This upcoming week will mark two months that I’ve been social distancing. A lot has changed since I sat on the floor of my bedroom in my small New York apartment and packed a suitcase to come home to spend some time with my parents in Maryland. Returning home for ‘some time’ has now become indefinitely as the coronavirus pandemic continues to have its effects on the nation. Now I sit on the floor of my childhood room. The walls are noticeably bare, and the dresser still lacks the multitude of products that shape what used to be my daily life. I’ve had to make necessary adjustments to ensure the safety of my family and myself. Time spent outside of my home is limited to grocery shopping and the occasional walk.
A few hairstyles done by my stylists throughout the years
Like many who were working/schooling from home, the days all started to become one. I had begun to pay less and less attention to how I looked and felt and was waking up to complete the tasks presented to me that day. That was until my birthday. Amid being at home, I experienced my 24th birthday. I am one of those people who happens to be BIG on birthdays. The anticipation of my birthday revealed to me how much of my ‘everyday’ life I was missing. There was no way I could go to a restaurant and celebrate with my friends or even sit at a beach and reflect on how far I have come in my 24 years of life. I couldn’t enjoy the ritual of my special day, waking up and going to the nail salon and waltzing into the waxing salon. What I discovered that I missed the most was sitting in the hair salon chair. The thought of me not being able to sit on the throne that is the salon chair was the most disappointing reality of my birthday ritual that wouldn’t be. Going to the hair salon is much more than the end product. I realized that I would miss the relaxation I felt as my hairstylist braided my hair and the laughs I had both public and private as I listened to the conversations of those around me. Not being able to go to the hair salon was another loss of human interaction I so desperately craved.
Time under stay at home orders and social distancing has reintroduced me to a term that I haven’t paid attention to since my undergraduate biological science classes, adaptation. As much as I focused on what I couldn’t do due to the coronavirus, I spent little time focusing on what I could do. Due to a lack of representation in the global market, there has been a movement of black women who have turned to social media, particularly, YouTube to share tips and tricks of how they care for and style their hair. They’ve created and cultivated a space for any woman to be able to shape her crown in confidence. With the help of these women, I decided to pick up my brush and comb and open up my home salon.
Once I decide to embark on something, it often can be difficult for me to end my journey. When I started my makeup journey in high school, it took me over five years to stop obsessing over the latest makeup tutorial on YouTube or the newest makeup drop on Sephora. Much like my introduction to makeup, in my introduction to hair, I became engulfed in the world that is hair tutorials. I do not have anywhere to go to share my hairstyles, and to post pictures on social media can get old after a while. Scrolling through my Twitter timeline and reading my Facebook feed, I realized that a lot of women, particularly black women, were at home, also trying to figure out what to do with their hair now that salons had been closed. Instead of sharing pictures and waiting for likes to come, I decided to combine my love for writing with my newfound love of doing hair and share the styles that I have created thus far. Since I’ve been home, I have styled my hair in three different ways. After my first style, the high curly ponytail, I began to shoot step by step photos of my hair process.
High Curly Ponytail I did on myself for my 24th birthday
Before coronavirus, I had been in the process of planning a 2000s inspired photo shoot to commemorate my 24th. Although I had the outfit and makeup designed for the shoot, I’d given up on the idea, having no clue what I’d do with my hair. While I was watching YouTube videos, I came across a video by Youtuber Chev B. She was demonstrating how she created the cutest curly high ponytail. The ponytail reminded me a lot of the one pop singer Normani rocked in her Motivation music video, which also happened to be inspired by the styles and music of the 2000s. I decided after watching the video that was going to be the hairstyle I chose for my birthday shoot.
My recreation of the hairstyle done by both Chev B and Normani turned out to not be an absolute failure. I was much better at doing my hair than I thought. While the style was cute, walking around my home in a 30-inch ponytail did not seem to be practical. Researching comfortable looks I could rock in my house, I came across a style I often wore when I was younger, Bantu knots. Bantu knots were ideal because they didn’t take too long, and they were light and easy to sleep in and move in. I often put Bantu knots in my hair in the evening and took them down to create curls all over my head when I was younger. However, there is the style of leaving Bantu knots in the knotted style and rocking them as is. Celebrities like Halle Berry, Mel B, and Rihanna have rocked the knotted style on several occasions. The method is done with natural hair, and in some cases, extensions are added to provide an amplified look. I decided to add extensions to my version.
Using a rat tail comb and rubber bands divide your hair into 10–12 sections. Optional: Use gel (I prefer Shine ‘n Jam) at the roots for a slicked down look.
The hardest part of this process was the first part, parting and banding my hair. For this look, I parted my hair into 12 equal sections. The easiest way to achieve 12 sections is to use the 2–3–4–3 method, two parts in the back, three in the second row from the back, four in the second row from the front, and three in the front. I used a small black rubber band to tie up each part. To ensure my hair was sleek, I brushed each section with Shine n’ Jam gel.
Grab 3 packs of prestretched Kanekalon hair any color and any length. Using the hair attach the desired amount depending on the size you want to each rubber banded section. If you struggle or do not know how to do braided extension. Try using the crotchet method, Youtube guru’s Chev B. and Jai Marii both have short detailed videos on how to do the crochet method in natural hair.
After parting the hair into sections, using pre-stretched Kanekalon, I braided individual braids into my hair doing a braid per section. Growing up around aunts and cousins who do hair, I naturally picked up the ability to braid Kanekalon into my hair, but I am aware that not everyone can do so. For those who have not learned the technique, I would suggest using the crochet method. The crochet method involves using a crochet needle to pull the hair through the middle of each banded section to attach the braiding hair. Crochet needles cost under $2, so this method is also cost-effective. Tutorials of the crochet method are on the YouTube platforms of creators like Chev B. and Jai Marii. With this method there is the option of not using rubber bands.
After you have attached each braid wrap each one into the traditional BANTU KNOT.
Once each braid is installed into its respective section, you can begin to ‘knot’ that Bantu knot. A Bantu Knot is created like a bun is. Wrap the braid around until it is completely tucked in. I like my knot taller, so I try not to overlap the wrapping too much. For a flatter knot, more overlap is required.
After each Bantu Knot is rolled. Take a fly ass picture to post on IG or Twitter :)
After you are done wrapping each braid, you will be done with your style. Bantu Knots can be adorned with jewels and ribbons of your choice. I prefer a bold black knot. Whatever end product you come up with make sure to take pictures. If you stay on this hair journey, photos of your first attempt will show you how far you have come once you are on your 20th.
Laying edges are not for everyone but if they are for you grab your tooth brush and some edge control and create some swoops.
Creating a new hairstyle can be tedious, and what I find can be discouraging is the amount of time I may have to spend doing a style. Bantu knots do not take a long time to do, and there are styles shorter and just as nice that you can try to do. For me, one favorite is the braided ponytail. I often refer to the braided ponytail style as the “Sade Braided Ponytail”, as the songstress often rocks the style. The style has become so attributed to her look that several celebrities, including Kelly Rowland and Yara Shahidi, have recreated it in homage.
Start off with a blank canvas. You can be either blown out or twisted up like myself.
To begin the style, you start with loose hair. Loose hair can be stretched, blown out, or left curly. For those with tighter curls and shorter hair, it might be easier to achieve this style with stretched and blown-out hair. For myself, I lightly blew-out my hair using my blow drier and stretched it more using individual chunky twists.
Grab a hard bristle brush and some Shine 'n Jam. Once you unravel those twists or comb out that blow out you are going to use the brush and gel to brush your hair back into the tightest slickest ponytail possible. For me ladies 4A-4C you know keeping that hair slick can be the struggle. Tie your hair down with a scarf for at least 30 minutes. If have some time on your hands as long as possible.
To get that slicked back look, I brushed my hair back into a low ponytail using gel and a hard bristle brush. My gel of choice, as mentioned before, is Shine ‘n Jam. Any gel can be used for this style, but keep in mind that water-based gels will revert hair back to a curlier texture if straight. If you want a straight look for this style, a non-water based gel would be ideal. For those with a higher density of hair, try slicking it down in sections. To ensure that my hair stays extra flat and lasts a long time, I tie a scarf down for at least 30 minutes. The longer my hair stays tied down, the longer my hair will remain slicked down in the low ponytail I created with my hair.
Grab you a pack of Kanekalon, pre-stretched of course. Any color! Any length! You are going to use this to attach your braid. For the girls who struggle with braiding, YouTubers Arnell Armon and Chev B have great step by step videos on how to do so.
After my hair has been tied down for some time, I use one pack of pre-stretched Kanekalon hair and braid it into my hair. For this low ponytail, the crochet method can be used, in which you add pieces of hair until you reach your desired fullness. However, for those who cannot braid extensions into their hair, the easiest way to attach the Kanekalon hair to your hair would be to use a large hair tie. YouTuber Arnell Armon has a detailed video of this method on her platform.
You have your braid all done so you should know the drill! Set up your camera to take some bomb selfies to show to your family, friends and all the strangers willing to look.
Right now, I do not have any idea when I will be able to resume life as it once was or if I even want to go back to the way things were. What I do know is that I will take with me the lessons both self-taught and received and use them to guide me through this journey called life. While I look forward to walking into a brick and mortar salon shortly, I am excited to see what discoveries my home salon brings me.
Written by: Demilade Adebayo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealbisola/