Dove started a campaign some time back called Love Your Curls which urges women of all ages to embrace your curls and show them off to the world. It hit home for me and the video brought me to tears.
As crazy and improbable as it sounds, when I was a child I had stick-straight hair. No flat ironing, no crazy products and tricks, just straight hair. It’s the kind of hair all of us women spend so many dollars, time, and tears trying to achieve. Then I started getting older and the straight started turning to waves and frizz. It was frustrating and so very upsetting.
My mom and I spent so much time attempting to figure out what products worked. Some were for de-frizzing, some to control curl, and then some to help straighten. I used a blow dryer after showers to try and get the strands to lay straight. Hours and hours were spent trying to get it to look right.
It became very clear that my hair wasn’t going to be straight. First, I had a small section in the bottom layer of my hair break from the constant blow-drying. My hair was curling more as the years went on, too. I was finally giving in to it so then I was left trying to find something, anything to help tame them so that I wasn’t so unhappy.
We went through so many different shampoos and conditioners I don’t even remember the number. To top the frustration I would find one that was perfect and helped shape my curls in such a way that I actually thought they were cute! And, bam, it was discontinued and nowhere to be found. (Guys wonder why we constantly stock pile a specific scent or product and that is exactly why. We never know when it will disappear without a trace.)
There came one day when I finally took a risk and chopped off my beloved long hair into a shoulder length bob and my curls tightened up and were suddenly gorgeous. I was in awe and loved them! It was probably the first time in the many years of struggling that I was happy and content that my hair wasn’t going to be straight. And by that time I had found a product with a company that was well established and (fingers crossed) not disappearing anytime soon.
That is all to say that curls are a struggle. There are many girls who I’ve gone to school and met in stores who compliment my curls even when I’m having a day where I hate them and they tell me they would kill for curls like mine. I want to first thank anyone who compliments my curls because it was a very difficult thing for me during a time when a kid is already going through changes and problems. However, I also say that you may like the look of them but it takes a lot of work to get them to look right including walking around with a wet head while you let them air dry.
I love Dove’s campaign so much because it showcases many women with natural curls of all types loving their hair. They make them beautiful and point out to us all that our curls make us unique. Though they may be a pain to control, they are part of our personality and it’s okay to have the wild mess on top of our heads. So girls and guys, let the curls free and show the world how amazing and wild you are.
