It doesn’t matter how skilled you are, bantu knots will fail you from time to time. I’m not bothered by the fact that my bantu knots failed because I knew that what I was doing was not the brightest idea. I always have successful bantu knot outs when I do them using the African Hair Threading Technique. The thing is, Thanksgiving was coming up and I needed a hairstyle. I thought that some quick curls with bantu knots would work. Threading then knotting my hair was not viable option because I have been really busy lately, so I opted to do them the “traditional way” while using two new products that I have never used before. I used my Shea Moisture Coconut and Hibiscus Curl and Shine Kit that I purchased from Target for $19.99. My reasoning: ” why not try the entire kit to achieve some awesome curls?” The Shampoo and the Curl and Style Milk have worked well for me in the past, so I hoped that the other two products would as well. This is what I did:
1. I washed my hair with the Curl and Shine Shampoo.
2. I used my Curl and Style Milk to put my hair in a high puff and waited for it to dry.
3. I did traditional bantu knots using the Hold and Shine Moisture Mist as Well as the Curl Enhancing Smoothie. I first used the mist to dampen my hair prior to applying the smoothie. I really should have used less product or even opted not to use the mist all together. I worked the products through, combed my hair and did a traditional bantu knot.
I allowed my hair to set overnight and removed the Bantu Knots in the morning. Despite having definition, I was unable to enjoy it because I failed to let my hair dry enough. Bantu knots leave very little room for drying because they are tight. It is incredibly difficult for moisture to escape, so you will either have to do them on lightly damp hair or dry hair. Also, it is November. It’s too cold for me to expect my hair to dry overnight. I knew I should have given myself 24-48 hours of drying time, but I was pressed for time and was hoping to get away with it. I decided to act fast and put my failed bantu knot out in a textured updo so that way, I could have some order in my hair coupled with a hint of curl.
1. I loosened all the hair at the roots of each knot.
2. From ear to ear, I gathered the hair and put it in a banana clip.
3. I created a side part in from and kept two inches of hair out. The rest was pulled back towards the banana clip and pinned down.
4. I finished by creating a pompadour with the front of my hair.
That’s all I did to create my Thanksgiving save. I guess I really had something to be thankful for that morning. Often times we will have fails, but it’s always good to be able to save your hair with elegance and style. I will definitely do a proper tutorial in the future, showing you how Bantu knots should be done if you are looking for excellent results.
What are some fails that you have had and how did you recover?
