ANOTHER DIMENSION

These curl specialists share the amazing benefits for all when you choose inclusivity

“I’m of mixed heritage and have grown up around a lot of curly and Afro hair but coming into hairdressing at the age of 18, I was mainly working in the West End with European hair. I’m from London, and I was disheartened being away from people that looked like me and sounded like me. We had an Afro hair team but that was mainly for relaxer and weave which saddened me. The further I got in my hairdressing career the further away I felt I was getting from curly hair. Hairdressing never gave me the confidence to do my Mum’s Afro hair, and it didn’t sit well with me that I was a hairdresser, but I couldn’t do my Mum’s hair. I started practicing on her and eventually started building a curly clientele from there. Overall, I felt weird that I wasn’t learning to do the hair that was growing out of my own head! That’s why I decided to work for myself as a curly specialist. I currently rent chairs in Texture Hair by Floria and Woolf x Kings.”

#TRENDING

I’M LOVING THE ACCEPTANCE OF TEXTURE. A LOT OF CLIENTS HAVE MOVED AWAY FROM ‘PERFECTION’. I THINK THIS IS DUE TO MORE EDUCATION.

“I signed up to a curly hair course in Birmingham, purely for my regulars, who then told me their friends were travelling to London to a curl specialist. I thought it would be nice to let them know I'm here in Aberystwyth, word started to spread, and after posting on social media it escalated with people travelling from, North and South Wales. We even have people travelling from England and Scotland.

It's exciting but I’ve still got lots to learn. Since I've started cutting curly hair it's given me the opportunity to do everything I haven't had the confidence to do. I never thought I would be confident enough to teach other hairdressers. Opening the first curly hair salon in Wales was quite scary at the time, but it's been busy from the start, and for me it’s been amazing meeting other stylists on my journey."

I don't use a comb, so that's the biggest difference. I just use my fingers to detangle and section the hair so I’m working with the natural spring.

“Curls have a wonder ful sense of personality when handled correctly and when I started to provide that service I was met with such gratitude and joy from people who had never found their hair cared for in such a way. It was a natural progression after realising that so few places catered to curly clients at the time, that I helped to open the first dedicated curly hair salon in the UK and began working with curls full time. I then co-founded my salon, Strand & Lock, after my ambitions grew. Over the last few years, we have seen a huge rise in personal expression which in turn has led to more people embracing what makes them unique. It’s a shame that so many people in our trade haven’t realised the amazing potential that can be achieved by learning how to help clients get the most out of their hair in a natural, healthy and uncompromised way. I think people should be able to walk into any salon in the world and feel celebrated.”

#TRENDING

I’VE SEEN A RISE IN TEXTURE AND LAYERS, WITH MODERN SHAPES THAT HAVE REFERENCES TO THE 70’S AND 80’S -SHAGS, MULLETS AND HEAVY TEXTURED FRINGES ARE POPULAR. AS FOR COLOUR, I ALWAYS GET REQUESTS FOR HEAVY, GROWN-IN HIGHLIGHTS THAT POP A LITTLE MORE THAN YOUR STANDARD WOVEN FOILS. WHEN WORKING WITH CURLS THIS CAN PROVIDE INCREDIBLE DIMENSION AND TRULY BRING A NEW STYLE TO LIFE.

“Becoming a curl expert was a mixture of being in lockdown and feeling very uninspired. I was working a full diary, doing every blonde, one length or layered haircut you could think of, and I was bored. When I moved to Manchester I had already started to learn about curly hair, including the history and culture. I wanted to be known for doing something that meant something to people. The whole world talks about inclusivity, but what does that look like? For me it's having anyone, at any point in their life, come into a space that's inclusive. I started training in tighter curls and Afro hair, and here I am now, booked and busy. I can take someone that has had years of hair trauma, and release it with a haircut – how is that not magic?”

Curls, tight curls and kinks work on a three-dimensional space, but I'm still working with the four fundamentals of hairdressing.

#TRENDING

THE SOFT SHAG IS POPULAR WITH CLIENTS. I DO VERY TIMELESS HAIRCUTS, LIKE THE JELLYFISH CUT VERSUS TRENDING HAIRCUTS.

“I absolutely love it; every single client is completely unique because their hair is so different. It's like you're doing a painting. You don't just follow a set cut that you've been given. You really have to think about every single hair. On one head of hair, you might have really straight hair underneath at the back, but then at either side it might be really curly. Everyone's curl textures are so different all over their head. There's a lot of stylists that don't want to do curly hair because there's so much more involved in it. The consultations take longer. The cuts take longer. The drying takes longer. The styling takes longer. I don't think they're seeing the benefits of being able to help someone with curly hair.”

The more dimension you put into curls, the more the curls will pop and stand out.

“When I started the salon 30 years ago, I had to turn clients away because I didn't have the texture skill to do their hair. I felt terribly stupid and guilty at saying “I'm sorry but I can't do Afro hair.” It didn't make sense in terms of my values or business. So, I contacted a salon based in the Midlands, and arranged a skills swap and upskilling. This is something I still tap into to ensure I am continually growing my skills. I am totally uncompromising. In my view, if you want to call yourself a hairdresser you have to do every type of hair. We live in a multi-cultural society and if you don't have the skills, you will not be an inclusive hairdresser and you will lose out on amazing opportunities.”

#TRENDING

CLIENTS WANT MORE NATURAL AND HEALTHY HAIR. AS PEOPLE SEEK LOWERMAINTENANCE LIFESTYLES, HAIRSTYLES ARE FOLLOWING SUIT.

“We’re in the heart of Manchester, so we have a diverse clientele. It’s important that we are an inclusive salon, this means we cater for all hair textures, anyone who's wearing a hijab, wheelchair access, we offer a silent haircut, and we are gender neutral. I think it is important that you have external trainers to train-the-trainer. I don't have curly hair myself, so I have to make sure that I’m on top of product knowledge and new techniques. Being inclusive gives you the chance to be more creative and the feedback you get from clients when they've found someone who can make them feel comfortable in a salon is great.”

#TRENDING

WE ARE SEEING A LOT OF ROUNDED SHAPES AND A LOT OF CURLY FRINGES. A LOT OF SHAPING IS A TAKE ON THE WOLF AND THE SHAG CUT WHICH GROWS OUT NICELY.

“My heritage has a lot to do with why I wanted to specialise in texture. I grew up watching my aunties and sisters getting their hair done and when I started hairdressing in college, I wanted to learn how to do textured hair. But I had to look outside of the curriculum for it. It’s so important that salons provide services for everyone. Hair is an expression of identity – if you’re looking at black and mixed-race women, their hair freedom has been taken away from them throughout history. During enslavement, black women would instead show their identity through coloured hair scarves and wraps. The 1960s Afro was all about the natural beauty of textured hair. I believe that hair is linked to your mental state. Think about it, the first sign of someone struggling with mental health is often reflected in them not caring for their hair.”

#TRENDING

RECENTLY A CLIENT ASKED ME FOR ATWA (TEENIE WEENIE AFRO) AND I’M LOVING SHORT CUTS AND NATURAL FORMS RIGHT NOW.

“Having been a hairdresser since 2011 and an NVQ Assessor since 2015, I realised I didn’t know how to properly work with waves, curls and textured hair. I also noticed that in the NVQ qualification at the time there was very little to no training on these hair types. In 2019 I decided I wanted to create a safe environment for clients knowing that they would be able to leave with a bespoke curly cut and all the knowledge to be able to create beautifully defined curls at home. I now have people travel across the country to see me and I have a few months waiting list. In 2023 I made it my mission to make this service accessible to clients with textured hair all over the UK. I started educating up and down the country to help create our next generation of curl experts.”

“I feel very passionately that anyone with any hair type should be able to walk into any salon and still receive the best service and advice and leave feeling fabulous.”

Product POINT

1 BOUCLÈME CURL DEFENCE SPRAY

Helps to protect strands against damage caused by heat tools, UV rays, pollution, humidity, and brushing. RRP £22

2 AHGC LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER

Super rich and creamy, this conditioner makes textured hair feel soft and frizz-free with just the right amount of moisture.
RRP £12.99

3 CURLYELLIE INTENSE LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER

This leave-in conditioner deeply nourishes, hydrates, and protects curly and textured hair, making it the perfect addition to your daily hair care routine.
RRP £15.99

4 SHEDID AND PARRISH AFRO BUTTER

A whipped butter texture for lightweight absorption to nourish and lock-in moisture. Protects against UV, pollution, and heat.
RRP £38 (300ml), £15 (45ml)

5 ONLY CURLS VOLUMISING CURL MOUSSE

Crafted with a unique blend of rice water and pea protein, this mousse not only enhances curl definition but also adds gorgeous volume without the crunch. RRP £17.00