Women are searching for ways to enhance their curls and make them healthier, rather than get rid of them to fit the eurocentric beauty standards that have taken over for so long.
Curls have taken over to the point that those with naturally straight hair are purchasing expensive products, in an effort to achieve the hair many Egyptian girls have had and hated for so long.
Curly hair was once deemed unprofessional and unkempt, usually prompting the typical “why don’t you run a brush through your hair” or “why is your hair so messy?” The recent embrace of curly hair has changed the discourse regarding people’s natural hair, making it something people no longer look at with judgment but in awe, followed by questions about your hair routine and how long you have been heat-free.
Even brides are opting to embrace their natural hair on their special days, choosing to find hairstylists that work with curly hair and know how to highlight its beauty, rather than omitting it all together in efforts to appear “prettier.”
Facebook groups have been created to encourage women to put their hairstyling equipment away and let their natural hair be. Women take to these groups to document their journeys through their years of learning to love and accept their natural hair, and exchange advice and hair routines.
This trend has also resulted in a number of Egypt-based haircare brands that strictly cater to curly hair, understanding its needs and finding the healthiest way for women to repair years of damage they have put their hair through, in efforts to make it look straight.
Although the correlation may not seem clear, there is a strong connection between this movement and women taking pride in their Egyptian heritage.