This issue, Errol sits down with Sandra Webb. Owner of her salon in Clapham since 2008, Sandra is a respected educator that teaches in hairdressing colleges and salons across the UK, France, the Netherlands, Scandinavia and all over Africa. As a previous KMS and Goldwell master stylist and art team member, Sandra’s work has won her multiple awards, including afro stylist of the year and southern stylist of the year twice.
Hi SANDRA, THANKS FOR CHATTiNG TO ME TODAY. WHAT DOES THE TERM iNCLUSiViTY MEAN TO YOU?
I’m an all-rounder, so inclusivity for me is an ability to do every type of hair. I started off my career solely doing European hair, mainly because there were no textured hair courses or anything like that on offer. So, I went to work in a salon that would give me that exposure and broad range of skills. I think that as a hairdresser your skill should be for everybody, regardless of your ethnicity or your hair type. You should be available for everybody.
IS THERE ENOUGH OF A SPOTLiGHT ON THESE CONVERSATiONS iN THE HAiRDRESSiNG iNDUSTRY?
Not as much as there should be. It was encouraging a few years ago when Afro hair was made mandatory on the hairdressing curriculum. As somebody who’s actually worked in colleges teaching, I’m glad that it finally stopped being ignored. I think that a lot of hairdressers were previously scared and shielded away from Afro hair, so they never really mastered how to do it. Having more awareness and education has definitely helped to make people embrace it more – social media helps carry that message along as well.
DO YOU CONSiDER YOURSELF A ‘TEXTURED HAiR SPECiALiST’? IS THAT A LABEL YOU EMBRACE?
I don’t mind people using that phrase because it helps clients gravitate towards you; it helps them realise you specialise in a certain hair type or texture when they’re out there searching for particular stylists. But yes, I am definitely an all-rounder. I’m not specific to one hair type and it certainly doesn’t define who I am.
WHO WERE YOUR ROLE MODELS WHEN ADVANCiNG THROUGH THE HAiR iNDUSTRY AND WHO ARE THE PEOPLE PROJECTiNG THE RiGHT KiND OF MESSAGES ABOUT iNCLUSiViTY NOW?
I’m old school, I’ve been in the game a long time, but it was actually you, Errol, as well as Terry Jacques and Thérèse Haynes from Pacific Hair Artists, who all really encouraged me to move to London and start my career in hairdressing. Jacqui McIntosh at Avlon is another incredible textured hair educator. She comes from the scientific, technical side of things – which I really admire – so she has been my mentor. Michelle Sultan is another woman in the hairdressing field who is doing great stuff. I actually trained her as my assistant, so it makes me so proud to see her doing these amazing things 20 years later.
HOW MUCH OF A PART DOES EDUCATiON PLAY iN THE QUEST FOR iNCLUSiViTY?
Education has always been my passion. My whole career has been devoted to spreading my technical knowledge and experience, so education is of the utmost importance for me. The inclusion of Afro hair in the curriculum in colleges and the fact that lots of product brands are running separate courses now on various hair types and teaching the way different textures react to different chemicals is such a positive shift. To me, all of those things are absolutely fantastic.
WHAT CAN SALONS DO TO OFFER A TRULY DiVERSE AND iNCLUSiVE SERViCE? DOES THE RESPONSiBiLiTY LiE WiTH SALON OWNERS?
It’s all too easy to blame the salon owner! We must remember that a salon is always a team thing, and you’re only as good as your most junior team member. It’s about sending your team on courses to keep them motivated and encouraging them to go to all the shows and presentations. Remember, the landscape is always changing and you have to keep abreast of what’s happening – don’t ever just stay in your little bubble, it doesn’t work like that. I’ve always had that thing where people go, ‘Oh, you do Afro hair’ or ‘You do European hair’, but I have to remind people that, structurally, hair is all the same. Hair is just different curl types and textures – some need moisture, some need more treatments. As a salon owner, remind your team to look at it from that perspective.
WHAT DOES ‘NORMAL’ HAiR MEAN THESE DAYS? WOULD YOU AGREE THAT iT’S AN OUTDATED TERM?
I don’t think it’s a phrase that’s going to go away anytime soon, but it does feel outdated defining something as normal. It’s like saying what’s a normal person? We’re all different, we’re all diverse and we’ve all got little glitches and fun things about us – that’s what makes us individuals!
ARE PRODUCT COMPANiES DOiNG ENOUGH iN THE ADVANCEMENT OF iNCLUSiViTY?
I think product companies have been doing a great job over the past five years or so. Their marketing has definitely improved and the images that they’re putting out there are becoming more diverse – this is so important because they are the ones who are the driving force. Because there is now so much competition from independents or even celebrities that want to bring out their own branded products, product companies have to stay a step ahead. Overall, I’d say that, right now, the big brands are pulling it together and bringing out some great products that cater for all hair types and textures.
WHAT’S THE BEST TECHNiCAL TiP YOU COULD GiVE ANYONE REGARDiNG TYPE 4C HAiR?
The number one rule is that this type of hair needs moisture. I would always recommend a good moisturising shampoo and conditioner, preferably one that’s sulphate-free because we all know that this is hugely drying to the hair. I’m actually a big fan of steam treatments too – these can impart a lot more moisture. Finally, a lot of clients that come in with curly hair only blow it out or straighten it once a year, and then they’ve got like inch-long split ends because it hasn’t been trimmed in so long! Regular trims are just as essential for curly hair, even if it’s not as easy to see the damage.
WHAT iS THE ONE THiNG EVERY HAiRDRESSER SHOULD DO TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES ON TEXTURED HAiR?
Go on courses, embrace new products that are coming out and test them out on clients or friends. There are plenty of product companies that will come into your business and do an educational day for your team. Also, get yourself a good network of fellow hairdressers. Sit down with them, see what products they’re using, watch their techniques. I’ve got some great friends in the industry and it’s all about sharing knowledge. Other salons aren’t your rivals, they’re your friends.
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