One of the most important things to Black Americans is their hair. On many occasions, it is often referred to as their crown. This is because such unique textures require special attention. Also, any way Black Americans choose to style their natural hair adds to what makes them unique. Natural hair care specialist, Onye Styles, was able to sit down and share with Her Campus CAU her story of becoming a natural hair stylist.
Like many young, black women, Onye started her natural hair journey at about 17 years old after she stopped using relaxers. After high school, Onye began working at a multi-cultural hair salon where she was introduced to numerous different hair textures. Onye recalls taking out her very last sew-in and wondering what her natural hair would look like. She wanted to explore her natural texture and what it was capable of doing, so she cut her hair into a mohawk with a butterfly design on the side. Onye did not exactly expect her new hairstyle to be received well by others, but she felt even more beautiful. Since beginning her natural journey, Onye has struggled the most with maintaining her curls while having two different textures, which is a struggle for many black women. However, managing her crown has become easier over time. Some of Onye’s favorite hairstyles to create on herself are doing rods, finger curls, or two-strand twists.
Onye Styles is also known for her famous Onye Styles Hair Academy. She wanted to start the Onye Styles Hair Academy because she understood that women have a desire to feel more involved in the process of styling their hair rather than going to a stylist all the time. Onye is mostly inspired to do her work when she works with younger black girls. She loves to see their reaction to the beauty of their hair despite some negativity or prejudices they face in society. Onye sees how the negativity affects young black girls’ self-esteem and wants them to understand the beauty of their hair no matter what texture it may be. Her motivation to continue being a natural hairstylist is to help people change the way black women look at themselves despite what the media tells them and society’s standards beauty. Onye’s favorite part about her career is watching her clients see the positive results once they begin nurturing their natural hair. She loves to teach her clients how to take care of their hair and watching it transition into its healthiest state.
Onye Styles has also started the apparel brand “Curl Bae.” Onye created the name, Curl Bae, when she noticed that this is a time period where everyone aspires to look like someone else other than themselves. It frustrated her because she knew how vast and wide natural hair textures are, and she wanted to promote individuality within the natural hair community. She wanted women to understand that having different patterns of curls does not make their hair any less beautiful. For other women, Onye wants Curl Bae to give them a sense of pride and confidence in the way that their curls were created without being compared to anything they see on others or on social media. She wants all women to be proud of who they are. To any women that struggle to feel beautiful in their natural hair or their own skin in general, Onye Styles says, “It takes a process. Stop comparing yourself to other people. Embrace who you are and what you have.”
