For the love of cornrows

My hair doesn't like cornrows. No matter who does it and how gentle they are, the tension is always more than I can handle and my hairline reflects this with immediate bald patches and icky, painful boils on my scalp. But I do love cornrows.

I like how you can have a simple set of cornrows for everyday use and when you have to glam it up, a small pack of kanekalon can save the day. All you have to do is decide if you want loose pin curls or fat braids wrapped and pinned strategically. The best part comes at the end of the night when you can just take the pins out and toss the extensions aside. Even wig wearers don't have it so good!

I recently discovered that didi (Yoruba name for french braids) is kinder to my scalp. It probably has something to do with the process itself preventing the hairdresser from really applying unnecessary elbow grease as they tug and tuck the hair? Whatever the case may be, it is easy on my scalp, I get my protective style, have easy access to my scalp on days I need to pre-poo with oil and I get to stretch my relaxer which should all translate to thicker, fuller, longer hair so help me hand-in-hair syndrome. And when you get bored with it, accessorise, accessorise, accessorise!

The downside to didi, besides the terrible habit of constantly having my hand playing with the plaits, is that I can't seem to keep it longer than a week which isn't ideal for a serious protective style. Not to mention how much hair I lose in the installation and takedown process. I need to find a way to make this a truly effective protective style. It is this search for something with better longevity potential that brought the new school version of old school threading to my attention. I love the updated styles but after speaking with Cynthia Kamalu and Aisha Shaba and learning about the pain they had to endure even many days after installation, I think I might have to love this style from afar. I'm told it hurts more than installing regular Senegalese twists and plain ol box braids.

Just look how colourful you can get with it when you follow African Naturalistas instructions.

I so desperately want to try it, what's a girl to do? 

Peace, Love & Protection