Professional Natural Hair Stylist Interview - This Is What They Said!

Yeah, I don't know hi everyone welcome to my channel. This is too, I talk about like natural, hair and stuff like that and today I'll be bringing on Camille she's a professional natural hair stylist, and I thought it would be really cool to bring her on because she's a professional for one, and I don't really know Too much about natural other than the things that I've already like learned myself and decided to share with you guys, so I thought it'd be great to bring someone who has specialized in it been taught it. Does it every day? Does it on different patterns, different hair? So yeah can you introduce yourself, say what you do and how long you've been doing it for yeah? Thank you for having me my name is Camille Janae. I am based in Sacramento, California. I am a salon owner textured, hair, specialist and educator salon owner of mahogany and Rose, and I have been licensed for about four years. So I know the burning question that a lot of people have seen is like the no oils, no Butters. What am I supposed to do? Is it a challenge? Is a lifestyle change. So do you want to Spill the tea, yeah and educate the people yeah on what it is exactly yeah yeah, so the no oils, no Butters is just kind of like a bite-sized piece. That'S been taken from a larger conversation right and really the the main point. We'Re trying to get across to folks is the importance of hydration right and how we've been conditioned and taught to use a lot of raw oils and Butters, and it's actually preventing us from being able to get our hair hydrated. So that kind of sparked. You know wanting people to shift their hair care practices and the no oils and no buttons was at the core of that right, but yeah. Unfortunately, sometimes that became the focus. This is the larger aspect right. Okay, so when people are saying don't put oils on your hair, it's raw oils that people are missing, that's the that's the main. I feel like segment that they're missing no oils. Nobody is right right because there are some products that are formulated, one that happen to have some oils and butters in it and but yeah when they're in their raw form or even sometimes when products are heavily formulated with oils and butters. It can be preventative of hydration, okay, yeah. So then, could you kind of explain what that does when you're putting oils on top of your hair and why people would think that it's moisturizing yeah when in reality, it's actually drying out your hair more because water evaporates right? Yes, I feel, like you, you have a terminology to fully explain why people are kind of are misconstrued about the idea yeah. Well, I think a lot of it comes from that it was such a traditional practice for us. So we don't question things that our grandma told us to do and right for us to do, but so the idea I would say we know that in nature or in general, oil and water, don't mix. If you put it in a bowl, it would separate um water yeah, it would sit on top um, and so we have the concept that okay. Well, then, people go okay. Well, I'm not using it to moisturize I'm using it to trap in the moisture. However, water is going to evaporate yeah, whether you put oil on top of the hair or not. So all that's happening is now. You have oil sitting on top of the hair without any water in it, and then it's hard to wash that out and then you're layering, more oil and water cannot get through those once the oil is sitting on top. So the water is kind of just slipping off and you're thinking, you're moisturizing your hair with the water, but because is the oil and the product buildup that's building on top of the oil is there's like it's kind of redundant right. I don't know if we're done. It'S the right word, but it's like counterintuitive, yes, yeah completely, and then what's the challenge with that is then people go? Oh well? No all that's happening. Is this low porosity, so the hair's Behavior looks like it's low porosity, but really it's that it's become waterproof. Essentially so water's just rolling right off the hair, which is not low porosity at all right. You just got to clean your hair and stop using oil exactly okay, exactly okay, so I feel like for the most part, everyone has gotten the gist of that. But if you have like more questions, Camille also has and talks about hair on her socials as well, so I'll make sure to include all her information in the description and on the screen. As so. If you guys got more questions about oils and Butters and you still don't get it, she got you okay. So the next question was: why is it important to wash weekly? Why, like, I feel like it's ingrained in us to wash your hair once a month or two weeks, because I feel like that was kind of the norm when you would go to the salon or like do a pressing curl. You go every two weeks or whatever the case may be, but then, like back when YouTubers were like on like big natural YouTubers, and that outbreak was happening, we were kind of like taught to be like okay, let's just wash your hair once a month because, like For some reason people thought dirty hair grows, I don't get it. That is like you're completely wrong. I understand why people thought that way, because I did too she did yeah, but I feel like you can speak on. Why watching weekly is a better Habit to have for your hair now yeah, it's really thinking of us cleansing our hair as another hygienic practice, just like taking a shower and what it comes down to. So usually we say weekly is just a general rule of thumb for some folks with their lifestyle they might actually need to watch a little more frequently um. But that's like a good Baseline. I would say listening to your scalp, so most people Scout does start itching by day six day, seven and that's your scalp getting irritated and it's ready for everything sitting on it to be washed out. So, even those that are saying, oh you know, I'm just using minimal product. Why would I need to wash weekly? Well, you still got environmental buildup. You still got biological buildup, your hair is producing sebum and oils, and all of that is just sitting on the surface and it's got to be rinsed off um, just just like our bodies. So, even if you're not putting anything on your body, you've got environmental, build up biological buildup and you got ta wash that off right, yeah yeah. So what we were saying earlier um when I was like getting my hair cut like you treat it like. If you were cleaning anything else so like when she was saying like your body and stuff like I say, or I think to myself like, if you were gon na clean your room, you clean it weekly or, however, you clean your room. If you don't clean your room, I mean that's not good but like. If you would wait to clean your room or do your house like you know when you do like a spring cleaning, you do a deep, clean and that takes a really long time. But if you were to maintain it on a weekly basis daily basis, it doesn't take that long. So when we dread doing our wash days, the reason why we dread it and why it takes so long is because we're waiting too long in between yeah to wash our hair. So if we were to wash it more frequently, then it wouldn't take as long to do our wash dishes, because your hair wouldn't be so matted up or it wouldn't be so dry. It would be so tangled right so yeah and then the other thing to add to that kind of piggy. Backing off of the first question is that because water evaporates right, that's the other reason you want to do it weekly because replenish replenish like a water yeah or even like your body, you don't drink water today and be like I'm good for the week exactly so It'S basically giving your hair that drink of water right, yeah, okay! So how can we choose high quality products? It doesn't matter and like? How? Can you tell what to choose from? Because I know that you explicitly said that you didn't like certain brands because of whatever ingredients that they might have, but how can the like, modern, the consumer tell or differentiate, what's supposed to be bought versus? What'S not and like? What'S within our budget as well right? Okay, that's a really great question and it's a tricky question, because I'm not a stylist that will say: oh all, products at Target are bad. I actually use some products in the salon that are sold at Target. It really comes to down to how they're formulated and that can be tricky because we don't accept the everyday person to understand how products are formulated. So it's difficult because my easiest answer is that it's helpful to partner with a professional who can recommend products and finding a professional that is open to recommending products that are going to fit within your budget. Um that way, you're not having to become a scientist or a chemist to break down what the ingredients are. Sometimes even the formulation of ingredients aren't set on the bottle, because there's not there's no space for that right, but how things are formulated, even if it's like ingredients are set at a certain like appointment list, you don't know the percentage Yeah. So I understand that you think: is there a difference, rent or alternative way? I guess it kind of leads into my next question too, but would you say there's an alternative way to know um, or what do you think is just the only answer at least what you're saying is to partner with a professional can never exactly the reason. I say that is because even us, as professionals, we're always learning about when products are reformulated and a lot of times, our expertise comes more from practical application. So sometimes I can show you better than I can tell you. This works on your hair. This way, and even sometimes I don't know the scientific breakdown of a formulation so thinking with that concept, if a licensed hair stylist doesn't know the scientific cosmetic formulation, then it's hard for anyone yeah. It really is so um it's challenging, because I want to be mindful that not everyone has access to a curly hair specialist. If you can't even just get a virtual consultation um but yeah, it's It's Tricky yeah. So I guess that leads into my next question of what should you consider before choosing a hairstyle, it's best for you and how should you find them yeah yeah, because I feel like that's people's biggest Grant is like, although they've seen, maybe what you've said online you're, Like in a different state or like you're across the world, so how do they find a hair stylist that will fit them? They'Ve? Also agreeing with what you're saying, because there are some stylists who still believe that you know oil yourself or like oils on your hair right. So not everyone is in agreement. So how can? How? Can we find hair stylists and like what should we consider so that they're best partnered with people who can work with that yeah? I think the biggest thing is finding someone that you feel aligned with. So I'm saying everything I'm saying because that's what I believe in, but if you don't believe in that you know finding a stylist that aligns with what you do believe in you know versus like well, I want someone that believes like mildewise, but if you're not feeling It right it doesn't really matter right, right, um yeah, so I mean this day and age. Instagram is the easiest way now. I feel cautious saying that, because as we're recording, this Instagram is down, but that has become the easiest way to find stylist because it acts as like our live portfolio. Yeah, a directory in the sense of you, know, searching hashtags searching within your um location, so you know: hashtag your city, curl, specialist, curly, Salon, curly, hair stylist, that sort of thing um. But what to look for? You want to look for someone that has clients whose hair looks like yours or as close to yours as possible, right so kind of like their own portfolio within Instagram or like on their website or their website yeah. So you want to build scene right, you know, so, even if they're saying they're a curl specialist but no one's hair looks similar to yours. I would be cautious with that or you don't want to take that chance and be a guinea pig for them to practice. On that happens, you know, and um yeah or, if you're, seeing some that are slightly similar but you're not sure, don't be afraid to reach out to stylists. You know if they have an email or, however, they prefer to be contacted. Saying hey, I'm interested in your services? Would you happen to have other photos of you know curl type similar tonight, because sometimes we don't always post all of our work online. So if you're like well, this is the only stylist within 100 mile radius. You know reach out to them and ask whatever work they have, but yeah looking through their website and looking through their Instagram is also within captions or how they post on their stories. Seeing if they're approaching philosophy is in alignment with how you'd, like your hair to be cared for? Okay, so there's a platform, an educational platform called cut it kinky um, and it's two stylists based on the East Coast, excellent education, specifically of how to cut and style tight, curly hair. So, within their education, they've created a directory of stylists that have gone through their training, um, so yeah, that's black, curlmagic.com, okay, yeah, okay and then she'll send me links so I'll put it in there. Yes, you already know okay, and that includes stylists internationally, as well. Now also in the US, otherwise that's really cool, okay, so I'll definitely make sure I put that up. How do you think influencers and hairstylists can find common ground on the spread of natural hair care information or misinformation yeah? That is tricky. I feel like within all Fields like I know. I see that a lot with skincare like estheticians and skin influencers, like kind of like oh well, because, like influencers, find things that they enjoy and they want to talk about it and then they build an audience of. Like who enjoys like collaborating and building that Community yeah, but at the same time I understand, like some people, spread misinformation, and it leads to like this really widespread idea of like what people think it's supposed to be like when it's truly not yeah. So how can we find that Common Ground we're not like stepping all over each other, like regurgitating information from like someone, who's take money to go to school versus like an influence yeah? So I feel like that's one thing. I'Ve tried to understand. I guess sometimes at one point I took a step back from like talking about natural hair, just so that I could learn myself like. Oh there's some things that I don't know that I'm gon na stop talking about, because I don't want to keep being in that cycle of spreading misinformation. If I don't know what I'm talking about clearly, but I get at the same time like at some point. We all didn't really know what was going on with natural hair. We kind of just all took the leap together which was great in the beginning, but now that we know better, I feel like it's important to miss, listen to natural hair stylist too. So I'm like, how can we find common ground where it's not like or kind of at war, with each other yeah? That is a huge question. I think hmm it's hard to say because you know I want people to have the freedom to express. However, they want to, I feel, like it's helpful when influencers are content. Creators come from a standpoint of like you were exactly how you were phrasing it. This is what I enjoyed. This is what has worked for me. I think, when there's an emphasis on that versus hey, this is how to grow your hair and when the tone is like I'm an authority on this subject versus I'm an authority on my own hair, and this is what I love for my hair um and I I also think it's beautiful if influencers are regurgitating what stylists have said, because it helps to reinforce that you know information that's being put out there and then I think, for I will speak well. Let me not speak for all hair stylists, but at least from what I see you know us Bridging the Gap by just coming from and understanding that influencers are sharing, what they love and no one is intentionally trying to misinform people um. I think for us, hair stylists, I know with consumers, there's a lot of uh apprehension because we come across as like upset or angry or snarky, and I will speak for myself that sometimes it comes from, I feel for clients coming in being extremely discouraged, not liking. Their hair trying everything they've seen on YouTube and just not working wanting to cut it all off. So that's where I'll say where my frustration will come from is like. I want to cut through the misinformation, because I want people to love their hair again. I want them to enjoy it and also see that it doesn't have to be difficult or time consuming, um, so yeah. I think the Gap can just be bridged by conversations like this happening and understanding that we want joy to be surrounding here. I really think that that's a common ground right, yeah, like we, want everyone to enjoy it yeah. What do you think I mean oh shoot, I'm kind of like that's why I had to take a step back, but I think I started seeing more things that were helpful to me to like you can still post or I can still post educational content as an Influencer without feeling like I I'm like, lost the sauce with like okay. Well, I'm not a professional, but I still want to be heard because I know at least a little bit much. I don't know because this works for me and I know it's worked for other people, but at the same time I don't want to feel like I'm like shutting people out, especially if I have like a certain level of community or, like you know what I'm saying Like with Tick Tock, I have a lot of followers on Tick Tock. I don't want to spread information. It was just counterintuitive to like what you guys are trying to do. Yeah. I want to make sure like okay, I want to learn from you guys right. At the same time, I don't want to feel like I'm regurgitating information that I just saw yeah, I just without crediting you guys, because I see that happen a lot too. So I'm like, I feel, like that's unfair, so I'm like trying. How can I find that middle ground, if, like I still want to share and educate, and literally every black guy, that feels like they're, going through a struggle with their natural hair without feeling, like I'm doing too much like girl? You know what you're talking about like you didn't go to school today at the same time, but I could just be me in my head: yeah yeah, it's understandable to have those thoughts, but I think all the voices are needed because I'm coming from a technical standpoint And wanting to show people how to do something but you're an inspiration. You know so it's like you're taking the information that I provide and showing people how they can apply it and someone can aspire to see. Oh, she has tight curls like me, and it's just working for her yeah yeah, that does that does make a lot of sense, yeah, yeah yeah. So the last question is: is there any last advice you would give to struggling Naturals? I know that's a very wide open-ended type of question, but if you had any words to share yeah um, hmm, you said to an overwhelmed natural, struggling, struggling, okay and then my mind went to yeah yeah um. I mean I sound like a broken record, trying to seek advice from a professional. That way, I would say, using YouTube as a source of inspiration, especially like different styles, or aspiring for someone's like length goals or even cutting shapes things like that um. That way, if you're the reason I advise partnering with the professionals, because someone can offer product recommendations and technique, recommendations specific to your hair, because what I use and did for Ebola today may not work for someone else out there um. So you know approaching it from that standpoint: um, if accessed directly to a stylus, is difficult. A lot of us share a lot of free information online. So being able to you know, watch our Instagram videos. Ig lives like she said: Twitter threads things like that to piece together the information the best you can and if you are able to access us via VIA virtual consultation or the best being an in-person appointment, doing it that way and having the mindset that, if you're Unlearning, a lot of different practices that it's going to take time, so the biggest thing I would say too, is like being patient with yourself a lot of times, people that you look up to as your hair goals, their hair didn't always look that way, and the Thing is, I always say about that as, like I'm really happy that stylists are offering. I mean it's a lot of time and work to like put out free information, because you guys are doing it out of the kindness of your heart but like to put it out there, because we didn't have Stylus like if you've been natural for forever. You know how like what you would struggle. It was to like figure it out on your own and use YouTube as like a way to just figure it out, but now that their hair stylists, that are willing to like put out free information and then like they're, open to like giving you recommendations on other Natural hairstyles, especially across the U.S and even internationally, I feel like that, helps cut through like the time that it took us to like figure it out yeah since 2011, and I just got it together. I want to say maybe 2015. yeah, four or five years of like figuring it out right. I always did something because I'm just like yeah, but if you're struggling natural then I definitely say like what she's saying partnering with hair espresso, so that you can figure it out right. Yeah, that's a great point because I will say for me: that's where my passion comes from: I've been natural since 2009, I've done any and everything to my hair and I was making YouTube videos. So I feel, like part of this, trying to reverse the misinformation now that I know better, I can share that information um, but yeah, exactly as she said, like it's cutting down that learning curve of trying to figure all of this nonsense out once you have the Right products and learn the techniques - that's already going to be a learning process, so why not cut out all of that other misinformation and get down to practicing and getting to know your hair better right, yeah by the way? I know that I ant, I mean I presented to you guys on Instagram stories like a question box, so that you can ask a curly hair specialist, which is Camille questions but because Instagram was down today, um I just couldn't get to them. So if you guys ever have questions like I said you can ask Camille um she's really active on Twitter Instagram. She goes on. Ig lags a lot so yeah you guys, you guys can always ask her. There'S different um curly, hair Specialists that are active on Twitter too, like Jessica kyong me there's another one. I forget her name. Oh there's a bunch yeah there's a lot. There'S a lot there's a lot, but if I find our handles, I will link them below yeah. Thank you guys, like I said, I'll link all her information below, so that you guys have access to it and then all the other natural hair, stylists and Specialists that are openly sharing information as well. If you don't already follow me and you're new to this channel, make sure that you subscribe and hopefully I'll, put out more videos like this um I'll like this video yeah, I don't know what else to say, but thanks for having me