Why I Chose to Be Silk Press / Stretched-Hair Natural

Consistency.
If I had to sum it up in one word, that would be it.

In 2023, I combed out my microlocs. But the thought behind that decision actually began years earlier, around late 2018. I remember telling my cousin—who would later start my locs with mini braids—girl, I need to look good every single day.

Wanting Stability in How I Showed Up

A few years before, I had worn a sleek low ponytail almost exclusively, simply to create stability in my appearance. I wanted to know what I looked like every day without guesswork.

Eventually, though, I grew exhausted with the sameness of that style. I was tired of seeing myself the same way day after day, and detangling on wash days had become painful and unamusing. I’ll speak more about detangling in a later Script post, but it’s important context here.

Realizing I Hadn’t Planned the End

When I started seriously considering taking out my microlocs in the summer of 2023, I realized something uncomfortable: I hadn’t planned the end from the beginning.

I hadn’t asked myself the necessary questions. Were locs something I wanted to wear for the rest of my life? What kind of dependency would they create?

I wasn’t retightening my locs myself. Every six weeks, I paid a loctitian seventy-five dollars to do it. She was fast, effective, and no-nonsense—but I had formed an unhealthy attachment. The thought of moving or relocating, even temporarily, made me uneasy because I didn’t know how I would maintain my hair without her.

Choosing a Silk-Press, Stretched-Hair Natural Base

This is where my desire to be a silk-press, stretched-hair natural came into focus.

Truthfully, I had always wanted to be one. I knew it would give me a strong base—something that allowed me to style my hair daily without excessive effort, without constant detangling, and without heavy product dependency.

Content, Control, and the Low Ponytail Era

This choice also aligned with my desire to create content, which is what originally led me to the low ponytail back in 2016.

When I first began filming, some days my hair cooperated beautifully, and other days it did not. To force consistency, I would drench my hair under the shower, apply generous amounts of grapeseed oil, and slick it into a low ponytail, tying it down with a scarf until it complied.

It worked—but detangling after weeks of refreshing with water and oil was no friend of mine. Eventually, I grew tired of the look itself. I had a full head of hair, yet it stayed hidden, pulled back, contained.

Product Dependency and Unpredictable Outcomes

In late December of 2018, I returned to twist-outs and similar styles. The in-between stages were unpredictable. Some days were beautiful, others were not.

Those styles were also heavily dependent on product coating, which gave me a false sense of security every single time.

Arriving at a System That Works

After I removed my locs in late 2023, committing to a silk-press, stretched-hair routine required learning and adjustment. But eventually, I arrived at a place where it works perfectly for me.

Detangling is no longer necessary. I can brush my hair daily, preventing strands from intertwining, matting, or becoming uncomfortable.

My hair is always done.
Always stage-ready.
Always prepared for whatever role I need to step into.

And that consistency is exactly what I was looking for.