Low Cut And Tinted Hair: A New- Found Love Amongst Nigerian Women
Stella Enenche writes that, like many fashion statements in the past, low-cut/tinted hair has now assumed a prominent place among ladies – with loud expression.
Hair, they say, is the crown of every woman. In Nigeria, for instance, the woman is expected to grow her natural hair, in order to portray her feminity.
As a girl-child, growing your natural hair, especially in a typical Nigerian home, is compulsory, with medical condition where one is advised to stay away from plaiting, being the only exception.
Some parents even withdraw their wards from school just because the school management has asked their female child to go on low cut.
That development may have taken the back seat – at least for now – as women have smartly devised new ways of looking good and staying young.
After all, as the saying goes, looking good is good business for those roll with the tide of changing taste and fashion.
These days, fashionable women look for ways to enhance their looks, and like every other fashion, hair-do is dynamic, as it changes from time to time.
Fashion, in this age and time, is different from what it used to be; women are now bold and more expressive as compared to how it used to be in the past.
Gone are the days when tinted hair were worn as wigs and weav-ons, or coloured hair seen as un- African.
Interestingly, women have attempted to appear more beautiful with each passing generation, as their efforts have recorded a huge change in the standard of beauty women now adhere to.
Women have started to not just go on low-cut, but also dye their hair in colours that would ordinarily have offended custom and traditional.
You find them wearing such colours like pale pink, deep purple, electric blue, turquoise, emerald green, ruby red, and grey on their heads.
Other ‘weird’ colours include silver, grey, platinum, blonde, silver, violet, and even green.
Nonetheless, these colours have a way of adding glamour to fashion, if properly worn.
Find the colour that matches your skin , your outfit and the occasion, and you would have tantalised the ‘looking’ public.
The ‘fashion-craze’ is fast gaining currency, as men, perhaps left with no choice, are beginning to accept the new order.
For instance, Chioma Nafana, an Entrepreneur, said her husband encouraged her to go on low cut.
“My husband said he likes low cut he encouraged me to barb my hair and then sprayed it. Even when I went to the barbing saloon, the barber was reluctant until my husband came and asked him( Barber) to cut my hair.
“I am carrying this look now because I want to be free. Now I can wash my hair while taking my bath on like before.
” Before now, I used to look at women with tinted hair in a sort of way but now I know better. I feel cool and awesome”, she stated.
For Ngozi, she decided to go for low-cut after having a baby.
She said: “I was tired of the stress that comes with making of hair.
“Low cut and tinting of hair is quite simple, cheap and easy to maintain. All I do in the morning is just to shower, do my makeup and I move. No more weekly saloon”.
Also, Onome Gold, a makeup artist, said her husband didn’t support her initially when she opted for tinted and low cut.
” initially when I tinted my hair, my husband was angry with me. He didn’t talk to me for some days because I didn’t consult him before cutting the hair.
” As we speak now, each time I need to go to the saloon to carve or re-dye my hair, he follows me. He said I look more beautiful on low cut”, she revealed.
In the same vein, Stella-Anne Adeleke, said low cut has helped her in regaining her self-esteem.
“After my last child, I added so much weight, and it affected my self-esteem. I felted ugly and old even when my husband told I still look beautiful.
” Even when I worked on my weight, I was still not satisfied. I felt something was missing especially when I go out with my other friends who are all on low cut.
“I decided to join the league last year during the lockdown and am happy I did. Now I look young and more beautiful.
Sandra Ezeh, said” I just wanted to look different. I Was tired of carrying on particular look for over 39 years. I am loving this new me every day. No stress and pain.
” The first time I went to my towns meeting with my tinted hair, everyone was just staring at me as if they had seen a ghost. I was uncomfortable initially but am used to those “eyes” now.”
