I rocked crochet braids for about six months and absolutely loved them! It was one of the easiest styles to maintain. And part of the beauty was that I could install them myself. There are tons of video of how to install on Youtube. (The video is my first ever so pardon the portrait perspective.)
To achieve the look below, use Harlem125 Kima Braid Hair in 14" , color 1B. I used 2-3 packs, and cut the hair in half before application. After installing, I gentle separated the dreads. You can separate multiple times, depending on how voluminous you want your hair. I stocked up on the hair below since it's inexpensive and I reapplied new hair about every 2-3 months. to keep the hair looking fresh. Happy crochet braiding, ladies! I couldn't hide from it anymore. My hair -- this pile of protein that I kept wrapped in synthetic, smothered beneath Remy, hidden under a lacefront -- should not be my enemy. Each coil is as apart of me as my hands and feet. So why the avoidance? Hair is a symbol of beauty. Many of us have been taught that hair is our crowning glory. On the flip side, the difficulties in taming our hair has caused it to be a symbol of shame and evidence of pain for some of us. As a child, I was teased terribly about my "nappy" hair. It was a relief to finally put a Jheri Curl or relaxer in my hair and pretend that I had "good" hair.
After thirty years of chemical dependence and more hairstyles that I can count, it is time to stop pretending I'm Sasha Fierce. I'm not her and I don't want to be. I want to be the best me I can be. It's been nine months since my last relaxer. Am I saying I'll never put a weave, wig, or relaxer in my hair ever again? Nope. I'm saying that in this moment, I want to see, touch, feel, and nurture my own hair. Okay, cool. But now what? I've studied the YouTube videos and have decided on my first style. The two-strand twists look easy enough despite the fact that none of the women in the videos seem to have my exact fine, thin, kinky 4C grade of hair. Nevertheless, I've fed my brain with the fruit of knowledge that can only come from watching a million videos. I can do this... Yes, I know. Melissa Harris-Perry and MSNBC parted ways in a blaze of glory this past March. If you're unfamiliar with the details, check it out here. However, seeing as this is #ThrowbackThursday, I thought it fitting to remember the unique voice that Ms. Harris-Perry had in the media. Below she discusses how black hair matters, a topic rarely heard on television. Her voice and perspective are missed. |
Rhonda Eason
Unabashed lover of all things hair. Archives
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