Textured hair education is lacking in Australia, here’s what one stylist is doing about it
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SHARK BEAUTY
Words by Maryel Sousa
“I couldn’t allow my skill set to be the reason somebody couldn’t sit in my chair.”
For all the fashion and beauty strides Australia is known for, embracing textured hair is sadly not one of them. Google ‘textured hair salon Australia’ and you’ll find scores of Reddit posts echoing the same frustration: we have a severe lack of stylists trained to cut, wash and style textured hair. Some share stories about well-meaning (but clearly uneducated) stylists damaging their hair, while others recount outright mistreatment in the salon chair.
Many salons seem to have adopted the attitude that only people with textured hair can ever really understand how to work with it. And while African and First Nations stylists have undeniably led the way in textured hair care, this has largely been a result of the broader industry excluding their hair types.
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Textured hair care should be a core part of the standard curriculum for Australian hair education that has, historically, focused on type one and two hair textures. It’s a point that Alannah Jade, owner of Brisbane-based hair salon Ella&Jade and Shark Beauty ambassador, feels passionately about.
As a stylist with extensive training both in and outside of Australia, Alannah is committed to learning from and with folks with textured hair to deliver an equal experience for all clients. She’s spent the past four years perfecting her team’s approach to textured hair, learning about the best products and tools and creating a welcoming, inclusive space. Here, she shares more about her pursuit of textured hair education and the Shark Beauty tools she swears by for coily and kinky hair types.
Fashion Journal: Hey Alannah! Can you tell us about the gaps you’ve seen in the industry here in Australia that pushed you to build a texture-inclusive space?
Alannah Jade: For me and my brand, it’s always been important to be completely inclusive. It’s one thing to say you’re inclusive but what does that actually mean?
At Ella&Jade, our motto is ‘every human, every hair’. When we really started living by this, it became disturbingly obvious that there were no inclusive salon spaces for people with textured hair to come to, simply because this skill set is not part of the Australian hairdressing curriculum. For me, a stylist first and foremost, I couldn’t allow my skill set to be the reason somebody couldn’t sit in my chair. That was the big driving force for me to push Ella&Jade to become one of Australia’s first texture-inclusive salon hubs.
What kind of training did you pursue to work confidently with textured hair?
Textured hair education is not in our national curriculum, so sourcing education was not easy. In 2021, I sought out professionals who were working with texture and flew my team to them or them to us. From there, we worked on building a strong network [of clients], and have learnt from them and with them about their hair.
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What do you look for in the tools and products you use on textured hair types?
Having the right products and tools to work with curly and coily hair types is essential. It not only enhances results but truly supports your skill set. When it comes to products, I look for those that prioritise scalp health and avoid overloading the cuticle with excessive oils. While oils are beneficial for moisturising and softening afro hair, using the wrong type can lead to buildup, interfere with chemical treatments and make styling more difficult.
For tools, a high-quality diffuser is a must. I need one that offers multiple speed, air and heat settings while helping to minimise frizz. I appreciate brands like Shark Beauty, whose tools are thoughtfully designed to cater to a wide range of hair textures. Its ethos ‘For All HairKind’ really resonates with me – it reflects a genuine commitment to inclusivity and performance, especially for textured hair.
Have you found any specific tools that help you style textured hair more safely?
I can’t go past the Shark FlexStyle with the diffuser attachment for my curly clients. It delivers powerful yet gentle airflow that helps enhance curl definition without compromising hair health, making it a reliable choice for afro and curly hair.
I love how versatile it is with different settings for hair and curl length, and that it’s all designed around no heat damage and high shine! It’s a win-win for the curls.
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Can you walk us through what a visit to Ella&Jade looks like for a client with textured hair?
At Ella&Jade, we offer a consultation before any of our textured services. This helps put the client at ease by allowing them to come in for a non-committal chat with our stylists to see what we’re about. We listen to their hair needs and offer advice and recommendations.
From here, both of my salon spaces are focused on creating an ‘anti-salon’ experience for our guests. We’ve gotten rid of any process that feels clinical or too traditional, and work more with practices that align with health and wellbeing spaces. We don’t have a large reception desk that keeps spaces feeling transactional. We offer a full drinks menu (seasonal cocktails included!) with pastries and cheese boards. We have expanded our service menu to include all texture services, such as steam treatments, afro upstyling, twist-outs and more.
For us, it’s so important that a visit to Ella&Jade is memorable and leaves a lasting impression. For so many people with curly or coily hair, their stories of being mistreated and not heard in salon spaces are all too familiar. We work on a listening-first approach so that all of our guests feel heard, safe and comfortable, not just for one visit but for the long term.
What steps would you recommend other stylists take to become more texture-literate?
Nowadays, there’s a lot more texture-specific education out there. We run educational programs at Ella&Jade to train stylists on all levels on texture. Being open to learning and growing is the first step and from there, seeking out education that feels right is the next. We believe fundamental practices are still best when it comes to learning texture; you’ll be amazed at how much of your skill set transfers over.
Whatever your niche is, make sure that niche reaches all textures. Being a specialist in our industry is the new thing. However, we need to get to a point where that specialty reaches all hair types and textures. For salon owners struggling to find and hire the right team members, offering your stylists space to grow and learn new skills will keep them engaged and motivated, and keep them with you for longer.
Brands like Shark Beauty are helping lead the way by creating tools that support professionals across the board. Its commitment to ‘For All HairKind’ is a reminder that true expertise is inclusive and that innovation should serve the full spectrum of hair textures.
To shop Shark Beauty’s range of no-heat damage hairstyling tools, head here.
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