After hours of sitting for box braids and then stressful and long take-downs this experience has been life changing for me.
Honestly, I can’t tell you why it’s taken me so long to try crochet styles, but it’s safe to say I’m ADDICTED. My sister Rochelle had several styles that I absolutely loved, from passion twist, to faux locs and butterfly locs. One day she just randomly mentioned that these were crochet styles and I was completely SHOOK. My interest was officially piqued and I had already decided that crochet faux locs was going to be my next style.
So for those who aren’t really sure what a crochet hair style is, this is a form of protective styling that requires a unique weaving technique used to install hair into your own. This can be human or synthetic hair. The beauty of crochet styles is that you don’t have to just get braids. You can get any style you want from curls to twists. The foundation to a crochet protective style is similar to the foundation for a weave, which are cornrows. Stylists use a tool called a latch hook which integrates the hair extensions into your own. This technique literally cuts the styling time down significantly and when installed properly it’s almost impossible to tell the difference between crochet braids and your own natural hair.
There are numerous benefits to opting for a crochet protective style. Besides saving on time, crochet styles make it easier to care for your real hair under the protective style. This can be harder when wearing a weave or a wig because the whole point of these styles is to leave as little of your real hair exposed as possible. With crochet braids it’s not only a lot easier to shampoo and condition your scalp but it’s a lot easier to moisturize and oil your scalp without compromising your hairstyle. This helps in the prevention of buildup. Not to mention heat damage is never an issue.
And if you thought it couldn’t get any better than this, you’re wrong. Crochet styles cause very little to no tension on your hair and edges. You can usually style them immediately after installation. One thing that surprised me the most was the flexibility of the style. I thought there would be certain things I couldn’t do like put my hair up or style it certain ways. But I had zero issues with this. It honestly felt like I had individual locs. I was able to style my hair in high buns and swoop it to the side. Also the hair itself was so lightweight. I was so used to these particular hairstyles weighing me down, I didn’t know how to feel.
I went back to Amavi Salon after one month and had my scalp cleansed and moisturized. I then had my crochet locs restyled before taking them out two weeks later.
If you’re still not convinced, the take down process should do the job. I uninstalled my crochet faux locs in less than an hour. Yes you heard that right, less than one hour. When I took my cornrows out I had zero buildup and my hair still felt so moisturized. I’m used to my hair lacking a little moisture when uninstalling a protective style, but that has never been a problem with any of the crochet styles I’ve tried so far.
My experience with the faux locs was so good that I also tried passion twist and butterfly locs. It’s hard to decide which style I’ve liked the best. I'm just enjoying my crochet journey right now. I've always wanted Senegalese twists, so I think I want to try that next. What’s been so exciting about this journey so far is that the exact same stylist who started me on my natural hair journey in high school is the same stylist seeing me through my crochet protective style journey. In my mind there is NOTHING Ngozi can’t do. If you’re ever in Somerdale, NJ you should definitely check out Amavi Salon. They never disappoint!
I want my fellow CurlQueens to free themselves from the burden of getting individual twists, braids, and locs. Not only is the styling time cut in half but the take down is a breeze.
Let me know in the comments how you feel about crochet hairstyles CurlQueens!