I grew up in dry climate where my hair always appeared straight, but scraggly, and I struggled with keeping my hair smooth while making it appear not as thin as it actually is (I was also a swimmer, so there's history of damage, too). There may have been little hints here and there that should have told me that I have curly hair (like how it would hold pin curls for days after taking them out, or my hair would puff-up with the humidity of summer), but my hair didn't have any visible curl to it other than the ends, so I never thought much of it.
It wasn't until I took my first vacation to Walt Disney World in Florida (where I brought my straightener along with me) that I started to realise there was something more to my hair. The first day that I was there, I did my hair and then never bothered to do it again. It just did whatever it wanted to, so I didn't see the point, but when I got home it went back to the same old flat hair with a bit of curl at the ends (or more when it was really short).
My trip to Hawaii for my 30th birthday made me a little more suspicious, but, again, I was in a humid climate (with access to salt water) and as soon as I got on the plane it fell flat and "back to normal". Last year I went to a stylist that specializes in cuts for curly hair, thinking that might help, and she was able to get the top layers of my hair to create a wave, but I could never replicate it at home, except for a day (but by the end of the day it had all settled back to normal).
Then, I had a breakthrough moment. About two months ago, when my old shampoo ran out, I decided to try to find some shampoo and conditioner for curly/wavy hair, and that's when I went down the rabbit hole of blogs and websites that told me about the Curly Girl Method. After a little bit of research, I purchased a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner and a cream. The results surprised me, and I thought to myself "perhaps I really do have curly hair". So I dove in deeper, and, after a clarifying wash with a deep moisturizing treatment, I started my journey.
It has been rough, but I have made it through the first month. Curly hair is a lot more work than I expected. Trying to figure out the products and concoctions that my hair needs has taken a lot of research, and figuring out what combination work best can be frustrating. Even my husband noticed that my hair days take a lot longer than they used to (legit it was just wash and go). But I am so happy with the results so far, and get really excited when I see a super tight spiral curl, having thought that my hair was only wavy. I know that this is only the beginning (and I really need a trim), so I am eager to see how my hair evolves!
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