How Celebrities influence Ugandan women hair styles

By Sarah Kisakye

 

Women worldwide say their choice of hairstyles is influenced by celebrities and that they would often times style their hair depending on what is trending. What trends mostly originates from celebrities of the season.  

In Uganda the trend is the same, What the celebrities do become talk of town and later translates into action.

 

A popular local musician, Juliana Kanyomozi recently caused  shock waves on social media after cutting off her hair.

 

Lupita Nyong’o (A Kenyan Hollywood star) natural short hair style is now popular `among Ugandans with the trend slowly spreading in Uganda.

 

Hellen Lukoma, a local fashion designer, braided pencil hairstyle has also had a big impact on Ugandan women

 

The celebrity factor
When asked  what influenced their choice of what hairstyles to go for, many women said they copy from celebrities. 

 

'Celebrities influence my hairstyles, if the celebrity looks good with it, then I go for it," said Ruth, a student from one of the higher institutions of learning in Kampala.

 

"I go for hairstyles that are trending, I like keeping up with trends, but normally these are popularized by celebrities," chipped in Juliet who runs a boutique in town.

 

What influences their choices
Steve, a hair dresser at Amaz Beauty palour in Mukono, says the factors that influence women hair decisions are quite complex depending on age, income and lifestyle.

 

 

It is good business
In Uganda, hair extensions, wigs and weaves are big business, attracting buyers in hair salons and shopping malls.

 

Since women pay keen interest to their hair, some are willing to spend fortunes to have hairstyles of their dreams.

 

Stella, a business woman in a beauty shop at Equatorial Hotel, says she makes a lot of money from selling hair pieces of all types.

 

“Some women are willing to pay for the most expensive human hair, which is not bad for me as a business woman. I make a profit, they look nice – good business.”

 

Where do women go for trendy hair styles
Kampala city arcades are flooded at all times with women buying hair extensions, human hair, Wigs, and weaves in different shapes and colors.

 

The most popular place is Gaza land building in the city center, where about six floors are in the same business

 

Most popular types
Stella says the most popular pieces are fringes, curls and meter-long straight extensions. Mostly for those who want to look fashionable.

 

Like Ugandan ladies, women across the world have a great deal of interest in hairstyles.

 

Most of them actually start from developed to developing countries, mainly popularized by celebrities who appear on international television channels.