As a single mom of two, my life was pretty much routinary. Like clockwork, I always wake up, cook, prepare the kids for school, Mari Kondo the house, do the laundry, cook again, buy groceries, clean up after the kids when they get home, cook again, and attend to my family’s needs. Imagine that on repeat, 7 days a week, 365 days in a year. Sometimes – especially when the children are still young and super active – I don’t get to pamper myself. With my tied-back hair, I could go on for years without a haircut and was once called a female, modern-day version of Attila the Hun. (By my own mother, thank you very much.) My wet and wavy hair used to go on for miles without any semblance of prettiness since I only achieved that look due to the sweat, smoke, and grime I get from house chores.
One day, I realized that I lost all self-esteem. The woman in the mirror was not the confident female I knew to be decades ago. Gone was the empowered woman I was brought up to be. I defined myself only as a mother who looked like I had run marathons every single day of my life. I immediately knew that I needed to take care of myself more.
So I decided to start with my hair. My long, wavy, and unruly hair.
First off, I had it cut. A trim was all I needed since I decided I still wanted to keep my hair long. I figured that I’d still want to tie my hair from time to time.
Next, I bought myself a frontal wig. We know of wigs being used as costumes in the old days. Some wigs are also being used by those who suffer from early-stage alopecia to boost self-confidence. Some women diagnosed with cancer and undergoing chemotherapy also buy and use wigs to cover up some (or all) of their temporary hair loss woes. But nowadays, there is a resurgence of lace or front wig use for those without hair problems. It’s becoming quite the fad, especially if one is into experimentation and versatility. These frontals are also quite easy to attach to regular hair as most of them are made with lace which you can latch to hair easily. (Yes, no need for beeswax or painful glue to stick them up.)
And after a few months, I got my first hair weave. Synthetic weaves or extensions are great because it’s low maintenance. It’s already pre-styled, protects your natural hair, and you’re not stuck with it forever since it lasts between a day and a month (depending on the weave you got.) Plus, it’s just fluff-and-go, no need for a lot of time in front of your styling aids or hair dryer. And again, you can endlessly experiment on it without thinking about damaging your weave or hair.
To be honest, I still do the same routine. I just look (and feel) different. I feel more empowered. Sometimes, all it takes is a flash of brilliance and realization to turn things around. I just had mine.
Now, it’s your turn.
