Curls are the constant dread of girls. For Asians there is a pressure to nuke the hell out of our hair to achieve that glossy mane so tossed about onscreen. It is rarely talked about…that is until BBC Radio London asked me to guest on a panel discussion about hair. I jumped at the chance, wanting to address the Asian prejudices against curls. Joining me on the show were natural hair blogger Valley Fontaine and the winner of BBC2 Hair Phil Hunt.
It was a great experience, and brought home the fact that hair is just as much about ethnic identity as skin colour. I wanted to make the point that Asians suffered the same cultural hang-ups about curls as others. Constant hassles from relatives about my frizzy hair made me hate my curls. But as I grew up, I realised that it was part of my Sri-Lankan heritage that set me apart from other Asian cultures. People thought I was Hispanic, Brazilian or some such other place. Even though my face has Asian features, the hair threw them off. Not that I don’t want to look Sri Lankan but what exactly does it mean to look Asian anyway? Clearly hair is a big give away!
I thought it important to hit home the fact that my curls require some quirky rituals. Yes it got everyone laughing, but I know every curly girl understands. Because let’s face it; until a bright spark gifts us a fail-proof styling line for curls, this is what we have to go through.
So why is there such a shortage of good curl products? At the moment you either have to invest in up-market product lines, or turn to hair alchemy and create a curl concoction from the insides of the kitchen cupboards! However if you aren’t loaded nor into curl mixology then there is nothing else out there unless you go online.
So why is there such a shortage of good curl products? At the moment you either have to invest in up-market product lines, or turn to hair alchemy and create a curl concoction from the insides of the kitchen cupboards! However if you aren’t loaded nor into curl mixology then there is nothing else out there unless you go online.
I truly believe that the lack of curl appreciation is at the root of all this. Curl influencers such as Nicole Kidman, Debra Messing and Sarah Jessica Parker are now straight. Yes it could be their personal preference but on another level the message seems to be that twisted tresses are a temporary flirt with fashion as opposed to a way of life. And so it is easy to see why this has lead to a lack of education and decent products out there. Venture further and without good styling education and tools, curls will naturally look rubbish and we are made to feel rubbish about them. It perpetuates the prejudice associated with curls.
Anyone who has gone through that transition will know that curl upkeep is easier, less time consuming and healthier for our hair. Plus, and here is something I bemoan all the time to my cousins- shackled to their straighteners while living out in humid climates: Why bother straightening your hair and then going outside into the humidity which is just what curls love? Not only have you destroyed your hair’s health, you end up looking like a mad scientist! It’s a lose/ lose situation.
Anyway if you want to hear the discussion in full, click on the link or leave a comment OR better yet, add yourself to my Curl Power gallery (see right) and share your secret styling tips. Let’s start giving curls the adulation they deserve!
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