We really like Kama Aliska Scretching's hair, and we're not alone.
The costume designer knows she has a superb head of hair. "For as long as I can remember I’ve always liked my hair the way that it is," she says.
It's this confidence that has seen her play around with her look over the years, to great effect. Perhaps most noticeably at the end of 2021, when she shaved off her shoulder length curls and embraced short hair life.
Keen to learn more about the experience and more about her life through her hair, we asked Aliska Scretching to tell exactly how she gets her hair so good.
How would you describe your hair?
Thick, curly and sometimes frizzy. Technically speaking I have type 3B curls.
What's your daily / weekly routine? How do you take care of it?
I try not to wash my hair more than a couple of times a week. When I do wash it, it's the only time I brush it so I use a silicone brush and give my scalp a good scrub.
I’ll then use a coconut curl conditioner and finish by scrunching through some “Shea Moisture curl enhancing smoothie”. If I have time I’ll diffuse my curls with my Dyson hair dryer - best investment!
You shaved your hair off when you turned 30. Can you tell us what inspired that change? What was the experience like?
I have a vivid memory of being 13-years-old and promising myself it was something I would do by the time I was 30. My big birthday was fast approaching and I’m not one to break a promise.
I gave my fiancé a heads up and he encouraged me to raise money simultaneously. I ended up raising over $5,000 for I Am Hope. I was sure I would cry but shaving it off was actually super satisfying and I felt instantly more confident and empowered as a woman, much to my surprise.
Did this big chop change your approach to other aspects of your beauty routine?
I’ve always enjoyed playing with makeup and jewellery and for the first few weeks I experimented with bold lips and big earrings. I remember feeling like the super glamorous Liz Taylor from American Horror Story: Hotel and I loved it!
I was lucky enough to do a shoot a couple of days after with @rae_makeup and @hollysarahburgess, to document my new look - the photos from that shoot are some of my favourites.
More generally, how would you describe your relationship with your hair? Now and in the past?
For as long as I can remember I’ve always liked my hair the way that it is. I could count on my fingers, how many times I’ve straightened it in my life and all of those times I’ve felt like an imposter.
There was a period when I would go out to bars etc and have complete strangers poke, prod and grab at my hair. Without so much as even saying hello first. If anyone reading this has thought about touching a POC’s hair, just don’t.
I love to see people wearing their hair with pride, especially those with curly/afro hair. Now that it's short, it's so easy. My curls are even more defined, and it's super similar to my niece’s - hopefully she will love her beautiful hair too.
Someone recently stopped me in a shop and said “I love your hair - I bet you hate it though”. My reply was “no, I love it”.
Who 'does' your hair? What products do you use?
I try and get my hair cut every six weeks but realistically its more like eight. I’ve found that having short hair, maintaining a style takes more visits to the salon. I’m currently having it cut by Ngahina at a place called The Spot in Owairaka - she has curly hair too so I trust her.
When I realised the importance of a hairstylist who knows curly hair, I was getting it cut by someone who then moved out of Auckland. I needed a haircut so naturally I caught the ferry over to her in the Coromandel. She then moved to Scotland…
As far as products go, I only really use Coconut curls conditioner by OGX, Shea Moisture curl enhancing smoothie, and Bread hair oil. When it was longer I would scrunch coconut oil into it in summer for an extra hydration boost.
Your curls always look beautifully defined, whatever length they are. Have you had to change the way you care for them as the length varied ?
It's a similar process either way, however when my hair was longer I would be careful to only dry my hair by wrapping it in a t-shirt to prevent frizz. I used to colour my hair too, since stopping my hair has felt so much softer and healthier. The Dyson helps too.
I used to have long hair half way down my back, I cut it and my curls were much more defined. People would ask if I had a perm. Some days I would spend an hour or more, finger coiling each curl individually for extra definition. Amazing results but because it too so long to do, I slept in a silk scarf to make it last longer.
You spend a fair bit of time on sets. Have you picked up any hair care tips or tricks there?
Storytime: I once auditioned for an ad that was pushed back due to Covid. About four months had passed and I heard they were doing the ad and they still wanted me in it - only, I had shaved my hair. I wore a wig for it and pulling it off at the end of the day in front of a lot of the crew who had no idea, was pretty fun. Other than that, not much gets done to my hair - often just a scrunch of product and that’s it.
I was lucky enough to have a really great first modelling experience. It was a shoot I did for designer Jason Lingard and my hair was fully brushed out to create an afro. It was really empowering to see that fashion was moving forward from just having models with dead straight hair.
You wear berets and head scarfs really well. Do you have any that you love / covet right now?
Thank you! My family have always worn head scarves/wraps for both protecting their hair and also for fashion. We’re a hat family too, so for me I’ll often finish off an outfit with something on my head.
Having shorter hair has made it easier to play with these. I have some new berets that I can’t wait to bring out soon when the weather is cooler.
Where do you look for styling inspiration? Who else do you think has great hair?
Currently I’m loving playing with hair clips and headbands. The kids accessory section at H&M is underrated and because there’s not a lot I can do with my hair at this length, but these allow me to play.
Tracee Ellis Ross has amazing hair, I would love so much to try her hair care range but they don’t ship to NZ. I also love Solange’s hair choices over the years.
