I have always has curly hair. As a child my mop was so curly and thick that I could hide little objects in it. A small sweet, a pin, a brooch, you get the picture?
Mom realized that the only way to keep my hair in some semblance of control would be to oil it generously. So school holidays of Thursdays and Sundays meant a good head bath, oil massaged through wet hair, and me made to sit out in the sun with a book. To air dry my hair and get my dose of Vitamin D too. My hair continued being thick and curly even as I grew out the length of it. School friends would remember me as the girl with 2 thick oily plaits trailing down her back.
As I stepped into my teens I began hating my hair, as it was so ‘Big’!When It grew beyond a certain length I would start getting a headache as my hair would start weighing down my scalp.
The amount hair stylists cribbed to cut my hair made me want to cry in embarrassment, ‘We should charge you double, to cut such thick hair!’ ‘Oh God, I have to take a Vitamin Pill before I handle your hair’, were just some of the remarks I dreaded.
Even, the now famous, Aalim Hakim left my hair cut midway, blurting out ‘your hair is like rope man, too heavy to handle!’ For the record, he also gave me the worst haircut of my life, hacking away at it unevenly, and it took me 2 years to grow it out to undo the damage.
In my 20’s I decided that I hated my hair and wanted to change how it looked. A permanent hair straightening treatment scared me, so I decided to have it blow-dried professionally each time I washed it. The 2-3 times a week of blow-drying went on for a good 2 years till I got fed up with the entire exercise. I decided I would go back to my curls, only to realize that the constant blow drying had literally burnt the roots of my hair. Not a pretty sight at all. It took me about 4 years to grow out my burnt hair and get my natural hair back.
That is when I made up my mind that I would never mess with my hair again.
It was exactly the time when my hair decided it would be payback time too, as that is when my tight curls began getting straighter, on their own accord.
I was losing my curls and that made me miserable. Thankfully my hair stopped going straight, mercifully leaving soft waves behind.
My hair hadn’t had enough of getting back to me though. It also started ripening I caught glints of silver in my otherwise jet black strands. I did not think much of it till those few strands turned into many. Too many.
After a lot of deliberation, vanity had the last laugh and I chose to retain my natural hair color over silver. Now when asked what my hair color is, my answer is ‘Ammonia Free’.
First of all, I’m so jealous of you because I wished I had curly hair. Your hair story is beyond amusing, M. What all we do to make them look better and end up messing them right? As of today you have the most gorgeous hair and I hope they always remain like that!
Loved your ‘hairy’ tales. I had no idea hair could actually turn straight from curly. Oh and by the way I’d give the world to exchange my thin flighty hair for a thick mane – one can do so much with it. Also, I absolutely love your hair. I’ve been planning for a long time to make that onion garlic hair oil of yours. Just haven’t managed to get to it.
The first half is exactly my story too Mayuri. I remember mosquitoes too getting stuck in my hair But I tried permanent straightening as well which helped only for 8 months. My hair is not becoming smooth even now, anyways iam also not oiling it as needed.
I can completely relate to your hair story M. I felt I was reading my story. I had very heavy and wavy hair and I hated them in school. I also tried many things and realised how bad these hair treatments can be for our hair. Now I can see Anvi going through the same situation. But I am glad she likes her curls. Glad you got back your natural curls. Enjoyed reading the post.
Your hair is gorgeous and it is a delight to see childhood Mayuri! I too decided never to mess with my hair, I just coloured it once but when I learnt about how it can damage our hair I only use natural products now.
Yes, the lesser we mess with our hair the better it behaves. Thanks for reading, Leha.