Evolution of Free Curls: Freedom

(<--My hair is super curly!) I'm not sure that I ever had one hair-epiphany. If I did, it gradually let itself known. (Do epiphany's do that?) What I can say is that if "it" did occur, it occurred in 3 main stages...or evolutions. Let's examine. The Era Of... 1. Edward Scissor-Head (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099487/)

During the winter-break between 2009 and 2010, I was neither student nor teacher. Student, because it was winter-break... Teacher, because I was a per diem sub at my old high school and therefore, had no lessons to plan or projects to grade! Add friends-who-have-real-jobs (meaning they haven't had a "winter-break" in at least 2 years...) plus boyfriend-who-DNE (for all you math people!), and you get one very bored BarbaraEllen. Very. Bored.

Inspired by the silhouette of a strapless, sweetheart-neck, empire-waist, bubble-hem hot pink NYE mini, and encouraged by the copious amounts of time I had, I fantasized. The perfect shape and texture. The lift and bounce. The flutter and flow. I fantasized about my hair. Colonial-man (-->) wouldn't do.

During this 2 or so week span, I relentlessly goggled and researched curly-hair websites. I found that a number suggested long, metal curl-pins (totally botched that name) in order to help style. Either by placing them at root, to lend lift, or at the end, to give weight, various sites recommend that I style my hair using these. After raiding the local drug-store, I did.

For about 3 months. Every morning with hair wet, sometimes every night--I even tried sleeping with these Medusa-asps!--I sectioned my head into clips. For the remaining stragglers, I used thick bobby-pin-things. (So technical.) I noticed that my hair dried faster, and certainly the curl seemed to have greater definition. Instead of pieces clumping together, curls more freely separated into their own defined ringlet. In addition, I used a .5" curling iron for the pieces that feel flat or frizzed-away, as the websites discussed.

My hair looked cuter. I got various compliments from friends, male and female, alike. Problem was: my ends severed from the weight of clips and pins, and the damage incurred by my already neglected tresses meant even drier hair. And to be honest...the E.S.Head look scared me. (Sorry, no pictures of this!) Ironic. For someone who wanted "free" hair, I gave mine chains.

2. CHI

According to The Free Dictionary by Farlex, chi is, "The vital force believed in Taoism and other Chinese thought to be inherent in all things. [...] a balance of its negative and positive forms in the body are held to be essential to good health in traditional Chinese medicine," (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/chi). I've always likened chi to a life-force that guides, nourishes, and sustains. (Really, I should learn more about it.) I think it's both a huge coincidence and also, no coincidence at all that Cationic Hydration Interlink, or CHI, products have brought both style as well as "balance" and "good health" to my hair (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/chi).

To chronologically backtrack, it was Halloween 2009, the year I taught (tried to teach) myself the "Single Ladies Dance" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m1EFMoRFvY)--to the left is the public debut while celebrating my 24th!--and also the year I fell in-love with the first season of FOX's, "Glee" (http://www.fox.com/glee/). Naturally, this meant I had to be Beyonc-Glee for Halloween! (Would post pics, but I'm not sure the costume ever made sense to begin with...).

Naturally, this also meant that I had to straighten my hair. A feat which hadn't been tried since Study Abroad Ireland circa 2006... The advent of Smoker-Mom-Hair. ...Yeah. Yet between the advancements of a ceramic straightening irons (thank you Mama!) and CHI Shine Infusion spray (http://www.target.com/CHI-Shine-Infusion-Thermal-Polishing/dp/B000VTRJPE), something miraculously and drastically changed my hair.

...God had answered my prayers.

Seriously. He'd given me uber-straight, silky locks previously unknown to my ironically pasty complexion. He'd given me straight hair!!!

Throughout the beginning of 2010, I oscillated between torturing my tresses with curl-clips and pins and smoothing these same curls with an external life-force that I had craved since childhood. (Who are we kidding? ...Toddler-hood.) However unrefined, the advent of these new techniques brought with them the keys to unlock the chains that encaged, and the doors that would liberate. (You laugh. But a woman's hair is a big deal. Even The Bible says. So...)

3. Gods and Goddesses of Hair

There's this salon I go to. In Rochester, NY. Where I live. It's fabulous. If you live here, or around here, you already know what I'm talking about. It is amazing. World class. Every time I've gone to its Pittsford location, be it for a mani, or an eye-wax, or a styling, or all 3, I have walked-out feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. That's saying a lot for a girl who's still unemployed despite a 2010 Master's, when she should've graduated with her Master's in 2008 from an Ivy League(!), when she had to move from the Upper West Side back home to West Irondequoit...with her parent's, and.... okay okay, before you begin to think I'm bitter, I'll stop. (Giggles!) To make my point: this salon is beyond fabulous.

And so is my stylist. She's younger than me and has pin-straight hair, yet still knows curls better than I ever will. She takes her time with each consultation, thinking thoughtfully before each response, and she uses the products available for purchase, not because she's pushing you to purchase them, but instead, because they truly are the best. Oh, and did I mention that once my hair started growing back more healthfully, SHE recommended that we push our appointments back from every 6 weeks to every 10!? In this economy! That's class.

In June 2010, I finally made an appointment with these gods and goddesses of hair, of pampering. I almost cried. She held the square-shaped mirror in front of my face, at the end of our over-an-hour-long consultation, cut, and style. I almost cried. Redemption. I had redemption from all of those tears and years and screams and struggles. I had my hair, and I had something I could love.

There are a few key things I know that my stylist does (and probably a-bazillion more she knows). Here's the gist of what I got:

1. Chop the dead-out. Yeah, it was short. (I actually prefer my hair short.) But to get it healthy, she cut the dead.

2. Loose layers. And she does this cool twisty-cut thing that helps to shape the curl as it dries. I have to say: it works.

3. Hydration Hydration Hydration. For some years, I'd begun shampooing my hair only 2-3x/s week, even with exercise. Now, I also use a Bumble & Bumble Super Rich conditioner almost every time I condition (and even sometimes as a leave-in!) (http://www.bumbleandbumble.com). It feels like silk and is just as strong. (Which silk is, really, super strong.)

4. Caressing. My stylist caresses my curls. As she adds product, when she diffuses. Lightly, gingerly, lovingly, she molds and twirls each curl into shape. I'm forever learning how to be this-kind-of-gentle. Because gentle looks damn good.

5. Diffusing. HOW HAD I NEVER USED A DIFFUSER BEFORE!?!?!? I've ALWAYS had one. Since high school! Always. Yet I have to admit, I haven't begun to regularly use one until...like, October 2010! That means I went FOUR months, throughout the entire summer, barely using a diffuser. WHAT!? was I thinking???? (Breathe.)

Okay. A diffuser. Is amazing. A) Who wants wet, slimy strands brushing, like the snakey-suds of towels at the car wash, against their neck? B) It works. It lovingly separates each curl so that when I am done, I look like a run-way model for the .2 seconds before I see my 5'2", unmake-up-ed frame. Seriously, it allows me the freedom to style my hair with body. Mostly, it allows me to style my hair not at all. It allows me to just be.

That is what I got.

In closing, one final note (for now) on freedom:

Curly hair always has to be styled. In some form. Whether its a cream or an oil or a conditioner, something needs to moisturize those kinks and lock-in-the-yum. But if already, you're hair is happy and healthy, and if already, you've treated it with love...most of the time your curls can "just-be" with nothing more than a dime-sized amount. Most of the time, they can be free.

...Or free to style however you want. Now, I actually think of hairstyles to match my outfits! I've done '40's, which require some straightening and re-curling (fun!), and side-swept messy buns. Either way, I'm glad to know that I finally know have options. (See-ya Pony-tail and Colonial-man...) You see, it's not just about being free. Rather, it's about freedom from and freedom of styling. It's about the type of free that you choose.

...Until next time!