My first memories of hair styling are of me cutting and curling my dolls’ hair. My mother was not too thrilled about me essentially ruining these toys she’d spent her hard-earned money to buy for me, but she let me do it, and I’m so glad she did. I was always interested in how I could manipulate hair to create new looks. I used to go to my cousin’s shop and watch her and the other stylists give relaxers, do roller sets and cut and color hair. I would then go home and try to emulate what I’d seen.
I began doing my own hair in fifth grade. My first experiments with styling were cutting my own bangs and figuring out how to do a perfect spiral curl. Throughout high school, friends would “make appointments” to have their hair done in my grandmother’s basement, which at the time had a fully functioning hair salon for my aunt (it sort of runs in the family). In college I did hair for friends before big events and parties in my dorm room and apartment in Columbia, MO. Today, I still care for and style my own hair and several friends and family members.