: JAMES FARRELL
NaturallyCurly: Tell us about your curly hair journey. When did you go natural and why?
Jazmine: I have been natural and curly my entire life. I have never used product to change the texture and I have never worn extensions or weave.
Have you ever received negative comments about your hair?
Jazmine: When I was younger I did receive negative comments, such as nappy, wild, crazy, why is your hair like that, etc. They were mostly from school kids who were unaware and ignorant.
What are your thoughts about the droves of women accepting their naturally wavy, curly, and coily textures?
Jazmine: I think it is still very tough for women to accept their natural hair. What makes it tough is the past perception of curly natural hair women, which has altered so much now that they have the urge or confidence to go natural and accept the potential of a grueling transitioning process. Curly all the way! I love the ringlets and coils in my natural curls.
How do you protect your hair from the cold?
Jazmine: I protect my hair with strong conditioners that are free of drying alcohols and harsh chemicals. I limit use of shampoos on my hair and try to deep condition weekly.
How do you style your hair when you’re exercising?
Jazmine: My hair is quite short. I am in the process of growing it out after making a drastic cut two years ago. I just leave it in a curly fro while I exercise. As it gets longer I’ll use a headband or a beanie hat in the winter.
PHOTO CREDIT: JAMES FARRELL
We’ve heard from a lot of women who don’t want to exercise because it interferes with their hair routine. What advice do you have for them?
Jazmine: You don’t necessarily have to wash it more. Try and keep hair in its most natural state while exercising. If it is long do not pull and brush it back in a tight ponytail. Try and keep it pulled back loose or use a headband. Also, keep a water spray bottle with you and some leave conditioner or styling balm so that you can freshen up your curls post workout session. It is not necessary to submerge hair in water and wash it every time.
Being an Olympian calls for a hectic schedule. What are your go-to styles?
Jazmine: My go-to styles are natural and loose or headband and loose. If I want a more tailored look I’ll wear a side part and pulled back in a ponytail
What are your must-have products?
Jazmine: My must-have products include: Biolage Matrix Aqua Immersion Creme Masque, Solange style taffy, and Mizani Supreme Oil Hair Treatment.
What’s your favorite moment being at the Sochi Olympics?
Jazmine: My favorite moment was finishing the race and getting out of the car to a cry of friends and family members of teammates, and fans screaming my name, USA, waving flags, chanting, and being so happy, honored, proud, and excited. I was overjoyed with emotions and at that moment no matter my result, I finally realized I am an Olympian!
Do you have any advice for young women who aspire to be Olympians?
Jazmine: The biggest yet simple advice I can give young women is just the truth. The road is far from easy. There are often going to be more lows than highs. There will be time when you feel like you took one step forward and three steps back but to be brutally honest, those that are privileged and honored to become Olympians are those who continue to believe in themselves and push through to accomplish their goals of success.
Natural hair is part of who you are — and don’t let anyone tell you it isn’t. Much like accepting and subsequently owning your own, individual personality, natural hair is a key component of what makes you, you.
Don’t get that wrong, though. Just because your natural texture is a part of the story that makes you unique doesn’t mean that it is so easy to accept, or even to love. Learning to shine through your own personality, rather than mimicking those you see on TV or in pop culture, can take years — and some never truly master it.
The same is true for your natural hair. After years of Disney princesses with long, straight hair or Herbal Essences commercials showing you the best, albeit most pleasurable, way to shampoo, it comes as no surprise to anyone in the natural hair community that sometimes, your texture can get you down.
But that need not be the case. Luckily, there are a few habits to slowly incorporate into your life that can ensure even on those bad hair days (of which even our straight hair sisters have”> you feel no less confident about your curls.
Confidence Boosters
Find a Community
One of the biggest, best parts about natural hair is that there is a seriously supportive community out there. And, one that you shouldn’t take for granted. A little over a decade ago, there weren’t sites like NaturallyCurly, or hundreds of YouTube channels, reviews and bloggers. There were near zero products specifically for natural hair (unless it was to straighten it”> and the only advice anyone got for how to deal with their curls was to flatten them out.
Today, that is no longer the case — and that’s a reality both on and off line. If you are seriously starting to retrace your steps back to a straighter hair routine, first check out a couple meet ups. No, not because these women should convince you to stay natural, but because you need a community of friends who understands how hard it is to transition, who have been there and who will support your decision either way, even if it isn’t to stay curly — for now.
Big Chop (Seriously”>
Transitioning without big chopping is fine. It works for some people, usually people with a lot of extra money and wigs and a really great hairdresser. But, it can work. For the rest of us, big chopping is the better option. And yes, we all know how scary it is. But there’s one thing you don’t know about yourself until you big chop that you never will if you don’t do it: how much you are not your hair.
That might seem counterintuitive to the natural hair community and its values, but it isn’t. Big chopping forces you to face the world without that protective shield we call hair — and there are very few women who have emerged from that process not better, happier and more confident for it.
Educate Others
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you are a novice at this natural hair stuff. After all, there are editors and expert bloggers and even a few random reviewers that you know by first name and hair type — and they aren’t 100 percent sure who you are, yet at least. It might seem like going back is easy, then, because there’s no one you are accountable to (but yourself, of course”>. But, try out teaching others and helping them to see their full potential.
Overhear someone complaining about dandruff because of the cold? Recommend a lo-poo with no sulfates (seriously, it works better than Head and Shoulders”>. Know someone who never stops talking about her frizzy ends? Offer her some rose or jojoba oil. Being a part of the natural hair community isn’t just about you, it is about embracing every single hair type and woman out there and bringing them in to a world where hair gets treated the way it always should have been. And you are a vessel for promoting that.
Use Tech
Use technology to your advantage and get yourself some curly hair apps. Curls on the Go and CurlyNikki’s forum app are good options to look to when you’re surrounded by not-so-curl-friendly people. There, you’ll find the community chatting away and can even jump in with your own questions and comments. Let the community help you de-stress — or vent. Whatever.
Make It Work For You
Want some real curl confidence? Then make your curls make you some money. Start your own YouTube channel, become one of those well-known reviewers, get yourself a blog and post curly hair selfies that encourage others to accept their hair and teach them how to make it beautiful. In doing so, you’ll pull in a side hustle and make both your life and those of others much easier, happier and confident. Or at the very least post your curls on our Facebook page and watch the curl love come in!
Photo courtesy of StephanieKola & NaturallyCurly Instagrams
There’s something in the air with Cher. Cher Horowitz, that is. The Clueless main character has been a hot topic in the fashion and culture news industry over the past few months from Think Progress and The Frisky to Refinery29 and The Daily Beast. Perhaps the new obsession comes from the movies recent 18th anniversary, and that it takes about two decades for trends to come back around.
From Cher’s bold plaid looks to her cropped tops, that 90s glam style is back on the scene, and everyone seems to be partaking, our favorite of which is curly girl Charli XCX, the 20-year-old British pop singer who performed at SXSW with IconaPop and who was just recently signed to Stargate’s Stellar Songs.
If you’ve yet to hear of the girl who is sure to become pop’s next fierce warrior (let’s stop with this princess business, already”>, her recent label signage is sure to change that in the future. But, labels don’t much sign anyone without an already existing following, and a large one at that, and Charli has certainly proven her singing and songwriting chops. In fact, Icona Pop’s biggest hit single “I Don’t Care” was written by Charli herself. This year, that track officially knocked Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines off its four-week stronghold on the number one spot.
But does the up-and-comer regret giving away a potential hit?
“I don’t regret giving it away,” she told NME. “[Icona Pop are] totally owning it. I sang it with them at South by Southwest, though, and it was this real girl power moment.”
As for Charli’s fashion sense, she has credited The Virgin Suicides and Clueless as two of her biggest style inspirations, saying “I would love to raid Cher Horowitz’s wardrobe.” Unlike Cher, though, Charli keeps her hair a little bit more out of place.
While ELLE may call it “wild” and The Cut may call it “dirty,” we call it fabulous, natural and curly. Looks like even Cher’s style could use a bit of a modern update, this time around with hair that makes just as big of a statement as the duds she picks up at the mall will. And Charli XCX is embodying that mentality.
Check out her music video here to nab a look at her style, hair and obvious talent:
Photo Courtesy of Charli XCX Music
Lorde is the international pop-star we’ve all been waiting for. She has a strong sense of self, a no-selfies policy unlike most of her peers, is a critical thinker (have you heard what she has to say about hip hop”> and she does it all with little to no makeup and naturally curly hair. For those of you with looser, naturally curly hair (think Type 2 to Type 3″> and straight hair, getting her curls for yourself isn’t too difficult a task.
QUIZ: What’s Your Curl Pattern?
All you need is a curling wand, rose or coconut oil and hairspray. The curls will stay longer as well if your hair hasn’t been washed within the past day. And, for those of you with tighter curl patterns, if you sleep on your natural curl (without pineappling“> for a night, it will help to loosen your curl a bit to get Lorde’s look.The beauty to Lorde’s curls is that they are indeed natural. When it comes to naturally curly hair, rarely are two curls identical. This is good news if you are trying to recreate her look though because this means that when it comes to her style, there are no real mess-ups.
A conical curling wand will create curls that are not identical (thanks to the disproportionate diameter of the wand”>. Also, don’t fight your frizz. If you look at Lorde’s photos for inspiration you’ll find that her hair is never perfect, so a bit of frizz will help give you that edgy, cool look we’re going for. Just be sure to apply oil after you use the wand.
Get the Look
- Step one: Apply a heat protectant spray to all of your hair and turn the curling wand on to its lowest setting.
- Step two: Grab small sections of hair as they naturally part and loosely wrap the strand around the wand, from top to bottom, and hold for five to 10 seconds.
- Step three: Continue around your head until you obtain the look you want.
- Step four: When finished, flip your head over and with your hands, loosely shake out the curls to release them. This step is a MUST.
- Step five: Add a dime-sized amount of rose oil or coconut oil to hydrate the hair. Hairspray if needed for extra hold.
- Step six: Create a deep side part and push hair back and away from the face.
- Step seven: Spot treat any loose or misshapen curls by twirling them around your finger.
It really is that simple! If you have particularly straight hair, you will need to curl more strands of hair to get Lorde’s look and apply a light mist of hairspray all over your hair before and after curling it.
For those blessed with naturally curly hair, use the curling wand only to touch up any flat or misshapen curls. Always remember to use the lowest heat setting so as not to damage your hair, and apply oil at the end to loosen the curl to a more natural shape as well as lock in moisture.
Photo Courtesy of Instagram
Chic hairstyles have long been considered those that are flat and straight, until the natural hair community stepped in. Over the past decade, a brigade of women with naturally wavy, curly and coily hairstyles has paved a path all their own and redefined what it means to have “good hair.”
Today, women across the board, from those working their 9 to 5 jobs to celebrities we see on the big and small screens, are embracing their natural textures more and more often. We’ve seen big chops on Viola Davis. We’ve watched Solange magnificently grow out her hair. We’ve even been privy to the first curly-haired Disney princess, Merida.
Now, a chic hairstyle doesn’t necessarily evoke images of straightened strands. Instead, we’ve come to embrace the fact that natural curve and texture is beautiful, chic and stylish, too. And unlike hair care of the past, health is of utmost concern.
It is thanks to the natural hair community that silicones and sulfates are being taken out of hair care products and that women across the texture board are opting for a cleansing conditioner over a traditional shampoo. Women with natural hair have taught the hair care world what is most important and when the world wouldn’t listen, the natural hair community made their own products to suffice.
And yet, taking a closer look at many natural hair care products on the market, it seems as those not all traditional wavy, curly or coily hair care products and brands really support the natural hair cause.
If the natural hair community’s understanding and promotion of natural hair is to embrace your natural texture, then why do companies like Carol’s Daughter and Miss Jessie’s promote products that loosen your curl? In fact, Miss Jessie’s slogan states: “turning kinks into curls.”
On the natural hair mission, have we overlooked a portion of our natural community? Are there still strong beliefs in place that say a looser curl pattern is better than a tighter one? After all, these brands came out of our own community, why haven’t we stood up to them the way we do to all the others?
Beauty brands make money by selling people a standard of beauty that they don’t believe they already have. For natural hair brands, Clutch Magazine is calling this type of textured segmentation “curlism.”
That’s right: curlism, the belief that a particular curl pattern is better than another. In this case, it seems that natural hair beauty brands are cashing in on a looser pattern, promoting a stretching affect over an accepting and empowering one.
For beauty brands to sell women items they do not need, that may be harmful to their health or their self-esteem, is absolutely nothing new. But is doing so for the natural hair community hypocritical? Or, perhaps we all just want the chance and opportunity to enjoy textures that aren’t our own, and that does not necessarily mean we don’t love our natural texture.
What do you think: are these hair care brands targeting women with a tighter pattern, and promoting curlism?
Let me be honest: I often complain that wavy hair is the most difficult and least versatile of all the textured hair types. I mean, I can’t get second day hair to save my life, my hair LOVES silicones (which means co-washing is kind of out of the question”> and I won’t ever be able to get the tight coils my type 3c and type 4 sisters can get — even though they can use things like Curlformers to get my waves.
So much about the curly hair community just doesn’t apply to a wavy, or at least to THIS wavy. I am envious of women with big curly or coily hair and those who can do bantu knot-outs without their hair being completely straightened in the process. I am so. jealous. of. you!
Of course, there are plenty of things that I love about being a wavy and plenty of tips in the natural hair community that DO apply to me and my type 2 friends. Possibly one of my favorite things about being a wavy is that my hair is light weight and generally not thick, but it can hold bobby pins and hair styles like the curliest of textures! In that vein, wavies have the best of the straight hair and the textured hair world.
My inability to get second day hair has made me a master craftswoman at creating second-day updo styles with bobby pins that I get compliments on all day, every day. So here it is, the wavy manifesto for using bobby pins and me showing you how to get a simple wavy hairstyle that works with your waves, not against them.
- This works best of second day hair, so be sure that your hair isn’t clean. Begin by flipping all of your hair to one side and behind your ear, grab a section of hair from the front and simply start twisting it.
- Continue twisting across your forehead and down behind your other ear. Once finished, pull the rest of your hair into a low pony, making sure to keep the twist tight and in place so that it doesn’t fall out.
- Twist the hair that you would put into the ponytail into a side bun. Pull out your box of bobby pins and instead of using a rubber band, start pinning down the bun. Be sure that the bobby pins are a color similar to your hair color and that you secure them tightly by crisscrossing them through the bun.
- For a more defined look than the one I achieved, try using a gel or edging product, I love Ampro, to make frizzies stay in place and clean your edges.
What is your favorite wavy hair second-day hairstyle?
Tanya Wright
photograph by Nathaniel Johnston
Always on the look out for the next big celebrity who might take our natural ways all the way to Hollywood with her, I sat down with Tanya Wright who plays Deputy Kenya Jones on HBO’s True Blood.
The actresses admits that the Hollywood pressure to look like everyone else had her trying to hide her curls. But with a new season on the horizon and her first small-screen debut with her natural hair, she feels better than ever about her hair, her career and most importantly, herself.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I play the role of Deputy Kenya Jones on HBO’s True Blood. Bronx born and bred, I’m a native New Yorker who LOVES dark chocolate, playing with my black Labrador dog (Macarena — yes, like the dance!”>, nature, hiking, movies and yoga. I LOVE to eat and am quite serious about some foods, especially pizza – did I say I was a New Yorker?
What about your natural hair journey?
My journey to embrace my natural curls happened when I embraced my WHOLE self. I struggled with my hair all my life! I’ve straightened it, relaxed it, braided it, colored it — you name it — all in an attempt to get my hair to look like everyone else’s. In Hollywood, most folks wear weaves, so that’s what I did too. Anything to not “stand out.”
I was a tender-headed kid. I remember one day, my sister was getting her hair relaxed, but my mother said I couldn’t. I went to the bathroom and put a whole heap of grease in my hair to make it “straight,” but all it did was hang in greasy, limp strands on my shoulders. I tried to straighten it with a hot comb, and burned my hair, scalp and ears more times than I can count. My hair texture is very different from most everyone in my family, so no one knew what to do with it. Now, I never put heat of any kind near my head. Never, ever, ever.
Then, a few years ago, a friend gave me a book called “Curly Like Me” and it literally changed my life! Teri LaFlesh (the author of the book”> was someone who had the same hair struggles and had perfected this “system” for her hair that she wanted to share with others. That book was like drinking a tall glass of water in the desert — I didn’t even know how thirsty I was! Ever since that day, I started to take care of my hair with loving kindness and TONS of moisture! I discovered a really cool natural/curly hair community on YouTube, where I learn new things all the time.
What is your current routine/regimen?
“Don’t resist your curls! Embrace their unique quality and find a regime that works for you. At the end of the day, you’ll be happier, your curls will be grateful and you’ll be more than you’ve ever been.”
I wash my hair about once every three weeks with a very mild shampoo like Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Oil or Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Soap. I massage my scalp and let the soap wash over the rest of my hair. I do all this in the shower. Then I put a TON of conditioner in my hair and let that sit while I wash.
Then, with a wide tooth comb — my hair is sopping wet and crazy moisturized — I divide my hair in four sections and start combing it through from bottom to top. It’s tempting to want to do this part really fast, but raking a comb through your hair will only succeed in massive hair breakage.
Finally, I rinse my hair out with cool water (ALWAYS with cool water”>, wring it dry with my hands and put in more conditioner. There are several different brands I like and use interchangeably. Sometimes, I put some olive oil on the ends and let it dry naturally. Once a month, I’ll do a deep conditioner — avocado, honey, banana, olive oil and some aloe vera water — blend that up, slather it on my hair and leave it in all day.
What about your hair stylist?
I don’t see a stylist regularly. There’s one on the show, but I basically do my own hair. There isn’t much to do in the way of traditional styling. I’ve realized doing less is more with curly hair, so I just make sure it is always super hydrated. Mostly, I leave my curls alone.
What are your favorite hairstyles to wear with your curls?
I like to wear my hair all out, wild and natural. The less I do to it, the freer I feel.
What do you do at nighttime for your hair?
Sometimes I massage oil in my scalp and coat the ends with shea butter. Sometimes I “band” it so that my curls will be stretched in the morning, and sleep with a satin cap every night to keep in moisture and alleviate breakage. I’m religious about my satin cap.
What is the best thing about being curly?
I love that I have a cool, unique way to take care of myself. When I take care of my hair, I take care of ME. It’s about nurturing myself and celebrating what is unique and different about me. Every curl seems to have an exuberant life all its own. I struggled with my hair’s natural texture for so long, but now, I love my hair! It is my crowning glory and I celebrate it often.
How do you think having curly hair has impacted your daily life?
It has impacted my life positively in every way! Embracing my natural hair has made my life easier and it has made me happier.
What would you tell other to encourage them to embrace their curls?
I recently went to a friend’s house and noticed her daughter had hair that was very similar to mine: she had it up in two dry, crunch balls on top of her head. I told her I could help her with her daughter’s hair and she nearly cried. Literally! She struggled with it daily and had no idea how to deal with it. We went to Target and got a wide tooth comb, shampoo and about three different types of conditioners. I showed her how to do her daughter’s hair and when we were through, Baby Girl Maddy had gleaming, glistening curls atop her head! My friend almost cried again! I was so happy I could help her.
Mostly, I would tell people to go in the direction your hair is going. For me, straightening (via chemicals, hot comb, curling irons, etc.”> was the opposite of what my hair wanted. Whenever I straightened it, it would inevitably curl back up 15 minutes later.
Don’t resist your curls! Embrace their unique quality and find a regime that works for you. At the end of the day, you’ll be happier, your curls will be grateful and you’ll be more than you’ve ever been. I actually feel prettier with my natural hair and get tons of compliments about it. People ask me all the time why didn’t I always wear my hair like this.
Current projects – life and what you’re up to!
I am in the middle of shooting season 5 of True Blood. Kenya’s back, and for the first time, I will be wearing my natural curls on the show. I usually come in with my hair wet and moisturized; the hairdresser on the show might spray a bit of gloss for shine and finger through a few curls. I don’t really touch or manipulate my hair while it’s drying.
I recently completed work on my directorial debut Butterfly Rising and wrote a book of the same name! Butterfly Rising is currently on the film festival circuit. We will tour 11 U.S. cities with the movie in August! For more information about the tour, what cities we’ll stop in and when, please join our FB page. That’s where we post all of the up-to-the-minute details!
I also shot a movie called “Predisposed” with Jesse Eisenberg, Melissa Leo and Tracy Morgan that premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and will be in theaters sometime this year.
I am working on a number of other projects: other films, television series, web shows. HAIRiette’s of Harlem is a web show about an actress, with natural hair LOL! Part spoof, part real life, and totally fun!
Get more info on the movie, “Butterfly Rising.”
FameFlynetDespite her tendency to straighten out her type 3 curls, Anne Hathaway is a curly girl at heart. From runway shows to the red carpet, her straightened strands nearly always show some form of texture (perhaps unintentional?”> from a slight wave to the natural re-curling that we all have experienced, she might not always embrace the lifestyle, but boy does it want to embrace her!
And, recently, due to her role in “Les Miserables,” she has chopped off her long locks in exchange for a pixie cut. Anne’s role in “Les Miserables” is of Fantine, whose beauty continuously decreases as she attempts to care for both herself and her child, turns to prostitution and then ends up extremely ill with tuberculosis. A short crop, I suppose, is what the director’s are seeing as the proper depiction of a sickly woman?
Okay, social stereotypes aside, we’ve all been there. Once you make the decision, or perhaps have it forced upon you, to chop off a large portion of your hair, there is something about the experience that changes your relationship with your texture. Whether you big chop because you are tired of long-term transitioning or if you just go in for a trim and end up with five less inches, short cuts change your life, especially for women with textured hair.
When our hair begins to regrow, we see, for often the very first times is our conscious or memorable lives, our true texture. For example, before I got my curly cut (which took off more inches than I have ever cut before in my life”>, I thought of my wavy hair as just that: hair. There was nothing special about it, there wasn’t much I could do to revive it. It was a dead conglomerate of cells coming out my head, in the most literal of ways.
Whether you big chop because you are tired of long-term transitioning or if you just go in for a trim and end up with five less inches, short cuts change your life, especially for women with textured hair.
But, that curly cut changed something within me. Suddenly I had to learn how to deal with short hair. I had to understand shrinkage. I had to find new signature styles. I had to figure out why there was no root volume, and what the heck I could do to get it. Suddenly I realized that my wavy hair was not something that was separate from my daily life, it was part of me, and that by it being a part of me, I was part of a community of people much bigger than my self.
Next thing I knew, I was deep conditioning and reaching out to all types of textured hair women asking them for tips and advice, whether or not they had a texture type anywhere near my own. See, this community is about education and helping other textures however you can. And this transformation that I honestly believe takes a big cut to realize is what I think is around the corner for Ms. Hathaway.
Whether or not she knows it, that short cut and her curly hair are going to create a different hair care experience for her than ever before. Sure, she has celebrity stylists to take care of her, but when she’s at home and what worked with her long hair simply just doesn’t work anymore, the revelation is going to hit her.
Now, I am no psychic, and while she may turn to wigs and weaves during her transformation, I truly hope she doesn’t. It is rare to see naturally textured hair in Hollywood, and even rarer that we get to witness the transformation from not-so-in-to-my-curls to I-actually-have-the-best-hair-ever!
Viola Davis did it, and now it’s time for a type 3 to do the same.
You go Anne! We’ll be watching and supporting, even if it is only from afar.
Is it just me or does it seem like every American Idol season sees more and more wavy, curly and kinky contestants – often at the finales too? Maybe textured hair is more accepted in the music industry (think rock-n-roll, hair flipping, so on and so forth”>, but no matter what the reasoning is behind the natural hair explosion across the board in the industry, this curly girl loves it!
Now, I don’t have cable, so I have to resort to Google News for my curly hair gossip and endeavors, at least as far as pop culture goes. That being said, excuse me if you have already been drooling over these curly Idols for weeks now, or at least cheering them on. I applaud you for your enthusiasm, and next time, send a girl an email!
Shannon Magrane
Believe it or not, it is often a rare site to see a type 2 embracing her waves over straightening them, at least over straightening them often. Sure, every girl likes to try on different looks now and then, but wavies have a tendency to stick with the flat iron more often than not. I mean, given that it is pretty easy for a wavy to straighten her hair, and with all of the heat protectant products out there, we can’t really get mad at them. Do you, right?
Anyway, Magrane is only 16, a member of #teamnatural and a reason that this curly might put down her books (yes, I’m a nerd”>, head over to a friend’s house and brag about how easily I can get her hairstyle too!
Jermaine Jones
Oh, Jermaine, how you have captured my heart. Seriously, re-watching his “Dance With My Father” performance as I write this, chill bumps sneaking down my arms. I hardly even notice that he ‘s rocking locs!
Here is what’s catching my attention now that I’ve put the pause on hearing the judges’ comments: in his original contestant picture, he has a buzz cut. If this is, in fact, the amount of growth that he has gained since that picture on this show, then we should all be rocking the protective style. I also need to reach out to him about his routine and share all the juicy hair growth secrets that he obviously keeps hidden under his deep voice with all of you!
DeAndre Brackensick
That’s it. He is my soul mate. A curly crush just won’t do. I need to be up close and personal with his head of hair, immediately. And given that I have tons of curly hair advice (not that he looks like he needs it”>, we will have TONS to talk about.
Side note here, and it’s completely possible this is just me, but did his last performance kind of not go well? I know the judges loved him and I also know that I am no music critic – tone deaf, actually – but I would change the station if I heard that voice without seeing the hair. #justsayin
What do you think of the textured finalists?
Shannon Magrane
Jermaine Jones
DeAndre Brackensick
Ever wondered how Amanda Seyfried, the star of “Letters to Juliet,” “Dear John,” and “Mamma Mia,” gets her tousled type 2 waves? Simple – don’t wash it!
That’s right, the Hollywood actress admitted to the Belfest Telegraph that she only washes her hair every three days, and uses dry shampoo instead of the in-the-shower liquid stuff. We’re assuming that this means the beauty maven co-washes her hair when she does put water to it.
Want to steal her look, and get healthier waves in the process? Simply skimp out on daily shampoos and opt for, instead, a co-washing habit. Here’s how:
- Pick up a water-soluble products. Read the product labels here. Look for conditioners and stylers that do not contain silicones — or catch up on which silicones are water-soluble and which aren’t. If you aren’t planning to shampoo, you’ll need to use products that can be washed out easily with just water.
- In the shower, wet hair throughly and apply a large portion of conditioner to your hair. Your hair needs to be covered and saturated from roots to ends.
- Noodle your hair. This is just fancy term for finger combing and detangling. Grab sections of your hair and finger comb tangles out, running your hands through the section in a quick fashion, multiple times. This will rub the conditioner into the hair shaft, basically “washing” it the way that a shampoo would.
- For your scalp, use the conditioner like you would a shampoo. If you are still rubbing and tousling your scalp in the shower — like they do in the Herbal Essences commercials — stop right now! All that rubbing is bad news for your curls, and only causes more tangles and destroys the curl pattern. Instead, use the same “noodle” method on your scalp, rubbing your hands through the hair to detangle, and then gently massage the conditioner into the scalp. This will cleanse it.
- If your hair ever feels greasy or dirty, you may need to use a clarifying shampoo to get rid of product buildup. Be sure you only apply the shampoo to the scalp, and use the same method as above. No more Herbal Essences mimicking! Or, just do what Amanda does and use a dry shampoo, instead!
Want More?
Waves graced Rodeo Drive this year — find out how to get the celebrity looks!
Final Thoughts
Co-washing can take a couple weeks to get used to, and in the meantime, your hair may feel greasier or dirtier than before. It isn’t. Once you get past the initial change, your waves will be curlier and healthier — just like Amanda Seyfried’s!
With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it is sometimes easy to get caught up in what is going on in our day-to-day lives and forget about treating our hair with the attention that it deserves. But treating our hair well with deep conditioning treatments and hair rinses will help it to grow longer faster, prevent shedding or hair loss, increase shine, eliminate frizz, and the list just goes on!
Apple cider will soon be the drink of the season, so why not make a rinse out of the plethora that will exist at the grocery store? This apple cider and vinegar rinse will help to rejuvenate your hair and get it back to looking healthy and full of life!
Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse
The apple cider and vinegar hair rinse is a simple way to restore the healthy sheen that you desire as well as remove unwanted hair build up. No matter how well you take care of your hair, or how high quality the ingredients are in the products that you use on a regular basis, shampoos and conditioners still leave build up behind.
This hair rinse is an easy at home rinse that gives you the option of using products typically found in your kitchen to enhance your beautiful curls. It will also help to balance the PH levels of your hair and kill bacteria that may be caused from buildup left behind by your products.
What You’ll Need
- Apple cider vinegar
- Distilled water
- Plastic bottle for storing the concoction
- A clarifying shampoo like CURLS Pure Curls Clarifying Shmpoo
Directions
- Take 1/3 cup of the apple cider vinegar and mix it together with 1 quart of distilled water. You can store this in any type of container that you have, such as a plastic water bottle that will hold the mixture. Keep the bottle in your shower or bath so you’ll be ready to do the rinse any time.
- Start by shampooing your hair and rinsing the shampoo out very well. After that, you will then apply the apple cider vinegar mixture to your hair and scalp. Be careful not to get the mixture in your eyes because it may burn. Leave the rinse on your hair and scalp for between 30 seconds to a minute and then rinse out with cold water. The cold water will help seal the hair shaft leaving your hair with more shine!
- Towel dry your strands. The last thing you need to do is towel dry your hair. The vinegar smell will disappear shortly and you’ll be left with healthy, shiny hair!
You can even turn this rinse into an herbal rinse by adding lavender, rosemary, lemon, or rose essential oils to it. This rinse can be used on a weekly basis if you choose.
Before starting this process, it is important to keep in mind that if you have color-treated hair or processed hair, it is advised to use an alternative method. This is suggested because the acetic acid in the rinse is a harsh clarifier and will strip you hair of color.
If your strands aren’t color-treated, try it out and let us know how much those curls of yours love it!
Growing your hair out can be a long and exhausting process, and adding uneven hair growth to the mix can make it that much more agonizing. But fear not ladies: we will uncover the truth about uneven hair growth and figure out how to overcome it!
There are many different reasons behind why your curly hair may not be growing evenly. Each reason is specific to the situation of the person currently going through this issue.
Uneven hair growth can be caused by the food you eat, your level of stress, the amount of moisture that your hair is receiving and just plain old genetics. If you are currently experiencing uneven growth in your curly hair, take a look at your lifestyle as a first step to diagnosing the problem. After that, look at how you care for your hair, and the way that your parents’ hair grows, as well.
Myths & Facts
The Truth Behind Uneven Hair Growth
Many people believe that the way they are taking care of their hair doesn’t have anything to do with the way that it is growing, or what is going on underneath your scalp. This is definitely false. Since curly hair can be the most delicate of all the different hair types, you must be careful about the treatments, tools, and products that you’re are using on your hair follicles. Chemicals, heat, and relaxers all play a huge role in the growth and breakage of the hair.
Another huge myth is that it doesn’t matter how you take care of your hair, because it will always grow the same. The growth of the hair is actually directly related to the way that your hair is being cared for. Using deep conditioners and high quality products will keep your curly hair healthy and growing properly.
Learn the myths and facts about hair growth. »
Conditioning well and often is crucial to hair growth! »
Never underestimate the power of a good diet. Try quinoa! »
Which Products Are Best?
Combat the Problem with Proper Hair Care
Many people believe that the way they are taking care of their hair doesn’t have anything to do with the way that it is growing, or what is going on underneath your scalp. This is definitely false. Since curly hair can be the most delicate of all the different hair types, you must be careful about the treatments, tools, and products that you’re are using on your hair follicles. Chemicals, heat, and relaxers all play a huge role in the growth and breakage of the hair.
- Rosemary oil – Rosemary oil has been used for centuries to help both stimulate hair growth as well as act as preventative method for hair loss. This oil is typically used by adding a few drops to shampoos, conditioners, lotions and rinses.
- Vitamins – By taking a daily multi-vitamin, you will be providing your body with essential vitamins and minerals that will help to stimulate healthy hair growth. The process of growing hair in a healthy manner depends just as much on how you are treating your hair on a daily basis as it does with what foods, vitamins, and minerals you’re eating.
- Jamaican black castor oil – Jamaican black castor oil has been used for thousands of years to enhance your overall hair growth. This oil can be used with all different hair types by massaging a few drops each day on the part of the scalp that needs to be growing appropriately.
- Organic root stimulators – Organic root stimulators help stimulate the roots of your hair follicles naturally, and can be applied in the morning and at night to encourage parts the roots of your scalp to grow properly again.
Learn how to prevent hair loss with rosemary oil. »
What exactly is castor oil and how does it work? »
The facts about organic root stimulators and jojoba oil. »
The Process
Start Growing Hair Evenly
Because everyone is different, every woman must find the best process for her in order to help stimulate even hair growth. The following is a general guide to help you on your journey.
- Health first! Eat a nutritious diet and get an adequate amount of exercise for healthy hair.
- More fun, less stress. Live a stress free lifestyle. Be sure to prioritize your duties on a weekly basis. Planning will help to relieve stress, as will lots of bubble baths!
- Moisturize! Moisture is essential to curly hair care. Be sure that you are doing a deep conditioning treatment at least once a week to ensure that your curls are getting all the moisture they need.
- Experiment. Try out top of the line curly hair products and treatments with quality ingredients, and if you haven’t gone sulfate free yet, it’s time to rid yourself of the bad-for-your-curls products and ingredients.
- Be gentle. Make sure that you are always taking care of your hair by keeping it clean and being gentle. Remember not to pull too tightly when braiding hair or pulling it back in a ponytail. This can cause scalp stress as well as hair breakage, and eventually, hair loss. Wearing a silk cap to bed also helps a great deal!
- Ask for help. Talk to your doctor to find out if any prescription medication you are taking may be limiting your hair growth. If it is, then ask to be switched to a different prescription medication, if possible. If you don’t ask, you’ll never know!
8 simple tips for relieving stress and gaining more energy! »
Be creative with moisturizers. You can even try yogurt! »
Be gentle on your strands and don’t pull them back too tightly! »
Hard & Fast Take-Aways
- Identify what is causing your uneven hair growth: medication, products, genetics?
- Start using higher quality products that are sulfate free and encourage hair health.
- If all else fails, talk to your doctor to see if your prescriptions may be causing the uneven growth. If so, swap them out!
Want More?
How does your curly hair grow? Is all growth positive? Join the CurlTalk conversation!
Fall fashion trends are upon us as boutiques and chains across the country swap out their summer dresses for their fall frocks. Shoes and sweaters may abound and offer a shopper a fully fall outfit before October hits, but what hair color trends will be rocking both the runways and your hometown mall this season?
Hair Color Trends
Stylist Allen Ruiz, owner of Jackson Ruiz SalonSpa, says redheads like Christina Hendricks and Florence Welch will be peddling the hot hue trend for the fall.
“Women with any red in their skin should stay away,” says Allen Ruiz. “For those with naturally dark hair, go for a darker red. For blondes, try a strawberry or copper.”
With the fashionably forward bandwagon heading towards autumn reds for their tresses, trying it out and treating it, remember that color protecting products will have your hue outlasting Halloween, and even that turkey dinner.
Styling Products
Of course, color isn’t the only concern forward-focused curlies are considering. Styling options for those new outfits are in order.
Regardless of hair color trends, this fall season, curls are in. According to Ruiz, straight-haired women are adding product and heat to their locks and scrunching to create texture and curl. For those already curly, Ruiz describes the texturing process that creates the “rougher, matted” texture that is becoming all the rage.“Apply product to dry hair, such as Aveda Volumizing Tonic, until hair is about 70% wet,” explains Ruiz. “Then, twist sections of hair and hit with hot air and continue around the head.”
Color Protecting Products
For the curly-haired women looking for a new style sans the heat, elongated curls are expected to be a big hit this fall. To achieve the look, Ruiz recommends styling “around the face.”You should aim for less curl around the face, and use a clay or wax product on dry hair to tone down texture, allowing softer curls to frame your face.
Fall Hairstyles
As for up and coming cuts this fall, Ruiz says that he sees no real trend.
“I have clients coming in and asking for everything from Emma Watson to Kim Kardashian to Jennifer Aniston’s new collarbone length cut.”
With women taking cues from stylish celebrities this fall, curly-tressed women can pick and choose their own desired cuts from the Hollywood lot.
“The collarbone length is great, though,” Ruiz suggests. “You can feel like you still have a lot of hair and put it up, but it’s still manageable.”
Want More?
Check out last fall’s top ten fashion trends!
Final Thoughts
Overall, every season has fleeting fashions and hair color trends, but red hues, scrunched tresses and elongated curls are in for the long haul. So stock up on waxes, volumizing sprays and color protecting products while you can — they are sure to be absent from shelves as fall closes in and the trends skyrocket.
Besides, it never ever hurts to get the information and product first — you trendsetter, you.
Being a curly-haired woman can sometimes feel like you picked the short straw of life. Rain often equals disaster, our wallets feel the weight of our curled strands and our straight-haired sisters seem to get all the attention. Being curly is a minority of sorts — at least in the way the hair type and texture is treated — even though we control more than half of the world’s population.
Recently, however, curly hair has taken more of a front seat — at least as fall approaches. Every fall, without fail, the runaways fill up with curly models showcasing their “woodsy” locks, and the media consistently comments on the look — more so than your average winter, spring or fall straight hair, bright highlights or feathers would be commented on.
For the most part, I take no offense to the trend. I figure it is just some fashionista artistic thing that I won’t ever fully understand, plus it makes for some great curly news. However, if you have been paying any attention to the articles being published on here over the past month, you’d notice that there seems to be a slightly different trend to this fall’s curly hair take-over.
The New York Times’ Curly Hair Hero
U.S. Representative Schultz and her husband arrive for a State Dinner honoring German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House in Washington.We all know that curl bashing is nothing new. What is uncommon, however, is for a publication such as the New York Times to hand out some curly love.
The New York Times recently published a story titled, “Making Waves, With No Apologies” featuring runway models, Taylor Swift, Rebekah Brooks and, my personal favorite, Florida congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
Schultz has wavy hair, and she’s not afraid to show it. She has defied popular culture and worn her natural waves for as long as this curly can remember — and not without some fierce rebuttal.
Prominent Female Curlies
- Samira Ahmed, former channel 4 newscaster who quit after being told her locks were too “scruffy” for TV.
- Merida from Pixar’s “Brave,” the first animated curly heroine.
- Taylor Swift, the curly to straight chameleon everyone likes better with curls!
Fox News anchor Monica Crowley ignored Schultz’s political opinion in a recent interview and focused on her hair instead calling her, “She of the angry perm.”
Unfortunately, Crowley isn’t alone in her curly hair ignorance. Stephen Colbert, in all his glory, joked about the congressman’s hair, calling her the “home perm after model.”
To this, Schultz simply replied, “I thought it was hysterical. My hair has always been a subject of conversation. I have a lot of it!”
The New York Times columnist praises Schultz as a curly hair hero for staying on topic, ignoring negative comments about her hair, and always looking professional, put together and just plain awesome — curls and all.
As for myself, I have to agree — despite the multitudes of blog posts and comments stating things such as, “Her style is 1960’s, greasy, dirty, hippie. Some fashion statement,” and “You’ve got to be kidding me! She’s a dog, plain and simple.”
Want More?
Can’t wrap your head around the idea of curly hair becoming more mainstream? Check out what Patti Stranger of “Millionaire Matchmaker” has to say about curly haired women.
Final Thoughts
Debbie Wasserman Schultz stands her ground, proving that curly hair and professions in which straight locks are seemingly required, can definitely go together — and with power and oomph, too!
Skeeter’s, Emma Stone, curly hair. Photo courtesy of DreamWorks.I’m not really a movie goer myself, nor do I much pay attention to the newest crazes, fads and personalities in Hollywood, but Emma Stone has intrigued and amused even this curly. Her different beauty screams, “Je ne sais quoi,” and her seemingly laissez-faire attitude had me charmed even during “Superbad.”
All French clichés aside, Emma Stone is a fresh take on old Hollywood, and I willingly give up my Saturday nights to watch movies she’s in. So, it should come as no surprise that when I first saw the trailer for “The Help” starring Ms. Stone, I was stoked. Better yet, her straight strands turned curly for the role.
As history has it, women with curly hair are to Hollywood as Yankees are to the Deep South: outsiders. Hair has been straightened to show refinement, or curled to show rebellion. Rarely is a curly haired heroine present, and if she is, she is portrayed as strong-willed but messy and unruly. Knowing that history is the best teacher, I contained my excitement until I could figure out just who Stone’s leading character, Eugenia ‘Skeeter’ Phelan, is.
Who is Eugenia ‘Skeeter’ Phelan?
The woman on the right’s hair is the curliest it gets, besides Emma Stone’s. Photo courtesy of DreamWorks.As I expected, Skeeter is an outsider, but in a day and age where the 1960’s are no longer idealized — and a source of cultural embarrassment concerning how others were treated — she is a good outsider. Her curly hair set her apart from her less educated, extremely domesticated white female friends.
Skeeter is the only one with a college degree, and the only one without a husband. Her struggles to land a position doing what she loves, writing, has her back in her hometown of Jackson, Mississippi, in which she is ridiculed for her education, for her bare ring finger and for her curly hair.
However, Skeeter does find herself a position, as a domestic duties columnist, in which she discovers and embraces the opportunity to call out her white friends’ mistreatment of the black “help” they so insanely rely upon. In doing so, she calls attention to a problem that many wanted uncovered, and that others would fight to keep hidden.
However, for curlies like me, this movie is about more than a heroines adventure; it is about changing the status quo, whether you’re black, white, curly or straight haired.
Media Reaction to Stone’s Curly Hair
Unfortunately, large media corporations do not agree. A Fox News story titled, “Emma Stone Goes Frizzy for ‘The Help’: Who Has the Worst Movie Hair?” stated, “Skeeter is the nice one who can’t land a husband – and she also happens to be the reason why flat-irons were invented.”
Did you just gasp? Me too. And, we aren’t the only ones.
The story is generating comments stating, “Funny, I thought she looked much better with her hair curly. What’s with all these women and their long straight hair these days? Everyone looks alike,” and “Not sure what the problem is here. Since when is curly hair a bad thing? I think she looks pretty good!”
Obviously, Hollywood’s subliminal attempt at convincing the world that curls should be straightened to fit into cultural norms lured Fox News in. Thankfully, their readers weren’t as persuaded – and neither are we!
Finally, a curly female character who isn’t only an outsider, but ahead of her time, which makes her outsider position all the better.
Curly Heroines from Hollywood
Skeeter may be one of the only non-animated curly heroines who isn’t considered unruly or improper, but animation was “Brave” enough to attempt it as well! Check it out!
Final thoughts
One qualm I do have with the film: why aren’t any of the black women curly? Unless all of those women let their natural hair loose at the end of the film, I’m confused about why the producer didn’t continue the curly-themed differentiation, and power, throughout.
So, has anyone seen it? Do they let their hair down in the end? Let me know.
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