The rise of natural hair weave

Hair spirals into politics even when unintended. It is presumed for instance that Naturalistas just don’t do weaves. PHOTO| FILE

What you need to know:

  • Hair spirals into politics even when unintended. It is presumed for instance that Naturalistas just don’t do weaves. Weaves tend to be bone straight, wavy, or unnaturally long.

  • It inspired one Washington DC based Nigerian hair stylist, Ngozi Opara, 27, to conceptualise what I had on my hair, a natural hair weave. Manufactured in China, it is made out of 100 per cent virgin hair. It comes in familiar textures from 4a to 4c with varying lengths.

The past two months were glorious for my hair. It was huge, kinky-curly, fiercely red and rather popular. Have head, will travel turned me into its walking, talking receptacle.

Said hair was sewn into my other hair, the actual hair growing out of my scalp. I got a natural hair weave.

It looked like my hair, felt like my hair, behaved like my hair and therefore was my hair. Coiling when wet, straightening into a frizz when blow dried and soaking coconut oil and water for twist outs or matutas before bed, it was 14 inches of beautiful yet steady hard work. My relationship with it was ambivalent.

I had a late introduction to weaves. It started with a straight weave, a social experiment I documented in 2013. I revisited it early 2015 in a style inspired by the late R&B singer Aaliyah.

It boasted five different undertones of red, weaving the spectrum from orange to purple. This considered weave earned me a generous portion of trolls who so kindly labelled me and it everything from stupid to ugly. So it was quite fascinating when the natural weave trial came round. 

Out with the old

Hair spirals into politics even when unintended. It is presumed for instance that Naturalistas just don’t do weaves. Weaves tend to be bone straight, wavy, or unnaturally long. It inspired one Washington DC based Nigerian hair stylist, Ngozi Opara, 27, to conceptualise what I had on my hair, a natural hair weave. Manufactured in China, it is made out of 100 per cent virgin hair. It comes in familiar textures from 4a to 4c with varying lengths.

Ngozi hated the idea of perming a portion of hair at the front to accommodate straight hair weaves on transitioning naturals. She researched, learned and studied and in 2013 came up with the line of Heat Free Hair weaves. Now she also manufactures hair extensions, wigs and clip-in extensions.

Her biggest markets are South Africa and Nigeria. With natural hair becoming big business the market now has female-owned black businesses also manufacturing clip-ins, sew-ins, wigs and weaves all mimicking the natural texture of our hair.

When I got my Heat Free Hair installed Maureen Murunga, proprietor Amadiva Beauty Salon, said, “This is the only weave that men have ever come back to me and told me that they love.” Heat Free Hair has been worn by blogger Sharon Mundia and media

personalities Sheila Mwanyigha and Grace Msalame. Maureen, however, added “As a local trend it is growing slowly. It still hasn’t caught on because a lot of people are not sure about the idea of a natural hair weave.” Mostly, crotchet or Marley braids are the go-to.

While it is perfectly reasonable to say Kenyan men have declared their intense dislike for weaves, underneath it lies a mistaken belief that naturals “don’t do weaves.”

Well, they do. Natural hair is a lot of hard work. It requires plenty of TLC, a good understanding of one’s hair and the products it likes, an intermediate knowledge of styling and many committed hours. It can be exhausting. Enter protective styles, hairstyles that keep the hair and ends under wraps to minimise handling. They are excellent for hair growth.

With the hair industry hitting over $680 billion in 2014 research company Mintel further adds “Nearly 6 out of 10 black consumers wear a wig, weave or extensions, which enables them to switch up their look.”

“Fake real hair” allows women to play around with and enjoy their hair. Plus it prevents breakage.

Natural hair is a study in consumer habits. It is unfortunate unhappy salon experiences are turning a number of the current generation of Naturalistas into do-it-yourselfers.

It means hairdressers and salons have to step up their game, provide unique services and products and learn entirely new skills to attract, care for and cater to naturals. Aspiring to look like our #haircrush, having #hairgoals and an unyielding optimism about the future of hair is the motivator behind designing Afrocentric, black-specific, textured hair products. This trend won’t go away.