HOW ZENDAYA GOT CONFIDENT WITH HER CURLS

"As I've gotten older and become more confident in myself, I just don't care.​"​

Every time Zendaya steps on the red carpet, you know she's going to bring it with a super-cool hairstyle, killer confidence, and completely original look. But experimenting with her style and embracing her unique beauty hasn't always been easy for the 19-year-old, who was the subject of a racist hair-related remark during last year's Oscar's when she arrived wearing locs. 

The singer, actress, and new face of CoverGirl recently told PeopleStyle that "growing up, I wasn't very confident in my curls." She went on to explain that no one knew what to do about styling her hair. "My mom is white and my dad is black—they have two very different hair types. So we learned how to manage my hair together, and I also watched YouTube videos to find easy styles to do."

Like many young women, Zendaya wasn't happy with her natural hair. "Obviously you want what you can't have, so I wanted different hair than what I had," she shares. "And it wasn't until I got older that I learned you don't know what you've got until it's gone."

Over the years Zendaya's confidence has grown and her style has evolved to reflect that. "When I was younger, I was afraid to experiment with my look because I was worried about what people thought," she explains. "But as I've gotten older and become more confident in myself, I just don't care." 

Zendaya is now using her platform to inspire young women with hair-specific insecurities. "I like who I am, and I hope that I can help a lot of other young women get there. I think that a big part of that is showing that you can dress and wear your hair however you want. People will say whatever they have to say, but as long as you feel good and you feel confident and you're taking those steps to feel comfortable with yourself, then you're good!"

From: Cosmopolitan