In the sixth grade, I learned how to straighten my own hair. By the time I was a junior in high school, I found myself straightening my hair every single day. It came to the point where many people didn’t even know I had naturally curly hair. I believed straight hair was easier to manage and looked nicer than my natural hair. I now realize how damaging this actually is. In a way, I feel like I was trying to hide my ethnicity by straightening my hair. Since then, I have learned to love my natural hair. Through research and using the correct products, I began to embrace my ethnic hair.
Both of my parents are Colombian. My dad has straight hair and my mom has curly hair. This left me with loose curls. Whenever I would wear my hair curly, I wouldn’t like the outcome. This is because I would use the wrong products. I would use things such as a mousse, which was not intended for curly hair. It wasn’t until my sophomore year of college that my friends introduced me to products intended for ethnic hair. I felt that by straightening my hair I was hiding who I really was. Because of my friends, I became more aware of who I am and decided to wear my hair curly more often and I haven’t looked back since.
I am currently using Coconut Curling Cream by Cantu Shea Moisture. This can be found in the “ethnic hair” section of the grocery store. I get mine from Walmart. While my hair is still damp, I take a quarter size amount of product into my hand. I spread it in my hand and then I scrunch it all over my hair. It is important to switch up the product once in a while so your hair doesn’t become too accustomed to the product. DevaCurl Styling Cream is excellent as well as Sacha Inchi Rescue & Repair Curl Defining Smoothie by Shea Moisture. In addition to the right styling product, finding a shampoo and conditioner intended for ethnic hair helps as well. SuperFruit Conditioner by Shea Moisture does wonders. More along the line, I plan to get a DevaCut, which is when your hair is cut dry and a treatment is put into your hair to help nourish and define the curls.
Each day, I love my hair more and more. It feels much healthier than before and it just took finding the right products.
Do you have some favorite products for ethnic hair? Let us know in the comments below!
