1. Never used Sun-In in their hair
In
middle school, I once asked my mom if I could put Sun-In, a spray in hair
lightener, to turn my hair from black to brown.
“Why do you wanting to look more like American?” she asked me. Her voice hadn't gotten louder, but from the intent look in her stare, I knew she was furious and upset. "Your black hair is beautiful! Don't go ruining it with that artificial hurting your hair stuff!"
I hadn’t really given it much thought. All the Asian girls were doing it. I liked the way it looked. And, it would make me so much cooler. Who didn't want their hair to turn brown?
"Well, if you really want to do something that is natural, try using beer," she told me.
"Beer?" Was she serious?
"Yes, your Yi-Ma and I both did it when we were younger. Making hair look beautiful. Silky, healthy, beer good for hair, might turn it a little lighter naturally."
"Would you get me some beer?" I couldn't believe I was asking my mom to buy me some beer, not to consume, but to wash my hair with.
"Yes, we'll get you some beer. No Sunning-In"
I'd never been one to go against my mom's wishes. Sure, I talked back all the time. But never anything too offensive, in my defense, I was just a curious child.
How badly I wanted some brown hair against my tan too dark skin. Beer it was. Maybe I'd even try a sip of it.
A few days later, we finally got some beer for my hair. It smelled like expired pee. How could anyone drink this stuff? I poured it over my hair, stopping to take one small sip, then spitting it out before I could even consume it at the shock of the rancid bitter taste.
I washed my hair with six cans of Budlight beer in the seventh grade. My mom ooed and awwed that it was looking so healthy and lighter. My closest friends just laughed and mocked me, asking me why I didn't just use some of their Sun-In and then explain that the beer was working!
To be honest, I was too scared. Luckily, in light of my cowardice, I withheld from rebelling and stuck with my dark black, now oozing of beer aroma Chinese hair. As the sun actually set in, everyone's hair turned nice and auburn, but as time wore on it, the auburn turned to a shocking orange and it looked absolutely putrid. As all my friends wished for their hair to return to its natural black, I secretly thanked my mom for her weird rules. I guess my mom was right.
