Background:
I’m sure many black women can relate when I say that my head, my literal scalp, has been through so much. From my mom not knowing what to do with my hair, to me not knowing what to do with my hair, it has definitely been a journey. I went from jerry curls to protective styles and braids, to having a perm, and to having waves (aka basically a buzzcut and you can read about that here) and not in that order. Either way, the point is I know a lot of other young black women who decided that due to circumstantial reasons they needed a fresh start. Starting with a fresh cut. I’ve noticed that for my type-four gals, we tend to have had the most turbulence in our relationships with our hair, and I don’t think this issue lies necessarily in us not being able to do our hair, but in the fact that no one has taught us how to care of it in comparison to other hair types. I have to face it, in my late teens when my hair was thoroughly in my own hands, I dropped the ball. I tried to take care of it, but no one told me that taking care of it required the knowledge of taking care of a specific hair type and that the mainstream shampoos and conditioners I’ll find at local stores weren’t the best options for my 4C coils.
Ultimately cutting all of my hair off, or “the big chop” if you would, was paramount in me learning how to protect my hair. It’s still a learning process, but I’ve been proud of the progress I’ve made in my journey thus far. Honorable mention to India Arie for inspiring us to take ownership and pride in our journeys.
It Saves Me Sika (money).
When I say I’m a broke college student….
Let’s look at it logistically, when I have to get my hair braided, I have to pay for the hair and to get it done. Now that I’ve been starting to do my hair on my own, I eliminate the costs of the braider which cuts my costs down by 50 if not 60%, which is perfect for me because this baddie is on a budget.
It’s Become Self-care.
It’s become a sense of pride for me when I get complimented on my hair or when someone asks me where I’ve gotten my hair done and I can say that I did it myself. But it’s also really interesting to know that I can sit with myself for hours on end to reinvent and transform myself and that I wield that power. I also know that my hair will come out the way I want it to every time.
I’m learning to take care of my natural hair in ways I hadn’t previously known because no one else around me really knew to teach me. I think everyone wants to be able to take care of themselves and learning to care for my hair as a black woman has been really significant for me.
There’s Potential To Perfect My Craft:
Since I’ve been able to teach myself, I’m sure if I’m able to take the time to learn or just explore trying new things on myself and others I can make a profit if need be. For now, it’s something I’m glad I can do for myself. However, if you are a young black woman in boulder who needs her hair done, feel free to DM me on Instagram and I would love to discuss what you would like your new look to be.