Money Matters.....Say it Aloud

Embarking on a hair journey is not common in Ghana where the income levels are still low and the last thing really on the mind of an average Ghanaian woman is how her real hair looks. Most women visit salons that charge fees of less than GHC 10 ($5) for a shampoo wash, flatiron, blow dry or relaxer service. Deep conditioning, protein and hot oil treatment services are not offered by most of these salons probably because the hairdressers don't have a clue as to what the benefits are for hair.

Recently however, with the income levels of lots of women increasing, more and more women and young ladies can afford expensive salon visits and hair products. But most of us are always investing in weaves and braids and not in our real hair or good hair products. With the new craze in human hair weaves and wigs, we lavish our money on hair that is cut from someone else's head. These human hair weaves and wigs cost averagely between GHC 200 ($100) and GHC 1500 ($750) depending on the origin, brand, length and style. And the market is really fast for these.Using braids, weaves and wigs for protective styling gets a thumbs up from me if you are caring for your hair underneath using the right products and hiring the right services. 

For me, the issue back then when I started this hair journey was getting value for my money from the salons I visited ..... seeing that my hair got healthier at least if not longer. It got to a time when I believed the hairdressers were trained to look for broken hairs in the comb each time she combed; and combed it over and over again till she caught enough hairs to throw away......seriously! The biggest causes when it comes to breakage is overlapping relaxers and improper combing and detangling.

When I noticed that I wasn't making progress, I invested in my own products...and it was quite an investment; and carried them with me to the salon. Things got better but still there was room for improvement and taking my hair into my own hands was the real deal. I started doing my hair myself.

Now I get asked by a few people when they see my hair in big braids or under the shower cap at home if I do my hair because I can't afford to go to the salon..... hhhahahahhahahahha!! You're kidding right? (I always ask with my eyes). We're in Ghana where it is cheaper to do your hair at a salon than to do it at home yourself with good products and tools. 

But don't be scared to take the huge step because when I calculated how much I spent on average on my hair in the past year, it came to just about GHC 40 ($20) a month......including the few salon visits I made. Note that in some other countries, just a shampoo wash can cost as high as $25 - $50.

How much are you willing to spend on your hair per month?

Cheers,

Star.