The Curious Column – Meet Right Ringlets (Indian Curly Hair Blogger)

Welcome to the new series in the blog – The Curious Column. In this, I will be featuring guest posts, mostly of my favourite curly hair girls in India and South Asia. More textures, different routines, new product recommendations – a great way to learn & find a routine that suits your curls.

If you’ve been around in the Indian curly hair community for a while, you will know who the first feature is on. Meet Asha Barrak, the blogger behind Right Ringlets & let’s find our more about her curly hair journey!

How did your natural hair journey start? When did you first discover the CG method?

Till my mid 20s I did not know anything about curly hair maintenance and would keep my hair tied up all the time. I had never seen any curly haired person around me wearing their hair curly without a ponytail; usually hair was always brushed out. Then I would wonder how the curly haired people outside India have such defined curls. We never had easy access to internet at that time.

Once I got the chance and time to explore the internet world, I started reading about maintaining curly hair (naturallycurly.com was the first site I discovered & followed) and came to know about the Curly Girl Method.

What does having Curly Hair in India mean to you?

I believe we have more wavy and curly hair people in India than straight haired.

Just that they are yet to discover their hair potential. For me, curly hair in India still has a long way to go 🙂 . But I am sure now that we have many bloggers writing about curly hair, together we would be able to spread more awareness.

What drove you to create the group – Indian Curl pride?

I started Right Ringlets because I felt a strong urge to spread awareness about curly hair. There wasn’t any Indian curly hair blog then. After a few months, I realized that we should have a platform where we can discuss our curly hair, share product reviews without any bias and support each other in our curl journey.

Also, the main reason was – a single thing does not work for all. Everyone’s curls behave differently to products and routine. So, I wanted a platform where we all can share information about curly hair experiences. And hence came out our Indian Curl Pride group.

What are mistakes curly girls should avoid?

1. The first mistake that we all should correct is to stop combing hair when it is dry.
2. Second to use a proper styling routine, be it rake-in, praying hand, Squish to Condish or Rake-in using Comb.
   I still see so many people who can have much better definition if the hair is styled with proper routine. So, experiment more and find out the best styling routine that works for you even if you must mix different styling methods.
3. Third, do not compare your curls with the other people.
   All types of curls are beautiful be it wavy or curly. Don’t expect your hair to look like a 3b if yours is 2b.
4. Be at peace with your frizz.
   There is no such thing as frizz-free curly hair. First day there will be minimal frizz but all non-wash days will be frizzier than wash day.
5. Don’t be afraid of using styling products.
   They are safe if you choose them wisely.
6. Avoid hair serums and silicone products.
   Silicone builds up on hair and makes it dry over time which decreases hair elasticity and hence leads to breakage as well. Also, the build-up does not let hair curl properly.

Is it possible to have healthy hair without spending a lot of money?

Yes, we can still have healthy hair without spending a lot of money. Good habits like no heat, a good diet and exercise are basics to have good hair.

Good knowledge of ingredients can help you to choose right products and can save the money. Instead of reading the front labels, head to the back side of the bottle and check the ingredients.

Also, you don’t have to be a product junkie to have good hair. Homemade masks work quite well so we should incorporate them in our routine along with store bought deep treatments.

Which is your go to hair mask?

These days I am using Shea Moisture Manuka Honey Mask and loving it. In homemade masks, Methi (fenugreek) mask is my favourite.

Air dry/Diffuse – Which do you prefer?

I always air dry my hair, rarely use a hair dryer. In last 6 months I must have used it 2-3 times maximum.

Your go to styling technique – STC/ Raking in/Combing through?

I don’t follow STC but while rinsing off my conditioner I leave some conditioner in my hair (as I have shown in my latest video) and apply my styling products with praying hand motion. Sometimes whenever I have extra time or depending on product I use, I follow the rake-in method as well. It works very well for me.

Describe your hair/ your reaction on a good day & a bad day in one sentence?

A bad hair day – it is just hair!
A good day – I should go out today. 😀

What are your top tips for moms with curly hair kids?

Use cold pressed coconut oil on hair strands before you shampoo or co-wash. Rub scalp properly. Use a silicone-free leave-in conditioner after wash to manage curls.

On smaller kids you can’t use product with hold as they keep messing with their hair. Add a little bit of oil in the leave-in conditioner if the hair is extra dry. Braid hair after sectioning it without combing or a small messy bun looks very cute on them.

Which are your holy grail products?

I don’t have any holy grail products as such. I get different results many times even if I am using the same routine. But my current favorites are As I am leave-in conditioner and Deva Curl Ultra Defining Gel and Shea Moisture Manuka Honey Mask.

What is your current curly hair routine?

1. Products I am using these days are:
2. As I am co-wash
3. Sukin Shampoo
4. Tahliah Waajid The Great Detangler
5. Deva Curl Ultra Defining Gel
6. Shea Moisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration (weekly)
   As mentioned above I style with praying hand and rake-in as well.

Brownie points to people who made it to the very end of The Curious Column! Thank you, Asha, for patiently replying to all the questions I sent. 😛

My curly hair fam, check out her website Right Ringlets wesbite & Youtube channel & meet other Indian curlies in her 5000 strong group called Indian Curl Pride.
If you’re on Instagram, don’t forget to give her a follow.

I will be posting more on The Curious Column soon- don’t miss the next post by following me on my IG here!