“Frizz” has a very specific meaning to most in our society. But what is the meaning of this word?
You might guess: Unkempt. Untamed. Messy.
That’s not what frizz means.
Frizz: a tight curl.
That’s right. That’s all the word means, according to Merriam-Webster.
How did this term get co-opted against us? I investigate the history of the word frizz, the first known use of the word frizzy that implied a negative connotation, and the ills of the legacy haircare industry in today’s episode.
Legacy haircare brands tell us to tame, manage and smooth out our curls. I reject this mentality that seeks to prey on our insecurities. You are not something to tame, manage, or smooth out, on the outside or the inside. You are a work of art.
It is my mission, through MAYURA and We Are Spiraling, to help create a new paradigm where people feel this so innately that nobody feels like they have to be secretly curly. So nobody has to “embrace” their curls. You can just be.
And hey, if you like straightening your hair, go for it. That was never the problem. I just want you to be the happiest being you, in whatever format you want.
This episode is very important to me. It is my entire reason for leaving my decade-long career as a reporter to instead investigate curly hair from every angle through both MAYURA and We Are Spiraling.
Let me know what you think in the comments. I know I say this a lot, but I really do make the show with my whole heart and mind. And a lot of sweat. Sometimes tears. No blood yet, but eventually the boxcutter I use to open MAYURA component samples will get the best of me.
But hopefully not :)
Priya
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As a curly-haired woman, found this interesting.
The line about frizz just meaning a tight curl is the part that stuck with me, because so many of us were taught to fight the exact shape we were born with. I've started judging wash day by the shape my curls hold once they're dry instead of how smooth they look, and the frizz feels less like a failure since then. For anyone still chasing frizz-free curls, do you think humidity or the products is the bigger culprit?