Campus Stylists Dedicated to Women of Color
design: Gianna Castagliuolo
Here's to never having a bad hair day again.
by SHAYLA ISMAEL ★ OCTOBER 16, 2023
“I’m having a bad hair day!” is something I’d love to never say again, and I’m sure many of you would agree. For women, no matter their background, having our hair done can help radiate inner beauty and confidence. In the Black community, we arguably have the most versatile hair. Styles range from all-natural curls, to blowouts and weaves, to protective styles such as twists and braids, and more. Although I have yet to try out all these styles, my favorite of all time has to be a clean knotless braid. This ensures that I NEVER wake up with a “bad hair day”, but if done incorrectly, it could be an utter disaster.
With fall semester approaching, I have found myself frequently scouring Instagram and TikTok for student hair braiders to maintain my protective hairstyles while on campus at Syracuse. What at first nearly seemed impossible, I finally found three accounts in the area that I can’t gate-keep from my fellow protective hairstyle girlies. Not only are these braiders affordable, but are extremely talented, so be sure to check them out!
@_glambyjd
@_glambyjd was the first account I stumbled across, run by Jess Dion, a senior at SU. Jess transformed her dorm into a salon with an uplifting atmosphere, where students can get their hair braided. Her services include beautiful knotless, faux locs, twists, and cornrows. After researching more, I found out that braiding has been a crucial part of her upbringing, connecting her with her family and strong Nigerian culture. Impressingly enough, Jess has been braiding since the 5th grade and officially started taking clients her sophomore year of college. After speaking with her, it is apparent she cares deeply about her clients and craft. Working by the Bible verse, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139), she finds happiness in bringing her clients the confidence they deserve and aspires to continue with this business post-grad.
@joliedidmyhair
If you are looking to have a fresh wig installed, consider checking out @joliedidmyhair. Jolie offers wig installs including all styles and coloring services. From a young age, she has always had a love for hair styling. She found herself inspired by her mother, who did similar work, so she started hand-sewing wigs in 2018 and continued to launch her business in 2020 after coming to Syracuse. She has been so successful with her endeavors and is always looking for new clients.
@byreyasimone
If you are the type of girl who loves to rock her natural hair, consider trying “By Reya Simone''. Reya trademarks herself as a “Natural Hair Enthusiast”, which is exactly what her business embodies. Her goal is to “cater to black women’s natural hair while helping them understand how to love the skin they’re in.” Her all-natural handmade products consist of a shampoo, flaxseed curly custard gels, a shea butter moisturizing sealant, and a variety of body butters to maintain hair health and help clients look and feel their best! Not only does she create her own products, but she also has hair braiding services. She started in 2020 and I can’t wait to see her grow!