The 5 best hair care products available, according to this beauty influencer with a disability
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When it comes to inclusivity and representation, the beauty industry has seen incredible progress (see: Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty and its 40 shades of foundation or Deepica Mutyala’s Live Tinted and its multi-use, friendly-for-all-skin-tone Huesticks in 2017) across cosmetics, hair care and skin care. Despite how frustrating (and painfully slow) change can be, the industry is actually moving in a direction that is more inclusive of different skin tones, hair textures, genders, ages, ethics and budgets. But weak spots still exist to a large extent in beauty, especially when it comes to disability representation.
Shelby Lynch, a 25-year-old model, influencer and disability activist based in the UK, experiences this on a daily basis, especially when it comes to hair. “As a disabled POC, I find it very difficult [create] different styles with my natural hair because I’m not able to do it myself,” she tells Refinery29. Lynch was born with spinal muscular atrophy type 2, a neuromuscular disorder that causes muscle weakness and breathing problems. (Lynch uses a ventilator and an electric wheelchair.)
“There is a stigma [in beauty] about disabled people – for example, we don’t care about looking beautiful or attractive – when in reality this is far from the truth,” she says. “Handicap likes to look after their appearance too and it would be so much easier to pack [and products] were more accessible.” Right now, Lynch chooses to wear her hair in braids for convenience, taking them out to wash her hair with a coconut-scented moisturizing shampoo and conditioner when needed.
In addition to accessible packaging and products, disability representation in marketing (namely beauty campaigns) is also key, Lynch says. “[It’s not about] just including ‘token disabled’ – we also need disabled people in all intersectionality. So if there’s a hair care ad on TV, it would be great to see a disabled POC who is bisexual as an example.” And that’s exactly Lynch’s goal as a beauty and fashion influencer who has nearly half a million followers on TikTok and nearly 40,000 on Instagram. “I hope to represent those who don’t feel represented.”
With support from Ulta Beauty, Lynch curated a list of her favorite haircare products available, from ergonomic brushes and quick-heat styling tools to travel-sized shampoos and conditioners that get the job done without exhausting her muscles. See (and shop) her favorite hair choices below.
This article originally appeared on refinery29.com