One Year Later and the Curls are Back
A little over a year ago I stood crying in my shower in Turkey, having been forced to cut off most of my hair. I still shudder at the thought. I had my very first summer weave (as I like to call it) and had to take it out without the expertise of my stylist sister-in-law. I royally screwed it up and was left with a rat’s nest of a hair cut.
This was what I was left with
Today, I’m practically skipping with every step because I have successfully taken out my latest weave and I still have hair!
I read countless articles about the step by step process for taking the extensions out, and my husband even made an emergency call to my sister in law to make sure I was doing it right. I was to comb and detangle before washing, first with a big toothed comb, then a little one. I then had to wash my hair in a downward fashion, and most importantly, not scrub vigorously. That’s what did me in before. I was so excited to be able to wash my hair in its entirety that I scrubbed and scrubbed and it felt so good, until I felt the dreadlocks forming of course.
This time I took it easy and scrubbed ever so gently. It took me 3 days of washing to really feel like my hair was clean but boy do I feel like a new woman now. I actually found out that I could have had my hair re-done out here because there is a pretty large African population in Belgium and therefore a good number of African hair salon’s. I decided against it, because for one, I’m scared they might mess it up or make me look crazy. I also just wanted to see how my hair looked and if it was in better shape than the sad mess that it was at this time last year.
My curls are back and I have enough hair for an afro puff again!
What I like about having the extensions is that it’s a different look for me and something new, but it’s also a protective style, guaranteeing that I’m not pulling, tugging, blow drying, or curling it, so my hair is able to just be. As a result I now have my curls back and my hair feels healthy and strong. The lazy woman in me is also excited that I don’t have to worry about the rain messing with my hair, since it rains here practically every day. What a difference a year makes!
After a blow dry and DIY hair cut
