Braids & Banter

I was on my way to the office when I saw little girls, dressed in school uniforms, carrying colourful school bags and water bottles, waiting for their school buses. As I marched ahead, they smiled at me and waved their hands. All my morning blues melted into the sweet cheer, chorused from their collective smiles. I reciprocated and couldn't help but notice their little ponytails and braids, neatly tied with colourful ribbons and clips.

It reminded me of my own school and childhood days when we were instructed to keep our hair well tied, preferably into two braids, complemented with colourful ribbons, hair clips and rubber bands. Braids are apparently the most convenient and popular hairdo of all time, giving enough scope for fancy accessories at the same time ensuring the hair is tied in the most acceptable and, yeah, disciplined ways.

As a kid, I was blessed with lush black, silk hairs. The length of my hair fluctuated from medium to long. My hair appeared to be one of my prime assets, and hence I had to bear with all the fuss about the upkeep of the same, from getting a proper head wash to regular oiling and, of course, tying it in neat braids. My Nani (grandmother) and Maasi (mother’s sister) used to be very fascinated with this painful chore and used to pamper me with all kinds of hair bands, rubbers and clips. They both had their own style of pleating my hair and used to prefer braids over other forms of hairdo on the premise that it will help my hair grow, keep it neat, prim and prevent breakage. The icing on top was the lovely compliments and clips they would shower me with.

Braids were a quintessential part of my life. I used to go to school with them, market, wear them even on occasions and sleep with my braids on. If anything changed was the no of braids on each occasion. They were a mandatory hair arrangement at school, considering the fact that I would spend 70% of my day in school and the rest playing. No sooner would I return from school than the first thing I used to do was change my school uniform, unplug school ribbons, grab some food and venture into my personal adventure and frolicking.

My fascination with braids only grew, and I used to admire all girls who had long braided hair, especially the ones folded inverted with a ribbon. “Nani, I too want to tie my hair like that”, I would often tell her. She would try to fold my hair too, but it used to be so silky that they will soon fall apart and start looking messy.

Times have changed; school days are over, I finished my college, and with that my braids were replaced with a simple ponytail. The frequent travel and stay at different cities messed up the quality of my hair. The carefree childhood hair days have been replaced by dry, damaged, split-ended, and rough hair. I tried many shampoos and homemade formulas, but nothing worked. Every time I would try to braid my hair, they will pop out from each knot, making it look clumsy. Someone told me to get my hair trimmed; someone suggested some salon treatment; another lady made me buy her spa that did more blunders than wonders, and I even lit agarbattis (incense sticks) in front of God to restore my good hair.

My braids weren’t as beautiful as they used to be. Thanks to split ends, I have to keep cutting my hair short and along with each cm, pop goes my desire to have longer hair.

I stopped braiding my hair even when at home. My mother insisted that I should tie it at home, as they promote hair growth, keeps split ends at bay and above all makes a cool fashion statement too. However, every time I would braid my hair, I end up feeling sad seeing the “split condition of my hair”.

Split ends have stirred a whole new depression within me, and I often envied people with zero split-end problems. I became so careworn that I would approach every single girl and ask her for a formula for having no split ends. They would give random answers, and needless to say, it was vain until one day I heard about this shampoo that specialises in attacking the split ends and making the hair strands look beautiful, from start to end.

I tried many products in past and thought of giving this range from Dove a try also. The first wash didn't work like a wave of a magic wand, but yes, I can feel some difference, good enough to go ahead. I was so excited with it that soon after drying my hair, I went, sat in front of a mirror and tried to make a pleat. It came OK. A couple of repeated washes and hey, what are split ends? Did I ever have any? J

 Now me and my hair are braid happy. I love my hair, and my hairs love my braids. Happy Endings!

My hair is beautiful again,

From start to end.

I can keep them open

I can tie them, fold and mend

Beautiful braids and beautiful me

No more split ends

My hair takes me high.

Thanks so much- Dove Split End Rescue System

Stay with me forever,

Stay by my side.

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Thanks, Indiblogger and Dove, for bringing this post up. Keep blogging and coming up with new ideas.