Nine States Now Require Textured Hair Education in Cosmetology Licensing

Textured hair education is now a licensing requirement for cosmetologists in nine states, including New York and California. That is the hard result of THE TEXTURE OF CHANGE, L'Oréal Professional Products Division's textured hair initiative, launched in 2023 to fix a training system that simply never taught stylists how to cut, color and style curls and coils.

The initiative marked its next step in October at L'Oréal Academy East in New York's Hudson Yards. Seven of the division's brands — L'Oréal Professionnel, Redken, Mizani, Kérastase, Matrix, Color Wow and Biolage — appeared under one roof for the first time, at a two-day event called Texture Mastery Pro held in the division's new 13,000-square-foot education center. Award-winning celebrity hairstylist Nai'Vasha Grace emceed. Day one ran panels and masterclasses; day two put hands in hair.

"Leading this initiative has been deeply meaningful and we're committed to closing the textured hair education gap," said Erica Roberson, vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion for L'Oréal Professional Products Division and the initiative's founder.

The legislative push runs through the Texture Education Collective, created with the Professional Beauty Association. New York Assemblymember Michaelle Solages, a primary sponsor of New York's law, framed the stakes plainly. "So many of us have been told our curly, coily hair isn't professional," she told the room. "You shouldn't have to change who you are to fit in."

What did the panels actually cover?

The first panel, "Trust Is the Technique: Building Your Texture Business From the Chair Up," featured salon owner Marc Mendez, Dhairius Thomas and Hi Texture Salon founder India Bertin, moderated by Byrdie beauty editor Olivia Hancock. Mendez, who runs a six-chair salon, argued that education has to reach every stylist, not just those with textured hair.

"If we want to be represented correctly and we want to be in every single room, it's important that everyone knows how to service us," he said. "I have a six-chair salon, and every stylist doesn't look like me, and every stylist doesn't have textured hair, but they know how to service every woman."

Editorial hairstylist Jawara Wauchope took the argument global. His masterclass, presented with L'Oréal Professionnel, was the event's only livestreamed session, drawing viewers from at least 40 locations across the United States, France, Mexico and South Africa. "Seeing people from all over the world being able to approach textured hair, highly textured hair, feels good," he said, praising a straight-haired member of his own team whose textured work he called "amazing to watch."

Kendall Dorsey followed with "The Finish Factor," presented by Color Wow, the newest brand in the L'Oréal Professional Products Division portfolio, focused on styling and finishing for textured hair.

Redken's closing masterclass, "Frame the Curl: The Art of Haircolor Contouring," paired Rachel Redd and Leysa Carrillo onstage together for the first time. The banter was constant. The confidence underneath it was the point. "The job can be done if you know what you're doing," Carrillo said.

How did the event handle culture and history?

A second panel, "Texture Is the Culture: The Moments Shaping Beauty's Next Era," brought together Kayra Theodore, Davontae Washington and Kérastase head of education Kate Oechsle, moderated by The Cut beauty editor Asia Milia Ware. Theodore tied progress to voice. "I believe us as a people, we found our voice over the course of time," she said. "So when we speak up, that allows the conversation to open up, and it allows people to take action to create that change."

Photojournalist and creative producer Blue-Waverly Wahome traced Black hair culture through the salon, the hair book and the hair show, and argued for keeping that record tangible. "Having physical media is really important in order for the hair industry to move forward," she said, "and also for us to even look back at today once we get a few years down the road."

The day closed with a tribute to Tippi Shorter Rank, honoring her artistry, mentorship and advocacy — including her development of the Mizani AirCut method and her testimony supporting textured hair education legislation in California. "It's not simply what you accomplish for yourself," Roberson said. "It's what becomes possible for other people because you were willing to stand up, speak up, teach, advocate and lead."

What happened on the education day?

Day two converted talk into technique:

• Mizani artist Ashley Brown demonstrated the AirCut method, followed by a hands-on wash-and-go styling session.
• Shorter Rank herself led a session on no-bleach highlights designed for curls on dark bases.
• Kérastase artists Tim Wingate and Lysiane Henderson used K-SCAN scalp and hair analysis to show personalized care carrying from salon to home routine.
• Matrix global artistic director Michelle O'Connor closed with a class on curl mapping and color placement that works with natural curl patterns.

The subtext of both days is commercial as much as cultural: a clientele that has long avoided the chair, sometimes stretching six-month cut intervals toward two years for fear of a stylist ruining their curls, represents unmet demand. Nine state laws and seven aligned brands suggest the industry has finally done the math. Follow @thetextureofchange on Instagram for upcoming education events and resources.