I asked my colleague Effy and though she notes that the hair service landscape generally seems expensive across the entire spectrum, in looking after her hair she too has consciously changed or avoided a style because of the cost. "For the longest time (approximately the first 24 years of my life) I exclusively wore braids or cornrows because they were much more affordable. My sister did them for me and I simply couldn't afford the cost of doing and maintaining straight hair or weaves," Effy explains. "I have four sisters and we always discuss and laugh about how much it costs (in terms of time and money) to keep our hair looking good. There is a perception that in the black community, your 'hair is your beauty'. My hairstylist says it to me all the time and so it's a regular topic of conversation."