How Cornrows Saved Slaves Lives

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Image Credit: Face2Face Africa

Cornrows have a long history. They hold a lot of significance in African culture. It is worn by children, men, and women all around the world regardless of their ethnicity. Originally from the Sahara region, paintings show that this hairstyle has been worn even in 3000 B.C.

The most known way to wear it is straight down, which each cornrow paralleling each other. But it also can be worn uniquely in zig-zags or by mimicking the form of a snake.

In the Carribean region, it is called “canerows”. They do this to respect all of the slaves that planted sugar cane. What many World History classes won’t teach you, is that cornrows are lifesavers.

Cornrows Were Used As A Map To Escape

In many African communities, cornrows convey a person’s social status, age, marital status, and even their amount of wealth. Blackdoctor.org has written this about cornrows: “Depictions of women with cornrows have been found in Stone Age paintings in the Tassili Plateau of the Sahara, and have been dated as far back as 3000 B.C. There are also Native American paintings as far back as 1,000 years showing cornrows as a hairstyle. This tradition of female styling in cornrows has remained popular throughout Africa, particularly in the Horn of Africa and West Africa. Historically, male styling with cornrows can be traced as far back as the early nineteenth century to Ethiopia, where warriors and kings such as Tewodros II and Yohannes IV were depicted wearing cornrows.”

When the Atlantic Slave Trade occurred, millions of innocent civilians were stripped from the Motherland against their will. Some rebelled by jumping off the slave ship before they even arrived on the land. They viewed death as a better option than a life of being treated as property. Others who fought back where terminated immediately. And some cleverly used another approach.

Upon arriving on North/South American soil, slaves were forced to shave their heads. Slave owners claimed that the shaving of their heads was just for sanitary purposes, but it was more behind it. Thick African hair has a lot of weight to it. Some slave owners would say that our hair was “unruly” and a distraction. This was a tactic used by Whites to strip Africans of their identity and culture. But not every slave would keep their hair cut. Some would grow their hair out because they had a masterplan in mind.

Cornrows are styled in a neat and tidy way. The creative geniuses amongst us used this beautiful hairstyle as a map with directions to escape plantations. All across North and South America paintings have been seen of zig-zag cornrows. A story that proves this is the story of Benkos Bioho.

The Brave Benkos Bioho

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Image Credit: Alchetron

Benkos Bioho was a King that was captured from Africa in the 17th century. He managed to find a port city on the Colombia Carribean coast. It took several attempts to escape from his masters. One day he finally managed to escape. He then proceeded to build San Basilio de Palenque.

This King strategically built a walled city within a foreign land that he was forced to be in. It was with the intent of saving slaves and giving them a place of refuge. A place that they can experience freedom while getting their lives together.

After building a village, he invented a new language. Then he got an army to assist others to freedom. He came up with the idea to create maps in cornrows.

Most slaves did not know how to read or write. And even if they did know how to read or write, if they were caught writing messages of escape, they would have to bear extreme punishment.

Cornrows were a way to communicate without getting caught.

Braids And Gold

Another informative fact that many do not know is that gold and seeds were hidden in slave braids. After escaping, to survive you needed food and money. So the seeds were used to plant their own crops. The gold was preserved so they could make transactions on their own land. Today San Basilio De Palenque still stands. It has a population of about 3500 people.

In this modern age, from West Africa to North Korea you can see humans showing off their own version of cornrows. We no longer have to hide gold in our hair. We can proudly intertwine them over our braids. The tradition of wearing this hairstyle will be popular for years to come.

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Image Credit: Youtube

Sources: https://face2faceafrica.com/article/how-cornrows-were-used-as-an-escape-map-from-slavery-across-south-america

https://www.edtimes.in/africans-used-to-hide-escape-maps-from-slavery-in-their-hairstyles/

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Fabulous Natural Hairstyles That Are Trending In 2020

The year 2020 has ushered in new fads and crowd-pleasing hairdos. So hold your applause while we go over the top hairstyles that many Queens will be rocking in 2020.

The Braided Bob

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Photo by Christine Cerdan on Pexels.com

Many braiders will be busy this winter season because the braided bob will be a must-have protected hairstyle. Are you feeling like the Egyptian ruler Cleopatra? Then throw in some gold beads to make your hair pop. Embellished braids are also a hot look. Adding color and/or hair ornaments will make you stand out as unique. Don’t forget to keep your moisturizer close by. If you do not moisturize your hair while they are in braids your natural hair will break off. Shorter braids mean less time sitting at the salon. That is why the braided bob is in high demand.

Textured Bang

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Photo by Marlon Schmeiski on Pexels.com

Bangs don’t only have to be worn with straight hair. Many who have curly textured hair are cutting the front section of their hair to create bangs. To add some flair, you can put your hair in cornrows and let your forehead be covered with beautiful curls. And if your hair is already short then there is no need to get scissors.

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Image Credit: Youtube

Micro Locs

Micro braids used to be a popular option for women of color. It gives off a professional vibe and can be styled in many ways. But now with the natural hair movement in full effect, many are opting for micro locs. Women of color are the leading demographic in the United States to own a small business. We do not have the time to spend hours in a chair installing micro braids. We want faster alternatives. Micro locs look neater than traditional locs and have more versatility. They can be started by creating tiny braids, twists, or interlocking.

Structured Cuts

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Photo by Daniel Adesina on Pexels.com

When marches for fair equality were in full effect, both male and female African Americans would proudly wear full afros. To end Jim Crow laws blacks would march the busiest streets in the country to slow traffic and business revenue. Their afros could be seen from far away. Now with hair color being more advanced, structured cuts are being used on afros. The same way a gardener would trim a bush is the same way our afros are being worn with individuality.

Wet N’ Wavy Hair

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Image Credit: Youtube

The “I just got out of the shower and don’t have time to blow dry my hair” look will continue to trend in 2020. You can slick it back with a Cantu styling product. Pairing it with feline eyeshadow will surely make heads turn. It is a very easy look to maintain and it does not require that your hair is drenched in water. After your hair is washed as you go about your day, the H2O will eventually dry up. So you have to use a product like Super Wet Gel that will give your hair a long-lasting wet look. To find a product that works for you will take some trial and error. But it’s worth the research.

Did you like what you just read? Then get in touch! Shoot me an email if you need content for your blog.

Sources:

https://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/curls/the-top-8-natural-hair-trends-expect-to-see-everywhere-in-2020

The Runway Has Spoken and 2020 Natural Hair Trends Are Seriously Stunning

https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/afro-hair-trends-2020

 

#Destiny Harrison: Baltimore Salon Owner Slain

Image Credit: News Break

We lost an astounding, ambitious, go-getter in the fashion/beauty world. Destiny Harrison was a visionary ahead of her time. By the age of 21, Destiny was a licensed cosmetologist and owned a beauty salon that she built from the ground up. With so many triumphs at such a young age, no one expected a tragedy to occur.

The Madam D Beauty Bar Inventor

Destiny Harrison was born in Maryland on April 16, 1998. As a child, she always had a love for hair. She would spend her time attempting to do cosmetology for family and friends. As a teenager, she attended a vocational high school in Baltimore and got her certification as a hairstylist. She was a hustler. She worked at Popeyes, Walmart, and did her peers’ hair on the side. She was well known as the girl who could hook you up with fresh bundles, weave, and some nice edges. Right out of high school she attended University. Her major was business administration with a minor in fashion. She consistently marketed herself, once posting on Instagram “I wanna be so well known in this hair industry that I will no longer have to introduce myself.”

With years and years of practice under her belt, Destiny became a successful licensed business owner. Even with her juggling a business, she still managed to maintain good grades in school. Many of her clients adored her. Her social media accounts are filled with positive feedback for her work.

By 2017, she launched the Madam D Collection website, which displayed units, bundles, weave, and many hair care products that sold well. Having a successful online store takes a lot of patience, perseverance, and hard work. By 2018 her prosperity increased because she was seen mingling with celebrity hairstylists like Shekinah. One of the Clermont Twins had her ponytail done by her. By the end of 2018, she gave birth to a beautiful baby daughter and named her Dream. Her salon was opened, and her brand expanded.

Salon Owner Feared “For Her Life And Business”

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Image credit: Earkandy Radio

Baltimore is notorious for its high crime rate. Many news reports state that it is on track to reach the highest per capita murder record in the nation. What is most unfortunate to know though, is that a lot of local business owners are being targeted for heinous crimes.

On Dec. 9th, Baltimore salon owner Destiny filed a police report. While working in her salon, Destiny saw intruders inside of her business stealing weave. When she approached them, they attacked her. She sought a protection order. “I fear for my life and my business”, she stated in her police report. The people involved with the attack were her neighbors. The female that assaulted her while she was pinned down is a hair and makeup stylist herself.

After charges were pressed, Destiny was enraged and filled with fear every time she went to work. An environment she once loved became an unsafe ground. On Dec. 21st in the evening, another intrusion happened at her business. The intruder was equipped with a gun and fatally shot Destiny in front of her clients. Her baby daughter Dream also witnessed this horrendous crime. Two men fled the shop with $3000 worth of bundles. No arrest for the murderer has been done yet. Dream is currently with her grandmother, but will forever have to live with the emotional scars of losing her mother.

“It’s unbelievable that some evil soul would do something like this,” said her uncle Dewine McQueen.

Her mother created a GoFund Me page which states: “We lost an angel due to tragedy that broke hearts all over Baltimore. We are asking that if anyone has any monetary donations we would greatly appreciate the help to lay my beautiful daughter in peace.”

If you have any information about Destiny’s death please contact homicide detectives at 410-396-2100 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7Lockup.

Sources : https://thegrio.com/2019/12/25/destiny-harrison-baltimore-slain-business-owner/

GoFund Me Page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/destiny-harrison-funeral

Ten Affordable Products You Can Use On 4C Hair

Are you just entering the world of natural hair? Are you worried about wearing your curls because of the maintenance involved? Once you have a clear understanding of what 4c hair is and know what products you can buy at a low cost, navigating the world of natural hair will become easier. You will learn to love your 4c hair.

Understanding 4C Hair

In the beauty world, hair types are put into categories. The sections range from Type 2 to 4. Hair type 2 is relatively straight hair. Hair type 3 consists of wavy curl patterns.Hair type 4 curls are more profound. Their distinct curls can be compared to a Z.

Within each hair type, there are subcategories. Type 4 subcategories are 4A, 4B, and 4C. Tightly coiled type 4 curls are harder to take care of because of how fragile tight curls can be. Type 4c hair is the most challenging type of hair because it is coarse, needs constant moisture, swiftly can get dry, can shrink quickly from humidity, and does not have many definitions. In this context, the term definition means varied forms of change. When you wash other types of hair with no products added, the hair might be easier to manage. When it comes to 4c hair though, hair washes alone will not take the kinks out. This type of hair also has a shrinkage of more than 75 percent. So even if your hair has grown three inches, it may only look like 1 inch of growth unless you use a stretching technique.

Hair Products That You Can Afford For Natural Hair

It is universally known that 4C hair is the most fragile so it can easily damage or break. It can be compared to a delicate vase or fine china. When you are moving and packing glass, you make sure that the glass is covered with large amounts of newspaper or tissue so that the glass does not shatter. Likewise, those of us with 4c hair that is constantly on the go must protect our delicate strands with hydration and moisture.

  1. Organic Apple Cider Vinegar With The Mother 
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    Image Credit: Amazon

    Apple Cider Vinegar is a big savior that is praised by many natural hair care bloggers. What makes it ideal is the fact that it is a safer alternative to traditional shampoos. It has no harsh chemicals and does not strip the hair of its natural curls. You have to dilute it with water before rinsing it through your hair. You can buy it from Amazon for only $8.16.

  2. Indian Healing Clay 100% Natural Bentonite Clay
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    Image Credit : Revelist

    Bentonite Clay has been raved about because it effectively removes build-up from your hair. It adds definition to your coils and can leave your hair feeling soft. It can be brought from Amazon for $10.95.

  3. Africa’s Best Hair Mayonnaise
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    Image Credit: Africa’s Best Hair

    This product sells at many beauty supply stores for about $4. It is a deep conditioner full of olive oil and egg protein. It is designed to seal in moisture and strengthen your hair.

  4. Mega Moist Conditioner
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    Image Credit : Amazon

    Priced at 4.94 at Walmart, this conditioner will protect your strands from extreme humidity. With ingredients like Australian aloe, sea kelp, and jojoba oil, detangling will be easy.

  5. African Shea Butter 100% Natural
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    Image Credit: Amazon

    Shea Butter is a great sealant for kinky hair. Some say that it is most effective when used in its raw form. If you apply it from the root to the tip while your hair is still wet it will lock in moisture. You can buy it on Amazon for $5.39.

  6. Hollywood Beauty Olive Oilolive oil A hair product that can be found in many beauty supply stores, this oil is a great scalp treatment that will not clog your pores. It can be purchased on Amazon for $9.93.
  7. Jamaican Black Castor Oil Jamaicanblack This is a must-have for 4c hair types. The texture is very dense which guarantees that your moisture will be locked in. Rubbing it regularly into your scalp promotes hair growth. You can find it on Amazon for $12.34.
  8. Keratin and Green Tea Restructurizerkeratin This product is sold at Sally Beauty for $6.69. The keratin protein stops breakage, builds body, and protects color.
  9. Creamy Oil Moisturizer Hair Lotion
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    Image Credit : Amazon

    If you want to use heat styling on your hair, this lotion can protect against the high amount of heat. It also won’t leave any sticky buildup in your hair. It can be brought from Amazon.com for only $6.37.

  10. Wild Growth Hair Oil
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    Image Credit : Facebook

    A personal favorite for many, this rich plant-based formula conditions and softens hard to manage hair. It promotes strong, thick hair growth and has many great reviews. It only costs $7.82 at Walmart.

” A black woman without her kinks is like a leopard without spots.”- Island Naturals

Did you like what you just read? Like, follow, and comment below. Share your thoughts. Message me for a free consultation if you need my writing services. 

Afro Puff Bubble Ponytails Are Trending

Photo: Pinterest

With winter in full effect, our Queens want a quick easy hairstyle that is gorgeous and protective. New natural hairstyles are popping up, and when examined closely you can tell that they are trying to mimic a tribal look. Afro puffs were hot back in the ’70s when a lot of women of color were fighting for civil rights and revolutionizing the way they wore their hair. Since the summer Afro Bubble Ponytails have been favored as the go-to protective hairstyle. Now with many people being “woke” to the discrimination that natural hairstyles face in the workplace, relaxers are becoming a thing of the past. Nobody wants to put on their strands creamy crack, so the versatility of our hair is now being showcased globally.

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Photo: Aliexpress

Why Relaxers Are No Longer Popular

For many years, Afro heads straightened their hair to get that exotic look. I remember I wore a relaxer on my hair until I became a teenager. I used to dread going to the hair salon because of the hairstylist’s facial expressions. What was not expressed in words was conveyed in body language. The task of getting through a thick head of 4c hair is not an easy one. By the time they reached the back of my hair, my scalp was already burning. Tears would fall from my eyes as they told me I still had to wait some more minutes before they washed it out. The burn you feel from having a relaxer in your hair for too long can be compared to taking a lighter and putting it on your scalp. I truly believe that hairstylists would leave the relaxer in my hair longer than what was recommended because my hair was so coarse. Scalp burns are not the only side effects of relaxers. Uterine fibroid also can result from perms.

The market research firm, Mintel, estimates that by 2020 will be the smallest area of the black hair market. Hair relaxer sales fell 38% between 2012-2017!

The early to mid-2000s saw a huge shift in how we perceived African beauty. Being a 90’s baby I noticed many R&B groups rocked a perm and/or long weaves. But by the early 2000s, Nollywood movies exploded in popularity and viewership. I notice that the standard of beauty in these movies was light makeup and natural hair. Even in Brazil, online searches for “Afro hair” have tripled in the last two years. So it is safe to say that natural hairstyles are trending and are here to stay.

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Photo: YouTube

Ponytail hairstyles are a great hairstyle to wear at the gym, work, or even a formal event. They help to keep your hair out of the way so you can focus on your daily routine. Nadula is an astounding hair company that offers affordable ponytail hair extensions. They have a buy one, get one 50% policy for those who purchase 2 of their ponytails. With their array of different curly textures, you can’t go wrong. Spice up your natural hair with Nadula’s ponytail weaves.

How To Achieve The Afro Puff Bubble Ponytail Look

Some like beads. Others like silver/golden hair clips. Whatever accessories you choose to use, just make sure you follow these steps correctly so that you can get the look that you desire.

  • First, part your hair into sections. Section your hair into the number of ponytails that you want. For a child, many of them like to rock smaller ponytails.
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Photo: 21Ninety
  • Second, apply the gel to the scalp of your sections. Hold each section down with rubber bands to keep the ponytail in place.
  • Next, add the Marley or Afro hair that you purchased to your natural hair. Lay it against your natural hair and keep your real hair in the middle. Skip this step if you are just using all of your own hair. Clip-ins are perfect for this look.
  • Lastly, twist the accessories around sections of your ponytail to create the “ball” look.

For a visual tutorial, here is a step by step instructions from YouTube content creator Nneoma Okorie:

You are smart. You are beautiful. You are important. To stay educated and inspired, follow my social networks for updates and fashion tips.

Sources: https://21ninety.com/learn-how-to-achieve-the-trendy-afro-bubble-ponytail

https://fashion-history.lovetoknow.com/body-fashions/afro-hairstyle

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The Master Loctician: Jewel Richardson

West Michigan is a melting pot full of many different cultures, ethnicities, and personalities. But what really makes Michiganders stand out from the rest is the amount of creative professionals we have. Look on the tag of any product and you will see the “Made In Michigan” sign . The natural hairstyle movement is producing many unique creative hairstylists in the Grand Rapids area. Very frequently you can see an event created that shows off our local Queens rocking their afros, coils, and locs. In this interview, light is shed on Ms. Jewel Richardson, my loctician, who is an amazing master loctician.

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How long have you been natural? Why did you choose to go natural?

I have been natural for 30 years. Freedom is why I choose to be natural. I want to love myself the way I was born. If you are choosing chemicals then you are choosing not to be the way you were born.

How did your family and friends feel about you going natural?

My mother was happy. My family was raised that way so it was not seen as a huge deal. I went natural after I left Grand Rapids and went to Atlanta. My friends were not really fond of it, so it was when I changed my environment that I changed my viewpoint.

What products do you use for your hair?

Light oils for my scalp. I only shampoo my hair twice a year. I clean it once in a while because the oil and grease buildup is a protection to my hair. Aloe. And oils. Water contains acid and dries your hair. Oils will seal in and moisturise your hair. Mousse. Daily hair and scalp rejuvenating spray if I want to twist and wrap it. Styling: bobby pins, headwraps, and cloths. I flat iron my locs because you can do everything with locs beside comb it.

What accessories do you like to use on your locs?

Cowry shells, pony beads.

What must have products should every natural hair Queen have?

Must have products is Aloe. Chocolate indie b mask, chocolate conditioner. Shea butter is a product that you can use in many ways. You can press and twist natural hair with shea butter.

What is your mission as a hairstylist?

Being an example of loving myself the way I was made. Having the opportunity to educate and encourage. When I am talking about natural hair, I am more specific to Type 2- Type 8. It is the people who have a Curl, or an S or a 2 to their hair. Straight hair has different needs and desires. Most people of color can not look at their hair in the mirror for 30 minutes without having a hatred for their hair. Embrace your natural hair.

Her website and information about her salon can be found here : http://msjewelsnaturalhaircare.com

Some of her work:

 

Not only is Ms. Jewel a hairstylist, she is also a activist, a poet, a mother, and a dancer. She founded West Michigan Jewels of Africa, a traditional African dance and drum Troop. Her love for people, natural hair, and our community is very commendable.

African Beauty And Braids blog has been featured on blog.feedspot.com as one of the Top 50 Natural Hair Blogs and Websites For Black Women in 2019 !!!  It ranked at number 45. (https://blog.feedspot.com/natural_hair_blogs/) Thanks for all of the likes and shares. It is my dream to get it to be a part of the top 10 natural hair blogs in the world in 5 years or less. Through more content, adding a subscription, creating ebooks, a newsletter, getting it monetized, and increasing my viewership/readers, this can be attainable. Much love to all of my supporters. Much love to all of my Queens around the world. Always remember: you are beautiful, you are smart, and you are important.

 

 

 

 

How To Grow Long Thick Locs

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I have had my locs for four years and 9 months and man, they have grown . Many people have asked me : Are they real? Is that yarn?

Yes! These are my real locs and no, this is not yarn.

How did I achieve this growth and thickness?

Stimulate Your Scalp

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Photo by Godisable Jacob on Pexels.com

Just like a plant needs water to grow, your scalp needs water to stay hydrated and healthy. You can buy a empty spray bottle from Dollar Tree and just fill it up with water. Spritz your hair several times a day or whenever you have a chance. You can massage the moisture into your locs with a brush. This helps a lot to prevent breakage and thinning.

Eat Healthy

Since my doctor suggested that I go on a diet I have been taking a break from Popeyes. Drinking a lot of water, eating your fruits and vegetables ( strawberries is better than sour-patch kids , and carrots is better than Cheetos), will create length retention and thicker hair. Your body is over 50% water, so drink lots of it!

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Photo by Juanjo Menta on Pexels.com

Put A Scarf Over Your Pillow

If you are lazy like me than you know you never put a scarf on your head before you go to bed. Girl do you? Well if you don’t , a solution to your laziness is to just put a satin scarf over your pillow. Personally, I just put a regular scarf over my pillow. It keeps the lint away. There are also “Satin Du-bags”. They sell them online and they are specifically made for locs.

Lock In The Moisture With Oils

 

Wild Growth Hair Oil 4 Oz    Okay Coconut Oil for Hair and Skin in Jar, 6 Oz, Adult Unisex, Size: 177 mlCase of Lusti Organics Olive Oil Detangling Spray, 12-oz. Bottles (8 u

Image Credit: Amazon, Walmart, Dollar Tree

Water is not enough to keep your locs healthy. You have to lock in the moisture with oils. My personal favorites are coconut oil, olive oil, and Wild Growth Oil. Wild Growth Hair Oil is an amazing product for any type of hair. This oil is popular worldwide. Wild Growth Oil really helped my hair when I was first starting out. It helped me go from this:

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To this :

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Don’t Re-twist Often

What I notice some locheads will do is frequently go to the loctician to get their locs re-twisted. Over twisting can cause your hair to break at the roots. Sometimes I mindlessly twist my locs with my hands. Playing with your hair can make it easy to break off. It is recommended that you wait at least 4 weeks to get your locs re-twisted. I only re-twist a couple of times every year.

Let Your Locs Be Free

Always manipulating your hair with twist-outs and different styling can weaken your locs. You have to treat your coils like a newborn baby that constantly needs care. If you use a lot of rubber bands that can also weaken your strands. Most of the time, I just wear a headband or a scarf and let it flow freely. Make sure you don’t wrap your scarf too tight though, because that can create tension to your roots. I am living proof that with proper moisture, a healthy eating lifestyle, and minimal styling, you can grow long, thick, locs!

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Photo by Christina Morillo on Pexels.com