Lana Summer on Launching Her Headchie Hairbands

If you have curly hair and watch YouTube, odds are that Lana Summer had a big impact on your hair journey. The 27-year-old started making videos six years ago — with in-depth tricks and techniques for everything from hair growth to stretching out your curls with no heat — and quickly earned her way as one of the UK’s most treasured curly-hair influencers. So much so that her most recent videos involves her analyzing the hair routines of curl icons like Tracee Ellis Ross and Zendaya — she’s got that much knowledge in the bank.

As one of the first to know about the industry’s latest product launches, Summer’s been able to see what the hair-care market’s been missing, which is where her latest adventure slides in. After taking a business masterclass in January last year, she launched her first brand just 10 months later: Headchie, which is basically a huge scrunchie for your head. “I brought loads of ideas for different products and ran them by my classmates, and Headchie stood out,” Summer told MakeupJet. “It’s always been my dream to have my very own business, so this is a really exciting time.” Trust us, once you see how they work, you’ll marvel at the Heachie-sized hole in your life.

Another thing Summer’s famous for is her accessory game. If you’re wondering how to make clips and headbands work for your natural hair, Summer will show you how — yet many of these options aren’t exactly curl friendly. “I’ve had so many rhinestones and jagged bits snag my hair, and (they) are a nightmare to remove,” she explained. Inspired by the resurgence of chunky headbands, but simultaneously wanting something that would be kind to hair, she took the slippery satin of pillowcases and bonnets and created a genius hybrid. In addition to the soft headbands, there are also ruched, rigid versions and smaller scrunchies for a total satin wardrobe.

Satin Headchie in Cream: Just slip it on and slide it back.

The Headchie fabric was chosen with intention, too. Although many hair-care accessories are made from silk, Summer opted for a vegan and cruelty-free alternative. “A lot of hair brands have vegan shampoos and conditioners, but have silk pillowcases or accessories,” she said. “I found out that it takes a thousand silk worms to produce just one thread of silk, and satin still holds the same benefits, but is a shorter and more affordable process. The type I ended up settling on for Headchie is really high quality, glides across the hair, and doesn’t suck up moisture and oils from your hair.”

It also makes proper hair care accessible for all: “I pictured myself fresh out of university, trying to find my feet financially and not being able to buy this new range or the latest tool. The process of embracing your natural hair can be pricey, and I didn’t want anyone to be put off.”

Letting your hair do its thing can also soak up a lot of time — something we’ve all had an excess of in the past couple of months. While some have chosen to just go ahead and buzz it all off, it’s also been the perfect time for experimentation. “When you’re not going anywhere, then why not tie your hair up in rags and leave it like that for days? I’ve been playing with even more heatless hairstyles than ever before,” Summer said. “I’ve tried magnetic rollers, something called the tubing method, banding, and made my own Straightformers to see how they change my curl pattern.” Keep an eye on Summer’s channel to see her process through each method — just be prepared to wind up down a YouTube hair hole.