7 Women On What Their Hair Means To Them

Polly Foreman

Hair type: Fine, straight, brunette.

"I’m very attached to my hair (metaphorically, as well as literally…) as I’ve always had pretty much the same style – so it’s become part of my personality and identity. I always liked the colour, as people would always compliment me on it and ask if it was natural. I think if I ever dyed it or changed the style people would be very shocked.

"The state of my hair can have a real affect on my mood, so I always make sure that I look after it so that it looks it's best - whether that be by using a weekly hair mask in the shower, or by always using a heat protect spray, like the TRESemmé Heat Defence Spray."

Eden Olivia-Lord

Hair type: Afro with thick, kinky curls.

"When I was in primary school I was the only black girl in my class, so while all the other girls could style their hair themselves, my hair texture was completely different and I couldn’t. So when I was younger I always wanted my hair to be dead straight, but now I love that it has volume - it’s part of my heritage so it’s important that I embrace it. I’m definitely more confident and proud of my hair now, and I have learned to love it. I stopped relaxing my hair last year (which permanently makes it straight) and now I’m embracing the texture of it."

Katie Rosseinsky

Hair type: Very thick, wavy, blonde.

"I mainly have good associations with my hair – it’s the one part of my appearance that on the whole I tend to be pretty happy with. It’s worth investing in because I tend to feel better if my hair looks half decent. I definitely feel better and perhaps even more capable when my hair has been styled properly. It feels like a bit of a cliché to bang on about the virtues of a decent blow dry but it really does give you a boost, and helps you feel more put together. Basically, it makes me feel more like a grown-up: the sort of person who has her life together!

"My hair also acts as a security blanket - I rarely tie it up because I’m not very keen on how it looks when it's pulled back from my face (plus, it’s too heavy to stay up - I used to break so many of those crocodile clips...). I know I’d never cut it short as it’s very much a security blanket, Unlike say, my skin, it feels like part of my appearance that I have more control over."

Bhakti Mistry

Hair type: Thick, straight, dark brown.

"Growing up my hair was a HUGE part of my identity. Being Indian and growing up around very traditional grandparents meant I was always encouraged to keep my hair long – real long - it was down to my bum and I think that's the reason why to this day I need to mentally and emotionally prepare myself to wash my hair. I was proud my hair made my grandparents so happy but it would take a hell of a lot to get me to grow it out that long ever again!

Samantha Stennett

Hair type: Afro, curly hair.

"My hair forms my whole look, I really like that it is used to describe me and is a way that people remember who I am long after they’ve met me. My hair is who I am. I absolutely hated my hair when I was younger, I would do anything to hide my natural curl! I was so ashamed as it never looked good and I was very self-conscious of it. I guess it was because there weren’t many people ‘like me’ to be a hair role model haha! It look me until the age of 24 to rock the natural look. My mum didn’t know how to style my hair either. This is probably one the reasons my first career was a hair stylist - I used this skill to break the pattern and learn to love my own hair by experimenting with my look! Now I often get compliments on wearing my hair natural."

Emma Hampson-Jones

Hair type: Straight, fine, coloured hair.

"I am probably known for changing my hair a lot! I have had most colours and cuts, I love being expressive with my hair and am not precious about it which allows me to have some fun with it. I love that hair grows back - that suits my commitment-phobe attitude, variety is the spice of life! When I was in a confidence rut in my 30s I decided to dye my hair lavender from dark brown and I felt like it gave me the edge I needed at the time. I felt like I had lost my way and that extreme change really helped me boost myself. I hate the thought of being boring, I always like to try and show my creativity in my style whether its hair or a lip colour or through fashion."

Naomi Julien

Hair type: Natural, curly hair.

"My hair is a part of my culture - it is a strong indicator of my ethnicity. People can immediately tell my ethnicity from my hair and I am really proud of my heritage and that my texture is different. As I have become more culturally aware as I've grown up, I've come to love my hair and be proud of it. I want to see more people in the media embracing their natural locks, too. I'm also really proud of the condition of my hair currently, as before it was really dead and damaged due to years of straightening it and not using the right products to help protect it."

Hair is an important part of your identity, so make sure you look after it and avoid the burnout by keeping it protected with the TRESemmé Heat Defence Spray, which you can buy here. For more information about hair the right heat protect for you, visit All Things Hair.