B003YL4KS0 EBOK (42 page)

CAPRICORN

December 22–January 19

Curls by Virtue, Green by Nature

Capricorn is born in the heart of winter, a product of the longest nights. Capricorns have their own particular vision of the world, so you may at first rebel against your curls. You typically need to be on top; you are determined to overcome all obstacles, and your locks may be one of them. So, let there be curl, reach out to a curl friend, and remember, your hair is on top, not you! To know your curls is to love them.

AQUARIUS

January 20–February 18

Curls R U

Aquarius is the ruler of the hair-waves. As a water sign, you know that curls require the nourishment only a watery environment can provide. You usually confront your hair frustrations well, but if you’re slightly insecure, you may demand that your hair change according to your perception of the situation. If you reject your curls, you reject your S-sence. You simply must be true to yourself and your locks. Curl now, or forever hold your hair extensions!

PISCES

February 19–March 20

Obsta-curl Illusions

The days lengthen and thaws begin as Pisces moves beyond herself, always following the movement of the ocean currents and the current trends. You are easily swayed, which is both your strength and your weakness, and this trait also applies to your hair. Sometimes overwhelmed by what’s current, you flounder in the face of your curly hair-itage. If you can just ride the wave, you can overcome all obstacles, even if they are illusions.

ARIES

March 21–April 19

The Importance of Being Curly

Fiery Aries symbolizes beginnings, the season of renewed life and the start of the sun’s annual cy-curl. You are full of fixed ideas, so your boundless curls may threaten you, to the point where you may butt heads with the herd. If you don’t rise to the occasion, your hair will! Wear your hair like a well-earned trophy. Surrender. After all, the part of the body ascribed to Aries is the head.

TAURUS

April 20–May 20

Ask Not What Your Hair Can Do for You; Ask What

You Can Do for Your Hair

Taurus signals the rites of spring, and spring is in the hair. Taurus types who cultivate their gardens may be inclined to get stuck in the mud and might dig in their heels and resist change as a result of many bad hair experiences. Understandable, but don’t be closed to new information. Seek a logi-curl approach: 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.

GEMINI

May 21–June 21

Love Me, Love My Curls

Gemini brings in the mellow breezes of the summer—and, yes, with it, the humidity. As a twin, staring at your reflection, you have a need for individuality. But you have to accept that going straight and going curly is sway-ving, not committing—and your hair will be neither here nor thair! It’s not always a healthy option. You, as the embodiment of the quickening of human intelligence, must accept its truths. Once you get to know your hair’s natural grace, you’ll accept that every day is a new day.

CANCER

June 22–July 22

Better the Curl You Know Than the Curl You Don’t

The sun has reached its highest point over the Northern Hemisphere. Open to new ideas, you must nevertheless set limits as a mother must for her adventuresome child. You do not readily accept others, so you may be in need of a worthy curly hairdresser to guide you right. Coexist; it’s worthy of you. Then take all your curl knowledge, and pass on the curlove.

LEO

July 23–August 22

You Can Pretend All You Want That You’re Not Curly, but

That’s Not Going to Make the Curls Go Away

At the heat of the high summer, with its intense solar rays, curls are running rampant. It’s time to explore your S-sence. Mane-tain what it is you are so fiercely known for. When accepted and loved, your mane will inspire radiance and you will become a leader, encouraging other curly girls to emerge with pride from their dens. If you deny your curls and slink off to try to smooth away the frizzies, by high noon, the untamed will of the frizz will persist.

VIRGO

August 23–September 22

Me, My Curls, and I

At the beginning of the fall harvest, Virgo’s humble awareness equips you early in life with an understanding of your hair’s potential. But with your quest for perfection, you need to remember the old saying, “It’s not perfect, but it’s perfect for you.” Life is too short to micromanage one stray curl. Look at the big picture, and stop fussing; otherwise you’ll have big hair. Remember, while your hair is drying, do not disturb.

LIBRA

September 23–October 23

Wear Your Hair, Don’t Let It Wear You

This is the fall equinox, when the sun enters the sign of Libra, a h-air sign that holds an invisible thread connecting us all. Libra rules relationship, one to one, and you are often one with your hair. If not, you may pay too much attention to the counsel of others and won’t be in touch with your inner curl. It’s like surfing: When you first get on the surfboard, you may tip from side to side. Only when you are in balance, will you ride the waves with harmony.

SCORPIO

October 24–November 21

I Really Love You Today

As the nights grow longer, with a suggestion of winter, you consummate the bond with your hair with intense experimentation. Together, you must accept and confront its S-sence in pursuit of the hairy truth. The unbound curl emerges, and it changes hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. Scorpio is attuned to the cy-curl of death and rebirth, knowing all things in Nature organize themselves eventually, especially the natural curl!

SAGITTARIUS

November 22–December 21

Curls, Ageless and Evergreen. . .

Born in the winter months, you Sagittarians need your hair to be as carefree and easygoing as you are, as long as you have a logi-curl hair routine to follow. You’re the perfect outreach curly girl, since people are always asking you about your curl-ability and you love to tell them!

Dear Curly Girl:

You have come to the end of this book, but you may be at the beginning of your curly girl journey. And remember, it is a journey, not a destination, and every day is a new day. I hope that reading the words and stories shared by so many curlies and having a better understanding of your curls’ needs, fears, and desires will allow you to be truly free. What I have found—along with many, many of my curly friends—is that this liberating feeling of not fighting against our curls, but rather fighting for them, actually starts to trickle down to other parts of our lives. That’s why we feel compelled to share.

The Curly Girl Movement is still very much a grassroots one, beginning with one curly telling another, and curl on, and on. When people constantly stop us and ask, “How do you get your curls to look the way they do?” our boyfriends/partners/husbands/kids may stand there rolling their eyes, waiting as we pass on our curl know-how to another curly girl waiting to happen. But we know that we have to curl it forward. We have become a culture club unto ourselves. We are all at the beginning, and it’s amazing to know that our curly kids may have the opportunity to have a healthy, curly outlook right from the start. Curls are not a trend, they’re a lifestyle.

People often tell me, “You’ve changed my life.” But it is you who ultimately changes your life, when you are ready. If anyone may get this little message of curl freedom, it will probably be the curly girl!

Come out, come out wherever you are!

Curl-love forever,

Curly Girls: Before and After (0:52)

I’d like to start by thanking all the curly girls who are already out there experiencing curl freedom, along with those who are about to discover their buried treasure of curls.

I also want to thank my three children (who, by the way, have never used shampoo) for making me the most grateful curly girl alive. To my son Kaih, who just returned home from five years in the army to be with his wife, Veronica, and daughter, Venaih—thank you and your comrades for all you have done to protect our freedom. To my daughter, Shey, thank you for being my forever muse (even when you didn’t want to) and to my son Dylan, who is full of curly ideas, thanks for being my b-roll cameraman (even when you didn’t want to).

Many thanks to Michele, who, while writing this book with me, was going through her own curl transformation, growing out her straightened locks to return to her curly hair. Witnessing her newfound love for curls made it worth every single minute. To her daughter, Lily, thank you for all your curly ideas. Thank you, Michele, truly.

Thank you, Carol and Mort Blum, for allowing the use of your apartment, the DevaSpa, and much, much more!

Thanks to David and Jimmy, and to Glenn and Blonde+Co. Thanks to Julio Sandino for outstanding makeup; to Catalina, I’m beyond grateful. To Amy at Tibi and Anni Juan, thank you for the clothes.

To all my curlicious curly girls and guys, whose 100 percent authentic curls grace the pages of
Curly Girl
and its DVD, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

To my business partner, Denis, and all our Devachan–DevaConcepts colleagues, thank you for helping me un-conditionally. My gratitude goes to you always.

Also, a big thanks goes to the amazing Workman gals. They scrunched, trimmed, hyper re-conditioned, and gelled this curly book together. Many thanks to Maisie, Netta, Jenny, Janet, and Lidija, and a special thanks to Anne Kerman and Ruth Sullivan. Ruth, whom I call the T’Ruth, because she is, I am forever grateful for your guidance, input, output, and outlook on nurturing
Curly Girl
right to the end. And last, thank you to Peter Workman (whose hair is completely straight) for listening to David Schiller’s idea for
Curly Girl
. Without you, none of this would have taken place in our curly world. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!

Lorraine

Thanks so much to Lorraine, who was both my coauthor and my curly sponsor through the twists and turns of going back to natural curls. Your passion for curls—and life—is awe-inspiring! A million thanks to my parents, Carol and Mort Blum, for always, always being there for me, and to Lily and Jonathan for being the lights of my life—every day I’m grateful that I am your mother. Thanks also to Todd, Vivien, David, Zoe, Melissa, Robyn, and Judy for your constant support, and to my agent, Linda Konner!

Michele

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You can fight the truth for only so long, but that’s not going to make it go away. Make peace now, stop deluding yourself, and see your hair for what it truly is.