The hair and beauty industry must now change. It is not enough for more afro hair products to be available on the high street or for afro hair maintenance to be a mandatory part of training for hairstylists, for which there is now a petition . There needs to be longterm commitment to showing Black women that their hair isn’t 'different' or classed as 'specialist'. Of course, this won't happen overnight. But as salons gear up to reopen in the UK this week, I think of how the future of afro haircare could be brighter. I want more Black women to have the choice of treating themselves, like the next straight-haired white woman. Salons should be a place that caters for our needs as well as everyone else's. We've been in the DIY game for a long time, now.