World Afro Day: Keep scrolling for the beauty inspo you need to take to your next hair appointment and a deep dive into colouring textured hair. In latest news, the World Afro Day organisation has urged the UK government to reform the 2010 Equality Act to protect people from hair discrimination. In the US, 27 states have already adopted similar legislation which began as the Crown Act in California in 2019.
Travel: Indians are the world’s next big travel consumer, according to latest reports. By 2027, India should eclipse Australia, Canada and France to become the world’s fifth biggest outbound tourism market. Their preferred locations: Middle East followed by SE Asia, North America and Western Europe.
F1: Fans are joining in on Lewis Hamilton’s call for a country in Africa to host a grand prix race.
Michelin Key Hotels in Mexico: A series of Mexican hotels have been awarded Key distinctions. Like Michelin stars for restaurants, the Keys represent the outstanding hotels that are vetted in detail. Also, tomorrow is Mexican Independence Day 🇲🇽
Podcast Alert: Lupita Nyong’o has a new podcast, Mind Your Own, launching on 19 September. We’re excited for this ten part series focusing on personal stories from Africans around the world.
It’s Sunday so grab those last few minutes of cosy time with your significant other with our tips:
Share your tracking app: Sharing follicular phase tracking apps can be an unexpectedly intimate experience. You’ll learn more about each other’s bodies, moods, and emotions. This shared knowledge can strengthen your sexual relationship, fostering open communication and mutual respect. Some apps we love are Clue (even monitors acne breakouts, cravings, energy levels, and even your mood), Flo (the famous all-in-one solution) and Ovia Fertility (particularly helpful if you’re trying to conceive).
Do a couples journaling session this evening: Journaling together has some surprising benefits and is a fun activity to connect. Here are some prompts to get you started.
Create an intentional night time routine together: whether its skincare, cooking or reading together which takes you away from the screen and gets you ready for sleep. Sounds weird but doing it together can help give you focused couple time.
Throughout 2024, black women have been on a collective journey back to our roots, and we’re doing so with our hair. If you’ve been looking to experiment while trying to feel closer to home, here are some natural hairstyles you must try before the year ends.
Koroba with swirl ends
Koroba is a traditional Yoruba hairstyle where the cornrows run from the centre of the head and spread out all around, just like a basket. We especially like this one for its easy maintenance, as there's no styling required when you're already late for work—a literal get-up-and-go hairstyle.
Kiko with brazilian wool
Like Koroba, Kiko is a traditional Yoruba hair styling method involving wrapping portions of the hair in thread. For us, Kiko is an incredibly versatile protective style, as the wrapped portions can be styled in several ways, whether as a twisty updo for events or a low bun for work.
Braided baldie
If you've been anywhere near #BeautyTok, you must have seen the braided baldie look coined by Los Angeles-based Hairstylist Tookie Did It. And as someone who's been on a buzz cut and has been slowly growing out her hair for months now, the braided baldie look allows me to stay within my comfort zone but with way more intricate details—and with way more hair. A must-try for anyone who loves hair but can't stand the continuous feeling of it against their necks, too!
Mini twists
If you love trying new styles every day, like a pineapple updo on a Monday and space buns on a Friday, you need to get some mini twists. These allow you the versatility of styling, much like your regular (boho) knotless braids, but with half the time and half the maintenance required.
Time for a deep dive into what you need to be aware of when colouring textured hair.
We spoke to Cataanda James, founder of CJ The Beauty Group, a licensed Cosmetologist, a certified Hair Loss Practitioner (USTI-US Trichology Institute and AMCA) and an accomplished beauty professional with extensive expertise in curly and textured hair.
Does hair colour damage natural hair?
Hair colour does not necessarily damage natural hair but this really depends on a number of factors: technique, type of hair colour used, desired outcome (whether your going lighter or darker), condition of hair prior to the color treatment and after care maintenance.
So hair colour can alter the curl pattern depending on these factors. An example is when the hair is naturally darker, it often takes more of an intense process to lift (i.e. lighten) the hair more than 2 shades. This sometimes requires a double process which can potentially break down the integrity of the hair.
So when colouring highly textured hair, it is key to determine what is achievable while maintaining the integrity of the hair.
Is colouring textured hair different from colouring other hair types?
When colouring all textures, especially highly textured hair, it is important to assess the condition of the hair prior to deciding your end hair colour goals. The desired look determines the process.
The basics of the hair colour process is the same for all hair textures, including straighter textures but techniques, hair colour types, processing times, pre-treatment and post-treatment care can vary based on hair type.
What prep work needs to go into getting textured hair ready for colouring?
When prepping higher textured hair for colouring, it is important to assess the health of the hair to ensure that the hair is well hydrated and retains proper moisture levels.
Since it is possible that certain hair colour processes can reduce moisture balance, it is best not to proceed if the hair condition is dry, brittle, or breaking.
A series of deep conditioning and steam treatments can help provide the hair with proper nourishment it needs prior to colouring. If the hair is previously damaged, colouring is not recommended.
If the hair assessment has determined that the hair is in a good condition for colouring, be sure to pre-detangle and section the hair before you start the application process.
Would you advise colouring textured hair at home?
In some instances, colouring your hair at home could be the perfect solution to save time & money. E.g. simply covering greys, enriching your natural color for added depth and shine, shifting the tone by adding more warmth, going lighter 1-2 shades, or doing a root touch up to match your current color (on previously coloured hair) could suit at home hair colour.
I would recommend products that are specifically labeled “at home” hair colour as it usually comes pre-measured containing everything you need from start to finish.
When you should avoid colouring hair at home: When the end result requires going lighter more than 2 shades, when your hair has been previously coloured and you want a to lighten, darken, and when you have to mix and custom create colour formulas is very challenging for a non-professional to get your dream hair colour so I would recommend consulting a professional colourist.
Should we always look for hair colour products that have specifically been created for colouring textured hair?
When hair colour products are specifically created for textured hair, it typically means that the formulas have gone through rigorous testing on that specific hair type - in this case, highly textured, curlier hair types.
In general, hair colour works the same on all hair types when it relates to its main functionality but I would highly recommend looking for products hat have specifically been created for colouring textured hair when colouring your hair at home.
Texture specific products are developed with certain added ingredients to produce beautiful hair colour with those concerns in mind. Products that do not alter the curl pattern and maintain the health of the hair can include specific after colour care products for ongoing maintenance.
Hair colour that is created for all hair types will have a less nuanced approach in their development and testing process without the main focus being textured hair concerns. Like with any hair products that are specifically created for textured hair, our needs and concerns have been considered in the development and testing process and have been met or exceeded.
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