Some of you maybe be aware of my latest protective style through photos I have posted on Instagram. Well, truth is I ended up seeking an alternative stylist and got the braiding done at her house instead of at the initial intended place, i.e. the Hair Salon I went to in Randburg. A part of me wants to disclose this Salon's name but a major part of me insists that I somehow deal with this in a 'dignified' manner, for lack of a better word. To give you an idea though, the Salon is located in the block of shops by Randburg mall, alongside Jan Smuts and very close to a Liquor Store within the same block of shops. Hint hint :-)
In case you are wondering why I even bothered going to this Salon let me shed some light. I had no intention of doing my hair there, I actually went to the mall to buy the hair extensions I needed for the hairstyle. I'd even bought some weaving thread and needle so that I would do my own crocheting at home. After all I am not that bad at plaiting my own hair, especially due to the great Yoda of Braiding, the Sensai called YouTube. Who doesn't know how to do their hair when YouTube has so many tutorials? Back to the point, I had my extensions and was walking past the numerous ladies at the mall who bombarded me with their invites to do my hair, I obviously lost will and succumbed to one of them. Lesson learnt, don't ever give in to these ladies, stay strong and walk away.
The following are the atrocious sequence if events that made me walk out of the salon with my hair not done:
1. My hair was braided in African Threading to stretch it, since I had washed & deep conditioned it the previous day in preparation for the protective styling.
2. The Salon Stylist was quick to roughly undo my threading while pulling my hair. She was not gentle at all, and I was worried for both the ends of my hair as well as the overall breakage that could occur due to her rough handling. Mind you, I had just trimmed my ends few weeks before and ripping the thread off my hair is one of the things that can cause split ends. So no, lady please handle my hair with care - that's what I thought.
3. Once the hair was out of the thread, she didn't take time to separate each section before attempting to comb. So since she wasn't prepared to do this, I told her I'd do it myself. If you thread your hair in order to stretch it you would know that afterwards you need a bit of oil to unravel each section before combing.
4. Once I was done separating each section, she wanted to comb my hair with a small tooth comb, which I profusely declined. She gave me hateful stares and shook her head then stepped aside.
5. She then brought a wide tooth comb but was combing from the root of my hair to the ends, so I disagreed with this and again told her I would comb my own hair. As you would know, it is best to comb natural hair from the ends then work your way down towards the root.
6.Her wide tooth comb was weird in the sense that my hair kept getting stuck in the teeth of the comb, that made me think I probably had tangles I hadn't undone before I threaded my hair. But upon detailed inspection of the comb, I noticed that some of the teeth of the comb had cracks and bits if it had chipped off, so my hair was getting stuck there. This discovery was very upsetting as this is a definite no no, chipped bits of a comb tear through the hair and break it. So at this point I was reaching my breaking point and wanted to ask the Stylist how she got her qualifications if she couldn't even meet the basic requirements of hair styling, i.e. Combs in a good condition! I chose to finger comb my hair at this point.
7. Once I was done, the lady took out her blow dryer, put in on high heat and wanted to blow dry my hair. So I asked her to rather use cold air as I didn't want heat on my hair. She then asked why, and I told her heat damages my hair. At that point I was not only tired of her bad styling skills, but also of her horrible facial expressions targeted at me. I could tell I annoyed her but there wasn't much she could do. But if looks could kill my friends, I wouldn't be writing this post, lol!
8. She grudgingly grabbed a rat tail comb to make a parting in my hair and start braiding my hair. However she was so rough that I knew I had to stop with the process. When I said ouch she would say "but you refused to let me blow dry your hair, and it is hard".
9. I told her, "please stop, I'll go stretch my hair further at home and come back", and that was my way out. Yes I'm a sissy and wasn't bold enough to tell her I wasn't coming back, but hey, we aren't all that bold. The relief I felt after leaving that salon, wow!!!! Never again, why did I even bother when I know most black salons in this country have the wrong training for our type of hair?
Remember, be bold, be protective of your hair and speak out! The moment you hear your crying out for help, listen to it, stop that stylist and walk out!!!
Love - AfroMoriri
In case you are wondering why I even bothered going to this Salon let me shed some light. I had no intention of doing my hair there, I actually went to the mall to buy the hair extensions I needed for the hairstyle. I'd even bought some weaving thread and needle so that I would do my own crocheting at home. After all I am not that bad at plaiting my own hair, especially due to the great Yoda of Braiding, the Sensai called YouTube. Who doesn't know how to do their hair when YouTube has so many tutorials? Back to the point, I had my extensions and was walking past the numerous ladies at the mall who bombarded me with their invites to do my hair, I obviously lost will and succumbed to one of them. Lesson learnt, don't ever give in to these ladies, stay strong and walk away.
The following are the atrocious sequence if events that made me walk out of the salon with my hair not done:
1. My hair was braided in African Threading to stretch it, since I had washed & deep conditioned it the previous day in preparation for the protective styling.
2. The Salon Stylist was quick to roughly undo my threading while pulling my hair. She was not gentle at all, and I was worried for both the ends of my hair as well as the overall breakage that could occur due to her rough handling. Mind you, I had just trimmed my ends few weeks before and ripping the thread off my hair is one of the things that can cause split ends. So no, lady please handle my hair with care - that's what I thought.
3. Once the hair was out of the thread, she didn't take time to separate each section before attempting to comb. So since she wasn't prepared to do this, I told her I'd do it myself. If you thread your hair in order to stretch it you would know that afterwards you need a bit of oil to unravel each section before combing.
4. Once I was done separating each section, she wanted to comb my hair with a small tooth comb, which I profusely declined. She gave me hateful stares and shook her head then stepped aside.
5. She then brought a wide tooth comb but was combing from the root of my hair to the ends, so I disagreed with this and again told her I would comb my own hair. As you would know, it is best to comb natural hair from the ends then work your way down towards the root.
6.Her wide tooth comb was weird in the sense that my hair kept getting stuck in the teeth of the comb, that made me think I probably had tangles I hadn't undone before I threaded my hair. But upon detailed inspection of the comb, I noticed that some of the teeth of the comb had cracks and bits if it had chipped off, so my hair was getting stuck there. This discovery was very upsetting as this is a definite no no, chipped bits of a comb tear through the hair and break it. So at this point I was reaching my breaking point and wanted to ask the Stylist how she got her qualifications if she couldn't even meet the basic requirements of hair styling, i.e. Combs in a good condition! I chose to finger comb my hair at this point.
7. Once I was done, the lady took out her blow dryer, put in on high heat and wanted to blow dry my hair. So I asked her to rather use cold air as I didn't want heat on my hair. She then asked why, and I told her heat damages my hair. At that point I was not only tired of her bad styling skills, but also of her horrible facial expressions targeted at me. I could tell I annoyed her but there wasn't much she could do. But if looks could kill my friends, I wouldn't be writing this post, lol!
8. She grudgingly grabbed a rat tail comb to make a parting in my hair and start braiding my hair. However she was so rough that I knew I had to stop with the process. When I said ouch she would say "but you refused to let me blow dry your hair, and it is hard".
9. I told her, "please stop, I'll go stretch my hair further at home and come back", and that was my way out. Yes I'm a sissy and wasn't bold enough to tell her I wasn't coming back, but hey, we aren't all that bold. The relief I felt after leaving that salon, wow!!!! Never again, why did I even bother when I know most black salons in this country have the wrong training for our type of hair?
Remember, be bold, be protective of your hair and speak out! The moment you hear your crying out for help, listen to it, stop that stylist and walk out!!!
Love - AfroMoriri
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