Twist It Up, Fuck It Up And Repeat

part of My Black Hair Stories by Sue-Ann Bel

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Last evening, I spent the entire night twisting my hair into small sections. After a long day of rehearsal, I had no choice but to start late in the evening. And starting late means less sleep. I'm not an easy sleeper and had to cheer myself up to start anyway. "I have to get over it, I have to get over it”. I repeated this phrase like a mantra.

A few months ago, I discovered a whole new world on YouTube: Black hair tutorials, Black hair journeys, Black hair Do-it-yourselfs. I traded my daily dose of social media for watching these videos. It was overwhelming and inspiring. These women became my teachers. They taught me what I could do with my black hair.Everything was ready: the large mirror at the right angle, a small mirror to look at the back of my head, all the essentials for the liquid-oil-cream method, a towel, hairspray, a brush, hair clips, and a comb. Here we go.

I’m done with the twisting part and I tie my satin bonnet. It’s important that the liquid, the oil and the cream stays in my hair. The next morning I wake up and rush to the bathroom. Damn, I look tired. Did it work? I remove my satin bonnet and..it didn’t work. I walk to my bedroom to see if it’s really true. My pillowcase is completely soaked with oil. All the moisture had left my hair.

A few days later, I received a new satin bonnet. This time with a double-layer. Everything was ready. I start with my whole routine again. The next morning I wake up and immediately check my pillowcase. It's completely soaked again.

I feel lost and decide to ask for help via my social media. A friend of mine texts me that I need to buy a satin pillowcase. So I ordered one. The next few days I'll be brushing my hair in a bun. I’m tired. I'll try again next week.

Want to know more about Sue-Ann Bel? Click here to read more.