If you have Afro hair, you'll probably know all too well the struggle of finding a salon or barber shop that knows how to style and manage your curls. It's a sad reality that the majority of hairdressers cater to straighter locks.
A 2017 study by Habia, the Hair and Beauty Industry Authority, found that there were 35,704 beauty salons in the UK, but only 302 Afro-Caribbean salons. Meanwhile, as of September 2021, there are no colleges in Wales that offer hairdressing courses where education on how to treat Afro hair is a core part of the curriculum.
This imbalance becomes clear anecdotally, with many black people, especially women, experiencing difficulty finding stylists with the right knowledge and experience for their locks. Some who have tried salons that primarily cater to straighter hair have even received degrading and humiliating comments from hairdressers themselves. You can read more about the underappreciated but serious issue of hair discrimination here.
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This disproportion is unfortunately no better in Cardiff. However, with a bit of searching, you'll find there are some brilliant businesses hidden away in the capital that know exactly what they're doing when it comes to Afro hair.
We've rounded up nine of the best on offer - so you can (hopefully) stop tearing your hair out trying to find one...
1. Amadife Salon
Specialising in both Afro and European hair for both men and women, Amadife Salon in Ely offers all your hair needs - from standard hair cuts, colouring and styling to human hair extensions, plaits, box braids, weaves, faux locs, and cornrows, among other styles.
50 Facebook reviews rank their services 4.8 out of 5 stars. One reviewer in February praised the "welcoming staff" who provided her with "fantastic advice and guidance on how to manage my full head weave and maintaining Afro hair in general".
"I am so excited that I have finally found a hairdresser that specialises in Afro hair," the reviewer said.
The salon has even earned celebrity approval - they styled Welsh actress Rakie Ayola's hair when she presented the Bafta Cymru 2021 Awards.
Check out their Instagram page here.
Where? 79 Grand Avenue, Ely
2. Hairworld Styles 'n' Smiles
The 24 Google reviews for this salon are almost faultless, affording it 4.9/5 stars overall.
The latest review, in February, says the service is "amazing and affordable". They added: "Definitely will be going there again for the amazing work and great company! It was also done in a timely manner and honestly best hair experience I’ve had thus far!"
The unisex salon says on its website that its specialises in dreadlocks, weaves, braids, braiding extensions, and weave bundles - all with 100% natural human hair. It also offers hair relaxing.
And if you fancy getting a sneak peek before you go along, Hairworld Styles 'n' Smiles has a YouTube channel with short clips of their work and the final looks.
Check out their Instagram page here.
Where? 149 Broadway, Roath
3. Beauty Lounge
Branding itself as the "best weave bar in Cardiff", Beauty Lounge certainly works hard to uphold its self-proclaimed title and is open 7 days a week, from 9.30am until 6pm.
They don't just do your hair, but offer you tools you need to style and manage it yourself. Their extensive online shop sells wigs, hair pieces, extensions and hair care products.
You can check out it's Instagram page, which is full of impressive before and after photos.
Where? Queens Arcade, city centre
4. Glam Weave
As the name suggests, Glam Weave specialises specifically in hair extensions and braiding, but caters for all types of hair and all ages.
Their Instagram page boasts an impressive portfolio of weaves and braids in lots of different colours - including electric blue, vibrant purple and sizzling red.
There are glowing reviews for their services, with 50 people giving it an average of 4.9/5 stars on their Facebook page. One reviewer said she was "greeted with smiles" and praised the staff's "gentle technique with an extremely tidy finish".
Check out their Instagram page here.
Where? 13A Broadway, Roath
5. Peter Barber Shop
Located on Adamsdown's bustling Clifton Street, Peter Barber has also been lauded by customers, with 43 Google reviews awarding it an average of 4.7 out of 5 stars.
One reviewer said he was "very, very happy" with the service he received, adding that owner Peter "knows his stuff" and that "you could tell it was done with care and attention to detail".
Another said he had got an "excellent skin fade" and "will be coming back for sure".
The shop's Instagram page showcases sharp skin fades, sleek braids, and dreadlocks among its many services.
It is open from Monday to Saturday, 10am to 7pm.
Check out Peter Barber's Instagram page here.
Where? 132 Clifton Street, Adamsdown
6. Asakebeauty
Asakebeauty technically hasn't opened yet - but, having already got a warm reception from excited future clients, it looks set to be a promising addition to the Afro hairdressing scene.
Owner Adesuwa Aghahowa said that ahead of the salon's imminent launch on April 2, she has already had messages from people who want to book in.
“It's just exciting to see people so encouraged by the idea of an Afro salon coming to Cardiff," she told WalesOnline.
On its Instagram page, Asakebeauty vows to support your "natural hair journey" and has already started offering tips to followers, such as the best oils for a dry scalp.
The idea for the salon was borne from Adesuwa's struggle to find a salon that could cater for her Afro hair after she moved from Nigeria to Cardiff to study for her master's degree. She aims for her salon to be a "safe place" for clients, with a "social club" atmosphere. You can read the story behind the salon here.
The salon will be open from 10am to 5pm, Tuesdays to Saturdays.
Where? Cowbridge Road East, Canton
7. Sheer Inspiration Hair Salon
Specialising in glueless frontal wigs, hair extensions, weaves, perms, and braids, Sheer Inspiration offers range of styles for both men, women and children.
They have a strong following of almost 3,000 on its Instagram page, while reviews on Facebook afford it 4.2 out of 5 stars.
The shop stands out for its styling of braids and cornrows - its social media pages show clients boasting intricate zigzag partings and other gorgeous kaleidoscope-like patterns in their hair.
Where? 87 Tudor Street, Riverside
8. Welsh Braids
This one-woman hair salon may be mini, but its output is anything but.
Run by 27-year-old Samantha Robinson from her very own home, Welsh Braids offers everything - from box braids to weaves, cornrows and wig installations, as well as washing, blow drying, straightening and hair dyeing.
She launched her home salon in March 2020 after she lost her job. Having done her family members' hair growing up, a relative suggested that Samantha should start a business out of her skills.
While Samantha, who was born in Jamaica, knew lots of people who could style her hair when she was growing up, it's been a different story for her clients.
"My clients have told me it was a struggle for them to find someone to do their hair," she told WalesOnline, explaining that home-based Afro hairdressers in Cardiff tend to only be known within certain communities and discovered by word of mouth.
Welsh Braids has flexible operating hours and requires a £10 deposit to secure a booking. It caters for men, women and children.
You can get in touch with Samantha for a booking via Welsh Braids' Instagram page.
Where? Tremorfa
9. Studio 28
Last but certainly not least is Studio 28, the brainchild of 22-year-old Sian Jones.
Her frustration at the lack of salons in the city for her Afro hair lead her to create in the city centre, offering braiding, hair extensions and nail extensions.
In December last year, she told WalesOnline: "About three years ago, I actually started a business and charging people to do hair. I think I had realised the lack of people in Cardiff that were actually dealing with Afro hair because I felt like I was doing all my friends hair all the time."
Keen for her clients to have a salon experience, Sian's business morphed into the new beauty studio, which opened last year.
The self-taught hairdresser added that she was keen to keep prices low.
"I knew there was a gap in the market for it so I'd get a lot of clients and make some money as well. I used to go to a place in town for my hair but they raised the prices and it was way too expensive," she said. "I wanted to become someone affordable for young girls to come to as well."
You can read more about Sian's story here.
Where? Williams Way, Curran Embankment
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