Follow Your Intuition: March 2016

The Shivonne J Experience

Happy Thursday! I hope everyone one has been out enjoying this great spring weather!

So I got the awesome opportunity to speak with Houston native Shivonne J, celebrity and award winning hairstylist. Check out the interview below to find out what are going to be some big trends for the season and how to maintain your hair between your visits to the salon!

How did you get started with becoming a hairstylist, not to mention a celebrity hairstylist?

Doing hair is something that I was naturally good at. I always would do my friends and family hair. I made the big moved to Atlanta, GA and stayed for about five years and moved back to Houston in 2011. Once I got back to Houston I brought a technique back to which was wand curls. This style brought me recognition and made me popular pretty fast because no one was doing it at the time, and in 2014, I entered my first hair competition for Bobbi Boss where I won first place.

What is the Shivonne J Experience?

It’s a luxury brand that caters to women that still care about quality hair care. The cuts and installations are the best. It’s definitely luxury hair that lasts. You’ll be ready for a red carpet or for any occasion. You’ll be able to take on whatever after the Shivonne J experience!

What are some or the hair trends we can expect to see this spring and summer?

Vibrant colors, warm tones, and blunt cuts will be trending. I love cuts! Whether it’s a bob, mid-length style, I’m loving it right now!

I can tell from your Instagram that fashion is also a big part of you. How do you describe your personal style?

I like timeless and edgy pieces. I think of it being more effortless sexy. I love layers, I really enjoy putting outfits together, opposed to just throwing something on. I want to be an inspiration to women to let them know that you don’t always have to wear something low, short, or tight to be sexy.

I love fashion! It’s really second nature. One day I want to transition into the fashion world.

What keeps you motivated to do what you do?

My children motivate me. When I look at them I want them to have the best of the best. The positive feedback I get back from supporters make me want to do more. Sometimes I don’t know how good I am and feel like I have so much room for improvement because I’m a perfectionist, but others make me feel like I’m already there.

What are some of your goals that you want to accomplish for your brand?

I would love to do some classes with some other well known stylists. I want a chain of salons in different cities like Los Angeles, Atlanta, and of course Houston. I want everyone to be able to get the Shivonne J Experience!

How CHIC is Ms. Shivonne J! She was beyond sweet and it was a pleasure speaking with her. I will be heading to Houston soon to get my bob trimmed up!

Check out below to get some awesome hair care tips from Shivonne J! Be sure to catch more of her hair tips and work on her blog www.shivonne j.com and Instagram @shivonnejexperience @shivonnej

Hair Tips:

To keep your hair healthy, shiny, and beautiful, use an intense hydrating mask. Then go under a hydration steamer or hooded dryer with plastic cap for 30 min. Add protein treatment for strengthening or repairing. Rinse with cool water to lock in moisture.
Thermal protection products are very important when using frequent heat. It helps prevent heat damage while straighten or curling the hair.
Get rid of dead and split ends. Keep hair trimmed every 8-12 weeks or as needed. This helps to keep ends from splitting up the hair shaft causing the ends to look thin and uneven.
Protective styles are a great option for maintaining healthy hair. Wearing a modern day wig or extensions is a great way to give your hair a break from heat or chemicals, while having a natural look.
Use professional tools with heat settings to control the amount of heat used on the hair. Avoid very high settings daily, especially after using products to keep from damaging the hair. Try ceramic tools with tourmaline or titanium for a smoother, shiner finish.

10:19 AM
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Aunt COCO Taught Me

Chanel

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FYI Hair Diaries: Beyond Beautiful Hair

Spring is upon on us! So that means it’s out with the old and in with the NEW NEW! New clothes, new shoes, new beauty products, and new HAIR! In this blog post I’m going to share with you a hair company that you need to check out.

Beyond Beautiful Hair is a hair company out of Detroit that has now expanded into a store and a full service salon. Not only did I get a chance to speak with the owner Jameela about the hair and services she provides, I got a chance to try the hair out for myself.

I really enjoy interviewing people in the beauty and hair industry. Everyone has the same passion but their stories are so different. I got the awesome opportunity to talk to owner Jameela from Detroit, on how she got started and why keeping her customers number 1 is very important.

What made you start your own hair company?

I heard from a friend about how big the virgin hair business was. I started selling hair just to make a little extra income. Once I realize the great feedback I was receiving from people I begin to think “hey I got a pretty good product and I’m going to try to take this to the next level.”

How important was it for you to do your research? You know many times people jump into owning a business with not knowing much.

It was very important because when you’re ordering from vendors they are literally hundreds of thousands of vendors to choose from. So I was up very late reading reviews researching making sure I was going to get a good product.

What are some of the humps that you’ve had to get over in the hair business?

Well a few times I was getting hair that wasn’t the best. I had to communicate with the vendor to make sure they were supplying what I was asking for. Every now and you can get some hair that’s not the best quality. It’s important to stay consistent with good product because one bad review is worst than one hundred good ones in the industry of hair.

How do you stand out in such an over saturated industry?

We're constantly introducing new things to stand out. This year we’re planning to introduce a teen collection, inspired by my daughter, called Aaliyah Rene’ collection. With a new Philippino straight style. It took me about 6 months to find it with the vendors and making sure it was going to be a great fit with the other products we have available.

What keeps you motivated to run your business?

I left my job of 11 years to do it, so I have to stay in it now! I see myself expanding. The feedback is also what keeps me going. The emails from customers that say “Hey, the customer service is great, I love the hair!” I like to respond back to everyone. People work hard for their money and virgin hair is quite expensive. I want to guarantee that it will last for them. If they don’t like the results or if something with wrong, I like to reach out and go above and beyond to see what I can do.

HAIR REVIEW

I received some Beyond Beautiful Hair in the Brazilian straight in two bundles of 20 inches, and one bundle of 18 inches. I’m being so honest when I say this, that I’ve never seen or felt hair so silky. I was literally scared to wear it because I like leave out and I thought my hair wasn’t going to match. Lol. But I had just a relaxer and was able to pull off my famous bundle ponytail look.

Install routine is that I always co-wash my virgin hair with the Herbal Essence Hello Hydration, and then set out the hair to air dry.

While brushing the damp hair I was impressed that there was no shedding and how easy it was to detangle.

When I purchase virgin hair one thing that I look for is how easy it straightens. I’m big on versatility with my hair so it’s important to know if I can wear the hair curly, wavy, or straight.

And what do you know!? This hair passed the test!

The hair is pretty easy to style. I usually go for long lengths so I can do pretty cute braids, and sleek and chic ponytails.

Due to this horrible Texas humidity I was not able to achieve the curly look I wanted. All the hair spray in the world couldn’t save my curls, but be sure to follow me on Instagram @fyijoycelynn for when I finally get a nice weather day to wear curls!

I appreciate Jameela being so professional. Seems like she really cares about having longevity in the hair industry by taking care of her customers! FYI wishes her the best!

Want to check out the hair for yourself?! Head over to www.beyondbeautifulhair.com. And be sure to follow Beyond Beautiful Hair on Instagram @beyondbeautifulhair.

** This post was sponsored by Beyond Beautiful Hair