Frizz Happens

What is one thing that curly-haired individuals like me dread the most? Frizz! When I scroll through my favourite social media apps for curly hair inspiration, I often find myself comparing the lack of frizz of others to my own head. Let’s be honest, frizz happens and it happens to the best of us. Strike that, it happens to all of us. Now, there are several ways one can decrease the look of frizz but it is inevitable that there is one strand, maybe two, that doesn’t want to do what you hope it will do. Thus, this can cause frustration with your hair, and at times, having you put it up in a bun because it isn’t “perfect” and just forget about it until next time. I’m going to be candid here. I’ve hated frizz, and it has taken a long time for me to get this inevitability. Like I said before, it happens and sometimes nothing can be done about it. I was the one who would look in the mirror, get frustrated, and think that I could not leave my house. I would wrap it or throw it in a bun. The irony of it all is that I felt much better rocking my curls than hiding them. Again, each curl needed to be perfect, but that’s not always realistic. So how does one overcome the urge for the “perfect” curl?

Frizz happens. There are humid climates and dry climates. Hot climates and cold climates. All of these environments impact our hair in different ways. You can complete a fresh wash and go and still encounter some frizz once your hair is dry. It can be disheartening when you look on social media and see perfect curls, not one curl astray and each edge laid to perfection, then look in the mirror and not see the same in your reflection. It is especially frustrating, given all the work you’ve already put in. Remember, we often post our best selves on social media and the reality is, that there is no such thing as perfect. What makes you unique are the imperfections. This includes the hair that grows out of your head. I think this is the best lesson I’ve learned along the way in my journey, which is that imperfection is special. This lesson did not come easy. I had to overcome my fears of judgment, even though I knew I wasn’t being judged. In fact, I would get complimented on my hair. Turns out, it was a “me problem”. Who would have thought?! It took time to be confident in wearing my hair out in public with “frizzed-out” hair and get over my self-sabotage. It became a series of going out and overcoming those unrealistic fears. This may seem trivial to some, but for me, it was a big deal. Every time I left my house with curls that weren’t laid perfectly, I felt that it was a success. Each time I grew more and more confident and I cared less about how I perceived myself. The thing is, we are our worst critics. and what may seem to be a big deal is not so bad at all. The “frizz” isn’t as frizzy and the “imperfection” is just a curl here and there doing its own thing.