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lizapauterino's review against another edition
2.0
This is not a novel or a book you sit down and read cover to cover. It's more of a manual for curly hair-all types of curly hair, including wavy hair. I picked it up at the library today, skimmed it, realized it could potentially change the way I take care of my hair completely, and decided that I have to look for my own copy at Powells soon, because I won't remember everything unless I have my own copy.
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I've changed my mind about this book. After trying their suggestions for a few days, and not liking what my hair was doing, I realized it was kind of dumb for me to change what I was already happy with. My hair is healthy, and I figured out a long time ago the best way to deal with it. I think this book could be a big help if you don't know how to deal with your curly or wavy hair, but if you are happy with your hair, then why bother changing it just because a book about curly hair says to?
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I've changed my mind about this book. After trying their suggestions for a few days, and not liking what my hair was doing, I realized it was kind of dumb for me to change what I was already happy with. My hair is healthy, and I figured out a long time ago the best way to deal with it. I think this book could be a big help if you don't know how to deal with your curly or wavy hair, but if you are happy with your hair, then why bother changing it just because a book about curly hair says to?
sassmistress's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
4.0
I read this book to better care for my daughter's hair. It's the first thing many people recommend on the subject, and choc-full of helpful information. However, there are some content considerations I wasn't expecting that some folks might care about, mostly in the personal accounts and magazine-like side boxes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Misogyny, Vomit, Cultural appropriation, and Alcohol
------Relationships/sexual content
One of the personal stories, at the end of ch3, tells of the day she finally stopped trying to straighten her hair. Her crush saw her at prom. "Like a scene from a movie, we walked toward each other, meeting halfway. 'You look so beautiful,' he said. 'I can't believe what your hair looks like.' We kissed passionately, right there in front of our dates. It was a magical moment. (Then he threw up all over his shoes. He was totally wasted. But he loved my hair.)"
A 61-yo tells the story of her hair turning curly after chemo. "I met a much younger man - he was thirty-seven years old - who became my lover. I think my curls helped attract him. It was wonderful, and our romance lasted for two years."
Lots of references to both men and women having "sexy" curls
"Now, here's how to create twelve special-occasion looks that are sexy, playful, funky, elegant, and, best of all, easy to do yourself."
"Boys who love curls" box in the Q&A section disagrees with a dating show quote "Men don't like curly hair". It adds pro-curl quotes from different men:
- "Curly in the head, curly in the bed!"
- "There is nothing better than rolling over in the middle of the night to spoon your wife and nuzzle her curly curls."
- "Curls are a truth serum. When she straightens her hair, I feel like she's hiding more than her hair."
- "My girlfriend is not as spontaneous when she straightens her hair! Her spirit goes away when her curls do!"
"whenever you wear a ponytail for a date..."
One testimonial refers to her "partner" and calls her post-chemo-solidarity-shaved hair "virgin curls".
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Spiritual content
"all curly updos should make you look and feel like a goddess"
One updo is called the "Goddess Curl". "this updo will make you feel like a goddess"
One of the homemade hair tonic recipes is called "Deep-pack Chakra"
"Accepting my curls is Zen: Every day is a new day. "
One updo is called "Yin Yang Curls"
There is an appendix titled "astrologi-curls: a curly girl horoscope" with advice to different astrological signs, including "You are known to be the goddess of the past. Not figuratively! Be the goddess of the now, and own those natural goddess-given locks." and "Scorpio is attuned to the cy-curl of death and rebirth, knowing all things in Nature organize themselves eventually..."
One guy talks about having "hair idols" to look up to.
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Other
Chapter 15 is titled "Wed-locks and updos for special occasions"
"It's not enough to admit you're not straight." begins a chapter on mindset change (embracing your curls rather than fighting them).
In the above chapter, addiction language is used, like "12-step recovery program" and "when you feel the urge to shampoo, blow-fry, or flat-iron your hair, *stop*, and call a curl-friend sponsor." The "steps" vaguely resemble AA statements.
bethanybeyondthejordan's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
Overall this was a good 101 on the method. My issues with the book:
1) repetition. If I ever let a stylist cut my hair wet, I deserve whatever I get. Because Lorraine told me not to at least a dozen times.
2) puns. I love a good pun. They were cute at first. But then they just got ridiculous and eye-roll-irific. Root-ine. Hair color iss-hues. Wrap-unzel. Wed-locks. And so on.
3) it’s emphasized over and over how no two curly heads are the same. And yet there are a lot of “we’ve all been there.” No, we haven’t, Lorraine. I’m sorry I’m not part of the sisterhood of women who’s been traumatized by a haircut. We haven’t all wished we had a curly hair mentor.
Jokes and criticisms aside, this was actually a helpful book to start the process of getting my curls back. I can’t wait to see what happens when I go (sham)poo free and lean into soap-briety. (I can’t take credit...that was Lorraine’s pun too.)
Overall this was a good 101 on the method. My issues with the book:
1) repetition. If I ever let a stylist cut my hair wet, I deserve whatever I get. Because Lorraine told me not to at least a dozen times.
2) puns. I love a good pun. They were cute at first. But then they just got ridiculous and eye-roll-irific. Root-ine. Hair color iss-hues. Wrap-unzel. Wed-locks. And so on.
3) it’s emphasized over and over how no two curly heads are the same. And yet there are a lot of “we’ve all been there.” No, we haven’t, Lorraine. I’m sorry I’m not part of the sisterhood of women who’s been traumatized by a haircut. We haven’t all wished we had a curly hair mentor.
Jokes and criticisms aside, this was actually a helpful book to start the process of getting my curls back. I can’t wait to see what happens when I go (sham)poo free and lean into soap-briety. (I can’t take credit...that was Lorraine’s pun too.)
savy4reading's review
4.0
New Wavy learning to embrace her hair
This book is definitely a good place to start when you want to change your hair game from dry and frizzy to defined waves/curls. I’ve learned to tweak things to fit my hair and scalp (at least for now) that are different to the book, but I’m noticing substantially less frizz and way more bounce to my waves!
I ended up purchasing both the kindle edition and then a hard copy as the videos wouldn’t play and the layout got a bit weird on the kindle edition.
This book is definitely a good place to start when you want to change your hair game from dry and frizzy to defined waves/curls. I’ve learned to tweak things to fit my hair and scalp (at least for now) that are different to the book, but I’m noticing substantially less frizz and way more bounce to my waves!
I ended up purchasing both the kindle edition and then a hard copy as the videos wouldn’t play and the layout got a bit weird on the kindle edition.
bbckprpl's review against another edition
4.0
Read & Reviewed for CBR6
(For Lil Girl, Mostly,)
http://cannonballread.com/2014/09/curly-haired-rescue/
(For Lil Girl, Mostly,)
http://cannonballread.com/2014/09/curly-haired-rescue/
aryh's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.5
While I found the book to be repetitive and filled with personal stories and other “fluff” the information was worthwhile. My hair texture is beginning to morph from straight to wavy so the suggestions offered by the author were new to me and are helping me develop a new hair care routine. If this book were distilled down to 10-20 pages It would be ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
frozenoj's review against another edition
3.0
I found it strange how the author assumed everyone with curly hair had been in denial and working tirelessly to make it straight for years. It also seemed, I don't know, cultish? Even though I had already figured out some of the biggest curly hair tips (co-wash, never brush, don't blow dry without a diffuser) I did learn a few things. So reading this wasn't a complete waste of time and could be helpful for those who are just starting to figure out how to treat their curly hair.
pilateschick's review against another edition
5.0
Today I read Curly Girl cover to cover, bought all the recommended stuff (no-poo), and cut my hair. I've wasted so many hours/weeks/months(?) drying, combing and straightening my hair. NO MORE. I finally know how to take care of the hair God gave me. Thank you, Lorraine Massey! I should knock off a star out of spite - this book should've been out 40 years ago.