Can­dice Mo­han

Celebri­ty Hair­styl­ist,

Hair & Lifestyle Con­trib­u­tor

Her hair isn’t just styled—it’s sto­ried.

This Moth­er’s Day, we take a mo­ment to ho­n­our the silent rit­u­als, gen­er­a­tional pride, and per­son­al pow­er wo­ven in­to the strands of every Caribbean moth­er’s hair. From Sun­day braid­ing tra­di­tions to re­claim­ing beau­ty through post­par­tum hair loss, a moth­er’s hair jour­ney is an emo­tion­al archive of strength, sac­ri­fice, and self-ex­pres­sion

In Caribbean homes, hair care is more than a rou­tine—it’s a rite of pas­sage. Grand­moth­ers passed down combs with wide teeth and oil blends in re­cy­cled bot­tles, while moth­ers taught daugh­ters the val­ue of “greas­ing the scalp” and de­tan­gling with love.

“My moth­er made me feel beau­ti­ful in every curl. She taught me that our hair is a crown, not a chal­lenge,” says Ani­ka, a moth­er of two in Port-of-Spain.

Whether permed, nat­ur­al, or Loc’d, the Caribbean moth­er’s crown is worn with pride—shaped by her sto­ry and cul­ture.

Moth­er­hood trans­forms every­thing—in­clud­ing your hair. Many moth­ers silent­ly face post­par­tum shed­ding, where hor­mon­al changes lead to ex­ces­sive hair loss. It can be emo­tion­al and frus­trat­ing, es­pe­cial­ly when jug­gling new­born care and self-worth.

Pro Tips for Moms Fac­ing Post­par­tum Hair Loss:

Go Gen­tle: Use sul­fate-free sham­poos and avoid tight styles.

Scalp Love: Mas­sage with co­conut or ar­gan oil twice a week to stim­u­late growth.

Eat Smart: Load up on iron, vi­t­a­min D, and bi­otin-rich foods.

Style Safe: Pro­tec­tive styles like braids or flat twists can lim­it stress on hair strands.

Hy­drate In­side & Out: Use leave-in con­di­tion­ers and drink wa­ter con­sis­tent­ly.

Time is pre­cious for moth­ers, but that doesn’t mean hair care must be sac­ri­ficed. Small switch­es can make a big dif­fer­ence in up­keep and con­fi­dence.

Time-Sav­ing Hair Hacks:

Dry Sham­poo: Per­fect be­tween wash­es—es­pe­cial­ly af­ter school drop-offs or quick er­rands.

Silk Pil­low­cas­es: Re­duce fric­tion and pre­vent overnight tan­gles.

Low-Main­te­nance Cuts: A lay­ered bob or twist-out style is styl­ish yet ef­fort­less.

Overnight Deep Con­di­tion­ing: Ap­ply a mask be­fore bed and rinse in the morn­ing.

The sa­lon is sa­cred. For many Caribbean moth­ers, it’s the on­ly place where they are not the care­giv­er—but the one be­ing cared for. The chair be­comes a space for tears, laugh­ter, vent­ing, and em­pow­er­ment.

As a styl­ist, I’ve seen count­less moth­ers walk in ex­haust­ed and walk out ra­di­ant—not just be­cause of the style, but the restora­tion of self. A good blowout or silk press does more than tame strands—it re­vives spir­it.

“Some days, my sa­lon vis­it is the on­ly hour I have to breathe,” shared Ker­ry, a sin­gle mom from San Fer­nan­do.

Can­dice’s Must-Have Prod­uct Picks for Mom’s Hair Re­vival:

Shark FlexStyle Mul­ti-Styler: Fast dry­ing with smooth re­sults—no heat dam­age.

Wet Brush Pro De­tan­gler: Es­sen­tial for gen­tle styling post-preg­nan­cy.

Don­na’s Recipe Bi­otin Oil: Boosts growth and smells di­vine.

Mul­ber­ry Silk Bon­net: Keeps styles in­tact overnight and pre­vents break­age.

This Moth­er’s Day, let’s ho­n­our every moth­er not just with flow­ers or brunch—but with recog­ni­tion of her un­seen ef­forts, her evolv­ing beau­ty, and the sa­cred strands she wears with grace. Hair is a tes­ti­mo­ny. Every twist, curl, and strand has a sto­ry—and moth­ers wear them all.