Curl Power

Women are embracing their natural hair – kinks, coils and all. We look at the products available on the high street to help style curls

- Kate Lockett

As more of us ditch chemical relaxers and straighteners, sales of curl-enhancing products are seeing a bounce. Superdrug has reported a sales increase of 40% year on year since last June and says sales of its own Black Castor & Shea range, designed for naturally curly and afro hair, have rocketed by 268%. Since March, Boots has expanded its range of afro hair-care products on offer, launching makes in-store and online including As I Am, Cantu and Creme of Nature.

And with increasing demand, comes more investment by brands. Pantene’s Gold Series launched earlier this year after market research revealed what black women believed was missing from high-street products: conditioning, moisturizing, and protection.

“The detangling benefits were not there so hair could not easily be manipulated without breakage,” says beauty scientist Dr. Rolanda Wilkerson, who worked on the range.

“Afro hair is fragile because at each point it curves and bends, the cuticles lift up. This makes it more porous and it’s also a potential breaking point.”