‘World Of Texture’ Summit Is Teaching Hairstylists How To Actually Style Natural Hair

Retail giant CosmoProf Beauty is hosting a “curl and coil master class” to teach hairstylists how to style natural hair. The World Of Texture will offer up 21 different workshops during the day-long event this Monday, Feb. 28. We’re not talking about being able to braid intricate cornrows or install box braids. We’re talking about basic cuts, colors, and styles. 

[SEE ALSO: New Research Shows Race-Based Hair Discrimination Starts As Early As Five]

“Textured hair education is so neglected and underrepresented in so many beauty platforms,” Keon The Barber, hair educator and CosmoProf Artistic Team member, tells us. “That needs to change, and it needs to be represented especially by those who live and are blessed with it.”

That’s because, in 2022, the beauty industry is still “othering” textured kinks and curls. Every few months, we hear about celebs like Gabrielle Union, Yvette Nicole Brown, and Taraji P. Henson having to do their own hair (or pay for their own stylist out of pocket) because no one on set knew how to do hair. The same goes for models like Leomie Anderson and Olivia Anakwe and their viral stories of having to do, or redo, their hair before hitting Fashion Week runways. 

And, let’s not leave out local beauty salons where many stylists either don’t know what to do past the conditioning stage or raise the price because they do.

At the root of the styling problem is that textured hair basics aren’t part of standard cosmetology school education. Less than half of U.S. states (our last tally was 20) require some form of natural hair training as part of the licensing process. So, unless hairstylists have real-life experience with natural hair, they aren’t learning professional techniques to care for and style natural kinks and curls. (Sorry, YouTube tutorials don’t count). 

“Many stylists will tell you they often resorted to doing their own hair growing up due to a lack of available stylists in their neighborhoods with textured hair education,” says Keon. “That is why this World of Texture event is so important.”

Now in its second year, the World of Texture is bringing together more than a dozen hair experts to teach styling techniques. Featured educators include Michelle O’Connor (Matrix), Christin Brown (Olaplex), Kewonia Grimes (CHI), and John Radu (TIGI Art Collective). Emmy Award-winning news anchor Tashara Parker, creator of the “Bun Ministry” movement and Black hair series “Rooted,” will serve as host for the day.

“Attendees will see and learn from industry experts that not only look like them but have the same or similar career goals and aspirations,” adds Keon. It’s not just a Black thing, either. 

“Everybody should be in the room,” he says. “It is of the utmost importance for all stylists to know how to do all types of hair. I feel like the word ‘hairstylist,’ itself, is indicative of that. If you don’t know how to do all hair types, then are you really a hairstylist? Or [are you] a person that knows how to do some hairstyles, cute? We should be able to assist anyone that walks through our salon doors and textured hair is a really big part of that.” 

Of course, a one-day course isn’t going to make one a texture expert.  But, with 21 workshops focused on everything from coloring and curl definition to tapered cuts and barbering techniques — it is pushing the needle forward.

“We are focused on being an ally to stylists by providing them with education we know they need to be able to best serve their clients in chairs today and in the future,” said April Holt, group vice president of Stores, Beauty Systems Group, in a press statement. “Our best-in-class educational resources better equip stylists with the essential training they need to support the growing textured hair population.”

And it’s one more part of a growing movement to normalize hair textures across the board — from making it illegal to discriminate again natural hair to states upping natural hair education within cosmetology programs.

The World Of Texture takes place Monday, February 28, 9-6 pm EST. Click here for more information or to register.