New ASMR trend sees Black women getting pampered at Chinese head spas
By Bryan Ke
A new social media trend featuring Black women getting their heads and hair pampered at spas in China is on the rise.
Things to know: Several Black content creators on YouTube are sharing ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) videos showing their experiences at spas around China specializing in relaxing hair, scalp and head treatments.
About the spas: Head spas are popular in countries across Asia, such as Japan, India and China, where masseuses perform several relaxing treatments on their clients’ heads.
Services typically include getting one’s scalp steamed, massaged and lathered with nourishing shampoos and conditioners.
Their popularity: This type of treat-yourself activity is reportedly popular on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, where the hashtag “head spa” has gained major traction on the latter platform with over 545.7 million views as of this writing.
Some content creators also add an ASMR twist to their videos to make the filmed experience more relaxing for viewers.
What content creators are saying: Sipha Cingo, a South African-born YouTuber, detailed in a YouTube video that what she experienced when warm water entered her braid rows made her “brain melt.” Meanwhile, Mwila Bwalya, a China-based content creator born in Zambia, Africa, noted that she loves getting head therapy massages.
“I have always loved self-care regimens, and head therapy massages are one of my favorite [treatments] to get done,” Bwalya shared in a YouTube video posted in June.
Why it matters: With the growing online popularity of traditional Chinese head spas and head spas in general, some creators hope to help normalize different hair types, such as coily hair, in non-Black spas across China and other Asian countries.
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