Good Hair - by Charlotte Mensah (Hardcover)

About the Book

Featuring case studies of clients who came to her looking for a 'hair fix', and informed by her own story from apprentice to business-owner, this book will dispel common hair myths and give you the knowledge and tools to attain good hair health. Packed with expert advice, nourishing recipes and top maintenance tips, this book is a celebration of the unique beauty and history of Black hair.

Book Synopsis

Featuring case studies of clients who came to her looking for a hair fix, Good Hair dispels common hair myths and give you the knowledge and tools to attain good hair health. Charlotte's expertise is second-to-none and her advice acts as a corrective to the conflicting and misguided advice that can be found online. Packed with expert advice, nourishing recipes, and top maintenance tips, Good Hair is a celebration of the unique beauty of Black hair. It is the ultimate guide on how to: identify and understand your curl textures; promote hair growth and find good products; choose the right protective styles; overcome hair loss, itchiness, and dryness; and try styles such as cornrows, locs, and bantu knots. And while Good Hair is the long overdue bible and how to guide for black hair, this is not just a hairstyling book. It is also a very well-documented account of the cultural and political history of black hair, as well as an inspirational memoir of hope, determination, and entrepreneurialism, as we follow Charlotte's journey from Ghana to opening her first hair salon in West London.

Review Quotes

'It's an absolute godsend and the package is just stunning' ―Good Housekeeping

"Charlotte is not only the most influential expert on black hair, but an inspiring entrepreneur whose Notting Hill salon is part beauty destination, part cultural hub with its cross-section of powerful, dynamic clients" --Kenya Hunt, Fashion Editor at Grazia

"Charlotte is the only person I trust with my hair" ―Reni Eddo-Lodge, author of Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race

"Charlotte Mensah is a legendary Black British hairdresser ... You go to Charlotte to get your hair celebrated and cared for, oiled beautifully, braided perfectly, cut sublimely, styled to perfection ... Charlotte makes it all a pleasure" ―Zadie Smith


"Charlotte's life story is one that will inspire anybody that has ever been told no, anybody who has even been knocked down and somehow found their way back up, but most of all it will empower and uplift anyone with a dream and show them that dreams do come true" ―June Sarpong

"Charlotte's talent and what she has achieved in the hair industry is nothing short of incredible. This book is not just a brilliant insight into exactly how she became such a powerhouse, it is also an excellent guide to everything you need to know about black hair" ―Funmi Fetto, author of Palette and contributing editor at British Vogue


"Includes all of Charlotte's know how and insider tricks into a book, (this is the) ultimate go to guide on how to care for this type of hair" ―Hello Magazine


"My first visit to Charlotte's salon was a life-changing experience. She is an absolute guru when it comes to Afro hair - how wonderful that now everyone can have a bit of her expertise in the form of this wonderful book" ―Otegha Uwagba, author of Little Black Book

"The city's most influential expert on black hair ... an inspiring entrepreneur ... Charlotte is the woman I turn to for guidance on healthy hair maintenance" ―Kenya Hunt, fashion director, Grazia

"When it comes to afro hair, Charlotte's expertise remains unmatched. She is one of the most important voices in the haircare industry, period" ―Yomi Adegoke, co-author of Slay in Your Lane

About the Author

Charlotte Mensah is a hairstylist, owner, and artistic director of the Hair Lounge salon and founder of the Charlotte Mensah Manketti Oil products. She trained at the London College of Fashion in the late '80s under the guidance of 'The Godfather of British Afro Hairdressing, ' the late Winston Isaacs. Charlotte welcomes a constant tide of devoted clients from the business, music, and TV worlds. In 2018, she was crowned 'Afro Hairdresser of the Year' for the third time at the British Hairdressing Awards, subsequently entering the British Hairdressing Hall of Fame. Mensah has been at the forefront of the natural hair care movement since the early 2000 and has been a columnist on the subject since 2005. She is recognised as the go-to authority on maintaining natural Afro, mixed, and curly textures in magazines such as Elle, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, NYT, and Tatler, among others.