By Jessica Bashir-Stone
Irene Shelley is the editor-in-chief of Black Beauty & Hair, the the biggest selling black magazine in the UK and Europe, where she has worked for the past 25 years. With a mix of hair, beauty, fashion trends and industry news, it is the Bible for discerning women of colour.
A panellist at the London Metropolitan University debate Covid and Me: Do We Still Care What We Wear?, Irene told students, staff and guests that she has not given up trying to look good, despite lockdown.
“People are getting a bit tired of getting ready for Zoom…now you just see people’s names. But I still like to make an effort,” says the Central Saint Martins fashion alumna.
“Yes, I am fully dressed right now. I really like to look good and also feel good, especially when I have to work. We are expected to look certain way when we have meetings and have to be around people.”
Expert on all things beauty
As an undisputed expert on all things beauty, Irene shared her dissatisfaction with the fact that Black beauty products have been put aside this past year, leading the industry to lose millions. In certain shops Black beauty products aisles were closed, while other beauty aisles remained open.
“I have a problem with Afro hair shops not being seen as essential,” she says, adding that one chain has lost £10 million in revenue since the pandemic began.
When it comes to sustainability, the pandemic has actually helped the environment recover. Are plastic hair extensions damaging it even more? “There doesn’t seem to be anything that the companies that produce synthetic hair are doing now for the market,” she says.
Sustainable synthetic hair is made from fake hair and the hair of people who decide to donate. Irene adds: “They are selling more sustainable synthetic hair these days.” She mentions the fact that using synthetic hair makes it possible to create coloured wigs which are in demand.
She added that make-up is now considered “self-care” and people are using it to feel better about themselves, with TikTok tutorials becoming even more popular.
“Many people demanded surgery after lockdown because they felt as their skin became bad. People are conscious of the fact that their skin has been damaged during lockdown. Many people have started to create ‘beauty salons’ at their houses,” she says.
These one-off “tweakments” are primarily designed to get rid of maskne and stop pandemic side-effects such as “computer neck” and damage from blue light – mainly from screens.
Changing habits
As our shopping habits have changed because of COVID-19, so has the high street. Will it be all high tech in future? “I love the ideas of changing avatars and changing outfits, or changing your hair each time and asking ‘who do I want to be today?’ It all sounds exciting,” Irene says.
“I enjoy shopping online, but I think there will be a change in the high-street. It is happening in the beauty industry where technologies are used to find your base shade. Maybe this method can appear also in fashion. I don’t know what’s going to happen but I’m excited.”
The favourite things about her job include being able to go to press launches, where she can meet new people and network through the friends she’s already made, the writing and the products. She also enjoys being able to do something that so many people can only dream of doing.
Readers can really tell through Irene’s writing that she is truly passionate about the topic. From her articles on how to use silk pillow cases to how to apply oils to your hair correctly, you’d be a fool to miss out on her amazing work.
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