It's a gorgeous result, but I ask why does our beauty culture
not embrace natural curls? I'm personally tired of going against my naturally curly/wavy hair to try to achieve sleek and straight! I just had it cut in a wash-and-go styling requiring only a little product to enhance yet tame the curls. Do I miss the
other? The effect, yes. The work and dollars to achieve it?
No!

Why is it that when people who work as hairstylist only refer to coarse hair to those of African heritage? I am of Celtic heritage and I have coarse hair. Think outside the box and recognise all cultures that coarse hair can come from.

Usually I do not respond to any of these however the claim that this woman has "coarse" hair is pissing me off. Just because she is black... I guess the general assumption is that she has "coarse" hair. That irritates the heck out of me. You can not believe how many times I will go to a white hair salon for them to look at me funny when I walk in the door because I am black. I have even had some tell me that "we dont have anyone experienced in your type of hair"...only for them to actually get excited when they touch it..."OMG its so soft and silky". On many occasions several of the other stylists will want to come over and ask "can I touch your hair...it's so nice". WTF...what is it supposed to be?!?!? If AOL or whoever did the video actually paid attention to the woman's hair... they would have noticed that her hair is far from coarse...but because she was black they made that general inference. Come on people. Let's stop making dumb generalizations. I guess next time when they talk about dealing with smart kids... they are going to use all asians.

I did check out the instyler. It got terrible reviews, especially with customer service.

Actually if you look at her before and after pics....her face looks "longer" now then it did before LOL That said, her "after" hair style is nice except for the "over the eye" bangs that was more over the eye in the video then the pic but they would would annoy the heck out of me. Why can't they trim them to just above the eye?

I like her new hairstyle, but I imagine that it will take her HOURS to repeat it herself at home. Really, all she needed was bangs to soften her "long" face. That could have been achieved with curly hair as well. Just let some curls fall over the forehead.

My sister has thick, course, tight-curly hair ( we are of Irish heritage ) and she gets the "Japanese hair straightening" done. It is very expensive and the process at the salon takes all day, but it makes her hair smooth and poker-straight. She doesn't have to do anything to it. Even out of the shower, she lets it air-dry and it's shiny, smooth and poker-straight.

I have nothing against naturally curly or "coarse" hair. It's just that straight hair ( natural or chemically straightened ) is so much easier to deal with and less time consuming.

I appreciate all the comments on here, also, I can relate to all of them.

I am both black, native American and in my family alone, among my blood sisters, cousins, aunts etc., our hair runs the gammut of naturally bone, silky straight to naturally "brillo" pad curly and is termed "course".

Sadly, most of the relatives complain that they wish they had the other relative's hair texture instead of their own.

My advice is: learn to take care of your hair in the texture that it is.

I've worn my hair naturally curly like the before picture of the model; and that straight hair style is impossible to maintain in the East Coast's summertime humidty, not to mention, it is outrageously expensive.

I agree with a lot of the comments here. I am100% Italian and have coarse, curly hair. Why do people think in order to have coarse hair you have to be black? Think outside of the box as another reviewer said is so true. Both styles look cute on this lady. But I must say I LOVE her curly style better. It's trendy, spunky and just plain cute. I used to fight my curls by killing them with a straight iron everday. I finally have given up and accepted that I was meant to have curly hair. Either way, she wears both styles very well, I just prefer the curly one.

She looks better in her before picture. The straight hair and bangs seemed to throw off the balance of her face. In the after picture her eyes seem smaller and her mouth huge. She's still beautiful, but was better before.

You think that's coarse hair? I wish these cuts on line that are for thick hair, coarse hair, etc., would actually use someone with coarse or thick hair. It's a joke.

Disappointing. You said 'course' hair, not 'curly' hair. She looks better in the first picture; the second style actually lengthens and weighs down her face.

This article opens by saying, "Having coarse hair may present a styling challenge for some women..." , and implies that "the most gorgeous and flattering look" for Gena would be achieved by straightening her hair. I suppose that the phrase, "Gena Foster, who has beautiful, natural ringlets" was included so as not to make the article appear anti-ethnic. I must, then, question why those "beautiful, natural ringlets" needed to be tampered with.

I am an African-American woman whose hair is thick, curly, and fine (not "coarse"), who began to embrace her natural hair over a year ago. I can tell you that what presents a styling challenge for me is fighting my natural hair texture. In my opinion,
Gena looks just as good with her natural hair texture as she does with her hair straightened. Why is it that this society views straight hair as more valuable, manageable, and pretty than curly/wavy/textured hair?

When I had all of my relaxed hair cut off, my stylist (who is Caucasian) told me, "You're going to love having your natural hair back. You'll have so much more body, styling options, and your hair will be so healthy." She was correct on all accounts. She also told me, "I tell all of my Caucasian clients who have relaxers, 'You need to embrace your natural hair. This relaxer is destroying your hair.'"

People, embrace your natural hair. Seek a stylist who will cut and style it to show it off at its best. Let's put to rest this archaic perception that all hair must be straight in order for a person to look his/her best.

HELLO??? This lady does NOT have course hair. She has what we used to call back in the day "good hair". I'm sure that all hair types present challenges, but there is absolutely no type of hair that is more challenging than truly "nappy" hair. It's not silky and shiny in it's natural state - without a lot of work. It's very fragile, breaks easily and literally swallows up any moisture applied to it. When it rains, it does not turn into the cute little silky curls shown in this video - it slowly puffs and BAM! it turns into a "bush" - an afro. Don't get me wrong, I currently wear my hair in it's natural state. It's a lot of work to keep it fresh and hip and I love it. But I wish that SOMEONE would educate whoever produces these videos and magazine articles on what coarse, nappy hair really is, 'cause this video completely missed the mark.

Somebody tell me what kind of tool was that she used to straighten that hair and where can I get one? That was fabulous. Help me find out please.

LOL. I must agree with the majority of the people on here. Her hair is far from being coarse. People of all races can have coarse hair. I went to school with a white girl who had the nappiest hair I have ever seen. When I read the title of the article I expected to see some NAPPY haired girl. Haha This girl is no where near that.

My question is why there always has to be one (or several) bitter, bad apples in the group? I don't know what a "reguar" person looks like, but something tells me that jerk Luis isnt it. Stop being ignorant. People cant even talk about something as simple as a hairstyle without some loser being racist. Do the world a favor and get a life.

This is pitiful. She looks a thousand times better with her naturally curly hair. What's wrong with curls? As a Black woman, let me just say that all of us don't want bone straight hair like a white woman. Some of us actually love our natural texture and don't want to change it. I haven't straightened my hair in 25 years and I never intend to! Everybody wants what they don't/can't have. When you always fight with your hair it costs you in money, time and patience. Go with the flow ladies!

This woman has beautiful hair in its natural state. This is just more media propaganda to make black women feel inadequate and insecure and too "ethnic-looking" with their natural hair. We have to look European to be beautiful. What else is new? The media and advertisers in general attempt make women of all races feel that way about their hair, looks, body, etc to make money on whatever the product of the month is.

Luis Don't you have be concerned with obtaining legal citizenship.Just one dumb dumb mess up a nice flow of post from civilized adults.Giving good advice.

I hate when things are thrown out that are so severly incorrect!! This is NOT COARSE hair period in any culture or texture or type. Curly with a small light s pattern or curl pattern is DEFINETLY fine hair--that can be worn in versatile styles with out chemicals!! I hate when the media doesnt get there story straight or do more background checking on the REAL facts..
Hair like this is extemely beautiful and should appreciated for its texture and ablility to hold style when its conditioned and maintained properly!!!

I think the after picture looks dated and ages her. I think the look will be difficult to maintain and when she wears her hair curly the cut will be disproportionate because its cut for straight not curly hair. The stylist should have embraced her beautiful(not coarse) natural texture and given her a cut that would have enhanced it. Cutting curly hair when its dry and styled not straightened allows you to see the style as it should be. Find a stylist that knows the different techniques.