An illustration shows Variety Staffer Cesia Martinez choosing whether to keep her hair curly or to straighten it. Martinez struggled with her hair as a pre-teen , which caused her to dislike her naturally curly hair and avoid it as much as she could by straightening it. “I’m the only one with curly hair in my family, so I was on my own most of the time, figuring everything out by myself.” Martinez wrote. I knew of the struggle of curly hair, but it was a while until I realized that there were different ways to take care of it.” Illustration by Sylvia Robinson
Variety Staffer Cesia Martinez reflects on her journey maintaining her curls and how her views on her hair changed over time.
When I was younger, I had wavy hair that I was always so happy that I could just brush it and be done.
But it all changed in middle school when I began to see frizz. When I was younger, I had wished to have volumized and defined curls, but haven’t had the best luck with that.
I’m the only one with curly hair in my family, so I was on my own most of the time, figuring everything out by myself. Because of this, it was a while until I realized that there were different ways to take care of it.
A juxtaposition shows Variety Staffer Cesia Martinez when she was younger with wavy hair and now with curly hair. Martinez spent a lot of time trying to learn how to maintain her hair once it became curly when she was in middle school, but didn’t discover the right products until recently. “I knew I wanted to take care of my hair, so I went on TikTok, and learned what products to use and the correct way to use them,” Martinez wrote. “I used products for my type of curls and hydration products to keep my hair moisturized.” Photos courtesy of Cesia Martinez
I tried a variety of products and different methods to do my hair, but nothing ever satisfied me. I finger-coiled and brush-styled, but it just made my hair look worse and more damaged.
Until I decided to get my hair chopped to my shoulders.
I always liked having my hair long, but I was tired of the frizz and tangles and the haircut changed my hair in a way I never expected it to. The curls started to form on their own as opposed to finger coiling. I knew I wanted to take care of my hair, so I went on TikTok, and learned what products to use and the correct way to use them. I used products for my type of curls and hydration products to keep my hair moisturized.
As I kept going with my journey of curly hair, I began to love my hair for its definition and pattern. I started to see my hair as a unique part of me. I was finally happy with how my hair looked, and I began to embrace it more than ever.
