So, who is Paige?
About The Host
Texture Talks was created by former corporate sales director, Paige Lewin, out of a desperate need for a resource that could help guide her on her natural hair care journey outside of just Internet Influencers and Product Manufacturers.
As a 30 year old black woman born in Britain, raised in predominantly white areas, Paige Lewin has struggled to understand, care for, and many times even like her natural hair.
From getting a relaxer by accident at the hands of a poorly skilled hairdresser at just 14 years old, which went on to strip most of her hair from her scalp before she barely hit puberty, to becoming addicted to wigs and weaves for most of her adult life, and then further obsessed with bleach in her late twenties forcing her to shave her head for the majority of 2022, Paige has been through it all trying to avoid her natural kinks and coils.
"As I planned to shave my head for the 4th time toward the end of 2022, I realised that this had to stop.
I couldn’t keep running from my natural hair.
My mum even sat me down and spoke candidly and firmly to me, questioning what I planned to do when I became a mother myself to what will likely be beautiful, curly haired black babies, would I plan to shave their hair off too?
It was a shocking and very difficult question to answer, but she was right. I had to find a way to finally understand my afro, and stop trying to hide it, flatten it or cut it off and hopefully in time also learn to love it to be able to fully accept myself."
After researching the internet for different active podcasts and shows for afro and curly haired community, she realized that there was an opportunity for a new interactive show that brought the whole community together on her journey with her, so she, and others seeking answers on their natural hair care journeys like her, no longer felt alone, confused and isolated.
Texture Talks was created February of this year to educate, entertain and engage afro and curly haired men and women looking for answers, and longing for community.
Starting with a solo episode from Paige herself, giving listeners a painfully honest insight into her experiences with mainstream salons in the UK and the discrimination she’s faced over the years trying to get a simple cut, wash or blow-dry, (LISTEN HERE!) Texture Talks continued on to complete the first season with 27 other amazing episodes, (SEE SEASON ONE!) interviewing some incredible and sadly heavily marginalised voices, with truly inspiring stories to tell.
From debates of generational changes in hair care with her own mother, (LISTEN HERE!) and unpacking colourism and hair discrimination in South-Asian communities (LISTEN NOW!) to getting the truth behind chemical straightening creams like relaxers and talking to a Trichologist about the serious impacts of misusing these kinds of dangerous treatments, (WATCH HERE!) in Paiges mission to learn more about her hair, her culture, and herself, she has managed to create a network of people, stories and lessons that the community can take from, and share for decades to come.
Outside of Texture Talks, Paige invests heavily back into her communities in any way possible.
From speaking at schools to children about their natural hair, helping to start children of color on their self love journey with their curls early,
to taking centre stage on a range of public domains from TV and Radio to Tabloids to speak about serious topics such as hair discrimination and the impacts of the west on beauty standards for black women like herself.
She is also working closely with the likes of the NHBF (National Hair and Beauty Federation) and Cross Cultural Curl Educator Erica Liburd of Texture Unravelled to help provide insight and support into the consumer mindset as brands, stylists, and professionals alike work to close the gap between the textured haired community and everyone currently serving the hair and beauty sector.
From speaking on panels for afro and curly hair discussions targeting hair care pros, to providing one-to-one personal advice, guidance and perspective to hairdressers and specialists keen to become more inclusive, Paige is actively investing into changing the landscape of British Hair and Beauty for the better, with her name is slowly becoming synonymous with the needs of afro and curly haired community.
"Never in a million years did I ever think I would be able to connect on such a deep level with so many people just like me, with struggles and challenges like mine, and actually help create a resource that genuinely helps them on their hair care journeys.
The bonus is that through creating this show, I have finally achieved a level of self acceptance and a love for my hair and self that I’ve literally never felt in my life. "
"I’m still on a journey, and I have no doubt I will make many more mistakes, have moments of doubt or feelings of unworthiness or fear, but the difference now is, I have a family of afro and curly haired people who are there walking alongside me, who understand, and support me and one another in a way where we really no longer have to do this journey alone. And that means absolutely everything to me."