How to tell if your entire life with straight hair has been a lie?

royalmesswithascar

I am very glad this board exists.  I am having an identity crisis.  I recently discovered curls in my predominately straight hair after cutting out shampoos that contain silicones.  I have never used conditioner because I was told it would make my hair oily. I have discovered curly strands of hair around my forehead that appear to match every single 3 type curl. I have also discovered that if I gently pull down on individual hair strands, moving away from my scalp with the strand in between by thumb nail and finger, they bounce up into curls.  I don't know if they're curling into the fetal position or if I'm scraping off something that is weighing them down or if they're just teasing me.  These curls do not immediately flatten out and stay coiled as if they're protesting their wasted potential.  I'm curious if this could be any indication of what my hair could possibly accomplish if it was properly moisturized and taken care of. 

I took your texture test and my results (excluding the type) are:

density: thick

porosity: low

thickness: fine

I know low porosity hair doesn't absorb water easily and I'm struggling to properly clarify build up on my scalp because I will bend and twist and break my neck trying to get every part of my hair wet only to step out of the shower and see a completely dry section of my hair.  How can I fully saturate my hair in a shower?  I will spend five minutes trying to fully wet my hair and it will still look like a wet spiderweb.

Do you guys think I should start taking care of my hair as if it has always been curly?  Could the way my hair coils after being pulled on be any indication of possible curl pattern?

I have talked to my mother about my baby curls and she told me that my biological dad had curly hair that looked like an afro. I don't know if curls are something can happen later on in life like how hair can experience changes in color. Hopefully, this is the right place to post all my questions.  

I look forward to hearing back from you guys.  

hindaljauhary

I'll answer what I can:
just like me, I thought I had straight hair....but I found out I had curly hair recently 
and how I found out was because of 2 things:
1- rice water: I did a rice water treatment and it turned my hair wavy at first
(btw don't do that until you make sure you're hair needs protein)
2-my baby hair just like you it was curling and it made me sure I had curly hair

and yes if you take care of it you're hair will become curly
I think the reason is cutting silicon shampoo 
but there is a chance that hair can change as you grow up 
because of Hermione changes so maybe it was straight and then turned curly
it's possible 

that's all I can help you with sorry...

cnic216

It does sound like you have some curls trying to form. Definitely start making sure your hair is properly moisturized. Use gentle shampoos (try sulfate free first) and continue to use silicone free conditioners. If you're finding your hair loves protein, keep up with any protein treatment you like. Be careful with the protein treatments as you don't want to overdo it. You need to make sure you have a good balance with protein and moisture. A good tip would be to alternate between moisture and protein treatments 1-2 times per month. Good luck! 

Guide 65

Innersense products are really good but it might a little time getting used to them.  They're really concentrated, so the trick to using them (especially the conditioner) is to use just a little bit and add lots of water to your hair while using it.  When you pump out the conditioner, emulsify it in your wet hands until it's creamy, then apply, then add water by splashing with your hands, or bring a spray bottle into the shower and spray more water into your hair.

royalmesswithascar

Thank you for your reply.  I remember doing a rice water rinse before to my hair and when it dried it looked like I had done big loose curls using a straightener so maybe my hair likes protein. I think my hair is in desperate need of moisture over protein.  It feels crispy. 

Thank you for your reply. 🙂

royalmesswithascar

Thank you for your response.  You guys have been really helpful.  This process has been quite confusing for me. I recently ordered some products from Innersense.  Their hydrating hairbath cream, pure inspiration conditioner, and sweet spirit leave in.  I have my fingers crossed they will help my hair. I'm going to try to look through for tips on getting moisture to low porosity hair because my hair definitely needs some.  It is crispy and when I went to put it into a ponytail today I felt strands breaking 

royalmesswithascar

Thank you so much for the tips! I am ashamed to admit it but I am brand new to using conditioner so I will definitely follow your tips on how to apply it. I never thought to bring a spray bottle into the shower but that is a fantastic idea.  Maybe it will be able to help me evenly distribute water so all my hair gets wet.  I’ve tried to bend over in my shower but it is so small that I just end up in this awkward angle where any water that hits my head immediately goes into my nose. 

Thanks again for all your help and information. I’m brand new to all of this so seeing replies makes me excited to learn.

Gretchen

Wow! I love these stories of curl discovery!  
There's tons of info on the site about caring for your curls, so dig in!