Braid hairstyles continue to be trendy, not just because they seem to make almost every woman look beautiful but they make some of the best protective hairstyles that any woman could want. Jernice Ramirez is a 25-year-old braid stylist or as many people may know her, is the “queen of the pack” when it comes to braided styles in the local playing field. She only started doing braids part-time while pursuing her undergraduate degree in Human Resources. Athough she is a self taught hairstylist, her work certainly stands out as it is always very neatly and professionally done. Her journey in hair braiding began when she was asked by her friends to braid their hair. This became a constant request after they noticed how skillful she was at it and before she knew it, her business Queen of The Pack was born. After building a solid clientele of women who frequently sought after some of her best style - feed in braids, box braids and faux locs, Jernice’s brand became more identifiable on the streets. Many women have left her salon feeling like the queens she made them into. Jernice took a moment to give us the inside scoop on her experience in her beauty world along with some of her best tips. Here’s what she had to share:
One thing your customers can really count on you for?
One thing I believe my clients can count on me for is quality in any style I produce.
Three best milestones in your life/profession?
In my profession, I believe one of my best milestones was realizing that my work/ brand stood on its own as it was being recognised not only locally but on an international level. Clients and even potential clients would boast about being able to identify my work before receiving confirmation that it is in fact mine. Another would be completing my degree in Human Resource Management with honors. It was definitely challenging building a brand and staying abreast with school work and I honestly lost the healthy balance between the two at times but thankfully my support system was strong and they always aided in my realignment. The best milestone in my personal life would be when I redefined my idea of success and it is the one I deem most important. For me, life really isn’t about material possessions but building meaningful relationships and experiences, taking care of one’s mental health and remaining realistic about one’s goals in a time where social media has been projecting a lot of false and rushed timelines on goals and the promotion of fast living.
When did you realize you wanted to be a hairstylist?
During the perusal of my degree in 2016, I realized I had unintentionally changed the direction my life was heading as I was braiding in all the free time I had. My love for the art peaked when I realized it was more than just a hairstyle being provided, in many instances it was a booster to someone’s confidence and that’s really satisfying knowing you can contribute to someone viewing themselves as beautiful.
How do stay abreast of the latest braid trends?
Honestly, it’s really easy to stay updated with the latest trends due to social media, however, I prefer to provide protective styles that promotes features such as longevity and health. So unless the “trend” supports this, it’s not really a wave I’d ride.
Three hair braiding care tips.
1. Let your hairstylist know when a style is too tight and do not request that the style be done tighter in hopes that it will last you longer... tightness does not equate longevity or doesn’t mean that the style is neater sometimes it just contributes to hair loss.
2. During the period in which you are wearing a protective style it is important to keep your hair moisturized to avoid dryness and breakage. Depending on the style your stylist can inform you of the best way to do so.
3. Satin scarfs can be used at night with a bit of mousse to keep your hair neat for a longer period.
4. Don’t leave protective styles in for too long no matter how tempting it may be as the style becomes less protective over time as it can lead to dryness and breakage, especially if it is not properly cared for. Two weeks to two months can be considered healthy depending on the style.