In the energetic streets of Notting Hill, where the echoes of carnival drums seem to linger year-round, Charlotte Mensah has built something extraordinary. Her salon, Hair Lounge, isn't just a place where hair gets styled, it's a sanctuary where souls connect, stories unfold, and community thrives.
For decades, Charlotte has kept her doors open during Notting Hill Carnival, transforming her salon into an unofficial community nucleus. While some other businesses board up their windows in anticipation of chaos, she welcomes the celebration with open arms. "These are my people," she proclaims. "Everyone enjoys themselves so much and they’re so respectful!”
Charlotte's love affair with carnival began in her youth. "I adored everything about it. The calypso music, the fashion, the pure energy," she recalls. That transformative experience didn't just shape her relationship with the festival; it informed her entire philosophy of community and hair.
Today, she describes carnival as nothing less than soul renewal: "By the end of Carnival weekend, you're so full of light. You feel detoxed and purified because the dancing is a release, the singing is a release."
When Charlotte opened Hair Lounge in 1999, she was determined to create something different. "There were loads of salons everywhere, but I felt like there was not much connection," she explains. But her approach was radically different. "For me, everyone that comes to me, I know I’m meeting them for a reason. For me, the first and foremost point is connection."
This philosophy completely transforms the salon experience. "It's not just about your hair. You'll find yourself sitting next to someone who does something incredible." The space becomes a natural incubator where collaborations bloom and lives intersect in meaningful ways.
Growing up in Ghana in a compound with many family members, Charlotte learned the power of community early. "I've always loved being around people, and I love sharing and talking," she reflects. This foundation informs every aspect of her practice.
She's particularly conscious of the emotional importance that comes with working on black women's hair. "There's a lot of real educating and learning acceptance," she says. "I see some women come in and they feel limited and I always say to them, 'No, you can do anything you want, but you need to believe it.'"
For Charlotte, the work extends far beyond technical skill. "When you work in the beauty industry, you're creating happiness every single day. You're giving people confidence from the inside out, making them look fabulous on the outside. You're connecting with their energy, one strand at a time."
Charlotte’s Carnival Advice
With carnival approaching, Charlotte offers practical advice born from decades of experience.
Hair Strategy: "Go for something easy. Anything that keeps hair away from your face and won't make you overheat."
Essential Kit: Water ("there's never any available"), comfortable flat shoes ("trainers are your best friend"), and one crucial item: a whistle. "The whistle is absolutely number one," she laughs.
But beyond practicalities, her advice is also philosophical: "We need to become kids again and just enjoy it. Just be free. That's the true freedom of carnival."
Reflecting on what makes her corner of Notting Hill so special, Charlotte muses: "There's a magic here, and I wonder if that magic is part of the carnival spirit itself." In a world increasingly divided into digital and real-life boxes, her salon stands as a testament to the power of real connection. It can be a place where community is woven as carefully as any braid, where stories are shared as generously as homemade cake, and where the spirit of carnival lives on, 365 days a year.
Cover Image via VICE