THE IMPORTANCE OF MY HAIRITAGE WITH PANTENE

When I was growing up I hated my thick wavy black Filipino hair. I wanted pencil straight hair with highlights, but my mom would never let me do it. She always told me that heat and processing my hair would damage it and always advocated to love my natural hair just the way it was. But I didn’t listen, and when I turned eighteen, the first thing I did was get highlights and start to use heat tools on my hair every day. I didn’t realize the damage it took on my hair until I started having to cut it shorter and shorter due to the damage to my ends.

It wasn’t until I had my son that I made an unconscious change. After having Jayden, I stopped dying my hair and styling it with hot tools because I just didn’t have the time as a new mom. I started to space the time during my hair washes to where I was only washing it once or twice a week. Slowly but surely, my hair got healthier and healthier. I switched to sulfate- and paraben-free shampoo and conditioner and it helped my hair grow thicker and longer, something I’ve grown to appreciate as I’ve gotten older. Especially in today’s society where people are paying hundreds for wigs and extensions to get the long full hair I was naturally blessed with my Filipino “hairitage.” I finally realized my mom was right this whole time. Less is more.

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