Los Angeles is a sprawling Southern California city and the centre of the nation’s film and television industry. Near its iconic Hollywood sign, studios such as Paramount Pictures, Universal and Warner Brothers offer behind-the-scenes tours. On Hollywood Boulevard, TCL Chinese Theatre displays celebrities’ hands and footprints, the Walk of Fame honours thousands of luminaries. Working with hair, no matter the texture can be challenging, as depicted in the Oscar-nominated animated short film Hair Love (which has received 14 million views on YouTube) it shows the issues an African American father encounters while doing his daughter’s hair. Hair Love, in essence, is about loving your hair and yourself. The story also contains a message about love and labour between a family, as the father works hard to do his daughter’s hair. Wherein both father and daughter rush to see their wife and mother in the hospital and make her feel better.
Los Angeles has hot hair salons that specialize in natural hair along the state of all black women including those in the entertainment industry. Here are 10 professional hair salons with expertise in Afro hair.
1. Batia & Aleeza
Batia & Aleeza are two sisters who have been working together for over 35 years as hairdressers in California. They’re passionate about curly hair and their speciality is cutting and styling. They also carry their own haircare line and clients rave about their amazing experience of receiving the best haircut of their life!
2. I Love Lulu
I Love Lulu is a relaxed environment where you can communicate with stylists even if you don’t know all the fancy natural hair terminology. Start your session by choosing a treatment from their adorable menu. Their approach is “scalp health first then hair,” which includes in-house, all-natural treatments infused over 30 minutes under a hair steamer. Book an appointment for everything from the big chop to taking off chemically processed hair to a blow-dry and flat iron. There’s the “Grow N’ Thin No Mo” for growth and thickness, the “Darned Ruff” herbs to treat a flaky scalp, and that’s only the beginning. Choose a marshmallow infusion to treat knots, a sugar and aloe scalp exfoliator, a pure oxygen treatment, or “Spoiled,” a mix of 7 herbs and oils for pure pampering. (Bonus: this salon is “tenderhead” friendly, even if you have a thick, tangled ‘fro.) Celebrity Clientele: Ava DuVernay, Rutina Wesley, Angela Bassett, Crystal Fox, Solange Knowles.
3. Capella Salon
Capella Salon is a must-visit for every curly-headed human. Shai, the curly hair doctor has revolutionized curly hair care in Southern California. And many people flock from afar to sit in his chair or to have their hair done by the myriad of other talented people that take care of each curl on every single head they see. Have you heard of “The Curl Doctor?” He’s Shai Amiel, the man behind Tia Mowry’s big chop and Yara Shahidi’s curls on black·ish. If you’re not already following The Curl Doctor on Instagram, you should be. Shai’s cuts, transformations, and hair rescues are more than worthy of a double-tap. It’s not all trims and cuts over at Capella, the salon also offers a full range of colour services, braid styles and wedding updos. Dedicated to offering superior services for hair and skin of all types, Capella, has twice been named the top salon in the city by The L.A. Rehab.
4. Rehab Hair Salon
Rehab Salon is Hollywood’s premier boutique salon that specializes in Wavy, Curly, and Kinky hair. Their experienced stylists are dedicated to providing stylish, attractive and low maintenance hairstyles for men and women. Rehab Hair Salon offers services for natural hair, haircuts, roller sets, loc maintenance, twist outs, flat iron and much more. The work on all hair textures: Braids, Twists, Weaves, Dreadlocks, Extensions, Cuts, Color, Healthy Hair Maintenance. They take the time to not only get to know the clients but more importantly to know their hair. They focus on hair texture and even provide sound advice to improve your hair health. The prices are well within any budget and the attention to the styling of hair is immaculate and can never be replicated. If you are new to LA and trying to find a stylist has been difficult. Allow Nikki to do your hair, you’ll feel like a new woman. She is quick, professional and caters to your requests.
5. Wright Hair Salon
At Wright Hair Salon it is all about healthy hair meaning: strong, long, bouncy, elastic, beautiful hair with a natural shine/glow, 7. Wright, a two-time Emmy award-winning stylist for The Tyra Banks show in 2005 and 2006, specializes in hair that is transitioning from relaxed to natural and offers colour treatments, cuts and styling of all textures. Celebrity Clientele: Laverne Cox, Ciara, Tyra Banks, Gabrielle Union, Nia Long, Jennifer Hudson, Sanaa Lathan.
6. Giwa
Giwa, is a master braider to men, women and children. According to her, every hairstylist should be versatile in dealing with the different textures of hair and individuals that feel confident should provide services for African American talent. She adds, “When I see or do black hair, I always ask myself, ‘What story does she [or he] want to tell today?’ Black hair is unpredictable, diverse, versatile, strong and evolving. Celebrity Clientele: Solange Knowles, Ashley Blaine Featherson, Justine Skye.
7. Jama Hair Studio
Jama Hair Studio is also a beauty college offering education for stylists. Jama Hair Studio is located in Woodland Hills. The owner of Jama Hair salon is Jama Williams. Her goal for Jama Hair Studio is to pamper her clients from head to toe and to bring out their individual natural beauty. Jama’s Hair Studio services include two-strand twist, sister locs, coil sculpting, extensions, wig styling, roller sets, layered cut and much more. In Hollywood, black actors can’t always count on adequate professional hair services on TV and movie sets. Circumstances like these, along with the continued disfavoring of certain hairstyles in workplaces across California, led to the passing of the Crown Act, a state law which went into effect Jan. 1, 2020. It prohibits discrimination based on a hairstyle or texture in a professional environment.
The sponsor of the bill, State Sen. Holly Mitchell, tells The Hollywood Reporter, “I wore braids in high school in the ’80s without backlash. Working with hair, no matter the texture, can be challenging, as depicted in the Oscar-nominated animated short film Hair Love (which has received 14 million views on YouTube), produced by Matthew A. Cherry and Karen Toliver (executive vp creative at Sony Pictures Animation). Started as a Kickstarter campaign in 2017, it shows the issues an African American father encounters while doing his daughter’s hair. In honor of Black History Month and Hair Love’s Academy Award nomination, here is a list of L.A.’s hottest salons that specialize in natural hair along with their owners’ viewpoints on the state of black hair in the entertainment industry. Several hairstylists say their star clients often visit them before call time to prevent the awkwardness of potentially sitting in a chair and being worked on by unskilled hands. Dr. Williams provides styling and care for natural hair while focusing on its health.
I Love Lulu’s Hair Spa advertises its approach as “scalp health first then hair,” which includes in-house, all-natural treatments infused over 30 minutes under a hair steamer. Their clients visit for everything from the big chop to taking off chemically processed hair to a blow dry and flat iron. Curl master Shai, whose experience includes proficiency with all textures, says “Natural hair is very tricky because it can’t be styled as quickly as straight hair. It takes a lot longer to wash, detangle and style. 1250 N. La Brea Ave. Lee, who excels at spiral sets, soft braids and dread maintenance, says actresses feel a “sense of relief” when she’s hired on sets. Lee adds that the attention Hair Love is receiving “will inspire children, parents, writers, directors and people all over the world. Black hair is an identity, it’s versatile and can be expressive at times. Olamide “Lami” K. A version of this story first appeared in the Feb. 5 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.
- Avowed experts on natural textures
- Inclusive services for all hair textures
- Celebrity clientele and educational backgrounds
In Hollywood, the Crown Act protects against discrimination based on hairstyle or texture, reflecting the ongoing conversation about black hair in entertainment and workplaces. The short film Hair Love highlights the real-life challenges and pride connected with caring for natural hair, resonating with stylists and clients across Los Angeles. The landscape of LA salons demonstrates how specialists in Afro hair blend health, aesthetics, and artistry to support Black talent on screen and on set.
