How I learned to love my curls after years of abusing them

Curly hair is more than just a hairstyle. It is a choice you have to keep making – or at least it is for me.

I spent years abusing my juicy thick curls with 200°C heat in an effort to fit in with the crowd.

But it's when I became pregnant with my daughter that I started to question why I was straightening my hair.

I wanted to be a role model to her and instil in her a sense of pride about her hair and her heritage – but my journey to hair enlightenment has not been without its challenges.