Why So Many Stylists Weren't Taught Textured Hair — and the Laws Changing Cosmetology School

Quick answer (as of September 17, 2026)

  • Nine states now require cosmetology education to cover textured hair: Louisiana, New York, Minnesota, Connecticut, California, Washington, Vermont, Maine and New Jersey.
  • Newest in effect: New York's requirement began September 1, 2026 (NY Department of State). Washington's updated school rules took effect August 26, 2026.
  • No extra hours: New York and Washington folded the training into existing program hours.
  • Already-licensed stylists generally aren't required to retrain.
  • National exam: We found no public evidence that the NIC national exam has added textured-hair content.

The gap: how "all hair" came to mean straight hair

If you have curly, coily or kinky hair, you may have walked into a salon and been told, politely or not, "we don't do that hair." Or you may have walked out with a cut that shrank into a shape nobody planned.

That's often not a stylist's personal failing. For decades, cosmetology programs mostly trained on straight hair and straight-haired mannequins. New York's Secretary of State put it plainly when the state's new rule took effect: "Traditional cosmetology courses historically ignored textured hair, leading salons to turn away clients or undertreat Black customers" (NY DOS).

A few numbers often come up in this debate. Treat them as advocacy estimates, because we couldn't find the original studies:

  • The Professional Beauty Association says about 65% of Americans have textured hair (wavy, curly or coily) (PBA).
  • A 2025 congressional press release cites a 2020 study: 86% of Black women had trouble finding consistent salon services, and 65% of stylists wanted more textured-hair training (Rep. Velázquez).

The state laws, one by one

Much of the push has come from the Texture Education Collective, a PBA initiative founded by Aveda, DevaCurl, L'Oréal USA and Neill Corporation. Industry backing doesn't make the laws wrong, but it's worth knowing who's behind them.

State How When What it requires
Louisiana State Board of Cosmetology action Nov. 2021; exams from June 2022 Licensing exams include cutting textured hair (KATC)
New York Law S6528 Signed Nov. 2023; effective Sept. 1, 2026 Textured-hair instruction inside existing 1,000 cosmetology hours and 300 natural hair styling hours (TheGrio)
Minnesota State law Signed May 24, 2024 Training and testing on all hair types and textures (PBA)
Connecticut Public Act 24-53 2024 Textured-hair education (CT General Assembly)
California AB 2166 Signed fall 2024 Cosmetology, barbering and hairstyling programs teach curl and wave patterns, strand thickness and volume, and exams test it (Associated Hair Professionals)
Washington 2025 law + rules Rules effective Aug. 26, 2026 Instruction must apply to "all hair and skin types," with cultural competency, in cosmetology, hair design, barbering and esthetics (ASCP)
Vermont 2025 law ~12 months to implement Train and test on curly, coily and wavy hair (Premium Beauty News)
Maine 2025 law ~12 months to implement Same as above
New Jersey P.L.2025, c.207 Signed Jan. 12, 2026; rules proposed Jan. 20, 2026 Training for "hair of all types, textures, and porosities," with exam inclusion. Proposed rules require picks, wide-tooth combs, braiding kits and textured mannequins (WRNJ)

California's law matters because of its size. Industry groups say the state has about 200 cosmetology schools, more than any other state (Beauty Launchpad).

What about Illinois and other states?

Illinois is sometimes mentioned in this conversation. It has had a separate hair braiding license for years, but we couldn't verify a general textured-hair education mandate for cosmetology as of September 2026. If your state isn't in the table, check your state board of cosmetology's recent rule changes.

What about the national exam?

Many states use exams from the National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC). The NIC practical exam bulletin we reviewed (effective July 2022) specifies mannequin sizes but says nothing about hair texture (NIC bulletin). We found no public announcement of a textured-hair update. Newer bulletins may exist behind a login, so treat this as unconfirmed.

In practice, states with mandates, such as Louisiana, Minnesota, California and New Jersey, describe putting textured hair on their own licensing exams.

Will this actually change what happens in the salon?

Maybe, but not overnight. Some real limits:

  1. Teachers need training too. Advocates in New York warn that many instructors were never trained in textured hair themselves (TheGrio).
  2. No extra hours. New York and Washington added content without adding time, so something else gets less attention.
  3. Not retroactive. Stylists licensed before these rules don't have to retrain.
  4. A few test questions aren't mastery. Cutting, coloring and chemically treating coily hair well takes practice on real clients.

One co-founder of New York's Natural Hairstyle & Braid Coalition warned that rule changes mean little "if there's no change actually happening on the ground" (TheGrio).

There's also a federal proposal. The Texture Positive Act of 2025, introduced July 17, 2025, would fund grants for partnerships that train cosmetology students on textured hair (Rep. Velázquez). We couldn't confirm any action after introduction.

"Textured hair" isn't one thing, and neither is good training

Good textured-hair education goes beyond memorizing a curl chart. The popular 1A–4C chart was created in the 1990s by stylist Andre Walker, originally to market a product line. Critics say it ignores density, strand thickness and the mix of patterns most people have on one head (overview). L'Oréal researchers who measured hair from 1,442 people in 18 countries ended up with eight shape-based categories instead (Human Biology, 2007).

Popular shortcuts can also mislead. The "float test" for porosity mostly shows whether the hair's surface is damaged, not how much water it absorbs, according to cosmetic chemist Michelle Wong. She advises stylists not to use it to time chemical services (Lab Muffin, Jan. 2026). Strong programs teach students to assess each client's hair directly: strand width, density, elasticity, past chemical and heat history, and scalp condition.

For students: how to check a school's textured-hair training

Ask these questions on a school tour:

  • How many hours or practical sessions cover curly, coily and kinky hair specifically?
  • Do students practice on textured mannequins and live clients with those hair types?
  • Are instructors trained or certified in textured-hair cutting, silk press, braiding or coil work?
  • Does the curriculum cover dry cutting, shrinkage, protective styles, relaxer safety and heat damage?
  • Is scalp health taught, including when to refer a client to a dermatologist?
  • How does the school prepare students for textured-hair questions on the state exam?

For licensed stylists: closing your own gap

If you finished school before these laws, you can still build skills:

  • Brand certifications such as DevaCut, Ouidad or Rëzo teach specific curly-cutting systems. They're brand programs, not state licenses (see our curly cutting methods guide).
  • Continuing education in silk press, protective styling and chemical services from independent textured-hair educators.
  • Assist or shadow a textured-hair specialist.
  • Barbers: California and Washington include barbering programs, which means textured-hair skills are part of the expected standard for barbers too.

For salon owners

  • Audit your service menu for "texture surcharges." Charge for time and complexity instead, and explain it clearly.
  • Train front-desk staff to book textured-hair clients with the right stylist, instead of turning them away.
  • Stock tools for all textures: wide-tooth combs, picks, diffusers and appropriate products.

What we don't know yet

  • Whether New Jersey has finalized its proposed school rules (comments closed March 21, 2026).
  • Exact effective dates and bill numbers for Connecticut, Vermont and Maine.
  • Whether the NIC has updated national exam content.
  • Whether these mandates measurably improve service access. No outcome studies exist yet.

FAQ

Which states require textured hair education for cosmetology? As of September 2026: Louisiana, New York, Minnesota, Connecticut, California, Washington, Vermont, Maine and New Jersey.

When did New York's textured hair law take effect? September 1, 2026. It covers cosmetology (1,000 hours) and natural hair styling (300 hours) programs without adding hours.

Do licensed stylists have to go back to school? Not under the New York law, which isn't retroactive. Other states' rules focus on new students and exams as well.

Is textured hair on the national NIC cosmetology exam? We found no public evidence of a textured-hair update to NIC bulletins. Several states test it on their own exams.

Do these laws apply to barbers? In California and Washington, yes. The requirements cover barbering programs too.

Sources