An 88 million pound hair industry, yet Black women across the UK are still struggling to find products to maintain their hair. Black women in the UK are still struggling to find products to maintain their hair, many black women can’t find Salons catering to them on the high street, therefore do it themselves. Yemurai Zvaraya, talks to women about their different experiences.
Millicent Moore, 62, Driffield, Yorkshire
I remember when I first came to this country, from the islands in Jamaica. There’s always a place you can walk into to get your hair done; it’s always someone you know. But when I came here, a small town called Driffield, and walked into the hair salon, sat down, and asked to get mine done, they looked at me really confused, asking me to straighten it before I came in, so they could work with it; they didn’t even know if they had the right products to deal with it. It was evident to me that there was no knowledge of how to do afro Caribbean hair in this shop. I had to do it myself. I felt really isolated. In hair salons in Jamaica, I experienced some of the greatest memories. The chats we had, the joyful storytelling; the shared love of our hair, and the transformation. I thought it would be the same here. I expected them to know how to deal with my hair; they are trained professionals after all.
I decided to do my hair myself, to save me from the embarrassment and time it takes to travel and get my hair done. I bought products from the USA, as that was the only place I could find what I needed, which took almost 3 weeks to arrive with additional customs fees on top of the cost of the products.
Then came the styling tools. This was an additional £50 for the blow-dryer and hot comb. I had to go to shops in London to get them, as they did not sell them in the small town where I lived.
When I had children, every Sunday we would sit on the sofa, head between my knees, and I’d get braiding. They never went a day thinking their hair was hard to look after or it couldn’t be done. I taught them how to love and care for their hair, what to use and how to use it. It’s helped them through their lives, and they still have beautiful hair to this day; knowledge I hope they pass on to their younger ones.
Damisha Santos, 22, London
Traveling from Yorkshire to London in order to get some Shea Moisture! It was either that or pay extra for shipping and handling from the USA. Only now am I beginning to see these products in stores like Boots and Superdrug. Even still, these products are like £15 each. I really shouldn’t be investing £60 into my hair just to shampoo and condition it. It’s not like black people only appeared, but it feels like we’ve only just been seen and heard.
I feel like only certain versions of my hair are considered beautiful. 4C hair is still not catered for in mainstream shops and I can only imagine how hard it is to find products and salons that cater to them.
“Black hair isn’t singular, there are many types; whilst my hair is celebrated for its loose curls, my 4 A B C D sisters, tighter curl patterns, are not. I want to see specific hair care for every texture.“
When I’d go into hair shops, they always straighten my hair first before doing it, they said it was easier to work wIth. This led me to believe they only knew how to look after straight hair.
I need someone who understands what the different hair textures are, how to detangle, and someone who finds it beautiful in all its coils. And will also put my hair products in my local Tesco at a decent price. Now there are a few black hair businesses in London. Many are still in people’s homes, and the word is spread by mouth about who can do what style best. I find myself constantly traveling and sitting in people’s homes for hours, sometimes through the night. I get to eat their food, talk to their children about their lives and how hard it is to pay for extra courses on Afro hair care.
However, the experience is always enriching, the best Jollof I ever had was from a Somalian woman, she made homemade chutney and had four different types of meat and one fish in the dish. I will never forget that. I think it’s quite special, you never experience that in a salon. And I almost wish it to never change, however, these women and I, deserve to be able to get our hair done like everyone else.