So, it’s no surprise that Black women spend a considerable amount of time in these shops, and despite the fact that these spaces are meant to cater to us, we don’t feel safe in them.

Daniella Richardsons, a 26-year-old architect from London, often feels like she’s being watched or monitored in her local hair shop. “Unfortunately as I’m Black I’m used to being followed around in other shops, but being followed in a hair shop is a common experience,” she tells Stylist. “Even if you’re in your local shop where they’re familiar with your face.”

“It’s even more frustrating because, unlike other beauty or health shops, you can’t really ask for product suggestions as the people who work in the shops don’t know much about Black hair or the products they sell,” she adds.

This is why 27-year-old product manager Esther Fisayo from Birmingham avoids shopping at hair shops. “The feeling of being treated like a criminal just doesn’t scream customer service to me,” Fisayo explains. “But, if I need to buy a few packets of hair, I make sure I’m in and out as quickly as possible.”

Jaqi Loye-Brown is a novelist and poet in her mid-50s, and she’s been spending money on hair products for over 40 years. “I remember when the Americans dropped the Curly Perm products in the 1980s, from then on I’ve witnessed the fast growth of the Black hair industry,” Loye-Brown says. “None of these stores – from Birmingham to London or beyond – has assisted me with product advice since 1982. It’s insulting when I spend so much money gambling on the look of a product label.”

“Black women feel unsafe in hair shops, and even more so now”