1. Taren916
It’s hard to believe that Taren Guy launched her YouTube channel only five years ago. Since then, she’s garnered 18 million views and over 450,000 fans on social media. Her genuine spirit and iconic afro has made her one of the most prominent figures in the natural hair community. Taren launched the international “Luv & Learn Your Hair (LLYH)” tour to encourage hair acceptance. LLYH Kids is up next!
2. Naptural85
With over 32 million views, Whitney, known to her fans as Naptural85, has charmed the natural hair community with her awe-worthy hairstyles, easygoing personality and natural beauty. Launching in 2009, her channel was one of the only places women with 4a curls could go to see a vlogger with a similar hair type. Now, the Naptural85 brand has evolved to include DearNaptural85, her new lifestyle channel.
3. MsVaughnTV
Over 80,000 subscribers tune in daily to Ms. Vaughn’s videos about natural hair, style and beauty. The Chicago-bred vlogger, whose sister Meechy Monroe vlogs as well, started her channel to share her hair techniques with friends and family. To her surprise, her first video went viral. The rest is history: she now boasts over 3 million views on her channel and a significant following on social media to boot.
4. MeechyMonroe
One half of the Monroe sisters, Tameka, better known as Meechy Monroe, achieved a viral presence on YouTube only a few months after she joined. She now has more than 30,000 subscribers and a website, MeechyMonroe.com, where she shares her thoughts on everything from fashion and hair to nutrition and health.
5. HairCrush
Chime Edwards, who goes by the name ‘HairCrush,’ couldn’t have picked a better moniker. There are few people in the natural hair community who don’t crush on her glamorously long, full natural curls. Her legions of fans (142,000 subscribers and 24,000 Instagram fans, to be exact) follow every step of her hair journey, and also love her sense of style and sound spiritual advice.
6. Chescalocs
With over 23 million views combined on her YouTube channels, Chescaleigh is a name you need to know. Franchesca Ramsey, the actress/comedian behind the brand, created Chescalocs to share her 9 year locs journey and deliver hairstyle ideas and styling advice to her devout following. Four million views later, Chescalocs is a force to be reckoned with in the natural hair community.
7. UrbanBushBabes
Two best friends turned icons changed the conversation around natural hair with the launch of their online publication, UrbanBushBabes.com. Nikisha (left) and Cipriana don’t only share natural hair styles and techniques with their readers but they wax poetic on the growth of the movement as a whole, thus defining the culture and pushing it forward.
8. HeyFranHey
Boasting 2 million views on her YouTube channel, Fran of Hey Fran Hey marries natural hair with natural living. She covers DIY beauty, natural hair care and nutrition with a Boho twist for her dedicated following. Fran is as famous for her svelte and curvy frame as she is for her tresses, making her an online icon for fitness as well as hair.
9. NikkiMae2003
Mae started NaturalChica.com in July 2009 to share her own natural hair journey with the world and has since turned her online space into a platform to “encourage, inspire and motivate.” With hundreds of thousands of subscribers to her YouTube channel, Mae has accomplished her goal and then some.
10. CharyJay
You may recognize Charnika Jett’s face from your natural hair supplies. Chary Jay graces the front of the Huetiful steamer box. Her fans, who voted to make her the “Huetiful Hair Idol,” tune into her popular YouTube channel because of her commitment to spreading positivity about natural hair while educating viewers about style and maintenance.
11. WhoIsSugar
Sugar (yes, that’s her real name) delivers natural hair styling tips alongside humor, laughter and a heavy dose of quirkiness. With over 4 million views on her channel, it’s safe to say people love her silly personality just as much as her flawless hairstyles and eclectic fashion sense.
12. BeautifulBrwnBabyDol
One look at Dr. Nina Ellis-Hervey’s YouTube channel and website, and it’s easy to see why she has been coined “The Next Oprah,” by her devout fans. Her natural hair tutorials are only one of the reasons over 90,000 subscribers hang on her every word. She lost more than 100 pounds (a feat that was profiled in People Magazine) and uses her platform to inspire fans to achieve their holistic healthy and fitness goals.
13. PrettyDimples01
The YouTube channel, PrettyDimples01, started when the founder decided to go natural after experiencing breakage from a harmful dye and relaxer combo. Years later, she now has a YouTube channel with 80,000 subscribers and hair that she can’t stop touching. Her mission is to help viewers, and the world at large, discover the unique beauty of natural hair. We’d say she’s well on her way to accomplishing just that.
14. DPrincess28
Health is the number one priority for the founder of DPrincess28, who uses her channel and blog to inspire fans to nourish their hair, body and soul. It’s not uncommon to find a diatribe on spirituality next to a roundup of diet and exercise tips, hair tutorials and the like. And with 4 million views on the YouTube channel, it’s clear that her audience loves every post.
15. AfricanExport
AfricanExport is praised for her diversity of topics: the founder posts natural hair tutorials alongside videos on fashion, beauty and lifestyle. Though the topics vary, her genuine spirit and girl-next-door charm shines through in each clip. The channel description reads “Once you subscribe, you’re family” and no doubt all 144,000 subscribers feel like they know her personally. And you will too.
