Rising up, my relationship with my hair was something however easy. I used to be raised in a Dominican family the place curly hair wasn’t seen as stunning; it was seen as one thing to repair, easy out, and straighten. In consequence, my household ensured that I visited the Dominican salon for normal relaxers and blowouts. It wasn’t till 2016 that I actually started to embrace my pure texture. Nevertheless, one of many greatest misconceptions about going pure is that caring for curly hair turns into simpler when you cease straightening or utilizing relaxers. Belief me, it does not.

I’ve 3C-type hair, which suggests my curls are tightly coiled and could be a little testy at occasions. There are days when my curls are completely good, and I really feel like probably the most assured lady within the room. However let me be actual, these occasions do not final very lengthy. On an excellent week, I get possibly three days the place my curls are of their prime. The remainder of the time, it is all about moisture, styling, and ensuring my hair stays protected. In different phrases, caring for curls could be a full-time job. It is not one thing you are able to do half-heartedly. It is not for the weak, which is why fake locs have turn into a significant game-changer for me.

Fake locs entered my life as a option to save time and defend my pure curls. I wanted a break from the fixed upkeep of my curls, however I nonetheless needed a glance that was trendy and simple to handle. Fake locs gave me that. I can select the size, model, and shade to suit my vibe for the day. Plus, they’re quite a bit simpler to keep up than chemically straightened hair. I haven’t got to fret about humidity or wet days interfering with my hair. I can get up and know that my hair will keep intact for at the very least three weeks. I can say goodbye to frizz and embrace worry-free styling daily.

And as somebody with a busy schedule, fake locs have turn into a lifesaver for me. Whether or not I am heading to an audition, a comedy present, or a giant occasion, I can depend on my locs to look nice, it doesn’t matter what. They provide me confidence in a approach that my curls generally do not, just because I do know they will keep on level. Plus, fake locs are tremendous versatile. I can attempt completely different appears with out committing to one thing everlasting.

Now, the price of fake locs could be a little steep — I am not going to lie. In California, they will run you round $600, whereas in New York, you may get an excellent set for round $300. However this is the factor: I’ve discovered how one can do them myself, which saves me a ton of cash. It takes me about six hours to do them correctly — 4 hours if I am feeling lazy and do not care about how the again appears. However after I’m carried out, I really feel like I’ve achieved one thing main. It is one much less factor I’ve to fret about for just a few weeks.

Generally, I take into consideration making fake locs a everlasting a part of my model. They’re simply really easy and low-maintenance. However then I take into consideration my curls, and I am unable to think about giving them up. I’ve spent so a few years attempting to embrace them, and now I am lastly at a spot the place I really like them. I’ve come to comprehend that my curls are literally an integral a part of my identification, and they aren’t one thing I would like to vary. So, for now, I take pleasure in the most effective of each worlds: curly hair for these days I need to really feel unstoppable, and fake locs after I want a break.

Finally, what I’ve discovered is that hair is an expression of who you’re. Whether or not curly, straight, loc’ed, or something in between, it is a alternative, and for me, that alternative is about feeling empowered and assured in no matter model I select. And let’s be actual, as a Dominican lady within the leisure trade, having the liberty to specific myself by means of my hair is an influence I am going to by no means take as a right.

Sasha Merci is a first-generation Dominican American actor, comic, and viral digital creator. She showcases over a decade of various expertise in leisure with roles in movies like “Righteous Thieves” and “De Lo Mio,” together with collaborations with famend manufacturers akin to Goal and Bumble. She shares her Bronx roots and fervour for Latine tradition by being vocal about psychological well being and navigating comedy.