It seems like every time we open TikTok, another challenge pops up. This time, it’s the “Heat Damage Check”” or the curly hair challenge. TikTok user Anya Starr started the viral trend when she posted a video of her repeating the phrase “I don’t need to straighten my hair to be pretty,” while completing her beauty routine, which — you guessed it — ends with her straightening her hair.
The beauty challenge has since been met with 32K videos using the audio loop to recreate the clip — however, some users are putting a twist on it in the name of self-love and embracing their curls instead. In fact, some are using the audio to go through their full curly haircare routines, and the results are just as empowering as you’d imagine. People are playing up their natural texture to emphasize the point: you don’t need to straighten your hair to be pretty.
While there’s no shortage of silly beauty challenges to watch on the social media app (take the purple shampoo or one minute makeup challenge, for example) this also isn’t the first time that TikTok users are taking to the platform to change the conversation around beauty. Recently, users took part in another challenge that involved sharing the facial features they’re most insecure about, before comparing them to works of art or historical figures to break beauty standards.
If you want to watch people show off their natural beauty in a truly inspirational way, keep scrolling to see more of the curly hair challenge.
