Curly hair, don't care!

Curly hair is exactly like the weather. You can forecast and prep all you want, but you will never be able to forecast all the ways in which it can change from one day to the next.

The obvious solution to taming curly or wavy hair is to straighten it, but let's be honest: ain't nobody got time for that. Also, heated styling tools are just so damaging. Plus most drugstore haircare and styling products that promise to cut down frizz are full of silicones that leave buildup over time, or drying alcohols. What's a curly-haired person to do?

Enter: the curly hair revolution. A few years ago, Pakistan was introduced to the Curly Girl Method, organized and popularized in the early 2000s by Lorraine Massey, founder of the Devachan Salons. In Pakistan, local curly girl Komal Malik - the first Pakistani stylist trained at the DevaCurl Academy - founded Curl Talk, a Facebook group for women with curly hair.

The arrival of curl-positive celebrities like Hajra Yamin encourages people to embrace their natural hairInstagram

This was the first time curly hair needs were being acknowledged and discussed for a Pakistani audience. That may not seem like a big deal, but if you have curly or wavy hair, chances are you were often misguided about how to style or care for your hair.

Pre-internet curlies possibly spent all their time brushing dry curls into a huge mess of static and frizz. Post-internet-and-global-village kids most likely believed or were told that straight hair was the ideal to aspire to.

Pre-internet curlies possibly spent all their time brushing dry curls into a huge mess of static and frizz. Post-internet-and-global-village kids most likely believed or were told that straight hair was the ideal to aspire to. In the years that have followed, not only have international curl-specific products been made available in Pakistani markets due to demand, local lines, as well as more professionally trained curly hair stylists have emerged too.

The advantage of social media platforms addressing curly hair needs was multi-fold. You got introduced to how to wash and dry hair to maintain your hair pattern. People on the group noted down recommendations of curl-safe products that were locally available. And it turned out, there were a lot of homemade totkas you could employ to reverse damage from over-heatstyled hair.

In the years that have followed, not only have international curl-specific products been made available in Pakistani markets due to demand, local lines, as well as more professionally trained curly hair stylists have emerged too.

So if you have curly hair, what can you use?

Curlit

Curlit is legit. The brand's range of shampoos, conditioners, and stylers work exactly as they claim to. The shampoos are sulfate-free, and the conditioners lightweight, so hair is clean and nourished without being weighed down. The Curl Volumizing Curling Custard is light and slides on easily, without weird buildup or residue.

Prices range from Rs 2500 - Rs 3500 for individual products

Curlitoworld.com

Coco Curls

Another local brand, Coco Curls has been around for longer, and is continuously expanding lines of products on offer. Their range offers cleansers and conditioners, as well as stylers and hair washing and maintenance tools.

Prices range from Rs 1600 - Rs 3000 for individual products.

thecococurls.com

Cantu Beauty

Cantu offers a range of products for natural hair of all types, and is one of the brands available occasionally across Pakistan, and on buying services that deliver to Pakistan. Cantu cowashes and stylers are made keeping different curl patterns in type, and can range from light to heavy, so make sure to check if the product you want is compatible with your curl pattern.

Prices will fluctuate but generally start at $ 6.

cantubeauty.com