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The best afro and black hair salons in London
By Emma Loffhagen,
3 hours ago
Best afro and black hair salons in London
When it comes to afro hair, finding a hairstylist to meet your needs can be a tricky business.
Despite over two million black people living in the UK and more than 35,000 hair salons, only 302 cater to Afro-Caribbean hair. Clearly there's a very real deficit when it comes to training stylists in textured and afro hair , but there are salons out there to cater to you if you know where to find them.
In light of September 10 marking World Afro Day, we’ve done the legwork for you and picked out some of the best London hairdressers serving sleek wigs, flawless frontals and game-changing expert care. Whether you're a wavy 3a or a coily 4b, we’ve got you covered.
Ama Hair Salon
(Ama Hair Salon)
In the last few years, Ama Hair Salon has developed a reputation in London’s black community — including among the likes of Ncuti Gatwa — as the go-to spot for a quality haircare experience, and it deserves every accolade. Just around the corner from Seven Sisters station, it looks unassuming from the outside, but step inside and you’ll find a hub of laughter, and a flurry of busy fingers at work. Staff are exceptionally friendly, and the salon has a familiar sense of home — they are even known to serve jollof and chicken while you sit under a steamer. Ama herself checks in on every customer, so there is never a sense you are in anything but the most capable hands. Expect to hear Destiny’s Child on repeat, and to leave with the hair of your dreams.
Best for: Braids, cornrows and everything natural hair
If you’re after the very best in the game, look no further than Hair Lounge. The multi award-winning salon is run by afro hair royalty Charlotte Mensah, three-time winner of Afro Hairdresser of the Year. With an 18-year history and clients such as Michaela Coel, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Jourdan Dunn, her salon is a haven of British black girl magic. What makes Charlotte so impressive is her focus on hair care education and maintenance. She even has her own styling range including her famous Manketti Hair Oil.
Best for: Treatments, natural hair styling, hair care education
A new addition to London’s afro hair scene, The Curl Bar is a North London luxury pink oasis to fulfil all your aesthetic dreams. Specialising in natural hair styling and curl definition, the salon prides itself on being a safe space for women to fall in love with their natural coils again. They even offer styling classes for mothers unfamiliar with their children’s afro hair and for women wanting a better understanding of their own curls. The vibe is one of community and sisterhood - you even get a photoshoot at the end of your treatment!
Best for: Natural hair styling, curl definition, the big chop
Nestled in the heart of South London, Peckham Palms is an Afrocentric haven for all things beauty. Home to more than 30 professional stylists providing first class services specialising in natural hair and protective styling, Palms offers braids, weaves, locs, custom wigs and more. And don’t worry about bringing snacks for your six-hour braid installation; the retail space also boasts a diverse range of food and drinks venues to see you through the day.
Best for: Braids, natural hair treatments, sew-ins, wigs
Where? Unit 1-14 Bournemouth Close, Peckham Rye, London SE15 4PB
Located in Selfridges, The Steam Bar is the first afro hair salon to open in a European department store. Founded by Judy Koloko, it is part of a wave of luxury black haircare lines and salons — such as Pattern Beauty by Tracee Ellis Ross, Cécred by Beyoncé, The Curl Bar in north London and This Hair of Mine by session stylist Cyndia Harvey — that deliver a luxury experience to black women and men who have felt underserved. The focus is a holistic approach to haircare, improving the overall health of hair that may have been damaged by years of chemical alteration. The salon’s particular focus is scalp care — what Koloko calls “skin care for the scalp” — and steaming, which allows for maximum absorption of the active ingredients in hair masks.
Best for: Scalp care
Where? Selfridges, 400 Oxford St, London W1A 1AB
Hype Coiffure
Hype Coiffure
Having first opened its doors in 1995 in Balham, Hype is an icon of British afro hairdressing. It has been tending to the manes of black women for more than two decades and is renowned for its expertise in a range of specialised treatments, cutting and styling. The salon has since opened two more locations in Battersea and Brixton, cementing its reputation as one of the country’s highest-quality salons for Afro-Caribbean hair.
Best for: Treatments, treatments and more treatments!
Where? Battersea salon: 186 Lavender Hill, Battersea, London SW11 5TQ ; Brixton salon: 17 Tulse Hill, Brixton, London SW2 2TH
Looking to add a few extra inches to your do? You can’t go wrong with Bléu ribbon, London’s palace of wigs and weaves. They offer high quality sew-in bundles and weaves that promise not to tangle or shed, so no more wasting money on hair that looks amazing for one night only to be ruined the next morning. With clients like Jourdan Dunn and Love Island’s Samira Mighty, they have developed a reputation for the best quality hair and installation service.
Based on one of South London’s busiest high streets, this chic beauty salon is a one-stop-shop for all your curly girl needs. Ranging from bridal beauty to protective styles, there isn’t a service that Her Definition doesn’t provide. It also offers a consultation with one of the many experienced stylists before your appointment to ensure you get the best out of your trip.
Best for: Braids, bridal, weaves, wigs, treatments (the whole lot!)
Where? 135 Streatham High Road, SW16 1HJ
Texture by Floria
(Texture by Floria)
Located in the heart of Brixton, Texture by Floria is the spot for curl expertise. However, unlike some curly salons, they aim to style clients’ hair in a way that is also achievable at home, aka, without hours in front of the mirror or myriad specialist products. In fact, all the products used in store you can buy yourself to use at home, and they deliberately recommend and use affordable products where possible. The salon has also recently introduced Women Only Tuesdays for hijabi and headscarf-wearing women, where they close the blinds and lock the doors for the day to maintain their modesty whilst getting their hair done.
Best for: Curl definition and colour
Where? 191 Stockwell Rd, London SW9 9SJ
3Thirty
(3Thirty Salon)
With over a decade of experience, 3Thirty has established itself as one of the capital’s curly hair pioneer destinations. When founder Tiff J first opened the salon’s doors in 2009, despite only being 25, she had already been working as a hairdresser for 10 years. She was confident that Londoners were crying out for a salon that catered to textured hair. With a rigorous consultation approach to allay nervous customers fears, 3Thirty has built up a dedicated fanbase in its 15 years in the heart of Shoreditch.
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