Black Hair

For those of you who know nothing about Afro-American hair, it’s time for me to educate you. I highly recommend seeing the movie Good Hair if you haven’t already done so.

Taking care of my hair is one of the biggest worries I had about studying in the Middle East. A lot of people recommended I wear braids but I knew I couldn’t keep braids or micros up for 16 weeks, given the amount I sweat. I also wanted to wear my hair down so it could breathe.

My hair is not its natural texture. I get relaxers. In the movie Good Hair, a relaxer is referred to as “creamy crack”. This is because the relaxer makes your hair straight, but every 6-8 weeks, you have to get a retouch at your scalp. This means you are a slave to the relaxer because you have to keep coming back.

When you are ready to go back to wearing a natural hairstyle, you have two choices: cut your hair off or let it grow out. Many choose to cut their hair off, because once the hair is relaxed, it never comes out. If you choose to grow your hair all the way out, it will look silly, because the bottom part of your hair will be straight.

Anyway, one of my friends who grew up here (Hey Kanika!) told me that they had black hair salons so I figured I had nothing to worry about. When I get here I realized that they didn't sell Afro-hair products at Carrefour there were no outlets in the bathroom, so I decided to buy a hooded dryer. I went to Deira (30 minutes away) the second week to buy a dryer and hair supplies (i.e. a relaxer). When I got to Deira, the only hooded dryer they had was $100. Since I was only going to be here three months, I decided not to get one.

I also have to go to Deira to get the relaxer put in my hair. I went once already, and it was an interesting experience. All the other salons only do Brasilian and Keratin relaxers. They cost about $120, but they last up to for months, instead of up to 2 months. I’m afraid to get one because I haven’t done enough research into it. I don’t know who to go to do mine, etc.

So here’s the process I go through for my relaxer.

1.Trip to Deira to get relaxer.

2. AUD salon for a trim and style.

The relaxers are done by Africans who are not licensed beauticians, so I go to AUD to get my hair trimmed. It is time for a relaxer again. My hair is getting to the point where I can’t comb it, yet I don’t feel like going all the way to Deira. I’ve asked around and there is a placed called Afro-Salon in Bursha. It’s about ten minutes away.

Looks like I'm starting my own business in Dubai: a hair salon.

This post is getting a little long so I'll write you soon. More on my Dubai relaxer journey coming soon!