These curls have a story and life of their own.

I have spent almost 20 years trying to figure out to how detangle, style, tame, cut, color and de-frizz this mane of mine. It nearly took half a century and I’m still always learning, but I’m so excited to share my curly hair story with you.

As a kid I had curly hair that stopped people in the street but behind the scenes it was a struggle. I hated having my hair washed and it would often get all tangled. My poor mom had no idea what on earth to do with my curls as she had straight hair. As I grew up, towards the end of primary school I remember being quite jealous of the girls with straight hair. I remember as I got older I tried stylist after stylist trying to find someone who knew what they were doing.

You name the trend – I’ve tried it. From getting my hair “thinned” to someone cutting layers underneath the top half of my hair, to using mousse, gel, hairspray, hot rollers…anything for the sake of taming the curls. I will never forget my friends walking in and saying, “MINE APPOLO!”

As I went into my teen years I knew I had to do something with my hair, so I started to straighten my hair in high school when GHDs became a thing. I had the large straighteners for afro hair which I thought made it easier, but actually meant I couldn’t get to the roots properly. Because my roots were never that straight and I was so worried about the ‘frizzy bits’,the rain & humidity were my worst enemy. After a couple years of straightening (around 15 years) it (for special occasions), my curls were really damaged so when I did wear it curly it looked kind of strange. The roots would be really curly but the ends were quite straight and at this point I was using curling creams.I found creams worked better as they didn’t make my curls crunchy but kept a hold and I’d learnt to get used to the feeling of soft curls (without freaking out that they were frizzy). the products is used for the wet look made my curls crunchy, but at the time the ‘wet’ look was what I wanted because the only time my hair wasn’t frizzy was when it was wet, so that was my aim. When I started working I’d wear my hair straight more often as I found it easier because it meant not having to wash it every other day and with straight hair you can switch between styles. In my late 20s I began to embrace my brand of curly hair. One day, I discovered a hair salon that was specialised in curly hair (natural hair products). Went there, had a hair consult and the magic happened. I was really surprised with how it looked. I’d never considered cutting my hair short as the quality of my hair was never good enough and with curly hair it’s a massive commitment having short hair. I didn’t like short curly hair on me. I decided to cut it, cutting off the damaged ends and it looked SO much better.

I learned how to wash, comb, section, apply product and diffuse my curls to make them defined. The shea moisture products changed my life! Finally for the first time, I felt actually confident about controlling and understanding my curls. So nearly a thousand words later and I think that’s it. Thanks if you stuck around! That’s my hair story and the reason why I stick to one look and one look only now that I’ve found a cut and style I’m happy with. I always use to be the girl who has to carry an umbrella or who doesn’t want to get my hair wet in the pool.

There is a few little things that have played a big part in life with curly hair. I have been sleeping on silk pillow cases since I was about three years ago. They help keep frizz away from your curls, plus they’re amazing for your skin! I always keep a wide pick comb in the shower. Shower caps get me through the week since I only wash my hair every five or so days! My new besties are the denman brush & my water hair spray bottle. I’ll say it once and I’ll say it again, but a good product that works for your hair is everything. The biggest thing I have learned about curly hair is that you HAVE to embrace it! When I was growing up, I felt like I never saw anyone in my family, on TV, in books or magazine who had my hair. Now, you can scroll through Instagram and the bigger the curls, the better! I love and believe in the community of curly girls. It’s truly a sisterhood. Everyone has had an opinion about my hair at some point. Why is it so big? It looks really frizzy. You should go natural. Do you ever straighten it? Curly hair can be a source of insecurity or I think it can help you stand out. The truth is that all that matters is that you feel confident with your hair. My curls match my personality and are completely a part of my identity. Yes, it’s big. Yes, it is sometimes frizzy. I wouldn’t change a thing.

That’s my hair story, what’s yours?

"My hair is not a fashion statement; it is a part of me in the most literal and figurative way possible." — Janibell Rosanne