Hey there,

Did you know there aren’t even official statistics on how many hairdressers are part of Egypt’s labor force? Wild, isn’t it, especially when you think about how central salons are to everyday life. If shisha cafés are cultural spaces for men, then salons are the equivalent for women.

Despite their massive popularity, and the fact that they employ millions of men and women, their economic impact isn’t measured, let alone recognized. Each hairdresser isn’t just making a living; they’re sustaining their families and supporting entire communities. And with wedding season being such a cornerstone of Egyptian culture, the workload (and pressure) on hairdressers is far bigger than most people imagine.

This edition is dedicated to Egypt’s hairdressers and salons, the unsung keepers of beauty, and to tracing how their craft and labor have evolved through the years.

We hope you enjoy reading!

Warm regards,

Mirna Abdulaal

The time and effort behind this newsletter come from the Egyptian Streets team of independent, grassroots journalists. By subscribing for just USD 1.66 per month (EGP 80), or as little as USD 0.84 per month (EGP 40) for students (paid annually), you’re directly supporting the creation of content like this and helping sustain independent media in Egypt.

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Spotlight

^{Meet Saly Gamal}

We are drawn to art that shifts something within us; art that makes us feel, reflect, and linger before it until it leaves a mark. In Saly Gamal’s work, masked faces appear as a recurring motif, inviting viewers into her inner world. By obscuring facial features, she shifts the focus away from identity and towards the deeper narrative her paintings are trying to tell. Many of her pieces are also dedicated to her child, capturing fragments of his world in ways both tender and imaginative. Through these works, Gamal preserves fleeting moments of childhood, freezing them in time so they may live on in memory again and again. Discover her work here.

Speaking to Egyptian Streets, Saly shared more about her cultural picks and work below:

What routines or rituals help spark your creativity?

I usually begin the moment of creation with silence. I need a state of solitude, and sometimes I turn to soft music to clear my mind. I observe the details of my day, the glances of people, their behaviors… all of that becomes the seed of a visual idea. I keep a small notebook where I jot down any image, symbol, or scene that crosses my mind or affects me during the day.

How did you come to develop your unique artistic style?

My style evolved naturally over time, through constant experimentation and blending the artistic schools that influenced me. I love Expressionism because it gives me the freedom to embody emotions, and I include symbols because I believe every form carries meaning. I never confined myself to traditional ideas; I was always searching for new, contemporary ways of expression, through unexpected, unconventional compositions that align with our modern technological age.

Are there particular emotions that guide or influence you while painting?

Often, the initial drive is an inner feeling that is difficult to put into words. Sometimes, I don’t even understand what I feel until the painting is complete… as if the painting explains me, rather than the other way around. When my emotions or ideas are positive, I instinctively use vivid, warm colors. At other times, in moments of negative emotions, I use earthy tones. In this way, both positive and negative feelings are reflected in my work.

Is there a project that holds special meaning for you, and why does it stand out?

Yes, there is a recent series of paintings in which I expressed the struggles of families and individuals with the positive and negative impact of technology’s deep intrusion into our lives, and the different ways of using it optimally. I used symbols such as the QR code and the box to represent how we have become encrypted codes and algorithms, substitutes for our presence and our identities, as well as for our emotions. We have become trapped inside the box of technology that controls us, our thoughts, and our work, with the difference lying in whether we use it positively or negatively. What makes this project unique is its distinctive compositions and my own expressive style, enhanced by its vibrant colors.

Feature

^{A Symbol Against Racism}

Many Egyptians, like Fatma Yasser, have experienced pressure to conform by suppressing her curls and being told that natural textures are “messy” or unprofessional. These pressures didn’t just come from strangers but often from family and close friends. 

Beauty ideals in Egypt have long favored lighter skin, straighter hair, and physical features tied to Eurocentric standards, which are deeply embedded in a history of colonialism, elite social norms, and longstanding colorism, all of which have contributed to systemic prejudice against African and Arab features.

Yet there’s a growing movement of embracing natural hair. Salons, brands, and online communities are helping to shift perceptions and provide support. Women are re-learning how to care for curls; men are reclaiming their hair textures; people are speaking out. Natural curls are becoming a form of visible self-acceptance to resist old norms.

Social acceptance is growing, yet the structural biases (in media representation, professional settings, day-to-day interactions) are still strong and often invisible. Meaningful change requires not only personal courage but systemic shifts in institutions, culture, and media.

The “everyday” hair care routine has become deeply political, tied to identity, history, and power. The transformation of how people see themselves, and how they are seen, can be slow, but also deeply important.

Read the article here.

^{Aesthetic Entrepreneurship}

Beauty has traditionally been a largely private, domestic, and often invisible labour, with rituals done in bathrooms or by a mother’s dressing table, or in salons behind closed doors. Though the beauty and cosmetics industry is historically gendered feminine in its content, leadership and profit often lie elsewhere (frequently male-dominated). 

But more recently, with the rise of social media, this labour is becoming more public and visible, as routines and ideals once passed down within families are now increasingly communicated through influencers on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. 

Women are taking control of both their appearance and how they present it, turning what used to be private beauty labour into a kind of creative, entrepreneurial work. From reviewing products to creating video tutorials, sharing personal struggles like acne, and being candid about insecurities or cosmetic procedures, women are asserting greater agency. They are not only consumers of beauty culture but also makers, critics, sellers, and storytellers, often building followings organically and using their platforms to reshape what beauty looks like for people who don’t fit classic “ideal” images. 

Read the article here.

What to Read

^{Other Lives}

“Did I live many lives, or only one life vast enough to hold many women?” wonders Miriyam in Other Lives. Time and again, she drifts back to the Lebanon of her birth and childhood, only to find it transformed, slipping further from reach. There, she must face the lingering ghosts of civil war, her brother lost, her lover disappeared, the fragments of a life abandoned when she journeyed to Australia. In tender, layered prose, Humaydan traces one woman’s passage through love and war, intimacy and absence, migration and memory, crafting a story that resonates not only as personal testimony, but as part of a collective remembering.

Read more here.

What to Listen to

^{“uhm…ok?”}

Sultry, self-assured, and above all, authentic, Ilham is every bit a New York baddie, but with a distinctly Moroccan edge. She carries the spirit of North Africa into her music, infusing her sound with attitude, heritage, and presence. And she has just unveiled her long-awaited independent EP ‘uhm…ok?’, a 10-track journey that captures her evolution as an artist while celebrating liberation, self-discovery, and the possibilities ahead.

Executive produced by Ilham alongside Fridayy (GloRilla, Drake, Wiz Khalifa) and GRAMMY-nominated MOMBRU (Chris Brown, Muni Long, OhGeesy), ‘uhm…ok?’ weaves together pop, R&B, and house influences.

Listen here.

What to Watch

^{Under Guardianship}

Few films or series today spark genuine public debate on humanitarian issues, but two years ago, Under Guardianship did exactly that. The Egyptian TV series ‘Under Guardianship’ (aired during Ramadan 2023), follows the story of a mother who loses legal rights over her children and inheritance after her husband’s death, and drew significant public attention to issues in Egypt’s guardianship law. In the drama, the mother struggles with losing control of her husband’s fishing boat (her main source of income), and she is also threatened with having her children removed from school by her father-in-law, all because existing law grants guardianship and inheritance rights to male relatives upon the death of a husband/father.

Spurred by the strong public discussion generated by the show, two members of Egypt’s parliament, Amira El Adly and Mohamed Ismail, submitted motions to have the guardianship law reviewed. They argue that the law, originally over 70 years old, is unfair to women, imposes legal obstacles, and fails to reflect current social realities. The National Council for Women also praised ‘Under Guardianship’ for shedding light on education rights for children after a father’s death, and the issue has drawn complaints from constituents who feel harmed by the law’s implications. 

Watch it in Egypt here and in the US here. 

What to Eat

^{Mexican Grill}

Each week, we spend hours reflecting on what to recommend, because food choices are serious business. Some days, Chinese won’t cut it. Other days, even Lebanese feels too familiar. And then there are those heavy days when what you really need is everything, all at once, wrapped in one bite. Think of it as the Mexican version of koshary: hearty, layered, and satisfying.

This week’s pick is Con Todo, a Mexican eatery whose name translates to “in spite of everything.” One look at their burrito bowl is enough to make you reach for your phone and place an order on the spot. The menu spans burritos, quesadillas, salads, and bowls, with nachos, of course, always close at hand. It’s the kind of place where you’ll never go hungry, and yet, you’ll always find room for just one more bite.

Find out more here.

What to Visit

^{Salt of the Earth}

Sometimes you walk into a gallery or exhibition unsure of what awaits you. In those moments, the best approach is often to focus on the artist, to explore their vision and the language of their work. Neven Nathan’s art is deeply rooted in the experiences of Egyptian women, whom she describes as bearing the weight of customs and traditions. Through her practice, Nathan seeks not only to portray these realities but also to empower and uplift. This exhibition promises to be a window into her vision, offering a chance to witness how her concerns and causes are transformed into art.

Find out more here.

Saudi Spotlight

^{A Love Letter to Najdi Cuisine}

Aseeb’s menu is deeply anchored in Najdi cuisine but also incorporates regional Saudi favorites through a Najdi lens. Dishes sampled include lentil soup, camel-meat sambosa, stuffed vine leaves, Al Azema rice with lamb, meat habara, Al-Mousaqqa (eggplant layered with meat and vegetables), and molokhia. Texture, spicing, and presentation are praised: for example, the sambosa is crisp and juicy, the Al Azema dish rich and hearty, and the dessert loqmet delivers syrup-soaked sweetness. What also stands out is the generous portion sizes, which encourage sharing and a communal dining feel, almost every dish arriving as ready, rather than in strict courses, mirroring traditional Middle Eastern “sofra” style dining.

Read more here.