Written By Keysha Davis
In celebration of International Women’s Day, we spotlight iconic women who have embraced and championed their natural hair, inspiring others to do the same. From coils to curls, cornrows to braids - these trailblazers continue to redefine beauty standards, showcasing the rich diversity of Afro-textured hair.
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Chloe Bailey
Chloe Bailey is multi-hyphenated talent who has scaled impressive heights in both music and film. Bursting onto the scene in the mid-2000s alongside her sister Halle, Chloe has steadily built a solid and dedicated following due to her eclectic music as well as appearance in films like Swarm and TV shows like Grownish. The singer/actress is celebrated for wearing her hair in locs which are often sculpted into creatively elaborate styles.
Get the Chloe Bailey Look: If you are a loc wearer, to maintain your crown retwist it with the natural butter like Afrocenchix Fairtrade Twisting Butter – Spring. For additional maintenance incorporate an oil into your regimen as loc wearers typically are plagued with dry and itchy scalps. Afrocenchix Restore Strengthening Oil is a lightweight oil that packs a heavy punch. Blended with incha inchi oils, chia seed and omega 3, this star oil restores dry and brittle hair while soothing inflamed and irritated scalps.
Image: Instagram @chloebailey
2. Doechii
Rapper/singer Doechii has exploded into popular consciousness in recent years, becoming world renowned for her unique rapping style, raw/soul-baring lyrics, and penchant for standout natural looks like cornrows, ‘fros, beads and sculpted updos. In a sea of musical and visual sameness, Doechii is a breath of fresh air who is reinventing what it is to be a popstar in the 2020s.
Get the Doechii Look: Doechii’s statement style is intricately designed cornrows (with or without extensions), beaded braids, and fluffy ‘fros. When wearing protective styles with extensions, it’s important to prep the hair prior to installation. Achieve this by washing the hair with a sulphate-free shampoo like Afrocenchix Swish Sulphate-Free Shampoo , which removes grime without stripping hair of its natural oils. To keep the scalp flake-free and nourished while wearing your Doechii inspired braids, apply our Afrocenchix Soothe Lightweight Scalp Oil to your scalp on a regular basis.
Image: Instagram @doechii
3. Willow Smith
At the tender age of 24 years old, Willow Smith has had many style iterations including bum skimming single braids that she whipped back and forth, a punk-inspired fro-hawk, and a bold shaved head worn in an array of colours. Recently Willow was spotted on the red carpet wearing a show-stopping blown out textured bob.
Get the Willow Smith Look: This look is all about getting the right texture. Achieve by blow-drying the hair ensuring that it has body and movement but is not too silky straight. Use a paddle brush like Afrocenchix Biodegradable Detangling Wet Brush and apply the tension method to assist with blow-drying. Protect the hair from damage by smoothing it with Afrocenchix Spring Nourishing Twisting Butter, which is formulated with mango butter, shea butter and avocado oil to reduce breakage and keep the hair frizz-free.
Image: Instagram @willowsmith
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Alicia Keys
Superstar singer/musician Alicia Keys is the consummate natural hair icon. From her critically acclaimed debut album released in 2001, the world was introduced to this talented songstress as a woman with a knack for soulful melodies and a fondness for beads and cornrows, a style that she helped to reintroduce at the turn of the millennium. In recent years Alicia has worn her natural curls in an array of creative looks.
Get the Alicia Keys Look: Alicia’s updo curls can be achieved by doing a wash ‘n’ go, so it’s all about ensuring that the curls remain hydrated and moisturised. Apply Afrocenchix Smooth Moisturising Hair Cream to your curls, which acts as a leave-in conditioner to keep them soft and nourished. Wash ‘n’ gos are prone to dryness so keep curls hydrated and revived by using Afrocenchix’s Natural Hydrating Spray - Sheen , a refreshing and hydrating spray that delivers moisture to your curls in an instant.
Image: Instagram @aliciakeys
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Lupita Nyong’o
Actress Lupita Nyong'o is renowned for making iconic natural hair statements, such as her beautiful natural crop, structural updos, and gold threaded braids to name a few. Recently she was spotted wearing an uber chic micro-locd bob, which was a clever and unique take on the popular bob trend.
Get the Lupita Nyong’o Look: This look is a great way to spruce up your locs, and is relatively easily to replicate. Create a side-parting and use straighteners or flexi rods to create a flip at the end of your locs, and voila, mission accomplished. To retwist locs, use our Afrocenchix Spring - Natural Fairtrade Twisting Butter - a rich emollient blended mango butter, shea butter and avocado oil to provide moisture and and long-lasting hold.
Image: Instagram @lupitanyongo
Celebrate Your Crown
This International Women’s Day and beyond, we honour these trailblazing women who continue to redefine beauty standards while celebrating their natural textures. You too can honour your crown by choosing quality haircare made with clean, natural ingredients.
Discover more and explore our full range of premium natural haircare products here.
Join the Afrocenchix Icon Challenge!
Inspired by these trailblazing women? Now it’s your turn to showcase your creativity! Enter the Afrocenchix Icon Challenge and celebrate the beauty of textured hair for a chance to win over £2,000 in cash and prizes—including £500 for the best look!
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Recreate an iconic look or style your natural hair in your unique way
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Tag @Afrocenchix and use #AfrocenchixIconChallenge
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All entries are automatically entered into the Most Viral category
Show us your crown! For full details, visit us on TikTok or Instagram @afrocenchix and join the challenge today!
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