Curls Run The World

Editor: Katherine Dollison

 For as long as I can remember, I’ve wished my hair was different. As a mixed-race child with one brown and one white parent, my resulting hair texture is curly and wild. Not only was it unruly and difficult for my mom to maintain when I was little, but it was also viewed by my black family as undesirable. 

We all wished for straight hair. “White” hair. Curls were not attractive. Curls were black. In South Africa, it could even be said that curls were a sign of inferiority. How, you may ask?

Well, during the era of Apartheid (racial oppression between 1948 to the early 1990s) a test was offered in order to determine what race would be designated to you. It was called the “pencil test.” Simply put, a pencil was placed in your hair and if it stayed, you failed. If it fell out, you passed.

Nearly all my life was spent outside of Apartheid, but I believe these echoes still resounded through the lives of people of color. Even into high school I prayed for my hair to be different, despite my white friends wishing for hair like mine. Things only began to change for me when I matriculated and somehow ended up as part of a modelling agency. 

The owner, seasoned in beauty trends, insisted that I begin to embrace my natural hair. Accepting this was like pulling teeth for me. How could something I had fought against for so long be considered attractive? Eventually, she wore me down and I returned for a photo shoot with curly hair. Almost immediately, clients began asking for me to audition and appear in TV and print commercials.

I am proud to say that I became one of the first few mixed-race girls to appear in adverts with their natural hair in South Africa. (I still have some of the life size posters that I bring out when drinking with friends…) It was only after I saw my images in clothing stores that it clicked for me.

Perhaps my natural hair is beautiful.

I spent the next decade figuring out exactly how to take care of my hair because I had only ever straightened it. Taking on the task of keeping my curls hydrated, dealing with knots and frizz, was all new to me.

What’s lovely is how the range of natural hair products had grown, allowing me to try and test until I found the right combination and routine.

Due to how thirsty curly hair is, I can tell you that conditioner is my best friend. I don’t wash it off, but leave it in, along with a special hair oil my mom makes and a hair mask for the flyaways. Even at the beach I carry a trusty travel-sized bottle of conditioner to apply as soon as I am out of the water.

All of this may sound a little tedious and inconvenient but it’s what I have to do in order to maintain my natural hair. Obviously, other hair types will need different treatment, but there is something empowering about cracking the code to your own natural hair routine.

I am pleased to say that I am so comfortable in my curls that I’ve even ventured into bleaching and dyeing my hair outrageous colors, making sure to treat it with oil a few times a month to keep it healthy and shiny. It feels like a personal expression and I often get complimented on each unique look.

Over a decade of learning my hair has brought me to where I am today. I count myself lucky to have had these experiences. I am lucky to have received a positive influence that forced me to relook at my personal beauty standards. Today, I am the one who tells girls to embrace their natural hair.

Curls are a crowning glory not to be hidden. I believe the philosophy stems even deeper than your hair texture.  It extends to who you are naturally. That is where true beauty is found. Anything on top of that is just embellishments. As long as you stay true to the wild-haired, tiger-striped, strong goddess that you are, your beauty will always shine through. Invest in your hair. It’s the crown you never take off.