My Last Weave Install Taught Me A Valuable Lesson

Sometimes my kinks and coils can take so much energy to care for, especially when it’s so hot and humid in my part of the world. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my hair, but it can take a lot of maintenance and at times my lifestyle just gets  too busy for hair fuss.

I’ve been natural for 2.5 years and I love my natural hair, but there was a time I wanted something different, I wanted straight hair.

Now getting a relaxer was definitely out of the question and so was straightening because I didn’t want to deal with the possible hurt and stress of getting heat damage. That only left one option, I decided to try a sew-in weave with straight hair.

I purchased some quality hair, which in my opinion was way too expensive. However, I thought that this would be the best hair for me to use, I figured I would not have to worry about tangling, excessive shedding, and I could just enjoy my experience with straight hair.

I wanted some style as well, so I opted for a long bob. Let me tell you that when my stylist was done with my hair, I felt so fresh and so different.

I was able to “wake, shake, and go” every morning without having to worry about my natural hair not drying from a perm rod set or my wash n go not turning out right.

I was able to care for my natural hair underneath by using applicator bottles and massaging my scalp when needed. Even wrapping my hair in a doobie wrap was so easy to do and to undo in the morning.

The maintenance of keeping straight hair was so simple and matched my lifestyle. I was so happy with my decision of getting a straight weave in the beginning and then I ended up hating it.

I missed my natural hair, all I had was straight hair this and straight hair that. There was no excitement, no volume, no personality. Oh! And there was frizz, lots of it.

With my natural hair, I didn’t mind the frizz because it would give lots of volume to my hair. But in this case when the wind would blow, my hair would be out of place and it was not cute.

I literally lived in the mirror making sure my hair was “in place.” There were way too many flyaways that I just could not control. It was such a disaster.

Then I thought about trying hair accessories. Whether it was a clip, hair pin, or a simple bobby pin; it would just slide right out of my hair.

If I wanted the accessory to stay, I would have to add 2-4 extra bobby pins* to overlap the original bobby pin just to keep my hair in place.

Don’t even let me get started on how oily and greasy my hair would get. I can’t believe my high quality hair would look like an oily mess!

I had to cut down on certain things I would do in my regular regimen. I even changed up the way I would cleanse my hair and the weave: wash braiding foundation, moisturize and oil braiding foundation, cleanse the weave, blow dry braiding foundation bone dry.

And since I just had to have straight hair I would have to blow dry the weave, flat iron* the weave, then bump the ends with my curling iron*.

I thought I wanted straight hair because it would be easier for me to care for and allow me to maintain my busy lifestyle. I found myself combing my hair all the time, using the flat iron* daily, and making sure my hair was always ‘tamed.’ After 3 weeks I pretty much had enough, I wanted my natural hair back.

The number one thing I learned throughout this whole ordeal is that my natural hair and all that comes with it is for me and that weave was not.

Even though I would spend time doing my natural hair, straight hair was definitely too much maintenance and hassle in my opinion.

My kinks and coils don’t need to be tamed or be put in place after all my hair had volume and personality. I enjoy what my natural hair has given me during the 2.5 years I have had her. Now I know for sure straight hair is not for me because I tried something new and it did not work out.

In other words I do not regret getting straight hair for that short period of time. That experience helped me discover what I really want for my healthy hair journey: my own kinks and coils.

What have you done to your hair that turned out to be a huge mistake but that made you love your natural hair even more? Comment below