In the next couple of weeks we’ll be talking about all things fake. We’re talking hair, boobs, nails, and everything else. This week we focus on extensions, wigs, weaves, temporary dreadlocks and braids. Some people don’t like these and say they are annoying and others say they serve a purpose; to enhance their beauty. So we decided that we are going to give you tips on the latter – how you can make them work best for you.

I have heard people say that having extension takes away from your beauty and I think not. I think that extensions can sometimes enhance what you already got. But if used wrongly they can be detrimental to your beautiful looks. Not everyone can pull off an all-natural look and I for one can’t always do that, which is why I choose to use extensions. Below I will try as much as possible to advise you on how you can use extensions. But as they say ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ I can’t guarantee that it will work for you, as we all have different style preferences.

Weaves

I love weaves and I like putting them on, but the most important thing to know about weaves is that quality really does count. If you want to be able to maintain a weave for a whole month, and for it to remain as good as the day you bought it, then I advise that you pay just a little extra and get a good quality one. The problem with the cheap weaves is that you can’t straighten or blow them. The heat will burn the synthetic fibre, which means that after a week or two, the hair will start to get tangled and really look fake.

Weaves are meant to make you look like you have longer, more beautiful straight or curly hair. It’s not meant to be seen as fake even though we all know no black girl has that length of hair. Another good thing about investing in a really good quality weave is that you can re-use it after you have taken it off the first time. All you do is just wash it with shampoo and conditioner, dry it and blow it out and it’s ready for the next use. Whereas cheap hair is only good for one use then you’d have to throw it out.

Wigs

Wigs are another extension of weaves. But the cool thing about wigs is that at the end of the day you can just take it off and it won’t damage your hair at all. Wigs are also really cool because they remain the same for a really long time. You don’t really have to blow them out or curl them unless it’s the Brazilian type, which are super great quality, and you can do just about anything with them.

Again wigs look good when you buy quality. Just because it’s not sewed on doesn’t mean that you have to buy just any cheap thing. Remember the cheaper it costs the cheaper it will look and feel and the less time it will last. A good thing about wigs is that you can do what you want with your natural hair and only use the wig when you need to, whereas weaves are sewn in and affect your natural hair.

Clip-ins

If you are pressed for time and want that weave-look, say for a function, then I advise that you try clip-ins. They come in different lengths and colours like weaves and all you have to do is clip it onto your natural hair, in-between sections and that’s it.

Temporary dreadlocks

When I first heard about this I did not believe it until I saw it in person. For those of you who are unsure if you can rock dreadlocks, I say try the temporary ones and see how that feels. The good thing about them is that they come in different sizes and lengths. It gives you an idea of how you would look if you do decide to grow your own dreads. The temporary ones do also help you to grow your own as you are advised to use dreadlock wax if you are thinking of growing them out. I for one am a weave kinda girl and not much in to dreadlocks. But try it out and let me know.

Braids

If you are a girl with 4c type hair (the course and thick natural black hair), then you might have come across braids and probably even used them. What I like about them is that they are plated in a singular form and therefore your scalp doesn’t get as hot as when you have a weave on. Braids are also nice because you can plate them in just about any style you want and they come in different sizes, lengths, colours, and textures.

Braids not only work for 4c type hair, but many other types, as long as your hair is not too soft for it to come undone quickly. Braids can help your hair grow and can also break it, so I guess you get both sides of the coin. The trick is to not keep it on your hair for too long, give your natural hair time to breathe after you have braids on.

If you have any of these hairstyles, post your pic up on our Facebook page and show us how you rock ‘em.

Written by Phoebe Sibomana

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