Last year it was Miss Universe, Zozibini Tunzi’s short hair. This year it’s Miss South Africa 2020, Shudufhadzo Musida’s bald head. It seems that when it comes to beauty, standards are changing, and going natural is finally getting the attention and recognition it deserves. 

Hot off the heels of the launch of its luxurious Boity Haircare range specifically formulated for women with hair types 3 and 4, Halo Heritage conducted a survey among 800 black South Africa women to determine where their natural hair beliefs stem from, who they look to for inspiration, and much more. The aim? To take a closer look at the personal hair journeys of black women in South Africa and celebrate natural black hair in all its glory, as well as the heritage and pride that comes with it.

The natural hair movement seems to have reached fever pitch among South African black women with an overwhelming 84% experimenting with their natural hair along with hairstyles like box braids (76%), weaves (60%), cornrows (59%), dreadlocks (27%) and even completely bald (21%). 

It also seems that long, straight hair is out as over 76% of the sample preferred natural, afro-style locks over weaves (22.3%). That said, afros along with short hair were the most popular go-to looks for naturalistas, with 56% and 29% choosing these cool, chic and effortless hairstyles respectively.

Boity shares, “Your hair is your crown, so you should take care of your hair with products that are packed with goodness. Most importantly, products must be made for your specific hair type and this is something that black women just cannot afford to compromise on. This range of products is exactly that.”