Member-only story

Afro Hair: Your Burning Questions Answered!

Lateefah Messam-Sparks
4 min readJan 3, 2024

--

Can I Touch It? No, Thanks!

One of the most common questions I get about my afro hair is whether it’s okay to touch it. While I appreciate the curiosity, personal space matters! My hair isn’t a petting zoo, and I prefer to keep it off-limits for random touches.

How long does it take to get your styles?

People often wonder how long it takes to manage my hair. The truth is, it varies! Braids, my go-to style, can take up to 5/6 hours. But like the saying goes, it’s like asking how long a piece of string is — depends on the style! I have once sat down for 12 hours to get my hair done.

What is the prep process?

Preparing my hair involves a routine. Sometimes, if I’m lucky, my mum lends a hand. It starts with removing the braids, followed by a thorough wash with rosemary, after a conditioning treatment then combing it through, using straighteners, and finally, twisting it up to make it easier for my hairdresser to work their magic.

Where Do I Get It Done?

For styling, I usually opt for home visits. The comfort and familiarity make the experience more enjoyable. Occasionally, I’ve visited a salon, finding it a bit different but still manageable…

--

--

Lateefah Messam-Sparks
Lateefah Messam-Sparks

Written by Lateefah Messam-Sparks

Expat building a Chess and English business in Madrid and wanting to share my life, stories and other musings with you along the way. @safsparks

No responses yet