Black History Month 2023

October is Black History Month and we are bewildered that in 2023 we are still here trying to push salons to include cutting, styling and colouring services for Black and Afro hair. Whilst the hairdressing curriculum is somewhat at fault, why are hairdressers not educating themselves in this area? 

What do you have to lose? Absolutely nothing. But, what could gain? A higher income – and who wants to turn that down?

We’ve spoken to hairdressers who are experts in working with Black and Afro hair to find out how they feel about the matter.

Anne Veck 

I was so thrilled to win The Colour World Afro Genius award this year. I’ve been working with textured hair for years and to have recognition from my peers…well it’s the icing on the cake! I love exploring the unique needs of every hair type , so that as a hairdresser I can care for all my clients with confidence. From colouring to perming to curls management.

Lots of hairdressers lack confidence and skills with Afro hair, usually through no fault of their own and they are eager to learn. Its important to remember that you don’t have to be an expert on everything, but you should be knowledgeable about different hair types. You should know what a transition period is, as well as a big chop. What is a protective style? Remember not every client walking through your door wants an appointment. They might want to buy products. So you must be able to advise them. It’s important to have the skill to work with all textures before the opportunity arises, otherwise you won’t be able to respond and grab that client or photo shoot offer. Having the skill set will open doors for you and from the business point of view you won’t turn business away.

 I bought my first salon 30 years’ ago and it broke my heart to turn away our first client with Afro hair because we lacked the skills to do her hair. I said to myself “never again”. Now with my “Afro for Beginners” workshop,  my mission is to ensure other hairdressers don’t have to do the same.

Brandon Messinger

Textured hair is an amazing medium not to be put off by. With anything in life it requires the right approach. With experience comes confidence. That being said, a visual texture needs to be respected. As a precision cutter sometimes it’s more important to place president to the visual rather than the technical. Textured hair requires this discipline. There is so much versatility within textured hair it’s really important to constantly visually assess your shape along the way, working clean is key.

 

When I won The Big One for Afro I was over the moon. It really meant a lot to me. As someone that’s worked in salons over the years where many would turn this amazing texture away, I always embraced it. Hair is hair we shouldn’t discriminate. This was my first afro collection and time I spent learning and improving really made this win a possibility.

Jacqui McIntosh

Afro hair is unique in so many ways that even to today scientist are still blown away by the uniqueness of this hair type. The characteristics of each strand are so distinctive to the individual and the frequency in which the coils and curls twist to take shape is what make texture so different and fragile at the same time. If Afro hair isn’t maintained and handled correctly, it will become damaged very quickly. Therefore, product quality and choice are very important.

For example, with shampoo and conditioners, anything with a pH higher than 6.5 can have a very negative effect on Afro or textured hair. Conditioning is also key to the maintenance and health of the hair and scalp. Again, salons need a range that’s low in pH, with high quality hydration and moisturising factors, which penetrate deep into the hair shaft. This is because textured hair is known for being as delicate, due to the different frequency of curl. Wherever the hair twists and bends will have weak points and if the hair is combed or brushed to aggressively, these points can be broken. To maintain the versatility of textured hair it must be conditioned well to strengthen those points and handled correctly.

Sophia Hilton

I’m not going to lie, I was the first person to say it was unnecessary to learn Afro hair. I’ve heard myself in the past claiming we won’t be able to charge the same amount of money, and that we will never be able to do it ‘better than Black people themselves.’ 

If there is an excuse, I’ve made it.  Although of course at the time, you wouldn’t see it as an excuse, you’d only see it as a ‘logical reason.’ I am not alone and it’s only once you truly delve into the education of Afro hair do you realise… their really is no excuse not to accept everyone that walks through your door.

Together with Erica Liburd and Mat Surplice we now run Afro courses at Not Another Academy. We are committed to helping people realise that with the right education (which is as much about learning Black history and langue as it is about hair) we can change the world to a more inclusive place. To book out Afro beginners course click the HERE

For more of the latest industry news, click HERE.

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