Help! What type am I if half my head is curly and half is straight!?

gracetheyoung

My hair has been somewhat of a massive enigma to me. When I was young (REALLY young, like 5) it was typical asian stick straight. Then as I grew older, half of it (the "under" half, the hair that grows closer to my neck) is really curly - if I pull out a strand, it's like really tight S shapes but flat. The hair on top of my head is straight, with slight waves towards the bottom. My hair poofs out like CRAZY if I don't straighten it. I don't dye it often or a lot (I just have a few bright red streaks). I just stumbled onto this site and if it can save me from the agony of being an asian with a big straw mop poof for hair, I will be eternally grateful!
see rather unflattering picture of poofy hair:
http://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v112/199/26/1331010050/n1331010050_30231776_310.jpg
unflattering example number two:
http://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v78/84/106/902205/n902205_34851641_5078.jpg

help me please!!!

funkedisco

Hey there Gracetheyoung,

Welcome! So yeah, your hair is the bane of your existence (maybe that's hyperbolic) and I completely understand. As do many of the other wavies/curlies out there. But check this out, you found this site so you are on your way to hair rehabilitation.

As someone new here as well, I can say this....prepare for a lot of experimentation, especially at first (read: some bad hair days). But there is hope. I suggest you check out Lorraine Massey's book Curly Girl. Amazon has it for under $10. Also check the Going Shampooless thread on these boards. I know it sounds weird and possibly kinda but cutting back on the shampoo/eliminating it makes a really big difference. A BIG difference!

Also, look for products that wavies love. Jessicurl (JC), Joico Joiwhip, Curly Hair Solution [buylink=http://www.curlmart.com/Curly-Hair-Solutions-Curl-Keeper-p-28.html?utm_source=naturallycurly.com&utm_medium=text-link&utm_content=curltalk-post-text&utm_campaign=curly-hair-solutions-curl-keeper]Curl Keeper[/buylink], Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner, [buylink=http://www.curlmart.com/AG-Recoil-p-24.html?utm_source=naturallycurly.com&utm_medium=text-link&utm_content=curltalk-post-text&utm_campaign=ag-hair-cosmetics-recoil-curl-activator]AG Re:Coil[/buylink] are some names I see commonly.

And nevermind all your friends with stick straight hair! Chances are their hair won't even hold a curl that was burned in using a curling iron for more than an hour! The great thing about wavy/curly hair is its versatility. Straight, wavy, or curly!

Hope that helps.

funkedisco

About your hair being half wavy, half straight. If you didn't know it, is really normal to have hair that has different curls in it. my hair is wavier on the top, underneath it is almost straight and near my face I have a few 3a ringlets. i used to think I just was cursed with confused hair but while checking out the boards here I realiazed mixed texture is very common.

gracetheyoung

this no-poo thing is fascinating! do you guys think it would work out for me even though my hair is like a grab bag of textures? I'm sure it's not good for people with straight hair...

Also I have tried like, a billion dollars worth of different products and i'm really happy/frustrated that some of the most recommended brands are suave. hehe.

nais

My mom is Asian and has pretty curly hair. I know most people think Asians all have straight hair, but that's really not the case. Thermal straightening was developed in Japan because there is a whole slew of Asians that don't have the smooth straight hair.

I have a girl friend who is Chinese with straight hair who loves no-poo. She just co-washes and loves the smooth shiny hair she gets from it. So straight hair can do well without poo - it just depends on your texture. She has medium coarse hair. My mom has fine hair and looks like a droopy mess on no-poo. Ya gotta experiment.

HeatherDawn

First of all welcome! Yes, it is VERY normal to have multi textured hair. I am most 2C with 3A in front and 2B on the back of my head. Although I'm not sure how much of that is from smashing it flat now that it's longer! I even find straw sized 3 curl hairs from time to time.

I really like my lowpoo routine. I baisically use a non-sulfate shampoo to wash twice a week and use either leave in condotioner or jojaba oils to add moisture. While you are trying a new routine remember that there is a wait time for your hair to adjust. It took mine about ten days. Meaning my hair looked really funky for ten days. My mom has stick strait fine thin hair and uses an organic shampoo. She has had no problems not using detergent. One investment I highly recomend is a diffuser. I don't use mine all the time, but they are great to have to "pump" up your curl and see what's there.

Best of luck!

gracetheyoung

thanks guys!! I've always been more or less perplexed because my sister, mom, and brother all have reallllly straight hair. (Maybe my dad has curly hair, it's always too short to tell.)

I think my hair would be really gross completely no-poo, so I will try a low-poo routine upon return (currently en route to Egypt!)

thanks again for all your help, I will let you know how my experimentation turns out!

bbbecca

gracetheyoung wrote: »

thanks guys!! I've always been more or less perplexed because my sister, mom, and brother all have reallllly straight hair. (Maybe my dad has curly hair, it's always too short to tell.)

I think my hair would be really gross completely no-poo, so I will try a low-poo routine upon return (currently en route to Egypt!)

thanks again for all your help, I will let you know how my experimentation turns out!

YAY! A CURLY ASIAN! :toothy7::toothy7: