January 10, 2015
Business of Beauty: Natural Hair Stylist Darrius Peace Talks ‘My Hair Ain’t Nappy’ Movement
With more than 13 years as a professionally licensed natural hairstylist, Darrius Peace has helped hundreds of clients make a seamless transition to wearing their coiled tresses with confidence. Peace’s methods are rooted in the philosophy that a smooth transition to healthy, natural hair involves not only a physical transformation, but a mental transformation as well. Peace has been praised for his versatility and ability to produce style options that polish, modernize and redefine the image of today’s “natural woman.â€
On his inspiration for becoming a stylist:
While in college, Peace decided to follow the current trends of luxurious natural long manes and initiated growing is hair. As a child, his parents prohibited from growing his hair long. After growing his hair, he set out to find someone on campus to braid his hair. Unfortunately, none of the women he knew could braid hair. Peace frequented salons to braid and twist his hair. He soon realized that spending his financial aid to get his hair braided wasn’t cost affective, and he decided to take matters into his own hands. Peace made the decision to learn how to style his own hair. After trail in error he learned how to do twist styles, and then how to braid. “Women on campus would ask me ‘who is doing your hair?’ and I let them know that I am doing my own hair.†He soon began braiding and styling hair on campus. Peace made more money then his work-study job, and decided to legitimize it and attend the nearest beauty college. Fortunately for him, there was a beauty college across the street from his dorm, and he was able to obtain his Barber Stylist Certification while in school.
On transitioning clients to natural hair:
Although they didn’t teach natural hair in the curriculum, Peace made the decision to focus on natural hair exclusively. After graduation, Peace had a wide range of clients that had both natural and relaxed hair. He noticed that the natural hair clients were experiencing more growth, less breakage and scalp irritation. He proceeded to ask his clients if he could transition them into natural hair. He transitioned 95% of his clients to natural hair. All of his clients experience tremendous growth and were overall much happier with their hair.
One of Peace’s goals was to not limit them with the type of styles options that they have with natural hair. At the time, when most people thought of natural hair, they thought of twist, locks, and braids. “I wanted to showcase that natural hair was far more then that, and that the range was wider. A lot of women wanted to wear their natural hair in straightened and posh curly styles. I was able to give them those same options with their natural hair. Peace was able to create a niche for himself with natural hair.
On his : “My Hair Ain’t Nappy Movement”:
Darrius was told as a young child that his hair was too nappy to rock certain styles. He started to accept that fact that his hair was too nappy, and his only style options were a short haircut. Once he began the journey of growing his own hair, he was able to see and feel his texture. At that time he recognized that his hair ain’t nappy, and began to self proclaim He began to self proclaim that his hair wasn’t nappy.
“After years of doing hair, I decided that I would break down the walls of the salon setting and spread the word helping people to revert or change the terminology that they use in reference to their hair. I believe that it starts with us. We can use more accurate terms when describing our hair, such as beautiful, curly, coily, and we can teach the world around us to do the same thing.â€
Peace set out to help women everywhere have smooth and easy transitions into wearing their natural hair both mentally and physically. His “My Hair Ain’t Nappy†brand, educates women on the source of the rejection that is associated with having natural hair. He encourages people to rethink the terminology that is used to reference their hair, particularly the word Nappy. Peace also teaches women how to style and care for their own natural hair in between salon visits. Which inspired him to write his second book My Hair Ain’t Nappy: Secrets to Mastering Your Natural Hair; Create Beautiful Long-Lasting Natural Hairstyles All By Yourself. ” I want to make sure that women and men are able to go out and look and feel their best with their natural hair, says Peace.†This lead to him writing his first book: My Hair Ain’t Nappy, a Black Mans Introspection on Natural Hair. Soon after Darius decided to make it a movement, and travel all over the world to let people know that their hair ain’t nappy, and that they should love and embrace their natural hair. To learn more about the “My Hair Ain’t Nappy†movement, or to purchase one of his books, visit www.myhairaintnappy.com.
Chanel Martin (@ChanelEbone) is a co-founder and COO of Techturized (@Techturized) Inc. She is also a wife, new mom, and lover of all things hair! She works full time on her company Techturized. Techturized’s first product, Myavana (@Myavanahair), provides personal hair care resources for female consumers around the world.