Image:@jenny_thecurlymom
What was it like for you growing up with textured hair?
I am one of two siblings. My elder sister has straight hair, while I inherited curls from my maternal uncles. My mother (straight-haired”> always took care of our hair ever since I could remember. From DIY homemade masks to oil blends, she did it all. Hence why we grew up loving and taking care of our hair. Unfortunately, she had no clue how to manage my frizz and define my curls. So I grew up confused! I knew how to take care of my hair health, but didn’t know how to make those curls hold together for days! And like others, I was also subjected to mean jokes and taunts on my mane. And finally the moment I touched 21 years, I started getting my yearly straightening done— almost 6 times in 12 years!
What made you decide to embrace your naturally curly hair?
It happened one fine day when a fellow curly recommended me to join this Facebook group “Indian Curl Pride”, a group dedicated to curlies all across the nation. It was then I learned about the Curly Girl method. And the rest is history. While researching and studying, I also came across NaturallyCurly and since then there is no looking back. It has been a life changer!
Image:@jenny_thecurlymom
What has been the most empowering moment of your natural hair journey so far?
The confidence it gave me to love myself the way I am. Today people recognize me for my CURLS !
How do you protect your curls at night?
My night routine starts with 4-5 mins of scalp massage with my finger tips. On alternate days I incorporate oil during scalp massage. Post massage, I make a loose bun with a satin scrunchie, wear a satin bonnet and sleep on a satin pillow cover. The pillow helps protect my skin as well. Also the reason I use both the bonnet and pillow cover is that I don’t want the oil to transfer on the pillow as I have acne prone skin. This helps in keeping my pillow clean.
Who is your curl crush?
Since the first person I interacted with was Asha Barrak, Admin of “Indian curl pride” Facebook group and Owner of the Brand Ashba Botanics that makes curly hair approved products, she will always be my first crush.
What’s your curly girl essential you can’t live without?
There are many! My satin scarf, my satin robe (current favourite”>, my heat cap, my silk mittens for SOTC, and my microfibre cap and gloves. In short, anything satin is my curly girl essential ❤️
Image:@jenny_thecurlymom
What is your current hair regimen? Any favorite products you’d like to share?
So I will share my routine and write my favourite products next to it.
- Co-wash: 2 times a week. MySoigne Hair cleanser
- Shampoo: Once a week. Earth Rhythm Murumuru Shampoo Bar & Only Curls hair cleanser
- Conditioner: Not Your Mother’s Tahittian Gardenia & Mango Butter, Reequil Murumuru conditioner (Indian Brand”>
- Leave In Conditioner: Kinky Curly Knot Today Detangler
- Curl Cream: Cantu Curl Activator and BounceCurl Clump and Define Cream
- Gel: As I Am Curling Jelly, Giovanni La Strong Hold gel
- Oil: Righteous Roots Oil
- Deep conditioner: Curls Blueberry Bliss Reparative Mask and Shea Moisture Manuka Honey and Mafura Oil Mask.
Ps: I am a big PRODUCT JUNKIE. I hoard products like crazy. I love experimenting with different product combinations and comparison. Luckily we as a family of 5 members have shifted to 100% CG approved products hence none of my products go waste. My straight haired husband and 2 boys also co-wash their hair, use conditioner and leave-in.
What has been the most challenging moment of your natural hair journey so far?
I struggled with products. It was difficult to understand what will work for my hair type . Balancing protein & moisture was another challenge. Second challenging part was the transition stage. Being conditioned to shampooing my hair daily, shifting to co-washing and extending my wash days was hard.So yes, coming out of age old deep rooted conditioning was very stressful at some point .
Image:@jenny_thecurlymom
Are there any techniques or methods that have made a huge impact on your hair health?
My to-go method to ensure ultimate hydration is Squish to Condish using the Bowl Method. I never ever skip this step.
It works so amazingly well on my hair that on days when I don’t use any stylers, I still get well defined curls which last for a good 24 hours.
Another favourite technique while applying gel is the modified shingling method. Here I pick the thick clumps and smoothen it with my fingers . It takes less time as compared to shingling.
AND PLEASE DO NOT SKIP YOUR DAILY SCALP MASSAGE.
What’s your advice to women who are still struggling with loving their natural texture?
My advice would be to start with focusing on hair and scalp health first, and then curl definition. I believe that a healthy scalp is the key to healthy hair.
Secondly, more than the products, it’s the technique that matters. Once you get a hold of the technique, you will definitely get good curls with minimum products.
