Today we’d like to introduce you to Destiny.
Hi Destiny, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
Hi, I’m Destiny and I’m a Licensed Cosmetologist here in South Florida. I work in a Curly Hair Salon in Boca Raton FL. I am a Curl Specialist. I found my passion for hair when I started my own natural hair journey when I was 14 years old. Having my curly hair was the biggest challenge for me growing up.
When I was younger, there wasn’t really any guidance when it came to taking care of natural hair, especially when it came to selecting the right products. That was one of the biggest struggles for me because I didn’t understand my hair and what it needed. And with my grandmother raising me, she didn’t really understand my hair either because we really didn’t have anyone in the family who had my type of hair.
So the only solution we had was relaxers which is a chemically treated hair treatment that relaxes your curls chemically. This was so damaging to my hair and I did this treatment for years. My hair got so damaged with the relaxers over time, and as I was getting older, I wanted to start taking care of my natural hair and actually learn about it. I knew I had beautiful hair and wanted to start embracing it.
I started getting into protective hairstyles such as weaving my hair with hair extensions. I did this for a few years because I wanted to keep my hair protected and let the relaxers grow out. As I was doing this, I started to research curly hair. What was it, how to take care of it, what products to use, etc. I focused more on what kind of natural ingredients I should be looking for in hair products and what would be best for curly hair.
I had my book and pen with me at all times, writing down notes. staying up all hours of the night researching about this. My grandma use to be so mad at me for staying up all night and not getting any sleep for school the next day, but at the time, she didn’t understand I had a vision and my vision was to understand my curly hair. I researched the products that were currently on the market.
I spent so much money on hair products because there were so many choices to pick from, and I just didn’t know which products would be best for me. I’ve tried tons of products, and it took me a long time to pick the right products for me. As I continued my hair journey, I realized I had such a big passion for it. I was so focused on wanting to see results. I stuck to it and stayed committed.
I realized, watching my hair grow, and being so happy during the journey, even though I had some struggles, it was just so beautiful to see how my hair progressed over time. I knew I had a lot of love for hair so I started having a vision and my vision was to help people embrace their natural hair. During my hair journey. I did have some issues growing up with family, friends, and relationships.
I encountered a lot of pain and betrayal over the years in my personal life. I knew I had to change people, places, and things. I was in a very toxic relationship for a few years and I lost myself during that time. I knew I had to heal from some things, but I knew I couldn’t stay in the same environment that broke me. It took me a long time to break away from those toxic situations because I was so used to them that, I was afraid of the unknown. No one likes endings and people fear change, but I knew it would be the best decision for me.
I wanted to break away from everything and start fresh. When I was 20 years old, I moved down to Florida to chase my goals and my dreams when it came to hair. I’m originally from New Jersey. God gave me a vision and he kept pushing me on this path.
It was one of the biggest leaps I have ever taken in my life. Leaving my grandmother was so hard for me because I loved her so much and I knew I was going to miss her, but I knew this change is what I needed for myself.
The minute I moved down to Florida, 3 weeks later I went to beauty school. I always envisioned myself in a warm state with pretty scenery and palm trees, so I knew Florida would be best for me. I went to beauty school and got my cosmetology license. I did this because I wanted to learn more about hair, There was still so much I didn’t know about hair. The beauty of hair is it’s an ongoing industry, there’s always constant change and growth.
And looking back on the history of hair, it’s always growing and there’s always something new to learn. When I did get my license, I did start working in hair salons. I wanted to experience working on clients hands-on so I can understand hair way better. I have been doing this for some time and now I work in a curly hair salon, helping people embrace their natural hair and guiding them on how to take care of their hair.
This has been such a healing journey for me and I know there’s a purpose behind it. My passion is a hair and my purpose is to help people. One of the best things I experience being in a hair salon is my clients being satisfied and happy with my results. It makes me feel good to know that I can help people embrace their natural hair without them having to struggle with what to do with their hair because I know the feeling and I’ve experienced it.
My work doesn’t just stop in the hair salon. I have other projects that are in the making and I can’t wait for everyone to see what I have in store. Like I always say, no matter the struggle, stay true to yourself and your vision and pray. Anything is possible because God makes it possible. This is just the beginning of a new era when it comes to embracing natural hair and I’m proud to be a part of the movement,
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My grandmother on my dad’s side raised me my whole life and I swear, I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. My grandmother is such a beautiful soul and I’m blessed and grateful to have her in my life and have her as my grandma. I felt like there was always a part of me that has been broken, especially after losing those relationships close to you.
I use to surround myself with people who I felt weren’t the best for me because I felt like I had a struggle of understanding my self-worth. I was surrounded by people who didn’t genuinely care about me, people who were extremely jealous and envious of me and didn’t want to see me succeed. I experienced a lot of different lessons in different experiences when it came to certain relationships with people.
I even encountered a toxic relationship for several years because I felt like that was all I knew. It was definitely hurtful because I was being hurt by the people I thought I loved at that time. It’s like I was giving them my heart and my realness, but behind the scenes, they were preying on my downfall and only keeping me around for their selfish reasons. I learned a big valuable lesson: self-worth and forgiveness.
I feel like all of us women experience a lot of heartbreak growing up, and we all have our different stories behind that. We need to keep encouraging each other that was worth it and that love is the best love. And forgive yourself for the things you put yourself through because you thought that’s what you deserved at the time.
I look back on everything I have been through, and I am the way I am today because of my struggles, but I wouldn’t change it for anything else in the world. God put me through these things for a reason, and it’s a healing journey for me. At the time it was really hard for me to overcome, but now I look back on it and say “that’s exactly what I needed”. God’s timing is always right.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a Curly Hair Specialist. I specialize in curly hair and help people embrace their natural hair with the correct hair regimen and the products that are best for their hair. More on a hair talk, there are so many different things to learn about hair such as the hair type, texture, porosity, density, elasticity… the list goes on.
It’s so important to understand these factors when it comes to hair because without knowing these, you’ll spend a ton of money on products that aren’t working for your hair or end up damaging your hair with the wrong services in the salon. That’s where I come into the picture and help guide my clients along the way. I really dig deep when it comes to my client’s hair.
I understand what their hair type is, their texture, do they have any damage in their hair such as dry hair or something more serious like heart damage or chemical damage, do they have any signs of hair loss or scalp issues, etc. After determining all of this, I explain to the client where their hair currently is and how we can fix this, and where our starting point is.
I do this by giving them the correct regimen and products I feel are best and always have them follow up. Of course, I always listen to my client’s needs and their expectations are with me. I’m basically a hair doctor and I love it. I love that I’m helping people embrace their natural hair because I know how frustrating it can be to not understand your hair.
I honestly believe every curly hair girl should find a curl specialist and really invest in them because curly hair is a different kind of hair and needs special attention. I’m proud to say that I am one of the few curly hair specialists out there.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Becoming a hairstylist is not easy. & I mean from going through beauty school to graduating, having to take the state test and pass. Then you find a salon but you start off as an assistant.
You possibly have to do that for a good 2-3 years and this is the hard part, some people end up quitting and not wanting to do hair anymore because of how intense an assistant job can be, but this doesn’t happen for everyone.
You might go through a training program (depending on the salon you are in) to get on the floor to become a hairstylist and once that happens, you start to really understand what it is to be a true hair stylist when it comes to color, cutting, dealing with the clients, working with the salon, etc. I mean.
There are so many levels to being a hairstylist. & it might take you some time to find the right environment for you. It took me 5 salons to find the perfect salon for me that was because I wanted to find a salon and a mentor who knew about curly hair. I knew a curly hair salon would be my niche and that’s something I wanted to always do. & once I found that I started really sticking to the vision even more and wanting to grow within myself.
That’s when I started marketing myself more and taking ongoing education because I wanted to become a better stylist for myself and for my clients. To all of the people out there who are starting your hair career. stay focused and don’t let anything stop you from achieving your goals.
It can get tough but trust me, it’s well worth it. & there’s no rush to it. Just find what your niche is and stick to the plan.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.curlgoddess/
- Other: https://www.quora.com/profile/Destiny-1429
Image Credits
Shabba and The Black Squirrel
