I firmly believe that we can create the life of our dreams.
I’m currently living and creating my dream life (and I feel a little “conceited” - for lack of a better word saying so - but its true. I love my life. And it’s pretty fair for me to say that it keeps on getting better because I have worked out some of the “kinks” (hahaha – joke) literally and figuratively of being a black woman living abroad.
Ladies and gentlemen, yep, I have figured out my hair! How to keep it up and maintain it, at least when I’m not being lazy and/or unorganized.
Chances are that if you’re reading this post, then you’re a black girl and you know why this post is so important. You know whenever we travel there’s the issue of “Okay, but what am I going to do with my hair?” And the panic that sets in when you realize you’re going to be away from your go to hair lady for longer than 1.5-2 months, you know the average amount of time you have leave braids in your hair before it starts to dread.
If you’re not a black girl, and are still reading this post let me explain a little longer. I have really curly hair. You know that hair you see on black men, that’s what my hair looks like if I don’t do anything at all, provided I keep it super short.
I know that statement seems odd, but I realize, especially up until recently (with the whole natural hair movement) white people (or I guess people with straighter hair types just thought our hair came out of our hairs like theirs. After all, almost all of the major black female figures in society (think my much loved Oprah, Michelle Obama, Beyonce) have their hair is some sort of heat/chemically treated straight version of their God given curls.
If you’re one of my straight/wavy hair friends and want to learn more about the topic check out “Good Hair” a documentary with Chris Rock or you can check out a website like Curl Fest to learn more about the natural hair movement.
Now, back to my curly hair sisters. I know you really didn’t give it much thought until you decided to travel extensively or move abroad. And now you find yourself searching the internet late at night in desperation because you’re tired of going out looking “JACKED”.
Black / African / Curly Hair Salons in Milan
That’s where I come in. After years of being in Italy, and specifically Milan, I have tried countless hair dressers. A few of them were just average others absolutely horrible… Like that time the lady left my relaxer in too long (or maybe she just didn’t put in enough neutralizer in my hair, whatever the reason) and over the next two - three weeks ¾ of my hair fell out in clumps.
That’s when I found Anna and her salon, walking down a side street near to Stazione Centrale (Milan’s Central Railway Station). I think that was back in 2006, or something like that. She shaved my head that day. But once it grew back in enough, she became my go to girl for hair extensions. For years she has asked me when I’m going to let her put another relaxer in my hair. I have always refused. My hair has remained natural since that day. But like I said sometimes I wear straight extensions.
Anna currently does in home visits, meaning she’ll come to your home (and travel in and outside of Italy) to do your hair. You can reach her at +39 320 915 0915. She speaks English and Italian. Tell her you found out about her from me. - Oh and she also does braids and dreads…
Braids. Now, during the summer its basically too hot for me to wear a “sew in”. Or you know, it’s just not practical if I’m planning on spending lots of time on the beach. So then you’ll either see me with my ‘fro or in braids. There are a few hair salons around the Porta Venezia area of Milan, that will do your braids for you. The men and women that run and work in these salons tend to be of African (Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Nigerian origin and/or descent). I’ve been quoted from around 30€ for a simple corn row to around 200€ for box braids. But for braids, I usually just have my friend Kiki do it for me. You can check out her Instagram account here.
I’ve also visited R&C Head Spa. This is a super cute salon near to Parco Solari. One of the guys that works there Veeshal (“V” for short) is from Mauritius but of Indian decent. It just so turns out that he loves black/curly hair. He absolutely hates it when I put in extensions. He did once style my hair with these little gel type twists. That I have to say were super cute. My dear Brazilian girlfriend, with more of a 3C hair type frequently goes there for her blow outs.
I love Riccio (which literally means “I love Curls”) is a hair salon near to Stazione Centrale that specializes in, you guessed it, curly hair. I’ve never been, but my Brazilian 3C friend went once and enjoyed it. From what she told me, I gather it’s a bit of an “experience” that comes with slightly premium prices. They have special treatments and serve special drinks while you get your hair. I have seen a Black Italian blogger with 4C curly type review the salon, and said she was quite happy with it.
Reina Gomez. Full disclosure, this is another hair dresser I’ve never been to but I follow her online. From the before and after pictures I’ve seen, she specializes in what I’m going to call Italian type curls and loose curls (3C), and seems like she does a pretty good job. I don’t particularly loved the before and after images of 4C girls, but you guys be the judge of that. I do however love the fact that she is “repping” natural hair, even hosting natural hair workshops.
https://www.facebook.com/ReinaGomezRG/
Men
I have a beautiful chocolate brown friend, that has hair that is like 99% of the time on point.
These are the hair salons he goes to. Hair Fashion is where he gets his hair braided. He says they do both men and women. La Piccola Corte is where he gets his hair cut. His barber is Leo, a guy from Cuba. https://www.facebook.com/lapiccolacorteparrucchieri/
Black/Curly Hair Supplies
We know that getting our black hair supplies is almost just as important as getting your hair done. Especially if you’re talented and can do your own hair.
Continental Market is a Chinese/Asian market about 5-10 minutes by foot from Stazione Centrale. It sells a little bit of everything, from frozen whole fish to lots of black/curly hair products. I recently sent my hubby there to pick up extension for my box braids, and he was totally tripping out. I mean, in my mind there’s nothing that odd about the combo, but it was one of those “experiences” that he finds very memorable. Anyways, besides braiding hair they also carry hair relaxers, pink lotion, hair gels etc. Via Napo Torriani 22
Black/Curly Hair Products Online
Just Add
Mesha is the brain child behind “just add…” a line of 100% natural hair care products handmade in Italy with love. Her products are based around the simple philosophy of just adding water for her all natural hair mask, wash, leave in… She makes them with ingredients like aloe vera, coconut milk, rose buds etc. So much so that I challenge you all to find a hair care product line more natural than this one. Another thing I love about her products? Being in dry and/or powder form you never have to worry about liquid requirements when wanting to take them with you while flying. https://www.justaddnatural.com
Afro Ricci
This is another line of products made for black/curly hair. I don’t quite remember how I found them, I just know it was years and years ago, which means they are still around, and from looking at the website now, it looks like they have grown significantly. The products are
Afro Ricci: https://www.afroricci.com/it/
Wigs
Tia Taylor is a lovely young American and YouTube personality with around 300,000 followers, that I personally consider a friend. I love her wigs. Check out her videos where she frequently shares what brand/brands she’s using and what she thinks about it. https://www.youtube.com/user/tiataylormakeup/
Hair Extensions
Luxury Hair by Ruthy Milano
Ruth Ibeawuchi aka “Ruthy Milano” is a lovely Nigerian woman based in Milan. She sells luxury wigs and weaves directly from her Instagram account. https://www.instagram.com/luxuryhairbyruthymilano/
That’s it guys and gals. This is my list of places to visit for your black and curly hair needs in Milan, Italy.
If you have any questions feel free to write me a comment below or send me an email directly using my contact form.
xoxo,
Thea
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PS. I’ve had a few bad experiences at salons I have not listed here, which is why they aren’t listed here, not even to say anything negative… If you’re thinking about a place I haven’t listed here, feel free to write me. I’ll let you know my experience, if I have had any there.
PPS. Now the cute, straight hair girl that occasionally helps me write my posts says I should explain why this is so important and relevant, and to put it briefly and concisely, there are very few black women in Milan and Italy as a whole. When I first arrived to Milan in 2005, I could literally go days with out seeing a curly hair sister. And that is/was Milan, can you imagine in smaller cities and towns?!?! Before living in Milan, I lived in a university town outside of Rome called L’Aquila, back then I could go days without seeing another person with chocolate brown skin like me.
Since then things have changed a bit, there are more of us, but it’s still not something I would call “a lot” like in countries that had colonies like England and France. And so with few black women in general there are less places that know/knew how to cater to our specific hair type.
But that’s changing in so many ways for the better.
