Charlotte Mensah, the first Black woman inducted into the British Hairdressing Hall of Fame, once turned her kitchen into a laboratory to develop products for her clients. Raised in her grandparent's Ghanian compound, Charlotte was exposed to her grandmother’s boundless creativity and her grandfather’s corporate acumen. Unsurprisingly, she harnessed their wisdom and built an award-winning career in beauty that spans decades. In our conversation, Charlotte talked about her path to opening Hair Lounge, London’s premier afro texture-focused salon since 1999. From defending herself against racist bullies to using hair styling to grieve the loss of her mother, Charlotte’s incredible journey revealed that for her, hair was never just about beautification.
Tune in as we discuss:
- Her favorite Ghanian beauty practices and tools
- How two decades of consistency have given her envious hair and skin
- The fundamentals of healthy hair and why it all starts with the scalp
- Hair threading as a practice that illuminates West African traditions
- Why embracing our natural edges is imperative to our overall hair health
Products Mentioned:
Chantecaille Rice and Geranium Foaming Cleanser
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Thanks for all the love and support. Tag me while you’re listening @nakedbeautyplanet & as always love to hear your thoughts :)
Check out nakedbeautypodcast.com for all previous episodes & search episodes by topic
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Stay in touch with me: @brookedevard
Follow Charlotte: @charlottemensah
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