The student news site of El Camino College

El Camino College The Union

The student news site of El Camino College

El Camino College The Union

The student news site of El Camino College

El Camino College The Union

Braids, locs and curls: Best local Black-owned hair care spots

Womens+gender+and+sexual+studies+major+Kohana+Johnson++showcases+her+natural+hair%2C+which+she+refers+to+as+the+Rue%2C+a+nod+to+the+famous+Hunger+Games+character+on+May+25.+%28Khoury+Williams+%7C+The+Union%29+
Women’s gender and sexual studies major Kohana Johnson showcases her natural hair, which she refers to as the “Rue,” a nod to the famous “Hunger Games” character on May 25. (Khoury Williams | The Union)

Black hair comes in all styles, textures, sizes and colors, yet racial hair discrimination is still an ongoing issue for Black women.

Black women are three times more likely to have their hair distinguished as unprofessional in the workplace, according to a study conducted by the CROWN Act.

“Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” also known as the CROWN Act, is a 2020 law banning racial hair discrimination based on styles and textures.

However, even after the law went into effect, the same study found that 66% of Black women felt the need to change the style of their hair for a job interview.

Relaxers, a term used for popular hair straightening products, contains chemicals that can permanently damage a woman’s hair, scalp and could even lead to uterine cancer.

Recently, the natural hair movement that started during the civil rights era of the 1960s, has been gaining traction again with both social media and hair salons being at the forefront of today’s movement.

The Union’s staff tracked down five of the best Black-owned hair salons and beauty supply stores in the South Bay area to find out what services they provide and how they contribute to the natural hair movement.

Click here to explore Black hair care in the South Bay.

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