Best length for Curly hair-One for all?

Throughout my life, I've always experimented with the length of my hair to find that "perfect" length which would be manageable and stylish at the same time. In pursuit of that, I've had pretty terrible haircuts at salons,mostly because they didn't know how to cut curly hair-the spring factor was apparently never a factor for the hair stylist. The days that would come after the haircut always was excruciatingly embarrassing. I had to live with  that hair for months before I'd be happy with it.
I've always wanted  that perfect "short bob" for curly hair. The last time I wore my hair short was back in 2009. I remember I went with this picture  from an Indian magazine of a model with similar hair like mine and she had a chic hair style which I craved from the moment I saw it. My mom warned me against trying it as she was aware of the fact that there aren't many salons that specialize in curly hair. Nevertheless, as stubborn as I am, I did it. The longest layer was in front, framing my face and was supposed to be shoulder length. What I got?Chin length ! Oh it was terrible! My friends back in college were shocked to see me. I left them speechless.

Chin length curly hair is anything but manageable. I thought short hair equals less effort. But that does not apply to curly hair. Though it looked good from behind,overall I was unhappy with it.

Lesson learnt. Short hair -bad idea. So I grew it a bit for a year and got another haircut. Again, mid-length hair -not a very good idea for curly hair. This is how it looked like-

So this wasn't a very good idea either. But atleast it was a bit manageable. Though my curls were a mess. Then I read various articles online that suggested growing out curly hair and leaving them long makes it easier to handle.So, I did that. I grew it out a bit more. 

The only time that I actually left my hair long (waist length) was way back in school when I was 11.My mom used to take care of my hair then. She was really patient and caring with my hair. I've never had that long hair since then. I've never really had the patience nor interest to grow it out so long. But I've finally found my perfect length- little more than shoulder length, the length  I have now. While I do find it easy to manage and style, I'd like to grow it out a little more.

You just have to experiment - a lot to find your own perfect length. I've had my huge share of them. And I've finally started to like what I have now :) . 

To Henna or not to Henna ?

I have a love-hate relationship with henna. We all love the lovely brownish-burgundy undertones it leaves on the hair. But what about after that? I'm sure there are many of you out there who have faced severe dryness of hair (much like myself !) after usage.Henna also changes the curl pattern. And it takes the hair sometime to "settle" in.

I had always been a huge fan of henna. Over the years, I had tried everything with henna- henna with eggs, with curd and even with oil. That didn't change much. While it imparted a beautiful burgundy tone to my jet-black hair, it also made my hair extremely dry and my curls lost their shape. No amount of conditioner or serum would make a difference. So, now it has been a while since I've used henna.
I still do like it very much. For those like me, who love the color and are apprehensive of the aftermath,I have just one advice- don't leave it on for more than one hour. The henna paste should not be rock solid when you wash it off. That reduces the dryness a bit.

I am yet to find a good concoction of henna. I will keep you guys updated in case I stumble upon a winner !

How often do we wash curly hair?

You've tried it all - washing your hair everyday, every other day..once in a week ! Some work really well for some people but for others like me, dry, frizzy hair is all we got ! I tried it all. I started with washing my hair everyday. The reason? Well, my curls seemed more defined and frizz-free at that time. It soon dawned on me that washing my curls everyday was ripping off the natural oils that keep the curls intact and protect the hair from frizz. And why do we need to wash our curls everyday anyway?

So,  then I ended up washing my hair every other day and now I wash my hair every three days. I think my hair is now the healthiest it has ever been. Length is finally catching up. It is clean. And I have learned ways to preserve my curls.

Curly and Indian !

There are curly-haired women in India. Of course, they are probably a minority. Why? Well, the beauty industry in India seems to be  flourishing only "straightward". Like every other curly girl, I grew up hating my curls. I wanted straight shiny hair like every other kid. Like my friends who could actually tie a pony tail to look like one and not like mine which was forcefully brushed and bruised and yet defied gravity !
High school went by but my fight with my curly locks never seemed to end. And then college came and yes, I relaxed my hair. I loved it ! I loved the length of my hair, which I never knew existed. I loved the fact that straight hair was non-fussy ! And yes, people loved my "transformation". But then, a few months into it and I started losing hair. When my curls grew a bit, it looked tacky having two hair textures in one strand of hair !
I eventually outgrew the craze for straight hair.
Then came the quest for that perfect shampoo for my curls. I tried everything. It didn't take me too long to realise that there wasn't in fact any shampoo (atleast not  in India) that would do me good. That's when I started researching online. I found numerous shampoos specifically for curly hair but they were all from various countries and were quite expensive too. I then came across Lorraine Massey's Curly Girl Handbook online. Everyone was talking about it online. It seemed to be a huge deal for curlies all around the world.My mom gifted it to me. And I was the happiest ! It was an eye-opener of sorts. According to Lorraine Massey, it's simple : want lovely curls-ditch the shampoo altogether ! Yes, I did. I stopped shampooing my hair altogether.Conditioner was all I used. I know it sounds disgusting. And my hair looked terrible for the first couple of weeks. But then, I saw the improvement. People started noticing my curls. They started complimenting me on how lovely my hair looked. Other curlies started approaching me for advice !Soon I discovered different ways to cleanse my hair. For example I started using shikakai powder and that worked like a charm!

Curls are a huge part of my personality. It makes me stand out. I no longer try to control them. They are wild and free !