When you think of Southeast Asian women (and men) having curly hair, what comes to mind?
Is it beautiful waves like this?
Or a perfectly, manicured perm like this?
Image credit: Hai Nguyen / Pexels
The reality is far from it though, especially if you’re living in a tropical, humid climate like Singapore or Malaysia. Frizz, kinks, BIG HAIR – those are what it’s really like to have curly hair in a humid country.
Big And Curly
Growing up with natural curly hair, it is definitely not a texture that is glorified or often liked in Southeast Asian culture. Straight hair is more common, and the ideal, in fact among Asians.
My mother always chided me for having messy hair and I would work extra hard to comb my hair straight, even breaking my comb once (true story!) because I was yanking hard at it to get rid of the knots.
My curly hair often brought me shame because it’s big, frizzy and never dries the same — far from typical Southeast Asian beauty ideals. So I would use tonnes of products – moisturising shampoos, hair straighteners, anti-frizz serums (you name it, I’ve tried it) – just to make it look straighter. Spending so much time, effort and money straightening it, just to have it all go up in a great big flame of frizz the moment I step out of the house can get pretty frustrating.
Image credit: Buzzfeed
But over the years, instead of working against it, I’ve learnt to embrace my curls. It gives me personality as it almost has a life of its own!
Loving my big, curly hair means wearing it with confidence. But it takes some work and special care to keep it looking funky, fresh and beautiful.
So here are a couple of my favourite tips and tricks to help you manage your curly hair in humid countries.
Tender Loving Care For Curly Hair
Asians with curly hair understand how much of a struggle it is to take care of it properly. While it might take a while before you find what works best for your hair, there’s no harm in trying different tips from people who deal with the same type of hair – so here are some of my favourites.
Don’t Comb Your Hair When It’s Dry
The first thing I’d recommend for women, or anyone who has natural, curly hair, is to avoid combing curly hair when it’s dry as it breaks easily, making it frizz up more. What works for me is combing out the knots while applying my conditioner and then using a detangling brush to comb my hair while it’s damp.
Use a Microfibre Towel
Invest in a microfibre towel! I only bought my microfibre towel four months ago and I never looked back. It’s supposed to absorb excess water from your hair while lessening the frizz, and using it has definitely helped my curls keep their definition after drying.
Don’t Let Your Hair Get Damaged by Heat
Heat can seriously damage your hair, so if you like to use a hairdryer or other hair products that involve heat, it’s important that you protect it as much as you can – this goes any kind of natural hair, either curly or straight.
Use a protectant whenever your hair is exposed to heat. Since there are many of them available on the market and every person’s hair is different, I cannot recommend you just one product, as what works for me might not work for you. Just keep in mind that the product should suit your hair, so if your is thicker, you should consider using slightly more dense products, such as a cream or a gel, while for thinner hair, spray might be the better option.
Tip: If you use a hairdryer, remember to use a diffuser – it will not only help to make your hair dry faster, but your curls will also be in greater shape (they’ll be more bouncy and voluminous) than they would if you left them to dry on their own.
Remember About Trimming
Split ends are a nightmare for Asians and everyone else with curly hair. And while, unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do to repair them once the damage has been done, you can prevent them from happening in the future.
If you too have split ends, the first step you should take is cutting them off – the longer you keep them, the more damaged our hair becomes – and then trimming them regularly so that you can get rid of split ends before they can impair your hair even further. Ideally, you should trim your hair every six to eight weeks.
In terms of some other things you can do in order to prevent split ends – as long as you don’t use too much heat on it, use products that are suitable for your hair and keep them hydrated, you shouldn’t have to worry about them.
Invest in Good Hair Products
Truthfully, this one is a must-have no matter if you have curly or straight hair. Trust me when I say that good hair products are your best friend. It took me years of trying out different products based on recommendations and extensive research. I tried out homemade hair mask recipes and various shampoos, conditioners and serums. But I think I’ve finally found my holy grail product.
As my biggest issue with my hair is the frizz, my must-have product is L’Oreal Extraordinary Oil. Applying it after a shower throughout my damp hair gives my hair a smoother, more moisturised texture. The oil is absorbed fast and doesn’t leave my hair looking oily even with a generous amount applied.
Finding the right products and routine for your curly hair takes a little trial and error. But in time, you will learn what works best for you and completely embrace that #curlyhair life!
