Alice Dearing is Britain’s number one female marathon swimmer, World Junior Open Water Champion, 2016 European Junior Champion and one of the Top 20 marathon swimmers in the world. In a couple of weeks she will be the first Black lady to represent Great Britain at the Olympics.
Alice is also the face of Soul Cap, which is a black owned brand that makes swim caps. She took time out to tell us about the beauty product she cannot live without.
The product I cannot live without is Jim + Henry Five. This is a hair oil I discovered at a Black haircare event in 2018 which my friend PennyFroReal was speaking at. The owner of Jim + Henry was there talking about her products. Prior to this, I had never used any other hair oil but I decided to try this one and I love it.
I use it two or three times a week when I am swimming because the chlorine from the swimming pool drys my hair out. I try to have my hair in protective styling, because when I have it out and put my swimming cop on it needs a lot more TLC.
I have three bottles in various places dotted around the house, I have stocked up for six months. I also have a travel size that I take with me when I am training. When I put it in my hair it lasts for so long and keeps it hydrated and healthy. It has allowed my hair to flourish. It is also very natural, which I guess is because of only having five ingredients.
I decided a grow my hair out of a relaxer a few years ago and I got the big chop in 2018. I no longer visit the hairdressers and look after my hair myself and I also cut it myself. I was encouraged to go natural by Penny. I was fed up of getting it relaxed, I would see other black women with curls and I wanted to be like that. I use the same swimming cap as all my other team mates, it is not design for Afro hair but lucky for me, it does not slip off.
