Reader question: Hair problem! Help!

Hi Miss Liz! Growing up I have been teased a lot about my "sumpa"- CURLY HAIR!!!! I don't mean the cute Goldilocks type but the "so-kinky-its-llike-an-afro" type of curl. An even weirder combination? I have pale skin Asian skin and got called names like "negrang hapon", "albino na negra" blah blah blah.

My self esteem was suuppeerr low that I had my hair straightened when I was in 6th grade and have been religiously straightening since (I'm turning 23 this year). The teasing stopped. I got lots of compliments, some even forgot I was curly to begin with. Don't get me wrong, I honestly enjoyed it at first but it was tiring to me (dreading my natural hair growing,enduring the long hours and chemical burns of the process).

Anyway, I don't know how but I finally found myself some confidence to stop pretending and embrace the real me! My question Miss Liz is; how do I transition to my natural locks without looking like a freak? (curly hair at the roots and stick straight hair at the tips).

Hi Miss_D22! Great question! Kudos to you for finally having the confidence to embrace your natural hair! I also had the same problem before - had my hair straightened so many times that I have damaged my scalp permanently. And for what? Because people teased me all the time! One girl even called me Jesus Christ. Damn. That's one of the worst insults to me ever.

In the end, like you I realized that I would be happier if I just enjoyed the real me. We're never so ugly or so bad as we think we are; it's all in the head! Curly hair is just as attractive as straight hair if we know how to groom and maintain it. Of course, it would help if we have the right attitude towards it. "Oh my curly hair? Yeah I know right, it's fabulous!"

So, how to deal with the growth of your natural hair! Well, you can have the straight parts of your hair permed. Ask your stylist and he/she can recommend a treatment. It just has to last until you have your desired length for curly hair, then cut the treated hair.

Once you have your real hair back, just maintain it with regular trims. Use serums like the Kérastase Elixir Ultime or the Dove Nourishing Oil Care Nutri-Oil Serum to keep it soft and shiny. To avoid frizz or unruly strands, use your preferred mousse (any from the drugstore will do, but I like White Rain and V5 the most!). 

Hope this helps! Again, I'm happy you finally decided to love your hair, and by extension, yourself more. :)