I think every curly or natural girl has resorted to Pinterest at one point or another when it comes to looking for hairstyles or product recommendations. Now, this isn’t a diss on Pinterest (I’ll always love her to death), but it’s no secret that the curly hair variety is a little sparse, and sometimes you just want to watch someone do whatever it is you’re looking for.
Here’s where the benefit of natural and curly influencers comes in. You can search based on your hair texture, porosity, length, type of style, and find someone with content you can relate to!
Although the actual number of amazing curly influencers on Instagram or TikTok is more than I can list here, here are just a few that have content I keep coming back to, even if we don’t have the same hair type!
Joy Burnett
Of course, I had to include our fellow Boston student, Joy Burnett (@joyburnettt on TikTok and Instagram)! Joy is the creator of “No Slickback November,” a trend that takes over the curly community every time the month rolls around. Check out my article for more information about the trend or to read about my experience!
Joy is the quintessential curly hair influencer, with her hair type primarily 3B and on the finer side. Her content features every aspect of her curly hair, as well as other parts of her life, both academic and work-related.
She does product reviews, how-tos, days-in-her-life videos, and she especially keeps it real when things don’t work out. Her curls are absolutely gorgeous, and she is always willing to tell us what she did to get them!
Anna Primavera
Anna is for the girls with hair somewhere between waves and curls (@aannaprimaveraa on TikTok and Instagram). She became particularly known on social media for having “the worst curly/wavy hair routine on the internet,” when in reality it’s just what someone does when their hair doesn’t work well with a traditional routine.
Her content is perfect for those who have felt let down by traditional styling routines because products are too heavy for their looser textures, or they benefit from less meticulous styling.
Anna frequently does product reviews, such as attempting a full routine with one brand, as well as lifestyle content. Her vibe is bright and welcoming, and I think anyone could benefit from her content, even if you don’t have waves.
Jojo Anya
Jojo’s (@celestialjojo on TikTok and Instagram) content is perfect for anyone with Type 4 hair who likes to wear their natural coils but also enjoys a good silk press, twist-out, blow-out, etc. She even shows what it’s like to do a big chop, a decision that’s nerve-racking for many people because we often hold a portion of our value or self-worth in our hair.
Her content showcases what she does while traveling, which products she prefers for various styles like braid-outs, and illustrates what her life is like as someone who embraces and enjoys her hair. She also mixes in a little lifestyle content with real talks, all to be unapologetically herself.
Jojo embodies what it means to love your natural hair, however you wear it, because for some people, that doesn’t always mean wash-and-gos.
Vienna Shore
An influencer from across the pond, you may remember Vienna (@vienna_shore on TikTok and Instagram) from my article about brands I couldn’t wait to try, and she’s the reason I know about Umberto Giannini. And in all honesty, I love her content because her 3B hair is an absolute goal of mine. Long and voluminous at the same time? Sign me up for whatever she’s using!
Aside from her gorgeous hair, she also keeps it real. Vienna often talks about the struggles that can come with curly hair. That includes the emotional ones, like that feeling when it just doesn’t look the way you want it to after trying everything in your power to make it work (speaking from experience, it’s debilitating).
Most importantly, Vienna has such a genuine and open aura. Her content feels accessible because it is; she’s like everyone else who needed to figure out what works, and now she shares it with the rest of us.
Alexa Beckford
Last, but certainly not least, we have Alexa (@alexabeckford on TikTok and Instagram). Her content covers literally every base: hair, lifestyle, brand collaborations, and reviews. Even though we have different hair types, I especially love the videos where she brings in her mom to help with whatever hair task she’s doing. It’s really healing that before-school trauma that I know at least some of us have.
Her posts are a mix of lighthearted, humorous content while keeping it easy to understand. It’s effortless to scroll through her videos and posts about her hair growth journey, the best way to take out braids, or the realities of day-five hair and feel welcome while watching.
These are just a few of my favorite influencers, but I encourage you to scour the internet and find more who you resonate with!
It’s important to see yourself represented in the content you consume!
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