Everyone loves my natural hair. My beautiful afro. From the people who don’t confuse me with a man, which happens more than I would like, I get a ton of compliments.

However, I tend to feel incredibly insecure, ugly, unattractive, and purely horrendous with my afro/natural hair.

Because it’s only been two and a half years since I stopped cutting my hair off, I’m still learning to love my natural hair in all its thick, uncontrollable glory.

The minute I get my hair braided or faux locs in, my confidence and the love I have for my appearance immediately sky rockets.

When it comes to wearing weave, I don’t do sew-ins or wigs. Knowing how much I sweat and love standing in the rain (without my glasses), my hairstyle would get messed up real quick.

People feel the need to tell me they like my hair better when it’s in an afro, but we won’t get into the frustration I feel about people feeling the need to tell me what they like about my appearance. Those are such unnecessary opinions and backhanded compliments.

Worry about your own dang hair.

Anyway.

Weave is more than my confidence booster. My braided hair protects my natural hair from myself. I have a big tendency to pull it in different directions when I am low key anxious and am on a downward spiral to getting trapped in my brain.

For the same reason of its protection, my natural hair grows a lot faster while it’s braided up. There’s normally noticeable growth in my hair when I take my weave out, and for a short while, I feel confident with my natural hair.

Also, I love having long braids to make my Just Dance moves more dramatic and to simply whip it around (cue “Whip My Hair” by WILLOW). Being dramatic with my hair showcases how dramatic I am as a person; that alone makes continuously getting weave necessary.

Of course, I let my hair have breaks in between.

Not only is weave my confidence booster, but it is my protector, my growth serum, and my secret dance weapon.

Don’t even get me started on the baddie, Miss Independent energy I feel when I get my nails done.