‘A Celebration of You’
A portrait series celebrating the people at the heart of Hair & Care’s community – their individuality, style and stories – captured by photographer Charlotte Ellis.
Aqua
Age: 62
Joined: 2022
What is your eye condition? Sarcoid Uveitis
What is your level of sight? In simple terms, it is inflammation of the Uvea – the middle layer of the eye — caused by sarcoidosis. The condition has caused me to suffer from redness, pain, blurred vision, headaches, floaters and extreme sensitivity to light.
What is your favourite thing about Hair & Care? Like-minded women in a safe environment openly sharing their experiences.
Today I feel... Less able to style my hair due to it severely thinning as a result of the medication I take. Attending the Hair & Care Workshops took me back in time and reminded me of the days when my hair made me feel confident facing the world. My hair also served as a distraction from my physical self.
Fereshteh
Age: 61
Joined: 2022
What is your eye condition? I was born with an unknown genetic condition
What is your level eye sight? I am completely blind
Favourite Thing About Hair & Care
Learning how to style my hair in different ways – knowledge on products and what to use. I love the community and the support you receive.
Today I feel... More confident in wearing my hair in different styles which helps me to feel more confident about myself. I feel beautiful.
Georgie
Age: 47
Joined: 2023
What is your eye condition? I have two detached retinas
What is your level of sight: I don’t have any central vision in my right and only have peripheral vision. I can't see anything out of my left eye.
Favourite Thing About Hair & Care:
What I like most about attending the Hair & Care workshop is learning new ways to create new hairstylists with confidence.
Being in a community of women that are in the same situation as me and being able to offer advice as well as making long life friendships.
Today I feel... When my hair looks good, and I look good, I feel more confident.
Grace
Age: 50
Joined: 2019
What is your eye condition? Hemianopia
Favourite Thing About Hair & Care: The Hair & Care team – they are great at providing a warm and welcoming space.
The first time I entered the door for a workshop everyone embraced and welcomed me with open arms
The opportunities that these workshops have presented me with – firstly taking pride in my appearance, and secondly they have given me a sense of freedom expressing myself through fashion. I’d also like to share that the day we did this photoshoot had an immense impact on me – I felt empowered and seen.
Today I Feel... Proud to be part of Hair & Care's journey and helping shape a more accessible future.
Helen
Joined: 2021
Favourite Thing About Hair & Care:
Being part of such a welcoming and supportive community.
Today I Feel... More confident in myself and excited to embrace new opportunities.
Jane
Age: 64
Joined: 2023
What is your eye condition? Retinopathy of prematurity
What is your level of sight? I have no useable sight but I do have a sense of light dark shadows and some movement in the lower left quartile of my left eye.
What is your favourite thing about Hair & Care? The ability to be involved, to express an opinion and to know that I am heard and that the change I need will be fought for.
Today I feel... Glad I learnt how to upstyle my hair into a messy bun and not just leave it hanging!
Lucy
Age: 30
Joined: 2022
What is your eye condition? I have a really rare genetic condition called Incontinentia Pigmenti. I lost my sight when I was 17.
What is your level of sight? I’m totally blind and I have no light perception at all, so I don’t see light, shapes or shadows.
What is your favourite thing about Hair & Care? I love that Hair & Care gives blind and visually impaired women the space to take pride in their hair and learn techniques that actually work for us. Hair has always been such a big part of my identity. A lot of people recognise me for my red hair, especially from the haircare adverts I was in, so being able to look after it and style it myself matters so much to me.
Today I feel… Really proud of my hair and how far I’ve come with it. When I first lost my sight at 17, there were so many things I had to learn again, and doing my hair was one of them. Now I can style it myself, I know which products work for me, I know the haircut I like and I have a routine that I stick to.
That independence gives me so much confidence. Hair & Care is brilliant because it treats hair as something blind and visually impaired women can have ownership over too. There’s something really lovely about being surrounded by women who understand why learning one new technique or finding a product you can use independently can make such a difference.
Meghan
Age: 29
Joined: 2022
What is your eye condition: Stargardts Disease
What is your level of sight? I rely on my peripheral vision due to there being a progressive loss of my central vision. My central vision is blurry and I struggle to see in dim lighting.
What is your favourite thing about Hair & Care? Having a safe and supportive space to learn new skills in an area I am passionate about. It is not only an environment where everyone understands the challenges that come with learning something new, but also one that is safe and inclusive for visually impaired people developing new skills. This makes it feel encouraging and welcoming. I value the opportunity to meet other visually impaired women who share similar interests and a passion for hair. As well as all this, I appreciate the opportunity through Hair & Care to become more involved in the hair and fashion industry, including being invited to fashion shows and events.
Today I feel...Much more confident in understanding my own hair type and experimenting with different styles. Since attending the workshops, I have felt more motivated to try new things, whereas before I often felt that the results didn’t match the amount of effort I put in.
Hair & Care has also helped me become more open and confident about my visual impairment. Growing up without many visually impaired people around me, I often avoided talking about my condition, even with people who already knew me. Since joining the workshops, I have noticed a huge change in how comfortable I am talking about my experiences and advocating for myself.
Priti
Age: 56
Joined: 2022
What is your eye condition? Retinitis Pigmentosa
What is your level of sight? I am registered severely sight impaired. I have around 5-10 degrees of central vision with no peripheral vision. I am very sensitive to bright lights and cannot see in dim lighting. What I do see is patchy and slightly hazy.
What is your favourite thing about Hair & Care? I have many favourite things, but the main thing is that despite being visually impaired, these workshops have given me the confidence to understand my hair, how to look after it, and how to style it in different ways as well as which products to use. I have also enjoyed the social aspect of it.
Today I Feel... Confident and empowered about looking after and also styling my own hair. The sessions have taught me about hair texture, using the right products and appliances in order to style my hair in different ways. I have learnt how to create styles with various accessories which was amazing!
This has really increased my confidence and made me feel great about myself. I now make a real effort with my hair and have gained confidence. Being visually impaired, it’s difficult going to mainstream classes, but Anna along with her team have provided the patience, care and understanding to make us all feel welcome and valued. I would highly recommend attending these sessions. A huge thank you to Anna and to her team. Long may her great work continue so other visually impaired women feel inspired and empowered to feel and look great and be more confident, connected and excited to embrace new experiences.
Sharon
Age: 66
Joined: 2023
What is your eye condition? Optic nerve was damaged during an operation to remove a tumour.
What is your level of sight? I have no vision in my left eye and only 4% in my right eye.
Favourite Thing About Hair & Care:
Being amongst like-minded people as well as meeting all the hairstylist volunteers. It helps me forget about what I’m dealing with.
Today I Feel... Excited to start coming back to the workshops.
Ropafadzo
Joined: 2024
Favourite Thing About Hair & Care: Learning new skills and celebrating beauty in my own way.
Today I Feel... More confident, empowered and proud of who I am.
Ropafadzo joined our workshops in late 2024. For her, attending the workshops was all about building her self-confidence as a way to help make her feel beautiful.
Tahira
Age: 45
Joined: 2023
Favourite Thing About Hair & Care: Being part of a welcoming community that inspires confidence.
Today I Feel... More confident, empowered and excited to embrace my own beauty.
Tahira joined our workshops in 2023 and has been a part of the Hair & Care community ever since. She discovered Hair & Care through BlindAid and over time has experienced noticeable growth in her self-esteem and confidence from attending the sessions.
Taylor
Age: 31
Joined: 2024
What is your eye condition? Leber Congenital Amaurosis
What is your level of sight? I have 10% vision and I’m registered blind. I have no depth perception and rely strongly on light.
What is your favourite thing about Hair & Care? The workshops – they have broadened my skill set and allowed me to explore my own unique looks that suit my hair type.
Today I feel... So much more confident knowing I can take care of my hair daily and even receive compliments on how it is styled. I now have a very positive relationship with my hair and see it as a form of personal expression.
Tom
Age: 33
Joined: 2024
What is your eye condition called? LHON and it stands for Libya's Hereditary Oip Neuropathy.
What is your level of sight? My peripheral vision is okay, but I have like a kaleidoscope in my central vision, which is blurry.
What is your favourite thing about Hair & Care? The fact that the team are celebrating the needs of partially sighted people and those with low vision within the hair and care industry. Also, that they are creating a community of like-minded people that are going through similar things.
Today I feel… Like every day can be a challenge, but with good people around me and focusing forwards, it's okay.