M: For a long time, it has been seen that black beauty has got to be this big expensive process. Do you think now that we’re starting to realise that we don’t need to put in that level of extra because we’re good as we are?

F: Exactly! But it’s also in the product offering. For so long the market has been really poorly catered for so we had to come up with our own techniques: black hair styling is very much DIY. If you look at the YouTube tutorials it’s all about how to do this, how to do that on your own hair, how to install your hair yourself, how to create your own concoctions etc.

I felt like a fraud because I’m so bad with hair and then I thought, I’m the best person to do this because I’m so clueless that I’m going to make hair that is actually easy. Black women have created easier products for us and that’s definitely going to affect the behaviour that we have around hair in the long term. I think we’re definitely at a changing point.

M: What are your three favourite hairstyles?

F: I love the big full-on afro. My second go-to style is a high and big head wrap. I think it’s just so beautiful and brings your facial features out . Plus it’s a good way to bring another colourful scarf in your outfit. And my third favourite style is straighter but kind of still permed and curled like in a short bob - more glam but still it looks natural.

M: And what are your top products, for detangling, hydrating, and styling?

F: For detangling, I recently discovered Dizziak and I love it, the deep conditioner is amazing, that’s really good to detangle your hair. When it comes to hydrating, I really love the Charlotte Mensah Manketti oil. For styling, I’ll still use oil, but Jim + Henry do a good leave-in conditioner that you can use to style.

Shop Freddie’s favourite products below:

How embracing her afro led Freddie Harrel to shake up the hair industry