NBC's Aunyea Lachelle Talks Quarantine Black Hair Care On Love+Grit Podcast

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With many of us approaching our umpteenth day in quarantine, our crowning glories have seen better days.

Hair salons around the country have been closed for at least six weeks as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, leaving us to tend to our own tresses – with not the greatest results.

Journalist Aunyea Lachelle still has to be on camera five days a week as the host of NBC10’s Philly Live and said it was tough to stay coiffed in quarantine.

“So many women – and especially African American women are in the same boat with the salon shut down,” Aunyea Lachelle said last week on the Love+Grit podcast, a weekly show about what’s happening in the city of brotherly love and sisterly affection hosted by national radio personality Laiya St Clair and Visit Philadelphia’s Rachel Ferguson and Justin Pizzi. “It’s traditional for us to go to the hair salon once a week, twice a week – that’s standard.”

Source: Courtesy of Live + Grit / Courtesy of Love+Grit

Aunyea Lachelle said many Philadelphia area hairstylists have been posting online tutorials on how to maintain a hair routine at home, whether it’s relaxed or natural. She discussed cleaning styling tools like flat irons and brushes regularly to prevent any cross-contamination.

She also spoke about the Centers for Disease Control’s advice that people wash their hair more often. Although the CDC hasn’t concluded whether coronavirus can live on hair, it’s recommending washing our hair frequently, just in case, Aunyea Lachelle said.

“You still have to dress up from the waist up,” she added. “You need your hair done. It’s real out here!”