Konnor credits his mum for his skills
Katie Timms Head of Content
16:00, 14 Feb 2026
Konnor Ewudzi is a talented barber based in Cornwall(Image: Fresha)
People are travelling miles to Cornwall to get their hair done by a talented barber who is one of the few barbers in the South West specialising in afro-textured hair.
Konnor Ewudzi, who you may recognise from Love Island Season 11 and most recently, Love Island: All Stars series three, has built a loyal local client base and is currently based at St Austell Barber Shop.
Konnor, known as ‘Woodsy’, joined the St Austell team in the summer of 2025. In a Facebook post, the barber shop said: “Woodsy will be missing from the shop for a few weeks as he’s heading out to South Africa to join the Love Island: All Stars. Best of luck Konnor.”
The 30-year-old reality TV star, who was dumped from the South African villa on Sunday night alongside Curtis Pritchard, Kyra Lizama and his partner, Imani Ayan, said his journey into barbering began at home, with his mum cutting his hair until he was 16-years-old.
“Mum is mixed race, and she was self-taught,” he told beauty and wellness booking platform Fresha.
“She practised on me from a young age. I would sometimes have a mohawk and sometimes a grade two fade. Everything under the sun. Cornrows, braids, you name it, I’ve had it.”
Konnor moved abroad when he was younger to do a season as a holiday rep – and it was there he found himself cutting his colleagues’ hair.
Konnor Ewudzi is a talented barber based in Cornwall(Image: Fresha)
He said: “I bought a pair of clippers when I moved abroad to do a summer season as a holiday rep. My job was commission-based, so to create another revenue stream, I told people I worked with that I could cut their hair while they were on holiday.”
Now based in Cornwall, Fresha says Konnor is one of the few barbers in the South West specialising in afro-textured hair, which means clients “travel miles” to see him.
“All the local guys of colour do tend to come to me,” he said.
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“Over the years, it has been traditionally quite difficult to find a barber who caters to afro hair in Cornwall, so I feel proud that it has become a bit of a community connection.”
For many clients, time in Konnor’s chair goes beyond grooming. “If anyone ever wants or needs to chat about anything, then they know my chair is a safe space to do that,” he explains.
“When clients come in, they tend to pour their heart out to me,” he adds. “Not many people can sit down and chat for an hour about their troubles.”
Konnor has also become a point of contact for families looking for guidance on afro haircare. He said: “I have had white parents who have seen me and who know I’m a barber approach me specifically to help with their children’s hair.
“For young black men and men of colour, I take them on a journey of afro hair discovery, teaching them all the different ways they can wear or style their hair and the different products they can use. Similar to what my mum used to do for me.”
When asked about changes he’d like to see in the industry, Konnor highlights the importance of education and representation.
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