At 29 cm tall, 31 cm wide, and 190 cm in circumference, Jess Martinez's afro is now officially the largest in the world. The New York-based content creator and criminal justice advocate has secured a spot in the Guinness World Records, becoming only the second woman ever to hold the title. When the result came in, she said it didn't quite sink in at first, but quickly became a moment she'll never forget.
The first woman to hold the record was Aevin Dugas, who set it back in 2010 and was named a Guinness World Records ICON in 2025 for her contributions to body positivity and natural hair acceptance. Jess now steps into that same legacy, one built by women whose hair journeys have opened up bigger conversations about culture, identity, and representation on a global scale.
Getting here wasn't straightforward. Growing up, Jess found her natural curls overwhelming to manage, and salon visits often left her discouraged. Relaxers were used to simplify styling, but they damaged her hair and chipped away at her confidence. It took time, patience, and a slow return to her natural texture before her curls, and her sense of self, came back to life. Her mother was so moved by watching that transformation that she transitioned to locs herself.
The actual record attempt required precision, multiple hands, and a lot of care to measure every curl correctly. For years, her online community pushed her to submit, and eventually she listened. "A part of me felt proud of myself because I can do hard things," Jess said. "The fact that I stuck it through just makes me feel like I can do anything."
She also reflected on what the moment means beyond the achievement itself: "To see someone like me, with hair like this, in the Guinness World Records book, is just so absolutely incredible." For anyone who ever sat in a salon chair feeling like their hair was the problem, Jess Martinez just rewrote that story.
Originally published by Bella Naija Beauty.