As Black women, our hair is our crowning glory - whether we paid for it or not. We take pride in how we wear and take care of our hair. As with everything, hair care and hair styling have evolved over the years. Long gone are the days of Blue Magic (although I hear it’s making a comeback).
Now, we have a plethora of creams, oils, conditioners, shampoos, and stylists to choose from. Beyond wearing our natural curls, we have a range of options, from wigs and sew-ins to tape-ins, I-tips, and K-tips. So much choice! But you know what they say about too much of a good thing...
The Black hair industry has definitely blossomed in the last decade with a wave of new stylists and salons popping up all over the place. As much as I love that for us, many of these stylists have become the subjects of viral TikTok and Instagram tirades because of their alleged questionable behavior and bizarre rules.
Excessive policies, strange fees, long wait times, poor performance, and the infamous “Hey boo” texts. Beauty is pain, they say… xoNecole got to the root of these issues with luxury hair extensionist Dee Michelle, who’s been in the hair game for 20 years and runs a seven-figure business - all while being a mom of four.
Antonio Livingston
“I started my business with my career in the hair industry [at] very, very young age when I was maybe like eight...So, over the years, I've just built a very successful seven-figure business very quickly just by offering high-end services and creating great experiences for my clients, many of whom are high-profile professionals,” she said. “I'm also a mother of four, including a set of triplets, which inspires me daily to show what's possible with my hard work and focus.”
Dee’s business has gone viral on social media because of what many call outrageous prices for her invisible K-Tip installs.
“When I developed my invisible K-tip extensions technique, I made sure that it wasn't just about the hair or the style, but about providing a high-end experience from start to finish. So, my clients just aren't paying for the extensions or just the style itself, but they're investing into my meticulous, seamless craft and premium hair sourced from the best suppliers…I've spent so many hours mastering my craft, creating this seamless method that gives my clients long-lasting natural results, and my pricing just reflects that - the value of my expertise and the exclusivity of the service.”
The K-tip specialist stands on business when it comes to catering to her clients and giving them an experience worth the cost.
“And it's just important for me to also say that my clients are high-profile individuals who value quality, their privacy, and their time. They want a service that fits into their lifestyle and their time. They want things that deliver perfection. And I deliver that every single time.”
I’m sure we’ve all seen the various TikTok rants about people’s nightmare experiences with stylists and uttered a silent “FELT!” We asked Dee her opinion on a few nightmare scenarios that beg the response, “please be so forreal."
On stylists charging extra to wash clients’ hair:
“I think they should just include it in the price, to be honest. Because I feel like when clients go to a stylist, they're expecting you to wash their hair. Personally, if I see that washing is extra, I just wouldn't go to the salon because it just shows a lack of professionalism, in my opinion, and a lack of experience.”
“I think they should just include it in the price, to be honest. Because I feel like when clients go to a stylist, they're expecting you to wash their hair. Personally, if I see that washing is extra, I just wouldn't go to the salon because it just shows a lack of professionalism, in my opinion, and a lack of experience.”
On ‘deposits’ that don’t go towards the cost of the service:
“I think that's kind of weird, too, for deposits to not be like a part of the service. I've seen people have booking fees and I just don't understand it, to be honest. I disagree with that kind of policy…By all means, people should do what works for them, but to me, it doesn't make sense. Why does somebody have to pay a fee just to book an appointment with you? I don't get it. It feels like exploitation.”
On stylists charging extra to style (straighten/curl) wigs, sew-ins etc., after installing:
“I don't get it. Clients come to us to get their hair done, to get it styled. So why is it extra for you to style it? If you're going to charge extra, just increase your price. I feel like it could be just a lack of confidence in those stylists, feeling like people won't pay a certain price for certain things, or just their lack of professionalism as well, because people are coming to us to get styled.”
On the infamous “Hey boo” text stylists send to clients when they need to cancel/reschedule:
“Professionalism in any industry, especially the beauty industry, is everything. So texting a client the, “Hey boo” is so unprofessional, and it's damaging to the client-stylist relationship. Clients book their appointments expecting a level of respect and care, especially when they're investing their time and money and a service. And I get it, emergencies happen, we're all humans. However, it should be done with a formal apology and a clear explanation.”
“Professionalism in any industry, especially the beauty industry, is everything. So texting a client the, “Hey boo” is so unprofessional, and it's damaging to the client-stylist relationship. Clients book their appointments expecting a level of respect and care, especially when they're investing their time and money and a service. And I get it, emergencies happen, we're all humans. However, it should be done with a formal apology and a clear explanation.”
We know all too well what kinds of things will keep us from ever gracing certain hairstylists’ chairs with our butts again. So, what should hairstylists do to provide a good service to their clients? What is good hairstylist etiquette?
“For one, being on time is an important rule for stylist etiquette. It's just not okay to require your clients to be on time, and you're not on time. Also, communication. Being able to communicate clearly, respectfully, and professionally, whether that's in person, via text, or on social media. Style is etiquette. Appearance matters. So just maintaining a clean, polished, and professional look. Clients respect you more whenever your appearance reflects your work. There's just so many things, but another thing I would say is active listening. So, being able to pay close attention to what your client wants and also clarifying any questions that they might have. Just to ensure that they feel heard and to minimize any misunderstandings.”
Dee also shared some red flags to look out for when considering a new stylist.
“Even me as a client, if I'm booking somebody and they have a long list of rules, I don't even book with them. That's, for one, just such a huge turn-off. Also, stylists who have inconsistent or unclear pricing, that's a red flag. People who change their rates too much without an explanation. Poor communication. So, if a stylist is responding very slow or responding unprofessionally, or giving vague answers to questions, that can make clients question whether or not they are respecting their time and their needs.
Another red flag - an inconsistent or low quality portfolio. And I feel like, I see this a lot with stylists stealing other people's work, and their portfolio on social media is just very inconsistent.”
We couldn’t let Dee go without getting the tea on what styles she predicts will trend in 2025.
“I feel like people are going back to natural-looking styles. So, a lot of people are ditching the wigs, the lace fronts, things like that. People are still wearing them, of course, but it is becoming more of a trend to embrace your natural hair and something that's not looking too fake. That’s one thing that we're going to be seeing a lot. I would say a lot of layers are coming back, heavy layers. Those are becoming really, really trendy. And people are leaning more towards platinum-colored hair. I've been seeing lots of like blondes coming out. Also, jet black is always going to be a trend. But I would say more like natural colors, but natural colors that are still making a statement.”
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Feature image by Antonio Livingston.
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Geeze. When’s the last time that you heard that what and how you think about yourself can actually cause “her” to act — or act up — a certain way? And yet, as you’re about to see in just a bit, it’s very true. However, before I share with you how your self-worth and vaginal health work together — or against each other if you’re not careful — let’s unpack a bit more about what it means to have a healthy sense of self-esteem vs. signs that you could stand to do a bit more work in that department. For your overall sake and for the sake of your vagina’s too.
What Does It Mean to Have High Self-Esteem?
GiphySo, let’s come out swinging, just a bit, on this one. Although we live in a time where a lot of people come across as being extremely arrogant, that isn’t an indication that they have a high sense of self-esteem; in fact, oftentimes, it’s just the opposite. When it comes to cockiness and being pretentious, as I oftentimes say, “Arrogance is nothing more than low-self esteem throwing a temper tantrum.”
Okay, so what does a healthy level of self-esteem look and live like?
Confidence is a sign of high self-esteem. Taking accountability and responsibility for one’s actions is a sign of high self-esteem. Setting and upholding (that is key) clear boundaries for the sake of your mind, body, and spirit’s ability to thrive is a sign of high self-esteem. Having healthy relationships (and won’t that preach) is a sign of having high self-esteem. I like how one article that I read on the topic said that not settling for just a paycheck when it comes to choosing employment, not making self-destructive decisions, and choosing to build people up instead of tearing them down are also signs of having high self-esteem.
Know what else are clear signs? Prioritizing your physical health and also pampering yourself — and no, your vagina should not be exempt when it comes to both of these things. This is why it’s important to see your doctor if you recognize any abnormalities down below, that you perform vaginal self-exams on a consistent basis, and yes, that you treat “her” as a very vital part of your being…because “she” is exactly that. Doing these things significantly increases your chances of having a healthy vagina and vulva — just like low self-esteem can do the opposite.
Let’s keep going. So, on the flip side, how does low self-esteem present itself?
What Does It Mean to Have Low Self-Esteem?
GiphyPeople who don’t find themselves very worthy of much, they tend to display the following characteristics:
- They worry a lot
- They self-deprecate
- They lack good boundaries (or they let people talk them out of their boundaries)
- They go overboard when it comes to people-pleasing
- They don’t have much of a backbone (folks can easily sway them out of their standards and beliefs)
- They constantly compare themselves to others
- They regularly participate in negativity
- They lack self-control
- They are unforgiving when it comes to themselves and others (because they are highly critical)
- They don’t prioritize self-care
And doesn’t it make perfect sense that if you’re in this kind of head and heart space, your physical (and mental) health would suffer on some levels? Yeah, you might be surprised at just how much.
How Low Self-Esteem Impacts Your Health Overall
GiphyIf you’re constantly caught up in negativity, if you don’t have self-control and/or you allow people to talk you in and out of whatever, I’m sure you get how that can lead to toxic relationships, depression and anxiety and possibly even the abuse of substances (mental health stuff). Okay, but how does low self-esteem directly affect your physical health?
One way that it can rear its ugly head is by causing you to have an unhealthy relationship with food whether that’s developing some type of eating disorder or simply not feeding yourself things that are good for you. Another? Well, there are studies that indicate that negative people and those who don’t get adequate rest tend to have low self-esteem.
There is also plenty of data out in these streets that says people with low self-esteem tend to make far more unwise sex-related decisions than those with high self-esteem. You can read here and here about how there are direct ties between low self-esteem and obesity (even in medical students). Another thing that low self-esteem can do is put unnecessary stress and strain on your heart which can potentially lead to heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes.
Hell, there is even research that says that low self-esteem can trigger things in your system that will result in breakouts, excessive itching, and intensified symptoms of eczema and psoriasis. And yes, even when it comes to your vagina and vulva, low self-worth can certainly take its toll.
5 Ways Low Self-Esteem Affects Your Vaginal Health and Well-Being
GiphyNeed some convincing that low self-esteem can wreak absolute havoc on your genitalia? Here ya go.
1. Low self-esteem increases your cortisol levels. People with low self-esteem tend to be more stressed which can cause their cortisol levels to rise. When that happens, it can increase inflammation, throw off your vagina’s pH levels, and cause more bad bacteria to enter into your vagina — and all of this creates a perfect storm for becoming so much more vulnerable to vaginal infections.
2. Low self-esteem can lower your libido. The way that low self-esteem typically presents itself in the bedroom is it can cause you to have a negative body image and/or give you performance anxiety and/or make you put up walls with your partner and/or cause you to believe that you aren’t worthy of the kind of intimacy (physically and/or emotionally) that you desire. And all of this can cause your libido to tank.
3. Low self-esteem can lead to vaginal dryness.When your estrogen levels are off, that can do a number on your mental health. The interesting thing about that is stress can throw off your hormones in the first place and, as we already touched on, low self-esteem can be quite stressful. When you’re stressed, that can put your hormones on a roller coaster ride which can cause things like vaginal dryness. And your vagina and vulva are a lot less comfortable — both in the bed and out — if it’s constantly dry.
4. Low self-esteem can cause recurring yeast infections. If you seem to keep getting yeast infections, you definitely should see your doctor, just to make sure there isn’t an underlying health issue going on. However, also don’t underestimate that it could be that you need to give your self-esteem a boost. Yep, another interesting way that low self-worth can present itself is it can alter your gut and immunity, making it harder for your system to fight off things like yeast infections. Fascinating.
5. Low self-esteem may cause you to be hypercritical of your vagina/vulva. When you get a chance, please check out “Did You Know That There Are 10 Different Kinds Of Vaginas? Yep.” Since, again, low self-esteem can be pretty unforgiving, it’s not uncommon for women who battle with it to be very hard on how they look — including how their vulva (because you can’t exactly see your vagina) appears.
____
One time, while talking with a client about the importance of having high self-esteem, we discussed some of the very things that I just mentioned. When she connected the potential for low self-esteem to it keeping her out of the mood for sex and her having an irritated vagina, interestingly enough, that was the inspiration that she needed to make some real lifestyle changes.
Whatever it takes, chile. If getting your vagina to feeling right is what will make you more intentional about loving on yourself — I mean, so long as the job gets done, one way or another…right?
A television producer by the name of Angela C. Santomero once said, “Self-love is necessary for a functional and successful life.” This includes adoring every single part of yourself. Vagina and vulva included.
Their health and well-being absolutely depend on it. Quite literally, sis.
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