I kid you not, but everyone from my dad’s side of the family has curly hair. Although, I have to admit curls do look exceptionally gorgeous, the ugly truth is that it’s quite a struggle to look after them. It’s like your hair has a mind of its own! Ask me, I’ve had curly hair all my life. The only difference is – not many people knew my secret…
When I was in junior college, I never knew of products or haircare tips that cater to curly hair. To the extent that my hair looked like a tiny spaceship when left open. The frizz, the volume and the weight, ugh! I couldn’t take it any longer. To top it all, everyone in college would make fun of me. I was called broccoli head, bird’s nest, broom – yeah, you get the picture! This eventually took a toll on my self-esteem and I felt anything but attractive. All I knew was that I had to do something about my curly hair. I thought of permanently straightening my hair, but knowing my curly texture, I was sure the effects wouldn’t last for long. Plus, it would look disastrous when my hair grew out so it would be curly on top and straight at the bottom. It would only make things worse.
Over the next 5 years, I experimented with my hair a lot. I tried a bob, shaved one side of my hair and even had a pixie cut! Yet, I was left feeling hollow from within.
I missed my long hair afterwards. I then decided to invest in a hair straightener. Believe it or not, before leaving the house, I would always straighten my hair. I did that for 5 whole years in a row. I suddenly began to feel accepted and appreciated. I thought to myself that I could actually live with this hair. Until a few days ago…
It was when my hair stylist told me that he would cut my hair again. I was really excited and looked forward to it. But, when the day finally came, he backed out due to some personal matter. I have to admit, I did get really upset because he promised me a fabulous cut and colour, but I got over it later.
The next day, I had a work event to go to. I had washed my hair and had absolutely no time to straighten it. In a hurry, I just left. When I was in the cab, I realized that I hadn’t straightened my hair. It was too late to make a trip back home. I decided to just go with it, I didn’t really have much of a choice.
As soon as I walked into the event, people kept staring at me. All these awkward stares and vibes made me feel super nervous. Until a familiar face came upto me and said, “Sharon! What have you done to you hair? Did you curl it? It looks so nice.” I mean?! Did someone actually compliment my curls? The hairstyle that I’ve been trying to keep a secret for 5 years?! And, It wasn’t just her, everyone in that room complimented me. I was on cloud 9!
Ever since that day, I started to embrace my hair’s natural texture. The more compliments I received, the more confident I became as a person. I’ve come to understand that my curls are my identity. They makes me feel fierce, unique and sexy. They also compliments my personality. I don’t think I could ever go back to being the same person I was before. I feel empowered, motivated and most importantly, myself. Curls forever! <3
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