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Journalism of Courage
For as long as I can remember, my hair fell straight and flat against my back. Running a comb through it was effortless, detangling a breeze. But moving cities for college and work meant dealing with hard water, pollution, and chemical overload. Slowly, my once-straight hair began curling softly around my nape. By the time the monsoon hit, frizz was out of control. No amount of brushing helped. It only made things worse.
Turns out, I wasn’t alone in this discovery. Shilpa Pal, a PR professional, also grew up believing she had straight hair. “The bends and kinks made me straighten it regularly. I didn’t know about heat protection sprays back then—I was just a kid trying to figure it out,” she told indianexpress.com.
When she eventually ditched the straightener, her waves revealed themselves. “I started reading about wavy and curly hair and stumbled on the Curly Girl Method (CGM). Suddenly, there was this whole world of guides and products,” she said.
While Pal experimented with shampoos, conditioners, and leave-in creams, she eventually switched to a lighter serum. She has also now learnt not to mess with her hair much and chooses to embrace the natural texture, loud and proud.
Meanwhile, I found CGM a mixed bag. The heavy products weighed down my fine strands, leaving them clumped and greasy. Brushing daily was non-negotiable, so I kept tweaking my routine with weightless mousses, gels, and butters until I finally struck a balance. Until then, taking care of wavy hair felt like walking around in the dark with blinders on.
“Hair is essentially protein,” said Dr Pravin Banodkar, director, Skin Crest Clinic and chief consultant dermatologist, Saifee Hospital. “The size, quantity, and genetic arrangement of keratin determine whether hair is wavy, straight, or curly.
Broadly, hair is categorised into three: Type 1 is straight, which is prone to oiliness, type 2 is wavy, with gentle bends or S-shaped curves, and type 3 is curly, ranging from soft loops to tight, spring-like coils.
Each type needs its own care. Straight hair does best with lightweight cleansers; wavy hair needs extra hydration to combat frizz; curly hair thrives on deep moisturisation and curl-enhancing products.
“When it comes to wavy hair, hydration and the right styling products are key. They protect against humidity and frizz,” said Dr Banodkar.
Anita Harisinghani, trichologist, swears by this one tip: “Avoid brushing dry wavy hair. Instead, finger-comb or detangle when it’s damp with a little leave-in conditioner. It keeps waves defined and frizz-free.”
Dr Banodkar recommended starting a wavy hair routine with a gentle cleanser and lightweight conditioner to control frizz, followed by air-drying with a wide-toothed comb instead of using heat. He advised avoiding heavy oils or creams, opting instead for curl-enhancing and hydrating products, and limiting brushing to prevent dryness and trauma. Frequent chemical or salon treatments, he warned, can also weaken wavy hair and should be kept to a minimum.
