almond eyes
Well-Known Member
Dear Ladies,
I travelled to Addis Ababa last year and the majority of women regardless of their skin colour, hair texture, relaxed or natural had long hair (SL or longer). Ethiopian women who I saw with damaged hair (in the minority) either were dyeing it or it was because they had been wearing tiny braid extensions. I was gobsmacked and really in awe at the lengths.
In Rwanda, where I lived for three years, I saw many natural afros and long haired relaxed and naturals. What was their secret? no dye jobs, stretched relaxers, and stuck to blow drying with the tension method and wet sets.
An African male friend of mine was talking about the issue of hair and I was curious and asked him so what was the fascination with black women and long hair (no extensions and regardless of the texture, natural, relaxer or locked). He broke it down, he said black women don't know what a gold mine they have in their hair. Afro hair looks much better when it is longer and even other races admire a African/Black woman with long hair even more than European or Asian Women with long hair. Afro long hair is striking and powerful he said.
It had me thinking. I have been normally wearing my extensions and weaves since I moved to West Africa. The majority of women here wear fake hair. And when they remove the fake hair I know why they slap it back on as the majority have damaged hair a chewed edges. An acquaintance of mine at a party laughed when I saw her in a new weave that she had officially joined the chewed down edges club like her mother's generation that lost their hair due to over relaxing and too tight braids. While it was funny, I thought was it really something to laugh about joining a secret club for African women with damaged hair. Another one bites the dust to permanent alopecia.
I went to my hair salon and I decided to remove my braid extensions and wear my own hair from now on. I've done it before but always seemed to run back when I got a hair set back. I was one of the lucky few who still have my edges and collarbone length hair (which for me is long as I have a long neck). I realised what am I doing? I have hair and if I am not careful I would soon join that secret club.
My ah ha moment came when I went to a party last week and I rocked my real hair in a bun chignon. Most of the women wore very long weaves. I noticed the quiet stares from the women like, "Oh I thought she was part of the damaged hair club, gee." And I had lots of male attention (apparently, fake hair makes me look older and less approchable). I decided that I want to be more dedicated to taking care of my hair and be patient with the process of growing my hair long and appreciate what God has given me.
Best,
Almond Eyes
I travelled to Addis Ababa last year and the majority of women regardless of their skin colour, hair texture, relaxed or natural had long hair (SL or longer). Ethiopian women who I saw with damaged hair (in the minority) either were dyeing it or it was because they had been wearing tiny braid extensions. I was gobsmacked and really in awe at the lengths.
In Rwanda, where I lived for three years, I saw many natural afros and long haired relaxed and naturals. What was their secret? no dye jobs, stretched relaxers, and stuck to blow drying with the tension method and wet sets.
An African male friend of mine was talking about the issue of hair and I was curious and asked him so what was the fascination with black women and long hair (no extensions and regardless of the texture, natural, relaxer or locked). He broke it down, he said black women don't know what a gold mine they have in their hair. Afro hair looks much better when it is longer and even other races admire a African/Black woman with long hair even more than European or Asian Women with long hair. Afro long hair is striking and powerful he said.
It had me thinking. I have been normally wearing my extensions and weaves since I moved to West Africa. The majority of women here wear fake hair. And when they remove the fake hair I know why they slap it back on as the majority have damaged hair a chewed edges. An acquaintance of mine at a party laughed when I saw her in a new weave that she had officially joined the chewed down edges club like her mother's generation that lost their hair due to over relaxing and too tight braids. While it was funny, I thought was it really something to laugh about joining a secret club for African women with damaged hair. Another one bites the dust to permanent alopecia.
I went to my hair salon and I decided to remove my braid extensions and wear my own hair from now on. I've done it before but always seemed to run back when I got a hair set back. I was one of the lucky few who still have my edges and collarbone length hair (which for me is long as I have a long neck). I realised what am I doing? I have hair and if I am not careful I would soon join that secret club.
My ah ha moment came when I went to a party last week and I rocked my real hair in a bun chignon. Most of the women wore very long weaves. I noticed the quiet stares from the women like, "Oh I thought she was part of the damaged hair club, gee." And I had lots of male attention (apparently, fake hair makes me look older and less approchable). I decided that I want to be more dedicated to taking care of my hair and be patient with the process of growing my hair long and appreciate what God has given me.
Best,
Almond Eyes