Hair Maven Dominique Evans Provides Therapy For The Hair While Also Healing The Soul
For black women, going to the hair salon has historically been the epicenter of our lives. It is the place where you can get your hair "did" and learn all the juicy gossip at the same time.
It's a place of fellowship as women from all walks of life come together to receive the same glorious feeling, the feeling of a new 'do. As times changed, so have some of the standard practices of salons, and even hairstylists. While we search for a hairstylist to provide attention to our needy roots, some stylists are unfortunately in search of a quick buck and don't take the time to provide the tender love and care our hair needs. In fact, there have been a few articles over the years slamming those types of stylists calling it the "black salon culture."
But there are some stylists like Dominique Evans who are going the extra mile to provide the best care and experience possible for their client's hair and heart.
Dominique is a Milwaukee-bred celebrity master hairstylist who, after moving around a lot with her son, decided to make Atlanta her new home. She comes from a line of hairstylists and uses her gift as a way to not only make her clients shine on the outside, but most importantly shine through from within. "Growing up, I had low self-esteem and I think that [working as a hairstylist] kinda helped me get over my personal issues. Sometimes you can look the part but don't feel it and vice versa, so I'm just inspired by making people feel beautiful and I love what I do. It comes from my heart and I try to make a difference in their lives," she says.
"Sometimes you can look the part but don't feel it and vice versa, so I'm just inspired by making people feel beautiful and I love what I do."
Making a difference in the lives of other women through hair is a responsibility that Dominique takes great pleasure in. Since a little girl, she has always been a "pusher," you know the friend that always uplifts others around her. Because of her keen ability to dive below the surface, clients who might have entered the salon full of insecurities, end up leaving her chair with their heads held high ready to conquer anything. "A lot of hairstylists don't tap into the soul and for me, I like to tap into their soul and it's effortless because I'm being myself and I feel like it's my purpose. God put me on this earth to help other people," she states firmly.
While being a successful hairstylist for 10 years, it was only after her move to Atlanta where she began experiencing revelations about herself and her career. The first year was the hardest as she struggled to get herself established in the Atlanta market. "When I first got to Atlanta, I believe I was at 50,000 followers on my Instagram and all the people who were excited to see me came, but after that, it was like everybody that was following me got their hair done already. The six months that followed, I struggled and I sacrificed. I slept on the floor for a full year, my son had his bed, [and] I worked hard," she recalls.
Having to start over and build a steady clientele in a fresh city felt insurmountable, but it was something that Dominique had to do. Though she had grown up and began the early stages of her bloom while in Milwaukee, it became clear that actively pursuing her dreams meant moving to Atlanta. "I was gonna be at a standstill in Milwaukee and there are so many people watching me and inspired by me and I just want to let people know that if you are disciplined in the things that you do, it doesn't matter, you're gonna make it."
And make it she did.
Along with a hair salon, she recently launched a new product and wig line, Hair Art by Dominique that includes 24 products and four systems for natural hair, hair growth, moisture and hydration, and dry, itchy scalp. She also has her fabulous clientele, which includes reality star and entrepreneur Toya Wright and gospel extraordinaire Tasha Cobbs. She positively believes both Toya and Tasha were God sent. "Toya would shout me out on her hair page and so when I moved to Atlanta, I knew I was gonna one day do her hair. Long story short, she reached out to me on Instagram and when I got to her house, I said, 'What took you so long?' and she was like 'Huh?' Because God already gave me the vision and ever since then, I just started doing her hair."
Her encounter with Tasha was much more dramatic. As previously mentioned, Dominique was having a hard time adjusting to life in Atlanta and it took a toll on her spirit. One of the ways she worked to restore her spirit was by listening to gospel music on repeat, particularly Tasha Cobbs. But at the time, she didn't know it was Tasha who was singing the song she worshipped to every day and when she discovered that she was sitting in her chair one day, her life changed forever.
"I knew she (Tasha) was a gospel singer, but I didn't know that she was the one that sang the song I would worship to. How I found out was, she was sitting in my chair and she pulled up an interview on her phone and I'm not even gonna lie, I probably shouldn't of been nosey, but I looked down at her phone at the interview and it had the song playing in the background, the same song I've been worshipping to, and I said 'Please don't tell me you sing that song,' and she said 'Yeah,' and I just broke down," she shares. "I couldn't believe she was sitting in my chair and I knew it had to be God, that He placed somebody in my life to help me get through what I was going through and ever since then, she never went to anybody else and it's been two years. She took me to the Stellar Awards, NAACP Awards, the BET Awards, everything that I ever dreamed of. Tasha helped me fulfill my dreams."
"Tasha helped me fulfill my dreams."
Though Dominique works as a stylist, helping her clients deal with heartache, pain, suffering or conquering their fears, she had no idea that she would be the one to receive healing from a client who happened to be one of the biggest voices in gospel music. But that's exactly how it happens sometimes. It's the people or situations you least expect that can lead you to greatness.
"Sometimes the people that are close to you don't really uplift you the way you want and sometimes it takes a stranger to uplift you. Just the other day, a girl (her client) started a dance team, but she was scared and I kinda pushed her to do it and she told me, 'Every time I come to you, I get what I need.' And if you got more than five or six people telling you this, then I know I'm doing something right."
Follow Dominique on Instagram @hairartbydominque or check out her products hairartbydominique.com.
London Alexaundria is the contributing editor for xoNecole. She is an alum of Clark Atlanta University, where she majored in Mass Media Arts and has worked in journalism for over ten years. You can follow her on Instagram and TikTok @theselfcarewriter
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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If you’re like many other people who are prioritizing wellness these days, then attending a wellness retreat might be something to consider. Wellness retreats are a cool way to get the relaxation you’ve been missing in a space with like-minded people who share a common goal. I descended upon my first wellness retreat, the Mind, Body, + Sol Retreat, a couple of weeks ago at the Zoëtry Agua Punta Cana Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Zoëtry Agua is part of the Inclusive Collection for the World of Hyatt. It is nestled on a secluded part of Uvero Alto beach, which has crystal blue waters. The resort itself is picturesque, with its thatched roofs and lazy rivers that make you feel like you’re in a cute little village.
Mindy, Body, + Sol Retreat was hosted by Koya Webb, holistic health and wellness coach and yoga instructor, and it also featured other wellness practitioners who combined provided the ultimate gift of relaxation and getting back to oneself.
The first night was a Welcome Dinner that featured a five-course meal and an opportunity to meet our companions for the next three days. The food was impeccable and the only downside was that I wasn’t able to finish it all. The next day, however, was the official start of the classes, and I was ready to dive in.
Aura and Chakra Reading
Aura and chakra reading
Photo courtesy
My first class was an aura and chakra reading led by Laura McCann and James Levinson, an Asheville, NC couple. I’ve had chakra readings before, but never like this. There was a computer, a camera, and a scanner, which I placed my hand on for the reading. After two minutes, I received a 15-page report explaining my aura and chakra reading.
It breaks down what the colors of your aura are and what your chakras say. My main colors were green and yellow, which were defined by a variety of things. The top of my aura was green, meaning I have a social mental state and I’m a natural healer. My aura on my left side was yellow meaning my energy flowing is optimistic and light and so on.
After James discussed the findings with me, I then met with Laura, who gave me aromatherapy oils from their ADORAtherapy line that represented each chakra. She further explained the results of my chakra reading and shared how each oil can assist. Chakras are the energy centers in our body, and there is a total of seven: root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, and crown. All of my chakras were high except for my heart chakra, which I have since been working on. I may follow up about that in another article.
Sound Bath
Sound bath class
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Next was the sound bath class. It was located in the spa, which was indoor/ outdoor and the perfect setting for this kind of experience. Andrew Francis and Carrie Bailey of Zenden Meditation were the co-pilots in transporting attendees into a place of tranquility. I laid down, closed my eyes, and allowed the sounds around me to bring me into a relaxing state. From the singing bowls to the wind chimes, I was in heaven. I even fell asleep and got some of the best rest I’ve had in a while. It was a beautiful experience. However, remember when I noted it was an indoor/ outdoor venue? I forgot to put on bug spray and woke up pretty itchy. But it didn’t stop me from enjoying the moment.
Tea Party
Art of Tea Ritual Tea Party
Photo courtesy
The last event of the day was the Art of Tea Ritual located in the resort’s tea garden. It was everything you could want in a tea party. Delectable treats such as cookies, cakes, and white chocolate-covered strawberries, which are my fave. And, of course, tea. While I got to sip tea, I also got to make my own tea blend. There were many different teas to choose from, like hibiscus to your regular black tea. I decided to mix rose and mint and I called it RoseMint. I didn’t get to try my tea blend until I got home, and I’ll be honest, it’s probably the best tea I ever had. The tea herbs taste so fresh, and I love how fragrant it smells.
Breathwork
Breathwork Class
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The next morning was all about breathwork. If you exercise regularly, then you probably know the importance of breathing. But there’s more to it besides remembering to breathe during your workout. Margaret Townsend is a breathwork facilitator who helps people achieve wellness by consciously changing their breathing patterns. In her class, I learned to change my breathing pattern for energy as well as for relaxation. While I know that breathing is a relaxation tool, I was blown away to learn that it can also energize you. Because it was a different breathing pattern, I was also able to stay present and keep a steady pace.
Yoga
Koya Webb's yoga class
Photo courtesy
The final class of the retreat was evening yoga with Koya Webb, who, as I mentioned earlier, was the host. Her class was held beside the beautiful Uvero Alto beach, which made for a stunning backdrop and the perfect way to end the retreat. It was important for me to get back into my body after not doing yoga for a few weeks, so I was really focused on nailing the moves. However, Koya kept the energy light and fun, evening cracking a few jokes throughout, which made it easy for me to relax and enjoy the moment. She ended the class with a dance break and hugs from our classmates.
The Mind, Body, + Sol Retreat reminded me how important it is to take time to love on myself. Each class was an opportunity to be present and get reacquainted with oneself in the most loving way. Being surrounded by individuals who encouraged my journey was what I needed, and I am so honored to have had this experience.
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