Have you ever walked into a salon and the staff turned you away because they did not know how to do your hair? Have you ever went to a stylist and she or he took you as a client and totally messed up your hair because she didn’t know how to do your curly hair? Well guess what!? You’re not the only person to experience this. Actually this is a systematic issue that stylist are quite unaware of.
First and foremost, please remember that stylist come in all color, shape and sizes. Each stylist has his or her own style and career desire. Each stylist decides what area in cosmetology they would like to specialize in the hair industry. This is normal and how the career field works. The issue is that cosmetology schools are not teaching proper care for curly hair textures. The things they teach are considered only the basics but fail to realize that the basic things to learn is different for each type of hair texture category.
The rules of hair is simply not the same for straight hair that it is for curly hair and coily hair. The rules are simply not the same for each race of hair. In the Milady Cosmetology Study Book the topics of these hair textures are maybe 1 page to 1 chapter. Even when it comes to the initial kit you receive at the beginning of cosmetology school is lacking the things you need for textured hair. One very important tool a cosmetology student need is a textured hair mannequin.
I have had the privilege to attend two different schools as a student of cosmetology. I attended a pro dominate white program for the 1st 1200 hours of my Florida licensure and a couple of years later I attended a pro dominant black program for the next 600 hours of my Mississippi licensure. The one thing that sticks out to me is the fact that the schools require you to have 2 mannequins inside of your kit. And those two mannequins inside of the kits are completely straight hair mannequins. This is the very first beginning of the problem. Most students may never experience styling that hair texture and when a curly girl or coily girl comes in the class salon they will not do their hair and look for the black student to do that client. Not because of anything offensive it’s only because they have not learned how to work with this hair texture. In the school setting there should be lessons on a textured hair mannequin and give students an opportunity to feel and learn to operate curly hair. Even African American students are just now learning how to take care of their natural textured hair due to the generations ditching relaxers and embracing their curls and coils.
Simply introducing the mannequin can change so much. There are nothing but Pro’s to adding textured hair mannequins to the initial cosmetology kit.
Pro’s
Show students that hair comes in all types instead of just reading about the textures.
Allow student to touch and feel the textures
Teach the students how to properly detangle textured hair
Teach students how to do textured hair styles
Teach students that coloring techniques are different for curly hair and the rules differ.
Teach students sectioning, braiding, and twisting textured hair.
Teach students proper products for textured hair. One product does not fit for every texture.
Teach students how to do different formal styles on textured hair.
Teach students on what the tools needed for coil textures and how to properly use those tools.
Allowing students to practice before doing real textured hair clients and giving them confidence when they are hired at a salon.
Teaching students proper cutting techniques for textured hair.
Allow some students to decide if they would like to add this specialty to their list of expertise.
Teaching stylist how to encourage and push their curly hair clients to love their hair and manage their hair instead of sending them away and feel like something is wrong with their hair!
And last but not least, learn proper terms when talking about textured hair…. Refraining from using the words “nappy” or “black“ hair. Because curlycoily hair isn’t strictly based on race. In every race you will find curly hair people. There is an entire community who follows Curly Girl Method and stylist need to be educated in this area.
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