among other unbecoming names. This however does not deter the ladies from having them on and it is about time that people realize that the weaves are here to stay. They are not an entirely bad thing as they help the ladies with their hair especially when they are having bad hair days. They also help contribute to the economy through import tax and VAT as they are said to be the fastest moving products in the cosmetic industry. There are different types of weaves manufactured by various companies including:

Indian Hair Weaves

These are gotten from the women of India or Pakistan. Indian Remi is the most popular since it comes in a variety of lengths and colors. This type is loved by many ladies because of its thick texture and versatility. It can be wavy, straight and quite curly.

Malaysian Hair Weaves

Malaysian hair is known to be very fine and straight. Malaysian hair weaves are usually very silky and soft and have a great variety of color.  Africans love these as they are very easy to manage due to its straight nature

Brazilian Hair Weaves

They are usually very fine, thick, wavy, soft and comes in various colors. They are also very easy to manage and can be easily styled. Brazilian hair is usually expensive especially when compared to Chinese or Indian Hair which are more common.

European Hair Weaves

This type of hair is very unusual as most Europeans do not like cutting and selling off their hair. Any blonde, Red head or Sandy colored weaves claiming to be European have to have originated from one of the European countries. Anything else, is usually dyed Chinese hair and not good. European hair tends to be quite expensive.

Chinese Hair Weaves

Chinese Hair is the most popular in the market. Their hair is usually very straight and coarse. Some people have issues with Chinese hair weaves owing to the techniques used to get the strands and hair. Chinese hair weaves is usually dipped in an acid bath to make it thinner and straight. This means that this type of hair never lasts long and frizzles quite easily. (Cheki-Nywele)

 The weaves can also be categorized according to:  

Straight and natural weaves – this gives ladies a more natural look and it will probably never run out of fashion.

Natural curl weaves - this is one of the styles that is made in soft deep conditioning.  Different types of rollers can be used to set the weave to achieve the desired style.

Short weaves - these are made in hard conditioner and normally have a hard texture as a result of grouping of fiber. Rollers can be used depending on the style that the individual has chosen.

Tight curls - these normally have a wet look and hard texture. They feature a mixture of original glue that maintains the style and look for longer periods.

The average cost of maintaining hair in Africa depends on various factors including the type of hair that a person has, the style she wants to put on, products being used, how often the hair is made and the salon they get their services from among many others. Maintaining African hair is more expensive than European hair as the former takes a lot of effort especially if someone one wants to have straight hair not the natural African kinky hair. One of the main reasons for this is African hair is generally dull and coarse. The shaft usually grows more on one side, reason behind the kinky and curly appearance.

In order to stay healthy, African hair needs special care and products to ensure it remains healthy. African hair is also limiting when it comes to contact with water because you cannot just go swimming or shower with open hair unless you plan to visit the salon right after.  To get soft and straight hair, most people prefer to treat the hair with chemicals as it makes it easily manageable since all a person has to do is treat it after about two weeks and they are good to go. Chemically treated hair also grows longer faster than natural hair. There are some ladies who prefer to have natural hair where all they do is use a blow-dryer after the hair has been washed. Many ladies prefer to put on weaves as this protects the hair against harsh weather conditions and helps it to grow. Weaves are also easy to manage as all a person needs to do is comb it in the morning and use weave spray and oil to ensure that it always look flossy. The weaves can also stay on the head for about a month or two as long as they are maintained in the right way.

Ladies who belong to the middle and upper economic classes tend to spend a fortune on the weaves. There are some who spend ridiculous amounts of money on the weaves with one of the most expensive weaves in the market being around 50- 55 thousand Kenyan Shillings. This is hair that is not fixed ordinarily as professionals use tape or adhesives to fix the hair with a person’s natural hair. This is different from the normal needle and lines used.  The hair is also made from virgin processed and unprocessed hair meaning it can be used up to 3 times without looking shabby. 

There are however less expensive options where a lady can spend from 8- 15 thousand Kenyan Shillings for DNA weaves. This helps to fix the hairline especially for people who are struggling with a recessing one. They usually look very natural and no one would know whether you have a weave on unless you tell them. There are also some brands like Sleek, Style Icon, Golden Perfect and Dignity among others whose price ranges from 4- 6 thousand Kenyan Shillings. These range from synthetic to human hair options. Finally there are the common weaves that are worn all over town. These cost from Ksh500 to Ksh1500. These are the most affordable options and are mainly from Darling Kenya and Angels companies. They however do not look bad and can look natural as long as you find the right stylist for the job. Prices for fixing the weaves also differs and is mainly dependent on the salon where you get it done. At the local salons in the estate weaves can be fixed for as little as 300 Kenyan shillings and you might end up paying around 3- 5 thousand Kenyan Shillings to have it fixed at an upscale salon.