Curly, wild, and free: The (Brown girl) curly hair struggle in Singapore

In a country known for its sleek skyscrapers and pristine, orderly streets, it’s no surprise that Singapore’s beauty standards lean towards the polished and neat. And when it comes to hair? It’s straight – for most of the population to say the least.

The smooth, glossy hair that dominates advertisements, office spaces, and social media often becomes the bar by which all hair is measured. But what if your natural hair cannot be contained in that shiny, straight box? What if you’re a Brown girl with big, luscious curls? 

Introducing the curly-haired struggle, where all things from beauty standards, humidity, and salon struggles are intertwined in an uncomfortable tangle.

Straight hair in, Curly hair out

With the heavy influence of East Asian beauty standards in Singapore, straight hair is often seen as the epitome of propriety. Straight hair signifies neatness, professionalism, and, dare I say, conformity. It’s (very) easy to manage, style, and look “presentable” with. But for those with curly hair, particularly my fellow South Asian baddies, conforming to this beauty ideal can feel like a constant uphill battle.

The cultural preference for straight hair is often mirrored in the media, advertising, and even in schools and workplaces. These standards have reinforced the existence of pretty privilege where those with straight hair are often rewarded with positive attention and greater opportunities in social and professional settings. As a minority race, this sets a daunting precedent for many Brown girls with curly hair.

“Curly hair has always been viewed as untidy, messy, and something that has to be tamed,” shared 22-year-old Mithra Thiyagarajan, who, at one point, even resorted to rebonding her hair to meet the conventional straight-hair beauty standards.

For many Brown girls alike, Mithra’s experience is a common one, as societal pressure pushes many to conform to an image of beauty that is simply not theirs. It really does show how deep-rooted these standards are and how they affect not just appearance, but self-esteem and identity.

The problem with Singapore’s humidity

As if the beauty standards weren’t enough, living in a hot, sticky, and ever-humid country like Singapore can feel like a cruel joke for anyone with curly hair. The humidity seems to have a personal vendetta against curls. One minute you’ve got a head full of perfectly defined spirals, and ten minutes later (upon stepping out of the house), you’re faced with an unruly, frizzy mess.

Maintaining curly hair in Singapore is no easy task. The relentless humidity works against the natural texture of curly hair, making it an ongoing challenge to keep those curls defined.

“My scalp gets warm and sweaty, and, at times, end up having matted-down hair at the top of my head, with the curls below being frizzy,” commented Inaz.

And don’t even get me started on finding products that cater to our curl pattern. While curly-haired folk in Western countries have shelves stocked with every cream, gel, and diffuser imaginable, options in Singapore are very, very limited. It’s enough to make you wonder: do they even make curl-friendly products here?

“Girl, I blow-dry your hair can?”

Ever been to a salon in Singapore and walked out with your curls straightened? If you haven’t, welcome to the first-world problem of curly hair. It’s not just that stylists often lack the expertise to cut or style curly hair; it’s that they treat it like a drawback that needs fixing, a texture that needs “taming”. The go-to solution? Blow-dry it straight.

While it might be nice every now and then to leave the salon with shiny, sleek hair, there’s a disconnect between your natural texture and the style you leave the salon with. You’re not actually embracing your curls; you’re hiding them under a mask of straightness. For many of us Brown girls, this creates a dissonance between how we look after a fresh cut and how we feel about our natural selves.

As Mithra shares, “Most local salons cannot cut curly hair and are not trained to cut either. Neither do they learn how to style or cater to curly hair. In 2025, most salons should have diffusers, but tons still lack this because straight hair is still the beauty standard.” 

She’s also been forced into straightening her hair after haircuts multiple times, often being told, “You should rebond your hair or do a keratin treatment to reduce frizz.”

Her experience discloses the lack of training and understanding among hair salons given that the default still leans towards straightening over celebrating natural texture.

The Double Standard: Curly hair on Men vs. Women

Here’s an interesting twist: curly hair on men is often seen as “charming”. Men get away with “untamed” curls and are applauded for their carefree style. Meanwhile, (Brown) girls with curly hair? Not so much.

On women, curls are often viewed as “unkept”, “frizzy”, or as we often hear it, “too loud”. The pressure to maintain a sleek, polished look is a heavy burden. In Singapore’s culture, where traditional gender roles still linger, women are expected to present a more “refined” or “controlled” version of beauty. Curly hair, with all its wildness and volume, often feels like an opposition to these deeply ingrained standards. There is thus an added layer of pressure among women to “tame” the curls which seemingly smoothens them into submission. Funny how the very traits celebrated in men can turn into a source of disapproval for women, right?

23-year-old, Fathima Raiza Rifky acknowledged, “I do realise that it is a little more accepted for men to have curly hair because their hair is kept short, which would in turn give them the illusion of looking prim and proper. However, for us girls with curly hair, we often have hair sticking out at the top if we don’t do a slick back, for instance.” Her reflection sheds light on how even within the curly hair narrative, gendered expectations shape the way curls are viewed and valued.

Embrace the curls. Conforming to idealised beauty standards is so 2000s...

The internalised pressure to straighten our hair and conform to a “neater” ideal is a tough cycle to break. For years, Brown girls have been taught that their hair is a “problem” to be fixed. The normalisation of straightening treatments and hair relaxers is proof that society expects us to change our hair to fit in. It’s easy to get caught in the cycle of self-consciousness, avoiding our natural texture in favour of what society deems more acceptable.

We don’t fix curls, we flaunt.

Thanks to social media, there’s growing awareness and acceptance of curly hair, with advocates like Maha Lakshmi Velayutham (@manegamesg) and Vijaiam Nathan (@curlyheavensg) leading the change. Their homegrown curl store, ManeHeaven SG (@maneheavensg), has inspired many, including Mithra, to embrace their curls since the pandemic.

“Maha’s tips that she posts on Instagram have made me feel seen and confident enough to embrace my curls,” enthused Mithra. 

While there’s still work to be done, more Brown girls are feeling liberated to wear their curls proudly, thanks to evolving curly hair communities in Singapore.

So, to all my Brown girls with curls: wear your crown out loud and proud. Let your hair reflect your individuality and heritage. And to everyone else: let’s break free from the tyranny of straight hair and celebrate all textures. After all, beauty isn’t one-size-fits-all; it’s about embracing what makes you, you.