Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 22, 2025

Egyptian women embrace natural hair in identity revolution

Egyptian women embrace natural hair in identity revolution

Salons and kitchens are hotspots of a change that is sweeping Egypt as women reject European beauty standards and celebrate their hair as it is.
Every time Talaat combs her daughter’s hair, it takes her back her own school years. She was bullied for having the same kinky hair, ruining her teenage life. But she's determined her daughter will have a different experience.

“I was, like, fighting every day for no reason except that I have curly hair in a society that believes in one kind of beauty,” Noha Talaat, a 37-year-old English teacher, told Al-Monitor.

As a girl with dark skin and kinky hair in a society that embraces European beauty standards, Talaat used to hear people describe her as a “house maid” when she was just 13 years old. Her colleagues would also bully and reject her.

“I tried hundreds of methods and products to straighten my hair to avoid bullying, but the result was that I got depressed and I damaged my hair. I don’t want my daughter to suffer like me,” said Talaat. She found refuge in emerging online platforms that offer help on how to take care of her natural hair.

Although this hair type is common among Middle Eastern people, Egyptians with it are often regarded as inferior. The discrimination pushes many people, especially women, to straighten their hair using heat and chemical treatments and to even cover it with wigs.

Last year, CAPMAS estimated the value of Egypt’s imports of wigs, mostly from China, at 3 million Egyptian pounds (about $181,000), or about 7.5% of Egypt’s total imports from China during the first quarter of 2019.

But a new movement has emerged as women, beauty salons and online platforms have revolt against the norms. They sought and offered services and advice for taking care of their natural curly hair.

There are now many groups and social media pages like Curly Hair Egypt, which offers advice and fights discrimination. Egyptian Curls offers reviews on relevant hair products, The Hair addict sells appropriate products and The Curly Studio is a hairdresser dedicated to curly hair.

Sara Safwat, founder of The Curly Studio, is a pioneer of the natural hair movement in Egypt. She opened her salon three years ago.

“Curly hair is an identity for us. … About 80% of us have curly or wavy hair. But this identity has been obliterated or became indistinct as many people have sought straight hair,” Safwat told Al-Monitor.

Safwat established her studio because she didn’t find anyone to help her take care of her own hair.

“My mother never urged me to straighten my hair. I grew up loving my hair. But I faced bullying in the street. Surprisingly, it was by women,” she said.

“When I was 12 years old, I used to go to school by subway. I was thin with thick, long, curly hair. Women used to stare at me and speak about me as if I were odd. So I decided never to take the women-only subway car and take the mixed one instead. I chose to ride in the mixed car and to be anxious of harassment, to escape the bullying and curious eyes,” she explained.

The natural hair movement started about three years ago. After Safwat opened her hair studio, other groups and hairdressers emerged along the same path, revolting against societal beauty standards. Together they urged more women to accept their natural hair and to feel confident.

“When we go to any European or American county with our curly hair, people stop us in the street to ask us how we do our hair. It’s our special feature so we should take care of it,” Safwat said.

“I feel that now, with the help of many guiding groups and natural products, that the beauty standards have changed. More women are wearing their hair curly and this encourages other women to go natural,” Safwat added.

Men also face bullying for their hair.

“We don’t care about people’s opinion much, but sometimes it hurts when you are called ‘the guy with the messy hair.’ They don’t understand that it’s natural, they always feel it’s carelessness by me,” recent university graduate Hassan Mohamed told Al-Monitor.

“I joined some online groups for curly hair because I want to help spread awareness about us. We need people to accept us,” he added.

But some mothers still urge their daughters to straighten their hair.

“Beauty standards are planted in women’s minds since childhood. And as life standards change from place to place, culture also changes. Communities with less education and understanding often bully others [over their] curly hair. But these cases have decreased. Now I receive mothers who come to me with their daughters asking me to take care of their curly hair,” Safwat explained.

Many young women, even brides, are wearing their hair naturally on formal occasions without a hint of shyness.

“I think that natural hair is my identity. You need to accept your natural hair as it is, just like you have to accept your name, your skin color or anything else that identifies you,” university student Wesal Aboelsoued told Al-Monitor.

Aboelsoued joined many curly hair groups and learned a healthy hair routine that avoids damaging heat treatments.

“I love the movement as I don't want to live my whole life with hair that's not mine,” she told Al-Monitor. “It's not just about the curly hair, it’s about accepting yourself and the people around you - and even if you still can't accept them, at least be nice,” she added.

For Safwat, Aboelsoued and many other women and men, the natural hair movement is about more than hair care. It promotes self-acceptance.

“Our aim is to help every woman feel and say ‘I love myself, I accept myself, I won’t change the real me for anything or anyone.’ Wearing your hair natural definitely boosts your self-confidence; don’t settle for less,” Safwat said.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Black Box Recovered from Air India Crash Site
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
×