THE SHORT VERSION
Black hair care follows Black communities. Before you search for a barber, braider, or natural hair stylist abroad, figure out what kind of hair city you're moving to. Pack your ride-or-die products like you might not find them, find people through community first, and talk to them in their language.
Jump to Hair cities · Your kit · Finding someone · Vetting · Boundaries · The test
Nobody puts it on the spreadsheet.
You compare visas, rent, healthcare, and flights home. Then you land and settle in. Three weeks later, it's wash day. And it hits you: you have no idea who's going to do your hair.
I've lived this three ways.
In Arequipa, Peru, almost no one could do my hair. So I wore wigs. First my Sensationnel wig, then one my wife, K Redd, brought back from the States. It worked. It was also rough.
In Medellín, Colombia, a friend of a friend braided my hair. She came to my house, and she was great.
In Buenos Aires, I found a braider on Instagram.
Three cities. Three different answers. Finding a Black barber or stylist abroad depends less on how hard you look. It depends more on what kind of city you land in.
Here's how to tell which kind you're in, and how to keep your hair right in all three.
Finding a Black barber or stylist abroad depends less on how hard you look, and more on what kind of city you land in.
01 – THE MAP
Why some cities make this easy and others don't
Black hair care follows Black communities. A large Black population usually means barbers, braiders, beauty supply stores, and your usual products. A small one means fewer options, and that's usually about demand, not racism.
History drew most of that map. The transatlantic slave trade forced enslaved Africans into some regions far more than others. Later migration added more, like African and Caribbean communities in many European cities.
So one country can have a large Black community on its coast and very few Black residents a few hours inland. Even neighbors can feel worlds apart. Braiding hair was easier to find in Colombia than it ever was for me in Peru.
So before you search for a stylist, ask a simpler question first: What kind of hair city is this?
EASY CITY
A large Black community. Barbershops, braiders, and beauty supply stores are easy to find. You still need to check someone's work, but you have options.
WORKABLE CITY
A smaller community. Skilled people exist, but many work from home or come to you. Find them through word of mouth and Instagram, and book ahead.
BRING-IT-YOURSELF CITY
Very few Black residents. Rely on the products you packed, styles you can do yourself, and wigs or protective styles that last.
How to tell before you go: Search Instagram and Google Maps for braiders and barbers, in the local language. Look for a beauty supply store that sells braiding hair, and ask in a Black expat group. Found almost nothing? Plan for a bring-it-yourself city.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOUR MOVE
In a bring-it-yourself city, your hair plan starts in your suitcase.
02 – THE KIT
Your ride-or-die kit
Whatever city you pick, start with your suitcase.
When K Redd flew to the States while we lived in Peru, she brought back a few jars of my Ampro Shine 'n Jam. I also got a couple of wigs. That kit carried me through a city where almost no one could do my hair.
WHAT TO PACK
Your ride-or-die products. The leave-in, gel, edge control, and oils you already trust. Bring extra. You may not find them abroad, and if you do, they'll cost more.
Braiding hair or bundles. Bring your own hair for braids, twists, or a sew-in. Many beauty supply stores abroad don't carry textured extensions or charge a lot for them.
A wig or two. A wig you love can buy you months while you look for the right person.
Your tools. Combs, brushes, a satin bonnet or pillowcase, and clippers if you cut your own hair. Before you plug anything in, look for "100–240V" on the tool. A plug adapter changes the plug's shape, not the voltage.
A hair handover. Before you leave, ask your barber or stylist for photos from a few angles. Get a short note too: what they do, guard numbers, and products that work. Show it to your new stylist.
Learn to do what you can yourself. The more you can do on your own, the less your hair depends on one person's schedule. Think two or three styles you can do in your sleep, keeping your edges laid, or a basic lineup. You don't need to do it all, just enough to get by between appointments.
Treat every trip home as a supply run. Keep a list on your phone for the next person flying in from the States.
03 – THE SEARCH
How to find a barber or braider abroad
Start with people, then check online. The community tells you who's good. The internet helps you check their work.
Ask the community. Black expat groups on Facebook and WhatsApp are the best place to start. Search the group for "braider," "barber," "salon," or "hair." Then post a request with your hair type and the service you want, like this:
COPY AND PASTE
"Looking for someone in [city] who braids tightly coiled natural hair. I want medium knotless braids with low tension around my edges. If you've used someone recently, could you share their name, how to book, and what you paid?"
When people answer, ask when they last went, what they got, and whether they'd go back. People will often tell you who to avoid, too.
Ask around in person. Word of mouth matters most in smaller communities. That's how I found my braider in Medellín: a friend of a friend. If you see someone with a fresh cut or neat braids, compliment them and ask who did it.
Search Instagram and Google Maps. That's how I found my braider in Buenos Aires. Search in the local language and add the service you want.
Language | Try searching |
|---|---|
Spanish | trenzas africanas [ciudad] · barbería afro [ciudad] · peluquería afro [ciudad] |
Portuguese | trancista [cidade] · barbearia afro [cidade] · salão cabelo crespo [cidade] |
French | tresses africaines [ville] · coiffeur afro [ville] · salon afro [ville] |
English | braider [city] · Black barber [city] · loctician [city] |
One catch: "afro" in a business name means they advertise Afro hair. It doesn't prove the person is Black, or that they can do your style. That's what the next step is for.
04 – THE VETTING
Vet before you book
A nice Instagram page is a starting point, not proof. Before you book, check three things: their work, how well you can communicate, and the price. Then start small.
Ask for work on hair like yours. Don't ask "Do you do Black hair?" Ask "Can you show me recent photos of this style on hair like mine?" Look closely at hairlines, parts, and the back of the head, including photos clients tagged them in.
Speak their language. Don't make them do all the work. You're the one who moved, so the work is on you. Don't expect them to figure out your English. A short message in their language, plus photos, beats a long explanation they can't follow.
COPY AND PASTE
Save these in your phone and adjust them to your style.
Spanish
BOOKING "Hola, quiero hacerme trenzas como en estas fotos. Tengo el cabello afro, muy rizado. ¿Cuánto cuesta en total, con el pelo para trenzar incluido? ¿Cuánto tiempo toma?"
TENSION "Por favor, no las hagas muy apretadas, sobre todo alrededor de la línea del cabello. Si me duele, te aviso."
BARBER "Quiero mantener mi línea natural. Por favor, no la retrocedas. Muéstrame cuánto vas a cortar antes de empezar."
Portuguese
BOOKING "Olá, quero fazer tranças como nessas fotos. Meu cabelo é crespo. Qual é o preço total, com o cabelo incluído? Quanto tempo demora?"
TENSION "Por favor, não aperte muito, principalmente na linha do cabelo. Se doer, eu aviso."
Get the full price before you sit down. Confirm the total and currency, whether hair and washing are included, any deposit, and how long it takes. For home visits, agree on everything before they arrive.
Start small. On a first visit, get something close to what you usually wear. For braids, check the first few for size and tension before they keep going. And never book a brand-new stylist the day before a wedding or big event.
05 – THE BOUNDARIES
Protect your hair and skin
With a new stylist in a new country, speak up. Hold these boundaries every time.
HOLD THESE EVERY TIME
Pain is not proof a style will last. Braids that are too tight can pull hair out at the root over time. The American Academy of Dermatology warns this can become permanent. "It'll loosen in a few days" is not a reason to sit through pain.
Tell your barber about razor bumps. If you get ingrown hairs, ask them not to shave too close.
Watch the tools. Look for clean combs and clippers between clients, and a fresh blade for razor work. If you're not sure, ask before they start.
Chemicals are their own decision. Don't let a consultation turn into a relaxer or color you didn't plan. Tell them about any past relaxers or color.
06 – THE TEST
Test it before you move
Hair is a Normal Tuesday question. Not "Could I vacation here?" but "Could I live an ordinary week here?" Months of research won't tell you if you can keep your hair right there. The only real test is to try it.
ON A SCOUTING TRIP
Find two or three people before you land.
Message them and notice who answers clearly.
Book one small appointment.
Visit a beauty supply store. Do they carry braiding hair and the products you use?
Write down the real cost, including the ride there and back.
Find a backup, in case your first choice moves or stops taking clients.
Then ask yourself:
Could I keep this routine up for a year?
Did I feel listened to?
If either answer is no, that doesn't rule the city out. It tells you how much to pack.
The bottom line
Finding someone who gets your hair isn't a small detail. It helps decide whether daily life abroad feels doable.
Know what kind of hair city you're moving to. Pack like you might not find anything, and learn to do what you can yourself. Then go find your person, and talk to them in their language.
RELOCATION RETREATS
Research narrows. Reality decides.
Our Relocation Retreats are trips where you test the neighborhoods, costs, and everyday routines that decide whether a place could become home. You do not need to arrive certain; the point is to leave clearer.
Still narrowing your list? Compare 25 countries in the Borderless Index →
