Hello peoples!
Happy “ember” month to you. I’m more excited the year is running… Yes, running to an end. The memories of Christmas last year are still fresh and a new one will soon be here.
When August came, i was very happy. I knew it was going to be an exciting month. It’s over now and I decided to add a new post segment to the blog to talk about how the previous month went. Thus “Chew over ……………” . I was going to call it “August’s musings ” but decided it was too just there. I searched for synonyms of musings and saw a few nice words like ponder over, reminisce, ruminate- I don’t like this one though. Cows ruminate. I finally chose chew over. It appeals to me in a funny way. You could let me know what you think about the title in the comments box.
Here is what I was up to in August.
1. Part time Salon experience: I had a lot of free time because work period was reduced by a few hours temporarily. I decided to volunteer my service at a family friend’s salon and before you ask if it was for free. Yeah. I did charity in August. That’s how it looked but I was gathering knowledge and perfecting my hair making skills. I’ll tell you why soon.
My experience there was insightful and scary. I was shocked most of the time. One time a lady came to make her hair and she had didi on. She wanted to braid her hair with Xpression extensions into tiny twists. Feathers precisely. I offered to help loosen her hair and noticed it was a bit wet, greasy and messy. When we were done loosening, I asked if she would wash her hair and she said she had already washed in shower. I looked at this lady in shock. “Say what?” . While I was loosening,she had said she would carry the new hair do for 2 or 3 months and she wont apply any hair cream through out because it makes her scalp itch. Everything in me was screaming “Madam what in God’s name are you saying?”. You won’t wash your greasy dirty hair( I don’t know what she even used to wash the hair), you won’t moisturise your hair for 3 months and you expect the hair to grow by then. I would have advised her better. I was itching to. But the salon owner said i should not say anything through eye contact. Who was I to talk? I felt sorry for the lady because she didn’t know better and her stylist would not say the truth. She didn’t want me to touch her hair because she had not seen me before and wanted only professional touch. She was also complaining about everything. Who told her I wasn’t an expert? Long story short, I realised Nigerian women need hair grooming education. It is too important. Especially at the grassroot. It hurts to see people treat their hair without self respect. Salon stylists I hail! Not all of them should be allowed to handle hair. Most of them are ignorant and wicked too. You ask a lady “What happened to your hairline? its all gone!”. There is a 75% certainty she’ll say its her stylist.
In lieu of my observations and passion for hair, I have decided I would have my own salon and it would be a natural hair salon. I’m working on it and my writing it here is my way of disciplining myself to be focused. There are glitches right now and a lot I have to learn but I would do it.
I started making other people’s hair. I have been making my own hair for so long and a few friends’ hair here and there. I crotcheted my friend Amaka’s hair with yarn for the first time and it was good. It took a long time too because I was doing it alone.
I made some others too.
More pictures would come as I progress. Sadly it isn’t commensurate with money but I’m learning a lot and getting better than I used to be.
2. The Piano: I started to learn how to play the piano. That is one thing crossed off my lifetime bucket list. Learn a musical instrument ✔. There is also nothing sexier than a lady playing the Piano. Its very difficult and I get frustrated trying to control my left and right fingers at the same time. But I’ll get there.
3. I wrote a poem: I got to cross one more thing off my to do list. Write a poem. Let me say I’ve tried to do this for so long I’ve forgotten why I decided to try. it being difficult is why it made my list. A friend called Ayomitide who is a gospel Poet compelled me and I eventually wrote something. Its a Christian poem that talks about God’s love. Maybe that’s why the inspiration came.
GOD’S LOVE. THE GREATEST
It is said that God is love
But what really is love
In 1st Corinthians, Love is kind
Love is Patient, Love is tolerant
Love remembers no wrong
Love trusts and suffers long
Love never loses hope and doesn’t quit.
With flesh I have tried to love
In flesh I have failed in love
Until I knew him who is love
How could He give his life for me
He didn’t even know me
Not losing hope he sent his son to die
That you and I might be saved
I have sinned and I have fallen
I came to the world a sinner
Yet while we were sinners
God gave up himself for us
Ain’t no love bigger than this
To the world love is care
But God’s love is pure
God’s love is perfect, inexhaustible
God’s love is giving, overflowing
God’s love never needs, helps and never murmurs
God’s love does not fail and endures forever
Now in all these, God’s love is greatest.
-Imisiayo
Its my fair attempt and I like it.
4. My hair revolted: This hair I gave life, care, time and everything to. The day I discovered, I almost cut everything off. I was completely disgusted and perplexed. The only reason I didn’t cut it is because I have decided I want to have long natural hair on my wedding day. Mind you, I don’t know when that is, so we keep working. I had scalp scabs. Whatever it was, Dandruff, Psoriasis, bla bla bla…. I hated it. I couldn’t bear to look at my hair and wore scarves for 3 days until I had to wash.
I have no definite conclusion on what caused it but there are a few suspects and a strong feeling it is because of the left over Avocado in my hair from my last diy protein treatment. I resolve never to try it again. I must have created a nourishing environment for microbes.
I had to change my wash regimen to a weekly wash instead of the normal two weeks, I stopped using shampoo and switched to black soap. Most of it is gone now without doing anything special. I planned a henna treatment but I’m not sure I’ll do that now. I have enough on my plate with this weekly wash thing. I’m not mentally prepared to add a henna treatment that would take at least 5 hours of my weekend.
5. I read a book:
This book was uh-maazing! it was an audiobook on Audible and was narrated by the author Marquetta Breslin. It was really eye opening. Here are a few things i got from the book
Your success has nothing to do with hair. It has everything to do with your power and your belief. You get what you believe you deserve. You resell what you believe about your value to the world.
Clients are buying feeling. How they feel, a better look, transformation and emotional feeling.
Being awesome with hair isnt all that is needed. Be good at what you do but the goal is mastery.
As a stylist, you create a profound impact in people’s life. Become an expert communicator. Listening to your clients and their feelings is Gold. Make it clear that you get them.
At a point I stopped to ask myself Stylist or Shrink? But after reading i understood better. I’ll definitely be putting the insights into good use.
6. I had bomb flat twist out!: Flat twist outs have never been my turf. The first time i tried it with perm rods, it was a fail.
Day 2 looked just like chunky twist outs.
It didnt turn out the way i wanted it to and that was when i discovered the scalp scabs. Nevertheless, i tried again very determined to get better curl definition and i did. The gods of curl definition decided to smile on me. A very big smile it was.
Some people mistook it for a weave
Now that flat twist out is conquered, i have been eyeing the maximum hydration method and the wash and go. Haha! One at a time though.
Thats about it for August. I’m hoping September is better for me and you too.
P.S.: A friend tried the twist out after following the tutorial from the last post and this is what she got.
I was mighty impressed by her results. Proud too. I’m gonna be putting more tutorials henceforth.
P.P.S: Naturals in the city 12 is this month. Whoop! Whoop! Leylarh Cadne who is a make up artist and my friend( shamefully famzing) will be auditing make up bags for free! She’ll check out your make up purse and tell you what’s right, what isn’t and what is better. Just for 10 people.
There would also be talks about natural hair and health plus activity tables. Its awesome right? If i dont make it to this meet up then i know some very strong people are behind it. You shouldn’t miss it too.
Until next time,
Imisiayo.
AfroMissie 