It has been a hot hour for curls in Egypt. Everyone wants to rock the natural bouncy look now. While in the past curls were brushed out and tamed into slick buns and braids, they are bolder and freer now more than ever in the streets of Cairo. Until now, the products in the market appealed to the global community, but Egyptian women have different curls than most products catered to. Egyptian curls are a middle ground of waves and texture. This posed a difficulty to people trying to wear their hair curly in the past, the products would be too thick and heavy, and we didn’t know what to do with them.
Over the past few years, the curly hair community has grown steadily. At first, the hype around wearing your curls naturally was very little, with the occasional influencer or model giving the look a go. But then slowly, more and more local brands started coming forth with products catering to the look. The market grew as the movement gained more attention, both by influencers and brands.
THE CURLY HAIR HUB CHANGING THE GAME: THE HAIR ADDICT
The Hair Addict was one of the first curly hair hubs in Egypt. Starting as a movement in 2016 by founder & CEO Doaa Gawish. The goal was to encourage woman to embrace their natural hair and to offer a sense of community. The founder reflects on her own experience with her hair, “While growing up I didn’t perceive it like I was being pushed to do anything, it’s the normal thing to do (to straighten my hair). I used to perceive it as a treat. It was only after I discovered the other ways to do my hair that I discovered it wasn’t a treat. It was like being in an abusive relationship where I didn’t realize there was anything wrong until I was out of it.”
“I think what really helped the movement was that a lot of public figures worldwide started to wear their natural and textured hair,” Gawish tells us “It made it hip. Women started feeling like they looked younger and cooler wearing their hair natural.”
Later, Gawish founded The Hair Addict as a brand. For the first time in Egypt, products for textured hair were easily accessible. What The Hair Addict does that makes them stand out is that they both offer their products and other brands’ products on their website. They have created an identity that allows you to think of them immediately when you need anything for your hair and dubbed themselves the “first people-powered natural hair platform”, for good reason.
If the accessibility and inclusion weren’t enough, The Hair Addict came for our eco-conscious hearts by being 100% cruelty-free.
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FROM THE GROUND TO YOUR HAIR: RAW AFRICAN
The new-found hunt for more naturally sourced products the world is experiencing does not fall short at hair. More and more, we are witnessing a shift to less chemically produced substances to incorporate into our lives.
Raw African is one of the hair and skin-care brands that has made this its sole purpose. The cruelty-free brand has quickly become a fan favorite and a curly hair staple.
In a region that is so rich in natural materials, Raw African is an intentional stride in the right direction of using those materials. The brand’s natural formulas and earthly brand identity set it apart as a perfect choice for vegan lovers.
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CLEAN & CONSCIOUS HAIR CARE: EARTH BATH
Earth Bath is a hair care brand for your entire family, with a product range that serves both children and adults. The brand’s entrance into the market was swift and simple: with their gorgeous packaging and their thicker-than-most formulas, they found their way onto our shelves.
With their fragrant formulas that smell of poignant fruit, Earth Bath feels like true food for the hair. The brand’s clean and fresh feel has been a fan favorite since its launch and remains one of the most unique aspects.
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LOCKED INTO OUR HEARTS: LOCKEN
Locken is the hair & skincare brand that took our hearts by a strong storm. First launched by actress and singer Hana Ghoneim and partner Mayar Soliman, the brand’s unified blue and white branding paired with its heavy formulas left a mark on the curly hair community.
“People were not aware of the potential of their curls and how certain ingredients can bring out the best in their hair. Along with all the other hair types, one of our main goals was to provide a curl definition cream for people to nourish their hair and define their natural curls and waves to bring them to life,” The founders, Hana & Mayar, tell us. “Our first product ever was the curl definition cream because we felt that it was the most lacking product in the Egyptian market, and the good products were inaccessible due to how expensive they were. This has helped us over time build a community filled with many curly heads proud to be able to finally express their curls!”
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JOYOUS & NEW: JOVIALITY
Joviality was a stepping stone in pioneering local Egyptian cosmetics. When it first launched there weren’t half as many local cosmetics brands on the horizon. Joviality was an introduction to locally produced products, and it led the way for a lot of smaller brands. The brand’s diversity and bandwidth gave it an edge and a uniqueness we had never seen before.
From skin to hair and nail care, Joviality has not left a box unchecked. Their creative product concepts and gradient pastel packaging took our hearts and kept them.
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HAIRCUTS & SWEETNESS: THE CURLY STUDIO
As the first specialized hair salon in Egypt, The Curly Studio is the hair studio for all your curly hair needs. It offers hair styling, consultation, hair cuts, and treatments. It was founded in 2018 by founder Sara Safwat and co-founder Rola Amer and offers a high-end luxury salon experience for curly-haired folks for the first time in Egypt.
The studio also offers bridal services for curly-haired brides looking to keep their natural hair on the big day. Which is a bold celebration of curls in and of itself.
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