We’ve all seen Asian hair commercials and salon catalogues. Lay them out one next to the other and you’ll notice an uncannily sinister stereotype: they all feature the same long, straight, and smooth hair. This ‘template’ is compounded in Singapore, where fine and smooth hair is widely considered ✨ Hair Goals ✨.

Homegrown salon Blow+Bar, however, asks: But what about those with hair like this?

Image: Examples of hair types that Blow+Bar treats

Having been in the hair game for over 10 years, Blow+Bar maintains that there is (still) a lack of support for more varied hair types. Naturally coarse, curly, or otherwise ‘unruly’ hair are often deemed ‘too much work’. Most hair establishments and products aren’t fully suited to them, while those that do consider it a ‘special service’ with heftier price tags. Worse, some may even try to flat-out erase what makes this hair special: “Just get it rebonded lah! ”

This lack of diversity was the very reason behind the salon’s establishment: a humble mission to buck the trend and to empower customers to embrace the unique beauty of their hair.

Image: Before (Left) and After (Right) of a Blow+Bar Customer

As part of Blow+Bar’s flagship campaign DARE TO BE YOU, the salon makes it their mission to deliver personalised care that celebrates all hair types. Their team of hair care specialists undergo dedicated training that equips them with the know-how to tackle hair issues across all hair textures, especially curly and frizzy hair. In-house products use formulas that are toxic and formaldehyde-free, with plant extracts, argan oil, and coconut oil. The cherry on top? Blow+Bar’s ethos ensures each product is cruelty-free.

Beyond concept, Blow+Bar has the results to show for it. The salon has been awarded by the likes of Harper’s Bazaar, Her World and Time Out Singapore for their signature services, notably their Sunkissed Colours, Permanent Blowout, and Anti-Frizz treatments.

But the salon’s commitment to uplifting their customers doesn’t stop at just hair. As its name cheekily suggests, it extends to a full-blown experience of self-care with a complimentary drinks menu — featuring wines, coffee and fine teas.

Blow+Bar is representative of a powerful message: that hair is a strong starting point for championing diversity, confidence, and self-love. Expanding from their roots in Robertson Quay and Katong to most recently making waves internationally with their first overseas outlet in Jakarta, the brand’s growth is itself a testament to the impact of their approach.

To learn more about Blow+Bar’s work and their plans for inclusive hair care to embrace diversity in Southeast Asia, we invite you to speak with Ashley Soh, Founder and Marketing Director of Blow+Bar, on the following:

• How skin colour and body shapes are quick to come up in conversations about celebrating diversity, but few think about hair types
• The challenge of establishing diverse hair care in Singapore, where the image of ‘healthy’ hair is straight and tempered
• The role of hair and hair stylists in building self-confidence, individuality, and expression
• Blow+Bar’s plans to further promote and celebrate hair diversity both locally in Singapore and in neighbouring markets

About Blow+Bar

Founded in October 2012, Blow+Bar is an innovative Singaporean salon that unites hairstyling with the pleasure of enjoying a glass of wine. Their mission is to empower clients to embrace their unique beauty through personalised transformations catering to all hair types. With multiple awards for their sunkissed colours, permanent blowouts, and frizz control treatments, Blow+Bar is also dedicated to using cleaner, natural, and more sustainable formulas. The brand currently has branches in Katong and Robertson Quay in Singapore, as well as Kemang Village in Jakarta, Indonesia.