K's Mumbo Jumbo

humingyay:

A lot of people are going on about Merida’s Hair. Her amazing, red, poufy curly hair. And I feel like I should explain to people who aren’t getting quite what this means for “Curly people”.

Not all of us are lucky enough to have poker straight, or even “S wavy” hair, which tends to obey exactly what you tell it to do aside from one or two strands which hang down and STILL look attractive.

No. We’re born with stubborn ringlets which, some mornings, you will wake up and find standing up of their own accord as if they’re held up by strings, and unless you have time to shower in the mornings, you better damn well hope you have a kirby grip or five hanging around because you will need them. Not that they hold the hair in place for long, mind. Curly hair, which you can never find any help for be it a hairdresser, hair products or even hairstyle  or hair care tips aside from “Straighten it.”

In a world where it’s hard to find a hairdresser who knows how to cut curly hair. In a world where every model on magazine covers, and in adverts have either poker straight hair, or fake!curly hair i.e. curls created by rollers and tongs and therefore look perfect. In a world where there are adverts by John Frieda “noted hair care specialist”. whose adverts claim “What can you do with frizzy, curly hair? make it go away”. (Gee John, I can see you’re so talented at your profession there).

For years, all through secondary school, my sister and I constantly spent 2 hours every morning straightening and taming our ringlets because they weren’t seen as “beautiful” or “nice” but rather”annoying” and “messy”, (which would be especially frustrating should we step outside to find it pissing down with rain; two hours work gone in 10 seconds). My sisters’ hair is now frizzy and doesn’t curly properly because of the amount of heat damage she inflicted on it. I stopped bothering when I was 15 because I’m just that lazy.

So, in a similar way to people’s reaction when Princess and the Frog came out “Finally! a black princess”:

“Finally, a real,Curly haired heroine. Frizz, ringlets, stray curls and all”.

My youngest has this hair (well, not quite that color, brown for her). She saw this commercial and just giggled. Then she asked “At least she is a cartoon and doesn’t have to take care of it”

(via missatralissa)