Questions about Afro textured hair
Curious about braids and Afro textured hair? Here are some commonly asked questions, answered in the form of fictional anecdotes!
By Ecy King Jan. 24, 2022, 10:36 p.m. https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-stanford-daily/answering-six-common-questions-about-afro-textured-hair
Heads up: This is a fictional narrative aiming to answer some FAQs about braids in a fun, experimental and hopefully educational way!
As I get ready to bike to my 9:30 a.m. class, my hair freshly braided, I realize how lucky I am to have someone who knows how to do my hair. Coming to Stanford, I worried that it would be difficult to find someone who knew how to deal with 4c hair. I needed someone who knew the whole process of braiding — how to part it and then oil it, make it shine and then moisturize it; manage the extensions and then skillfully braid it; how to seal off the ends with boiling water and undo it with scissors and a rattail comb, being careful not to burn me or cut off my actual hair in the process. Indeed, doing braids is a long and dexterous journey. How beautiful it was to have someone who knew how to give my hair the TLC it needs!
The night before, my amazing friend had installed my braids. Looking at a picture, she almost perfectly imitated the design of the shoulder-length salt and pepper braids. It’s different from my previous style, long cardinal and black curls going down my back, but I love the change. The week before, my friend had done her own braids. Hours of standing in front of the bathroom mirror had resulted in her getting the cutest braided bob, complete with colorful beads and cowrie shells adorning it. Braiding your own hair is like a superpower to me.
Twenty-four hours ago, we had gotten up very early for a Sunday morning, and by the early evening we had wrapped my hair up — both figuratively and literally. Sleeping that first night is always a wee bit painful; my friend had done them nice and tight. Yet, it was relaxing going to sleep knowing that I would have a protective […]
