Ever wondered just what makes our hair curly? Why our hair springs out in twists while others’ flow in waves or straightness? Yes, genes are a big part of our hair-story, but I often questioned just what is in its biochemical make-up to make it act the way it does. Now that I’m in the natural-hair world, I decided that to better take care of my curls I need to get to the root of its structure. So time for me to geek out, don a lab coat and delve beneath the surface of our kinks and curls.
I don’t know what triggers these urges to write myself off as a human being but they are there. Fear of being stigmatised for it, made me regress deeper into myself. Until now. The point is I have it and am doing something about it. Some paper over the cracks, others choose to ignore it and soldier on.
I decided to get real about my condition. Bit by bit I have found ways to take the edge off it; my Buddhist faith, exercise, hobbies, travelling, writing and therapy – it’s a zillion-pronged strategy. Read on to find out my survival skills – they might be the signposts to your own road to recovery.
Curly Hair Care
Curls and Culture – A curlerfulmind guests on the Jo Good Show, BBC Radio London 94.9FM
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.
Throughout my experience of depression, I’ve had to stomach old-school attitudes towards mental health. The times I heard the phrase “snap out of it”, “be more resilient” or “read this self-help book”, made me want to scream. While things are getting better, the stigma towards mental health is still strong and dealing with it is part of the sufferer’s journey.
Welcome to Part 2 of my Working Holiday survival guide. Hopefully Part 1 did not put you off – it’s really not that bad – so here comes the really fun bit. Where to go and some travel tips. This is what really puts Australian living on the map, so listen up!
Ever fancied an adventure? To experience a new culture, or just a time out from hectic work? A Working Holiday visa in Australia is just the ticket.
In 2012 I had a crack at it; I packed my bags and boarded a plane to Melbourne. What was I thinking? Well for four years, I was making little career progress in the UK. I was stuck in a rut, not to mention tired of London’s madness. Australia had been on my radar for a while. My cousins migrated there as well as a few friends- all of whom loved it. The economy was strong, wages were high and lifestyle ideal- everything the UK was not. It took quite a bit of research and prep beforehand, but it made the transition that little bit easier.
In the end it didn’t quite pan out the way I thought it would, but that doesn’t mean it was a waste of time. I’ve made some lifelong new friends, explored a beautiful continent and broadened my horizons.
Tempted? Before you take the plunge, my two-part nifty guide has everything you need to know before you go Down Under.
If Part One of my story leads you to say “This girl needs to chill out”, I hear you, but it’s not in my veins to chill out. Why? Well since that crunch moment, I have done an in-depth post-mortem of my past, to trace the roots of my breakdown.
The iconic cove at Polignano a Mare.
Do you know where Puglia is? I was astounded at how many of my friends didn’t! I could not help but hear it everywhere because most of my Italian friends are originally from there. The word Puglia kept beating like a drum inside my head: Puglia. Puglia. Puglia. So much so it went on my to-go list. However it was only when I met Puglian local Simona, that I decided it was time to explore.
I previously posted “Feel the Fear and Go Curly Anyway”, a five-step guide to help you embrace your naturally God-given hair. Following on from that, I appreciate it’s not so easy as 1,2,3 (4 and 5), and in doing so I wanted to share the twists and turns of my own journey to curls. It wasn’t easy and often riven with bad-hair days, chopping and changing my products and digs from my relatives back in Sri Lanka as well as here. But as you will read, once my attitude changed it became so much easier and fun! Anyway time to rewind back to circa 1983…
My five-step survival guide to transitioning and most importanly loving your natural hair
Coming out of the curl closet is a daunting task. I should know. To reclaim my curls meant doing a complete one eighty on my hair routine. It was hard at first. My curls just wouldn’t play ball. One day they would look amazing, then the day after, the frizz took hold and I looked like I’d had a few thousand volts sent through me! Put together with the constant jibes I got from fellow Sri Lankans (heavens forbid an Asian girl having curls!) – I had to stomach a lot of ‘straight’ talk!
But I remained steadfast. It wasn’t always easy and I had many disastrous moments. But in truth what hair type doesn’t have an off- day? Five years on and I am confidently curly! Don’t get me wrong I don’t have the fail-proof key and I still struggle at times. But every time a girl compliments my hair it’s all worth it. If you are one of those girls wishing to embrace your twisted tresses, here are 5 rules to keep you on track:
