Being a girl of mixed heritage with naturally curly hair in Switzerland has not always been a piece of cake. I’ve been through so many different phases in my natural hair journey and I’ve felt so many different ways about my hair.
I grew up in a small mountain village (actually a ski resort) in Switzerland called Crans-Montana, and to be honest I was the only mixed girl there. My mother (who’s white) used to braid my hair all the time. When I was a young adult and moved to a big city on my own, I discovered relaxerS and it was a huge relief for me because I didn’t know how to take care of my curly hair. There were absolutely no products (except maybe the Dark & Lovely line, which were too strong for my fine hair), so I thought that relaxing my hair was the best idea at the time.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
I relaxed, dyed, cut, straightened my hair for about 10 years – since November 2013 to be exact. I realized that my hair may “look” healthy, but it didn’t grow anymore and the ends were burned and broken. One day I decided to stop all of the extra chemical treatments and truly learn how to really take care of my natural hair. More importantly I wanted to accept it and be proud of it. YouTubers and natural hair articles on blogs became my best friends and an invaluable resource. I let my hair grow out for a year and finally did the big chop in October 2014 – a tapered cut.
At first it was a joke for everyone around me. They were used to my straightened hair. Secondly, it was a big decision for me because there wasn’t a real natural hair community where I lived and I was going to be all by myself with my little fro.
Where I live now (I moved seven years ago into a bigger city in Switzerland), I see some natural girls in the streets, but we only have one or two real afro hair shops where there are not a lot of products. I used to use regular products for straight hair but they would break and dry out my hair. Then I discovered this Inside Africa shop through a friend of mine and I started to shop for products there. I must say I have a dedicated budget for my products, because my hair is very important to me and I’ve been embracing this transitioning journey all the way through.
A few months ago, I started to really look for a natural hair community in Switzerland and downloaded the MeetUp app on my phone. I joined two meetups one in Geneva and one in Zurich (two main cities in Switzerland), and this was a great experience for me. I realized that I wasn’t the only one struggling with my natural hair; that I wasn’t the only one wanting to make some friends who could talk about hair for hours; and that I wasn’t the only one looking for the best products.
It’s during the Zurich meetup that I met the owner of the first Swiss website where you can order natural hair products Afro Shoppe. I was so thrilled to discover this online shop because there’s a lot of choice on it and I actually found THE co-wash and THE conditioner that are perfect for my hair (from Shea Moisture) that the Inside Africa store doesn’t have yet.
I’ve learned tons of tips for my hair and everyday I’m getting better at taking care of it. For example, I started co-washing a few months ago instead of using shampoo everytime I wash my hair. I’m grateful for this journey, even when I was over it and I wanted to relax my hair again. I’m glad I had the patience and didn’t give up.
My transitioning journey helped me realize that I really wanted to be involved in this natural hair community in Switzerland. So I made my decision and I’m going to New York in a few months to start cosmetology school and try to bring back some knowledge and share what I’m going to learn. Maybe some day, I’ll open my own salon in Switzerland, who knows?!
I also started an instagram page (@mtee_natural) and a blog about my natural hair journey (“Mah” Natural Hair Journey). I hope you guys enjoyed this article and feel free to visit my Instagram page and my blog to share some tips.
See how other naturally curly women care for their hair in our Being Natural In A Foreign Country series.
Photo Credit: Jumoprod
I am a curly girl (and from New York) and wanted to know whether you recommend a good salon in Lausanne or Geneva for curly haired people. I am getting desperate!
Hello my name’s are Vivian Ehigiamusoe I live in Lausanne I need curl cream for my baby.
Hi Vivian, there is a afro-hair product supplier in Zurich. You can also order online and will receive it the next day via swiss Post. https://www.foresterbeauty.com/
I also am a mixed woman with natural hair. But because I have no one to cut it, it has grown too long. It is now down to the top of my butt and that means it is always in a bun because I can’t keep it untangled any other way. I need a hair cut desperately.
Oh, I live near Chur but I work occasionally in Zurich. Thanks in advance for any recommendations on a salon!
If you are looking for curly hair products, please visit hairbyjesscali.com/shop. Swissmade hair products are coming soon!