As a person who is obsessed with black culture, predominantly hair, I’ve tried all hair types including afro, dreadlocks and now, short hair.
When I finished matric in 2011, I started growing out my afro hair, which I cut every year until I discovered how to take care of it. It was in 2014 when I learnt how to take care of my afro and the journey was beautiful until it grew and became painful to comb. In 2016, I got tired of braiding every night and decided to lock it.
My dreadlocks journey was even better. I enjoyed having locks so much because I style my hair myself and I didn’t have to worry about shrinkage, detangling and all the stuff that comes with having an afro.
My worst nightmare happened during the lockdown. With my hair longer, it was harder to take care of it. It needed professional help but all the salons were closed. I tried to keep it together for as long as I could until the roots of my locks started thinning out.
Also, being in and out of the hospital made things worse because I couldn’t even moisturise it while I was there. The thinning became worse, the locks at the back started to fall out, but that didn’t discourage me. I held out hope that my hair would grow and I would put back the locks, but that wasn’t the case. After weeks of contemplating, I woke up one morning, took a pair of scissors and cut them off.
I’ve never felt so free in my life. My brother, who also has locks, was cross with me. But I had a plan and it was to start afresh. Although I'm not planning on changing my hair anytime soon, I still keep the locks in a box, just in case.
Here’s I take care of my new crowing glory:
* I wash it at least three times a week with a shampoo and conditioner.
* I do not blow-dry, I let it dry itself.
* If it’s not washing day, I spray it first before applying a hair food and Jamaican castor oil on the hairline (which I put on daily).
* I comb it with an afro comb and then pat it to give it a shape.
Pro Tip: It doesn't matter what type of hair you have. Just make sure you keep it clean and moisturised.