When you're perennially single like me, you get to indulge in certain pleasures that'd otherwise be a little more difficult if you had company. For example, I don't have to share my pint of Ben & Jerry's, and I don't have to account for a plus one when I'm Seamless-ing. I can binge my trashy reality TV shows in peace, and don't have to be embarrassed when I'd rather watch Mean Girls than MSNBC. But here's the thing. If I ever do find a boyfriend, and if he sleeps over, he'll see the good, the bad...and the bonnet. And let's face it: bonnets have never been sexy.
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Most come with an elasticized band to ensure that the cap doesn't slip off in your sleep. And if you're lucky, you'll get stuck buying one that's either Pepto Bismol pink or floral. Todd on Real Housewives of Atlanta even cited Kandi's bonnets as the reason their sex life was cooling off. “Man, have you seen a lady at night with a bonnet on?" he said. "The most thirstiest dude wouldn’t get it up!” I rest my case.
And that's exactly why when I scrolled past Grace Eleyae's Satin-Lined Caps (otherwise known as "Slap Caps") on Facebook. I didn't even think they were bonnets; I thought they were beanies. And since I wasn't in the market for a new hat, I disregarded it and kept on browsing.
But, after choosing to wear my natural hair this month, I knew that my dollar store cap wouldn't do and started hunting down something more substantial to protect my curls in their fragile state. And guess what I landed on, once again? Yep, the Slap Cap.
I ordered two, one in black and the other in heather gray, and I was surprised to find that they looked exactly like the pictures. But on the inside, there's a buttery-smooth lining of satin and elastane. After drenching my hair with leave-in conditioner, and twisting it with a tiny bit of Cantu Coconut Curling Cream, I slid the cap on with low expectations. I just knew that my concoction of products would leave grease marks. I thought wrong, though. When I took it off the next morning, I didn't see any trace of product on the cap's interior or exterior... and my twist-out was popping, too.
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The cap hasn't failed me yet, either. Even when I seal my ends with oil, or grease my scalp, I wake up with great hair and a cuter alternative than my old bonnet. I might be single for a while, but until then, my nights at home are already looking so much better. Who knows? Maybe I'll even wear my new "beanie" outside.
Grace Eleyae Satin-Lined Cap, $25.95 to $29.95, available at Grace Eleyae.