Ep 1: Hair Stylist Vs Client | Hair Type Poppin Conversations Series

What do you think is causing a divide between stylists and the natural hair community? That'S a good one! We'Re going there what's up y'all, what's papa locking y'all, we are here to talk about hair natural hair community. Yes, stylist all the things. So yes, this is our hair type. Popping conversation, my name is janae. I also go by nature curly. I am a full-time influencer that talks about hair life faith, all the things. Okay - and i have one of my favorite hairstylists here today - um because yeah i go to the salon and today we have jaja. I just want her to introduce herself fully, but i'm ready to chat with y'all. Let'S go yes, hello! Everyone, i'm so happy to be here, hello, my sugar. I am your natural hair, stylist um. I have been styling natural hair here in detroit michigan for 15 years, no 13 years, wait yeah and um yeah. That'S what i have i'm the owner of free to love. You salad in detroit michigan um that is going on two years this year, so excited about that and yes, i'm so excited to be here with you guys, yeah, i'm excited as well um. It'S really hard to find people that you can trust with your hair. Sometimes right right, okay, so once i was introduced to her, i forgot how we met. We were at the natural um. Oh, let's, naturally fly yeah. She was doing right here and i was like that's what's happening. He was doing somebody here like it's. It'S it's rare. So we find somebody to stick with them, and so that's why she's here today, okay, she knows what she's talking about you see the hair. Okay, pay attention so um there's a lot to learn from her and i just kind of want to dive straight in and with these questions you all ready we're gon na go there today. How did you get started and interested in hair care? Okay, so i um i'm gon na go back to beauty school days, so i went i'm a graduate from virginia farrell graduated in 2009 um and when you first start off as a stylist, you kind of dip and dab into everything, because you're still learning yourself as A stylist and you want to, of course, um build clientele, so you just kind of just throw yourself out there um, and i would say by my fourth year of being a stylist which is around the same time. I was um just had my second child sign in i had begin to have breakage in my hair. I was experimenting with a lot of color at that time. On myself and my hair started breaking and the only way i could fix it was to cut it all off so a minute of going through that process. I also became more mindful about representing myself in such a way for my daughter for zion, and i wanted to you know, show forth more of a self-love image so that i can be a good example for her as well, so with chopping, my hair off. Of course, i am doing research on youtube university, youtube university and because in beauty, school they're not focusing on natural hair care, they are. You know giving you your basics for your state, for that is the intentions for your beauty, school education, um, you're, learning about your perms, your relaxers basic coloring. You know the things you need to get your license, but in regards to black women, black men, natural kinky hair, that is not in focus in a cosmetology setting, so i decided to um use the knowledge that i did learn and it helped me to be intentional. Based off the research that i was doing on youtube just watching those that were using products, um watching learning the the dialect and the community honey, i said yes, it's a whole new world and i also started off with you know: um experimenting with some of my Clients i had a lot of pressing curls. I wasn't um big on relaxers, but i knew how to you know, apply them and also keep the hair healthy, and you know just going along with that process. I decided to big chop all my hair start all over and i used myself as my own, like tester in a sense before i started doing my clients here or starting um, more advertising myself as a natural hair stylist. So it's kind of like the natural hair, um called me in a sense, and then god laid it out for me and said this is what you're gon na do, and so i went through the process, and here i am here she is here. I go. How about that? What about natural, hair or curly hair, because you know people are still natural, even though they wear straight? You know i just want to make sure you don't want any problems. Okay, so what about natural, hair or and or curly hair moves you the most to help and educate others gotcha um. So what moves me is the ability to use specific techniques to teach my clients on how to define their curls? I love defining curly, hair kinky, curly, hair um. I have a technique that i have mastered. I want to say that i created it, she created it, but it's hers. I mastered the technique and i intentionally use it on my shorter four type: clients um. Yes and it's really towards the twa length um so just um, i love curl, defining kinky hair. I love making it look polished. I love creating shapes so that, even if it's not perfect, it is still funky and professional, and you know my clients walk out and i tell them: okay, you guys are going to be celebrities from now on everywhere you go they're going to stop. You just be prepared, so i love curl, defining kinky, hair and being able to show them how to style their hair, how to properly care for their hair. Less is more okay, unless there's more oh feedback. This is more work with what you have like. We have so many different representations when it comes to our hair type, but there is no need to try to make it something that is not so the better and the more you are accepting of what you have going on already the easier and more fun your Journey is going to be, can you define for them? What you mean by less is more less is more um products. Less is more um sticking to your your basics, which is your shampoo. We went back to the basics, i mean just doing co-washes, but we are talking about cleansing shampoos, we're talking about moisturizing shampoos, we're talking about a good conditioner um, we're talking about a good just leave-in and a styler, simple, easy peasy. Let me squeeze, and that's on that i just want her to break it down for y'all, okay, because i know for me since i'm like all of it, like you know what i'm just like tonight, take your time. You don't have to do all of it like right now, i'm looking like just one product for my like just a moose for my twist out, and i'm like. Why didn't you do this before like? So it's just interesting with how you can be moved by what the community is doing versus what your hair is asking for absolutely um and i think that's the biggest thing i've learned with being this for years and also being around stylists. If y'all can go to us online and realize they don't use much and i'll be sitting like how, because if you look at my company back at home, i have the whole target shelf and so um. That'S what kind of made me think about just people like me that decide to use all these products um anything else. You can say towards that. Yes, one thing i would say, and what i've learned about working with clients that have transitioned from their relaxed, hairstyles or even being pressed and curled, and now they want to wear their natural curl. Your natural hair is not going to have the same feel of your silk press or your relaxed hair. So we're thinking that our hair is damaged because it doesn't have that silky feeling and that's not the case, understanding that when you are transitioning from relaxing hair or pressing curls, still press hair to wear your hair. Naturally curly. It'S not going to have that same feel. Nor look shiny like we're used to and that's okay, that's how our natural hair is supposed to be, and so we feel that we have to apply all these products to keep it from drying out like it's gon na. Oh, she reading that right. I ain't gon na dry out, hey y'all walk around here, because it's not silky and that's not what's going on. You know. So it's like you have to renew your mind and accept what you have work with it and um just go with the flow go with the journey, find things that work for your texture, the styles that will last for your hair. You don't have to keep uh manipulating it every day. It doesn't have to be perfect all the time, whatever perfect means to you but um. That is something that i've learned with working with clients that have transitioned from the relaxed state to a natural hair state. You look good. Your hair is good. Okay, all right. What do you think is causing a divide between stylists and the natural hair community? Mmm, that's a good one! We'Re going there. I i believe um it is. It starts with beauty school. It starts with cosmetology school that is the foundation of our uh career. If you, if you will um stylists, are not um educating themselves, okay to service a lot of our natural hair needs if you will um. So there is a divide. There is a divide in time scheduling. There is a divide in what the client is looking for and what the stylist can actually do. Okay, yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am, as i stated before, the reason i am um so passionate about the community is because i actually had to be in the community. That makes sense, so i can't help someone if i don't know what i'm talking about for myself. So i had to go out and do that actual education, so that i can relate to those that i'm servicing yeah it's deeper than just looking good styling hair and you guys walk out the room. Um we're working together, i'm not just doing all the work after you leave me. You still have things you have to do on your own, not saying this a whole bunch of things you have to do it's just the point of how are you sleeping? How do you take a shower? Is your body on you know just those things like that, like working with your doctor and the patient on innocent um, so, yes, stylists have um. They still have a long way to go. If that is something that they desire to do so, i think my question from what you just stated was uh. Well, what i'm hearing is that stylists aren't educating themselves. What is something on the client's end that you've noticed or that um as a client that we can improve on when we do come in or then we, when we do express ourselves on what we're looking for um and also the trust factor that we should have Absolutely um, i believe what clients can do is um, like i said before, keep it simple a lot of comparison with someone else's hair, they'll go and they'll say: oh, i have a friend, that's name such and such, and she does her hair like this and, of Course me being a stylist, that's working with all types of textures, i will say: okay, that's that's that's cool and i said well. Can we try sure you know and then they'll come back the next week like yeah? No, it didn't work out yeah. I knew it wasn't gon na work out, you know, but i you know it's a journey as well and i'm the type of stylist that if you want to try something - and even if i don't think it's gon na, be what is best for you i'll still Go through the process so that we can both learn and see what it is that you know will work best for your style, whatever it is that you're you're, looking for whatever the uh curl definition, you think you're gon na have the elongation you think you're going To have, but comparison comparing yourself to other people and how they do their hair versus what needs to be done to your hair is something that i have challenges with. Stop that it's just so crazy how quickly we do that, and you, like all of my hair, just like hers like we got ta, know how she we don't know her her hair, truly how her hair truly is for her to lay like that. Do like that, and that's one of the biggest things i think i've learned, even after just trying to do videos for people i'm like my hair. This is my hair. That'S what my hair can be yeah! Okay, i don't know what you ever do: you're, not gon na call me later and say your hair didn't work. What i noticed for people is that what they're concerned about too is trims, so they'll go and say, like hey, i'm a naturalista, but i don't want my hair flat ironed or anything like that. I'M not going to put heat in my hair, but i want my hair. I want to trim. I know i need a trim so for them we're just glad they're even taking a step to not trimming themselves. Okay, okay, because i remember i still did a video on how to trim my own hair, and i just regret it. I need to take it down now. Look at that video! Keep it up. That shows your girl, okay, because i don't know. But what do you tell people kind of stuck on not wanting to do that or yeah, so i would say: um you don't have to trim as often like you would. If your hair was pressed and curled or flat ironed, you go based off. How often, in my opinion, you're going based on how often you manipulate your hair if your hair is colored, you have chemical treated hair that is going to cause the ends to split more so you want to pay attention to that if the hair is tangling more, If the ends are starting to look thin at the end, then you want to trim more. So my average length of trimming for a natural hairstyle, a natural hair, um, client or naturalista, is every three to i would say six months: okay, um. If you're not retwisting every night, you can go longer because you're not touching your hair, like you used to when your hair was straight or like. If you would wear a pressing girl, you're, not wrapping it at night, you're, not brushing it every day, so to keep the ends from splitting. You don't want to manipulate all the time, so you don't have to trim the hands all the time, but a good three months to six month. Trim is good and do not be scared of blow drying the hair before you get your ends tripped in my opinion, that is the best way to make sure that the hair is an even trim and that you're not cutting too much off when your hair is Smooth you can see what you're trimming versus when it's curly it looks kind of all blended in when the hair is smooth. You can see the difference between the nude hair and the old ends that need to be trimmed off, as well as making sure that you get a nice even cut and the shape of the hair when it's blown out, it doesn't have to be flat iron for Your ends to be trimmed, but i do recommend that the hair is smooth with a blow dryer which is not going to cause any heat damage. It is air hot air that is blowing the hair and making it smooth and it's not going to cause damage, and that is the best way to trim kinky floor type. Hair, yes and see - and that's her opinion. I know a lot of y'all afraid it comes like, but like honestly, like um i'm when i think about that because at first i did i wanted a curly cut. I was like you know what we should do. Curly cuts and i was like um, but it was so many people like, but my hair's not gon na leave my mask, but that works. If you don't plan to wear it straight right. But what i notice is that, because i have multiple textures, my hair, you can cut it even make it look even in the curly state, but let me try to blow dry it now. I'M doing this, and my last thing concerning trims is that what can you say to a person or how can you encourage a person to come in and get a trim? What would you say or what should they be looking for in a stylist or something like that? What should they be looking for in a stylus to trim their hair because you know like they don't want to come together because they think they're going to cut it? Consultations, that's it consult with the stylist. Have her examine your hair in the blown out state so that she can see, let her know? Look. I don't want to have that much uh trimmed off, or what do you think needs to be trim before she even takes the shear she's going to look at it she's going to, hopefully even show you look. This is how much i'm going to trim off. If that's too much and she's not willing to compromise, then don't you get your hair and don't give her your money, don't go wrong. Don'T don't do that? No! No! So consultation! Consultation consultation is very important to have before any services with a stylist very important. Sorry, i'm gon na also say him. You guys are scholarships my bad, absolutely, okay. So my last question of the day um, i thought it was a great conversation honestly. I can go longer, but my last question of the day is: what's next: what's next, i am going to be relocating to chicago illinois. Actually, the home, the city is going to be homewood illinois, which is about 40 minutes from chicago um, i'm looking to relocate in the summer, um, i'm not positive on when i will be accepting clients. However, it will be before the end of the year, and that is what's new that i'm going to be starting free to love. You is going to be moving with me um and yes, you can always reach out to me on instagram free to love. You eleven. You can follow me on facebook, um, jaja crochet, and i will make sure i'm updating you guys and keeping you posted on when i will be accepting your clients, because i have not had any new clients in a long time what a blessing. So i'm excited to get some new people back in my chair and a new environment, a new city, a new space, and i'm so excited about that. So she said keep up with her. Make sure y'all do that i'll, put all her socials right here, right and so um. Once again, thank you for having this conversation thank y'all for tuning in, and let me know what you learned. You have some. You know other thoughts. We can talk yeah, i'm okay, with that, please we're ready but um. Once again. This is just something that i wanted to do and i think it's super fun, and just also educational and just allowing us to have an open conversation and really grow in this community, especially in the natural hair community and particularly stylists. Okay, all status aren't that people. Yes, um, but yes, i will see y'all in the next one, all right.