Cashay Proudfoot — Bald by Choice
According to Screen Rant, Season 3 original Cashay Proudfoot revealed she shaved her head before filming and was told by producers that she was cast because of her natural look. Her baldness became a bold statement of self-definition in a genre long dominated by wigs and weaves.
Trina Njoroge — The Quiet Middle
Trina’s polished leave-outs and sleek styles reflected a safer, “villa-ready” aesthetic. Placed next to Cashay’s bald look, it underscored the choices Black women must navigate between fitting into mainstream desirability and leaning into personal authenticity.
Seasons 5 & 6 — A New Era of Visibility
Season 5 marked an increase in darker-skinned Black women like Destiny Davis, Kay Kay Gray, and Imani Wheeler. By Season 6, women like Serena Page, Jana Craig, and Daia McGhee openly spoke about their hair choices.
On “Smith Sisters Live,” Serena notes the fan appreciation she received when switching between wigs and braids.
Daia discusses presenting natural hair during Casa Amor on podcast “So Bad It’s Good with Ryan Bailey.”
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The Weight of the Gaze
Mind you, if you know how natural hair works, it changes with the elements. Island weather is unpredictable, and cameras are on you at every angle. Black Women have these considerations when having to do their own hair on set and in between challenges that can get pretty messy. You’ll also get screenshots and photos circulating online forever, so you have to look on point!
According to a fan post on Reddit’s r/LoveIslandUSA, one viewer summed up the practicality of braids in the villa: “I’m braids gang… you’d never catch me on a TV show being filmed 24/7 in a wig,” underscoring how protective styles function as both cultural expression and a survival tactic under the heat and scrutiny of reality TV.
In a tweet on X, user @fulfiliahair celebrated Serena Page’s hair versatility: “Obsessed with Serena and how she styles her goddess braids different everyday, such great rep #loveislandusa.” That kind of feedback shows how fans link representation directly to self-styling choices—and see them as larger statements about Black beauty on mainstream TV.
According to recent reporting by Teen Vogue, contestants like Season 7’s Olandria Carthen and Chelley Bissainthe explained that they maintained their knotless braids themselves and even cared for each other’s hair without professional support on set. Despite this, they faced criticism online for their styles appearing “messy”—a double standard rarely applied to their non-Black castmates.
