For too long, textured hair has been marginalized in beauty education — taught as a specialty rather than a standard. This has left an entire market completely underserved, with stylists not having any hands-on experience with wavy, curly or coily hair and clients struggling to find a professional properly equipped to care for their hair type.
Now, the tides are turning, and industry pros are stepping up to the table to rewrite the narrative by leading initiatives that don't just teach texture — they honor it. Their mission is clear: to make textured hair education inclusive, equitable and foundational in every salon and cosmetology school across the country. Here's how these pros are doing just that.
Learning Texture: From Necessity to Mastery
For many professionals, textured hair education wasn’t part of their initial training— it was something they had to learn on their own.
“I learned to work with hair in its natural state the same way many of us did —when clients demanded it,” says Texture vs. Race Founder Keya Neal. “The natural hair movement forced me to unlearn years of training focused solely on relaxing and pressing texture. That’s when I discovered the beauty of working with hair as it actually grows out of the head.”
For Naeemah LaFond, Olaplex Global Ambassador and founder of Texture On Set, the learning process was rooted in both culture and community.
“Working with textured hair was a part of my everyday life before it ever became part of my career. I grew up surrounded by women with textured hair, learning through lived experience long before stepping into a salon,” she says. “My professional training began in Brooklyn, where I assisted at a neighborhood salon. The owner, a master in her craft, took me under her wing and introduced me to foundational techniques, including how to work with a Marcel stove.”
These formative experiences not only shaped their artistry — they inspired movements.
Taking the Leap to Texture Education
The leap from learning to teaching came naturally for Neal.
“I was always an educator,” she shares. “When I realized there was a severe gap in texture education, I knew something had to change. The segregation of our industry and the bastardizing of texture needed to be addressed and course corrected.”
LaFond’s path to education was similarly purpose-driven.
"During my decade-long role as Global Artistic Director of amika, I was intentional about including techniques like silk presses, twist outs and wash-and-go’s in our salon training programs," she says. "At the time, it felt like a bold move, but I knew then what many are realizing now. Education around textured hair is not optional. It's essential. I wasn’t just updating a curriculum. I was building a new standard."
April Holt, Group Vice President of Stores at Cosmo Prof Beauty, shares the distributor put a priority on textured hair education after many stylists shared they didn’t feel prepared to work with textured hair due to gaps in their foundational education.
"At Cosmo Prof, we believe it’s our responsibility to help close that education gap," she explains. "By prioritizing texture education across our stores and platforms, we ensure that every stylist has access to the tools, knowledge and support they need to serve a diverse clientele. It’s not just about inclusion, it’s about empowering professionals, building trust and driving long-term growth for the industry."
Changing the Game: Texture Education Initiatives
These industry pros are transforming texture education from the ground up with their initiatives.
An educational platform with a corresponding yearly summit, Neal's Texture vs. Race focuses on redefining how hair pros are taught about texture.
"We were asked to teach 'Black hair,' and that language itself revealed the problem," she says. "Hair isn't defined by race; it's defined by structure. TVR became a movement because we dared to teach texture through art and science rather than racial segregation. When you understand hair as fabric, not race, everything changes."
LaFond's Texture on Set was sparked by a viral post she shared about the lack of support for Black hairstylists in the fashion and beauty industries. What followed was bigger than she could have ever imagined.
"Texture On Set is a groundbreaking professional event that prioritizes textured hair education in fashion and beauty spaces," she explains. "It redefines industry expectations and centers textured hair as an essential part of artistry, not a side note. It’s where purpose meets innovation and where community and culture shape the future."
Cosmo Prof prides itself on taking a multi-channel approach to texture education through in-person and online opportunities. The distributor, however, is most known for its yearly World of Texture event. The virtual, live event features multiple sessions throughout the day dedicated to textured hair education.
"We’re making it easier for professionals to learn from the comfort of their salon or home, without the added cost or time commitment of traveling. For many new stylists, those expenses aren’t in the budget, so accessibility is key," Holt says. "We also offer free live virtual classes through Cosmo Prof Institute, led by top brands and educators, along with an extensive library of on-demand content for flexible learning. We’re also committed to bringing education directly into local communities through in-person, in-store classes offered across all markets, not just major cities. This ensures that stylists everywhere, regardless of location, have meaningful opportunities to build their confidence and skill set in working with textured hair."
Milestones and Momentum
As the demand for texture education grows, each of the initiatives, and the creators behind them, have experienced major milestones.
Neal's work on her Texture vs. Race Summit, which provides attendees with texturally-inclusive cut, color, and styling education, DEI coaching and connection/networking opportunities with participating beauty brands, earned her a NAHA for Educator of the Year in 2024.
"I have seen some progress being made in making room for more Black artists educating and more texture education being included in core curriculums from big beauty brand, as well as more diverse representation in marketing. There has also been some effort to expand the beauty school curriculum to include more on texture," she adds.
Going forward, Neal wants to revisit the format for future Texture vs. Race Summits, creating a more concentrated version of the event to meet the needs of those who live a diverse lifestyle.
LaFond shares that she's proud major beauty brands joined her to support textured hair education through Texture On Set.
"The most meaningful progress has been the collective acknowledgment that education around texture is vital. Artists are stepping up. Brands are tuning in. And the conversation is finally shifting in a real and lasting way," she adds.
This is also something Holt echoes, saying, "We’re seeing a true cultural shift, stylists are showing up, asking for more and expanding their service menus with confidence. Attendance is growing, engagement is strong and salons are prioritizing inclusivity. That kind of progress is powerful."
LaFond plans to keep growing Texture on Set, while staying rooted in its original purpose: to elevate, educate and make sure that the beauty industry continues moving forward in a way that truly honors textured hair.
Get Involved + Resources
The best way to advance texture education is to get involved!
For those who are interested in pushing the needle forward with texture education, you can engage with Texture vs Race through coaching and attending the events and retreats centered around the inclusive experience. To learn more about the initiative, you can follow its Instagram page and visit its website.
Neal also advises hair pros research and connect with anyone they think they can learn from, whether that be a neighboring stylist, educator or brand.
Tickets for Texture On Set 2026 will go on sale later this year. LaFond says there is plenty to look forward to and encourages pros to attend.
"The last event was a packed house filled with powerful energy and unforgettable education. Whether you’re returning or joining us for the first time, you’ll be stepping into something special. This is more than an event. It’s a cultural reset," she says.
LaFond similarly encourages stylists to seek out leaders in the textured hair space who truly understand the craft, take one-on-one classes and attend immersive workshops.
Cosmo Prof plans to host its World of Texture event again next year. Dates will be announced at Color the World in October.
"We partnered with top textured hair educators, brands and DEI advocates to build something meaningful. The result is a robust program that offers hands-on learning, product knowledge and business insights tailored for servicing clients with textured hair. Stylists can expect real education with real results," Holt says of the event.
Texture Hair in Cosmetology Schools
The best way to ensure texture education is accessible is by starting in cosmetology schools. Traditionally, stylists are not taught to work with wavy, curly, coily or kinky hair. If they are, it's treated as an elective, rather than a standard.
"Without mandatory curriculum changes at the state level, textured hair education will remain optional for too many. We need to push for systemic change so every stylist graduates fully equipped," LaFond says.
This is something that L'Oreal's TEXTURE OF CHANGE is looking the shift. The movement is committed to transforming the future of professional beauty through equitable access to textured hair education for students and stylists.
"I joined L’Oréal, nearly 10 years ago because it is a company that has long stood for driving inclusivity in the beauty industry. In the Professional Products Division (PPD), we saw a disconnect in the professional beauty market when it came to hairstylists understanding, caring for and confidently working with all hair types, particularly textured hair," explains Erica Roberson, Founder of Texture of Change and Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Professional Products Division at L’Oréal USA. "That realization deepened when I came across a statistic showing that nearly 65% of the population identifies as having textured hair, yet textured hair wasn’t being taught in most beauty schools. That’s what ultimately sparked our L’Oréal PPD brands coming together to launch THE TEXTURE OF CHANGE with a goal to close this gap."
As part of its endeavors, L’Oréal brands have introduced texture-inclusive education offerings to upskill students and stylists across the country, including a Texture Mastery program which support cosmetology schools by integrating texture hair education into their curriculums.
L’Oréal has also partnered with the Professional Beauty Association to form the Texture Education Collective to advocate for legislation across the country that not only mandates textured hair education in cosmetology school curricula but also makes it a requirement for licensing.
"We’re working to ensure that educators are equipped with the knowledge and tools to properly train future stylists, so that every client, regardless of hair type, gets the care they deserve," Roberson adds.
Through their endeavors, texture education legislation has been passed in eight states – New York, California, Minnesota, Connecticut, Louisiana, Washington, Vermont and Maine – requiring the inclusion of textured hair education in all cosmetology schools and as part of state board licensing exams.
Breaking Down Barriers and Creating Truly Inclusive Education
So, what does truly inclusive textured hair education look like? What barriers still need to be broken down?
Neal puts it bluntly — a cultural shift is needed if we are going to progress.
"Until we see Black people's humanity first, we'll keep treating their hair as an object to be solved rather than understood. The biggest barrier isn't technical — it's the heart and mind shift needed to see texture as a natural fabric, not race of people," she says.
Holt says inclusive education starts with integration, embedding textured hair education alongside other hair types, adding, "It’s taught by diverse educators, using diverse models and delivered in accessible formats. True inclusion also requires cultural competency, helping stylists understand not just the techniques, but the significance textured hair holds for many clients. It’s about creating safe, respectful and skillful environments for everyone."
Despite the efforts of the Texture of Change, Roberson says textured hair is still frequently overlooked in traditional cosmetology school environments, meaning stylists can graduate without having any hands-on experience working with textured hair types.
"In many cases this also creates a disadvantage for students desiring to specialize in textured hair, as they graduate without a foundational understanding requiring them to spend even more resources, time and money to build the necessary skills," she explains. "To fill these gaps, textured hair education needs to be fully integrated into the core curriculum, not as an add-on, but as a foundational part of training. That means hands-on practice with a wide range of hair types (including textured and non-textured hair mannequins), education on the science and history of the full spectrum of hair patterns and instruction from educators with expertise in this space."
LaFond shares it's also important to support and amplify the work of textured hair educators who lead the movement long before it became a trend.
"It means building programs with people who have dedicated their careers to this work and creating space for them to lead," she adds.
The Future of Textured Hair Education
With these pros shaping textured hair education, expect the future to be bright, inclusive and revolutionary. But, what does the future actually entail? What hopes do the pros have?
"I dream of a future where where texture education is so standard that future stylists will read about our struggles the way we read about other outdated practices. That's the future I'm building toward," Neal adds.
"The future I see and hope for is one where textured hair education is a non-negotiable part of licensing across every state. This includes practical skills in cutting, coloring, styling and treating all hair types," Holt adds. "Licensing exams should reflect the reality of today’s diverse clientele. That’s how we close service gaps, raise industry standards and create a more inclusive and prepared professional community."
According to LaFond, the bar is being raised, and a new standard is being set. This is just the beginning.
Inclusion starts at the roots, and textured hair deserves more than a seat at the table. It deserves to be part of the foundation. The future of beauty depends on it.
About the Contributors
April Holt is the Group Vice President of Stores for Cosmo Prof Beauty. She also has a strong personal connection with the professional beauty industry, as her family owned a cosmetology school for many years.
Erica Roberson is the Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Professional Products Division, with L’Oréal USA. She is also the founder of The Texture of Change.
Keya Neal (@keyaartistically) is the Founder of Texture vs. Race. She received a NAHA in 2024 for Educator of the Year and was honored during the International African American Museum's (IAAM) Jubilee Soiree in Charleston, SC for her work in advancing textured education.
Naeemah LaFond (@naeemahlafond) is an Olaplex Global Brand Ambassador and the founder of Texture on Set. She also received a NAHA in 2024 for Editorial Stylist of the Year.
