The Viral Curly-Hair-In-Love Theory: True Or Placebo?

You’ve heard about happy weight and the glow true love puts on people’s faces. But have you heard about the theory that your hair goes back to its natural texture when you find your soulmate? Several creators online have posted videos claiming that being in love causes your hair to go back to its healthiest, most natural state. This applies even more so to people who have naturally curly or wavy hair. Influencers such as @choerein, @ashleyymarie.ca and @spicecurlgirl have posted about the trend recently and it’s definitely sparked our interest and got us wondering!

As a matter of fact, back in 2022, TikToker and author Raven Stone posted a video regarding the 2003 romantic comedy How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days and its lead character Andie Anderson (played by Kate Hudson). According to Stone's video, Andie's hair texture changed as she became more vulnerable with her love interest Benjamin Barry (played by Matthew McConaughey). To be precise, Andie's hair went from being pin-straight to curly and wavy as she let her guard down and stopped trying to play mind games with Benjamin. Funnily, Kate Hudson responded to Stone's TikTok video and confirmed his theory, soon after!

So perhaps, many women are expressing their curiosity about this theory, inspired by Raven Stone's observations about How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days.

What Does Science Say About The Curly Hair In Love Theory

Oxytocin is one of the largest produced hormones while connecting with a soulmate. Oxytocin, along with dopamine and serotonin are all known as happy hormones and are all released in increased amounts when you fall in love. All of these hormones are said to improve a sense of general pleasure and help ease anxiousness. Aside from this, Oxytocin is also said to elevate hair growth. This might just explain why your hair goes back to its natural state when you’re in love, perhaps it happens faster and hence, is more noticeable.

There Have To Be Other Reasons Your Hair Thrives Or Becomes Healthier, Right?

“I’d like to believe it has more to do with a healthy lifestyle and stress levels. So sure, if you are in a healthy relationship, feeling good about yourself and eating right - It could have a positive impact on your overall well-being and hair. In fact, a few years back, COVID-19 affected my hair health pretty negatively, despite being in a healthy relationship!,” says Geetanjali Taragi, Editorial & Content Strategist and Head.

So, while science says oxytocin may lead to faster hair growth, there still isn’t enough data to prove that it’s the reason that your hair becomes curly or wavy while being in a fulfilling relationship. There are other, greater, more logical factors behind hair health.

“When I met my husband, Krishanu, I was in that awkward, half-and-half phase. My hair was growing out of a hair straightening treatment, so I had to straighten my roots out to match the rest of my hair. One fine day, I decided to cut my hair, so I had this almost, short afro situation going for myself. Everyone thought I had gone through a bad break-up! Interestingly, Krishanu would never pressure me into going back to my natural hair texture, he would only gently remind me that it was okay to let it grow out. It was a very gradual process because he always encouraged me to embrace my natural texture. Then when I embraced the curly girl method - Krishanu gave me the space and time to take care of my hair, he never pestered me or made me feel bad about my haircare routine. I also think, when you’re in a healthy relationship, you’re both in a good state of mind, you have healthier goals, you work out and you eat better so that probably contributes to better hair health as well,” says Arushi Kapoor, who’s a Delhi-based content creator and writer.

Perhaps, hair health (or any kind of health, for that matter) is a result of overall wellbeing, our outlook on life and everyday habits rather than a single person’s presence in our life. And Arushi and Geetanjali aren’t the only ones who attribute better hair health to lifestyle choices and emotional well-being.

“I don't think this theory holds true for me. My hair became nicer when I left home and got complete control over what I should buy for my hair without the interruption of my mum’s tips and tricks about keeping hair healthy (which didn't necessarily result in a visibly good curl pattern). I found love before I left for college hence I am pretty sure it was more of a self-conscious effort, maybe because I had to build my own identity or maybe because I was just insecure about my hair and how I looked,” says Ritika Ranjan, a Freelance Textile Designer based in Pune.

My two cents (after talking to all these wonderful women)? Hair health, and maybe even texture might just be a result of holistic wellness and multiple factors. Perhaps when a person is happy and truly content, it shows up in their hair, in their outer appearance on a much larger and noticeable scale.