(Almost) everything about Afros and Natural Black Hair
(Almost) everything about Afros and Natural Black Hair
Are you mixed and looking to understand how to deal with the curls on your head?
or Black and looking to appreciate a free-flowing fro?
An afro is a hairstyle like everything else. We’re here to teach you, and you’re here to learn.
Pick An Afro
Read testimonials from everyday folk who wear their black hair naturally, and unapolagetically
Frequently Asked Questions
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Straight from Google you’ll get “a hairstyle, worn predominantly by Black people, in which naturally kinky or tightly curled hair is styled in a rounded shape.” Which is right in technical terms. An afro is a natural black hair style, because of that, it can take various shapes and forms. Sometimes it’s not always as round as you’d think.
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In the 1990s, Andre Walker created the hair chart in order to classify hair types and sell products based on patterns. Though it’s widely regarded and helpful, people now disregard the chart due to other factors like porosity. Curl types do not define you or what your hair can do, but it still remains as a great foundation for hair care evolution.
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Much like any other hair type, shampoo, and conditioner is key. Beyond that, due to the nature of our curls, other measures like a hair mask and leave-in conditioner can be really beneficial. A step further you can use a ‘wash-n-go’ or oils or even curl activators. The routine is still up to you!
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The answer is usually no. Why would you touch hair that isn’t yours. It isn’t anything super different. Refrain from asking and becareful of the repercussions if you do.
Learn From Hair Experts
Fun Fact: In order to hair dress afro hair you need a special ‘curly’ hair certification on top of the standard hair certification
Renaissance Curls
The Coily Collective
Afros have been documented through time
An Afro is a genetic phenomenon that happens when hair proteins are told to curl. Some myths and scientists are told to believe that the curls are protection from the sun. An ancestral belonging, much like an opposable thumb. When these curls eventually grow longer and longer, depending on the person, curl type, length, and definition — the hair will form into an afro; in other words, natural Black hair.
This hair has seen its battles in the workplace, legislation, and overall societal fragments of time. At the end of the day, hair is hair. This hairstyle just happens to exist, the same way straight hair happens to exist as well.
What Do You Wish People Knew Better About Black Hair?
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What Do You Wish People Knew Better About Black Hair? 〰️
Mya Chamberlain, 21
“No one is gonna have hair exactly like you find what works for you. You might not have her hair, his hair, their hair. Do what feels good for you. I think I was using the wrong product just because it was popular. probably hurting my curls. But now I just experiment and do what feels good for my hair.”
Ladji Moufoet, 26
“That you need to put oil on it”
Solana Young, 17
“That there's nothing wrong with it. I feel like the world really make black people feel like invalidated that their natural state is not good enough for the world and for themselves. It's really not fair honestly. Society definitely set up certain standards for the world. And I think as people realize more and more that we could come together as one and be able to love each other more.”
Mahogany Edwards, 24
“That black people are capable of growing long hair”
Jennesy Herrera, 27
“That is just the way it is. You know? I mean, I guess for me, myself personally. My hair. This is literally just what it is. I just washed it and I put cream in it like it's really… it's special in the way that black is special within this context. But this is really just who I am.”
What Questions Do You Have About Black Hair?
I first thought of this project after a very bad experience working at my service job in January of 2024. I worked a closing lunch shift at ABC Kitchen, a high-caliber restaurant owned by the grandiose Jean-Georges and as I was being introduced to a table, two white women who were two cocktails and a bottle of red wine deep asked “Is your hair real?”
I have always dealt with insecurities around my hair due to my being mixed and my mother not understanding how curls worked. For this project, I took a step back and looked around my surroundings for big, beautiful afro hair, and interviewed multiple incredible people and personalities. This project has led me to understand the diaspora of stories that come with our hair. People often view our afros before they view us. This project is meant to elevate that experience for everyone; to learn the internal and external truth of wearing a bold and proud hairstyle.