"And yes, your favorite D.I.Y Microlocks influencer probably goes to the salon. The modern-day grifter is a “creative.”

If you’ve noticed career schools closing their doors at a record pace lately, you might think it’s just the economy. But the reality is much more layered and much more urgent. We are currently witnessing a perfect storm where federal accountability is clashing head-on with outdated salon hiring practices. The result? A dead zone that is leaving students in debt and schools out of business. FEDERAL FUNDING For decades, many career schools operated as license factories. As long

In 2025 a Black woman filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court on behalf of her and her seven year old daughter, alleging discrimination ( NYCHRL ) at an Ulta beauty salon on the upper East side of Manhattan New York. The suit alleges a violation of New York Civil Rights Law 40, which guarantees all persons full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges in places of public accommodation. The suit claims Ulta beauty created a segregated service m

The internet has a way of digging up the truth, and the recent story out of Cambridge, Maryland, is a chilling reminder of how some people use authority as a weapon. A homeowner reportedly hired six Guatemalan roofers for tens of thousands of dollars in labor. When the job was $10,000 away from completion, she didn't reach for her checkbook-she reached for the phone and called ICE (allegedly). She even handed the agents a ladder. Thankfully, one of the workers, Bryan Polanco,

In high school, I was convinced college was a NASA-grade launchpad. I thought I’d board that vessel and blast off into a galaxy of hyper-competence where everyone spoke in profound metaphors and solved world hunger between classes. Then I actually got to campus and realized the rocket was mostly a refrigerator box held together by duct tape and student loans. I was ready to debate that religion and sororities can blur the line between community and quiet indoctrination-but h

Exploring Why Negative Outliers Drive Reviews More Than Consistent Positive Experiences Academia often paints a broad-stroke picture of consumer behavior, but the view from the front lines of business ownership tells a different story. A landmark study by Ben-Gurion University, spanning a staggering 1.2 billion reviews, suggests a world where women are the "benevolent graders" of the digital age-leaving higher star ratings than their male counterparts and remaining 10% less l

Natural hair has never just been about hair. For Black women, it has always been identity, culture, resistance, politics, and, in many cases, survival. But how that hair is treated socially, professionally, and culturally varies wildly depending on where you are in the world. The common thread? It’s rarely neutral. UNITED STATES In the United States, natural hair sits at the intersection of visibility and scrutiny. There has been a cultural shift toward acceptance, protective

In the beauty industry, the terms deposit and cancellation fee are frequently used as if they are the same thing, but in the eyes of New York law and banking institutions, they represent two very different financial concepts. Understanding the tug-of-war between a salon’s house rules, state business regulations, and the robust consumer protections provided by credit card companies is essential for both stylists and clients to avoid costly misunderstandings. When a client lose

At some point, the beauty industry decided that a consultation was just a boring formality. The equivalent to those long "Terms & Conditions" that everyone scrolls past as fast as possible. But in reality, the consultation is the only thing standing between the perfect look and a total hair disaster. It’s where the Pinterest delusions meets the laws of physics. Without it, every haircut or drop of developer is just a high-stakes guessing game. And when you’re dealing with th

Forget the MetroCard. The real gatekeeper in New York City history was the yellow cab that wouldn’t go to Brooklyn. If you didn’t live through that era, you don’t know the grit it took just to exist here. And if you weren't sitting in a salon chair for six hours in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn with random salesmen selling you pepper spray and CDs during that same era, you have no idea what getting your hair done really meant. New York City isn't just a place, it's a context. And nowhere

Grab a glass of something strong and let’s have a quick chat. We need to talk about the thing nobody says out loud because they’re afraid the cross on the dining room wall, will fall off or turn upside down. Twenty-five years as a stylist, and the stories are always the same. Everyone is exhausted.  We’re out here acting like motherhood is this shiny trophy we’re supposed to sprint toward before the clock strikes twelve, but let’s be real: it’s a scam. Once the foils are on a

I didn’t just stumble into the beauty industry. I navigated it like a maze where the walls keep moving. Along the way, I realized that for young adults or anyone pivoting into a new field, mentorship isn't just nice to have. Mentorship is the GPS that keeps you from driving off a professional cliff. The real head-scratcher is: how do you actually find one? Ideally, a mentor spots your potential and swoops in like a corporate fairy godparent. In some cases you have to be the o

We’ve all seen it: that stunning, sun-kissed honey blonde or the icy platinum look that makes a set of locs look like they were spun by angels. It’s tempting. It’s a vibe. It’s damaging! If you’re thinking about taking the plunge into the bleach bucket, let’s talk about why your locs might decide to part ways with your scalp (literally). THE CUTICLE Hair has a protective outer layer called the cuticle. Think of it like shingles on a roof. To change your hair color, bleach ha

Walking across the stage at hair school is an exhilarating moment. You’ve mastered the color wheel, you’ve survived the mannequin heads, and you’ve finally earned your license. However, for many new stylists, the first year in a salon feels like a cold shower. While beauty schools are excellent at teaching technical safety and foundational skills, there is a growing consensus that two major components are missing from the curriculum: Mentorship and Business 101. MENTORSHIP In

As a September Virgo, my brain is hardwired for systems. I find comfort in categorization, efficiency, and most importantly logic . When I look at the current state of the loc industry, my inner perfectionist doesn't just cringe; it wants to open a spreadsheet and fix the mess. Right now, the industry standard is less of a standard and more of a free-for-all. Everyone is making up their own shit, rebranding basic mechanics to sound revolutionary, and in the process, they are

My life is governed by the pursuit of logic, precision, and the fundamental belief that every tool must be used for its intended purpose. When a system lacks a cohesive structure, it doesn't just bother me; it signals a deep-seated risk to everyone involved. The New York State Department of State, Division of Licensing, recently committed a massive oversight-a true technical faux pas by mandating domestic violence awareness as a requirement for cosmetology and barbering licen