Hair&Care's Impact.
Empower Growth
In today's society, it is crucial for the hair industry to embrace accessibility and inclusivity to ensure that everyone has equal opportunities to engage and benefit from its offerings, especially within the beauty industry.
However, blind and low vision people often face significant challenges when it comes to accessing and participating in any beauty-related activities, with a staggering 98% of low vision women feeling excluded from the industry.
This is where our organisation plays a vital role:
Hair & Care recognises that hair care is not just about aesthetics but also a means of self-expression and self-care.
How are we making the hair industry more accessible?
By bridging the gap between the beauty industry and the low vision community, Hair & Care paves the way for a more accessible hair landscape, through open conversation with industry professionals, workshops, special events, educational webinars and more.
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Our three founding missions aim to achieve an open and honest conversation of accessibility.
1. Upskill Hair Professionals and Hairstylists Through Education.
Hair & Care collaborates with a network of volunteer hairstylists who work alongside Anna Cofone and the Hair & Care team during the workshops. Each volunteer has received specialised training to enhance their ability to assist our attendees effectively, with care, specifically as to how to better support blind and low vision individuals, the use of guidance vocabulary and safeguarding.
By participating as volunteers in our workshops, our hairstylists contribute not only to supporting the blind and low vision community, but also to cultivating a more empathetic hair industry. They gain valuable experience and prepare themselves to address diverse challenges they may encounter in their day-to-day work with individuals with special needs.Together, we strive to create a more inclusive and empathetic hair industry.
2. Create a Lasting Impact Within the Fashion and Beauty Industry.
Hair & Care is actively challenging brands to build accessibility into their pipelines. Our ongoing commitment includes gathering valuable feedback from our service users to improve the accessibility of services, products and tools. In our efforts, we engage with hair brands and seek partnerships to effectively raise awareness and promote accessibility.
Anna Cofone’s work across fashion week has aimed to introduce accessibility to designers with the creation of audio descriptions and at London Fashion Week in February 2024, Hair & Care collaborated with designer Sinead O’Dwyer’ to create the first, ever, accessible show for VI individuals. Guests including Lucy Edwards and Claire Sisk were able to experience and enjoy the atmosphere both backstage and on the front row whilst listening to descriptions of the looks as models walked the runway.
3. Teach and empower blind and low vision women and young girls how to understand and care for their hair.
We run monthly workshops to introduce blind and low vision women and young girls to the importance of caring for their hair, and how that impacts their self-care.
​Joining the Hair & Care Workshops gives you the opportunity to embark on a journey of self-discovery with a wonderful community of other blind and low vision women and young girls who connect and understand each other’s concerns, building upon their skills through physical activities, and a community that nurtures and supports your skills.
Martyn Wandy
International Business Development
Manager, Denman International
"Denman feels so privileged to support Hair & Care. Anna has created something truly special by bringing both compassion and practical skill to the blind community in a way that makes a measurable difference to their wellbeing.
Denman provides hair tools and where possible, hairdressing services to Anna’s workshops. We’ve seen first-hand the positive impact teaching hair care, styling and tool use makes on those living with low vision. Haircare truly is self-care and Anna empowers her workshop attendees to take pleasure and pride in their hair and that’s priceless!"
What do industry experts
say about Hair & Care?
Jacki Pike
Indirect Channel Manager and Oribe SME
Lead at Kao Corporation
"Kao Salon Division has been partnering with Anna Cofone over the last few years and we have experienced first hand her passion, expertise and dedication not only for hairdressing, but also for helping others achieve their true potential.
We are delighted to support Anna in making a difference and helping the Blind community develop their haircare skills to improve their wellbeing and self-confidence."
Karine Jackson
Hair & Care volunteer
& Sustainable Hair Salon owner
"The work Anna does with Hair&Care is groundbreaking, Anna builds confidence in the participants and gives the class the ability to do their own hair, as well as the ability to understand how the scalp and hair work.
A life skill we take for granted, it is inspiring and an honour to be one of the volunteers and see the passion Anna has within the class."