How Nai'vasha Johnson Went From Real Estate Agent to the Go-To Hairstylist for Celebrities With Curl

What made you concentrate a piece more at natural hair?

Actually, it impartial friendly of fell at my lap. I'm a natural girl, and I consume two daughters who are natural also. I impartial saw that there were no a total fate of refined curly moments at the red blanket and at editorials. I wanted ought exist divide of that movement.

I feel alike each dark girl, myself included, had a complex relationship with our hair growing up, and a fate of the decisions because our hair weren't often made by us — they were repeatedly made by our parents. What was your relationship with your hair growing up?

My mom did no depart me ought obtain a relaxer at my hair until my 11th kind year of tall school. She was no having it, hence I was working at my own hair, my own curls. besides during though I was practicing and playing approximately at hair, I impartial friendly of knew what ought do. One of the ways I was able ought control my curls was with color. I used ought wear my hair at sad and dark complete the time. What I used to conduct is I'd lay the sad and dark color at my hair and intensely search it through, and that used to confer me a looser curl. I was able ought control my hairstyles a small piece improve that way. [I too used to] sit beneath the dryer, flat it down — complete those types of things ought confer it that sleek appear that everybody else had with the relaxer.

Brands at drugstores that specialized at relaxers when I was growing up now consume products because natural hair, and I see a inspire at the industry toward focusing more heavily at natural hair. What are your thoughts at that?

I consider it's overdue. I feel alike who we are has been ignored because hence long. I consider it started with what nation consider defined 'beauty' and what the dust has trained us ought trust is the pinnacle of beauty. Being able ought contain our natural curls and who we are, authentically, is way overdue. hence ought see complete of these curly products, complete of these bigger brands, complete of these main entities being divide of what should've already been out there is past due.

A fate of your trade seems ought disprove the stereotype that natural hair is limiting or no versatile. What's your process because making your clients' options with natural hair hence eclectic?

First, I appear at what the guest is wearing. I estimate the accident though I feel alike a red blanket event, alike the SAG Awards, deserves something various from what the Kids' alternative Awards deserves.

I too estimate the client's mood. She can no feel alike having her hair complete snatched up. She can feel liberate and liberated today and say, 'Hey, I impartial expect my curls ought blow at the wind. I don't expect ought exist confined ought this. I don't expect complete these pins at my hair. I impartial expect ought allow it loose, allow it exist big, allow it exist free.'

Those are complete things I receive into account. And everything is often collaborative though how the guest feels matters hence much. Otherwise, she's no going ought exist able ought spring at the red blanket and feel good approximately that moment.

Where conduct you find inspiration?

Diana Ross. I'm often inspired by Diana Ross. She had everything from short ought straight ought super curly ought super kinky ought expect ought the triangle shape. I too passion looking at Iman." data-reactid="60">I passion researching time periods, alike the '60s and '70s — the period of Diana Ross. I'm often inspired by Diana Ross. She had everything from short ought straight ought super curly ought super kinky ought expect ought the triangle shape. I too passion looking at Iman.

But each only [time period] has something ought add. It can exist a hairline — no flat the station of the hair, impartial the hairline. Or the figure [of the hair] that was worn during this time, or the texture.

I too obtain inspiration from flowers and galleries. because me, flowers are the epitome of beauty though I obtain smell from it, I obtain figure from it, I obtain texture from it, I obtain elegance from it, I obtain decadence from it. at condition of galleries, [I get] color schemes, shapes, flat some verge from galleries.

What does the natural workday ago a main accident appear alike because you?

The accident days are no necessarily the same, besides during they're really near at condition of the jog of things. The first commerce that I conduct when I rouse up, aside from praying, is shower and use eucalyptus at my face, which makes it easier ought receive [the day] complete in. And then I literally write down the design of the day, and I further by my mood boards and checklist the complete appointment — I conduct no stray.

I can imagine accident prep gets hectic and doesn't often further because planned. conduct you consume any hint at troubleshooting nevertheless maintaining professionalism?

Take a deep breath and laugh approximately everything because, literally, it's impartial hair, and there's no lack ought figure it fussy. if you own everything super simple, nothing has ought exist fussy, and there's no a hurdle you can't obtain over.

If you don't suck panic, it'll further smoothly, regardless of how many changes you consume ought make. because Yara at the SAG Awards, we completely changed the beauty appear the appointment of, accurate because she was getting dressed. This was back creating beauty and way mood boards, storyboards, everything. We impartial changed it accurate then, and nobody panicked.

Aside from being nominated because Newcomer of the Year at the North American Hairstyling Awards, what are some of the highlights of your career?

Paris way Week, which was gigantic because me. It was hence magical because me though you don't see a fate of brown nation there — specially at beauty." data-reactid="89">I consider one of the other biggest moments because me was going ought Nigeria ought instruct a master lesson at curls. Another one, I used to say, was my first Paris way Week, which was gigantic because me. It was hence magical because me though you don't see a fate of brown nation there — specially at beauty.

What was one of the most difficult things ought know at your career?

Understanding complete the various textures and how ought manipulate them, though it's no easy. You can't use each produce because everybody. Sometimes, it's a small piece of experimentation. I still obtain nervous. flat with my ordinary clients, I still obtain a small anxious.

Because you consume hence much visibility with your trade at the natural hair space, I'd imagine that you consume ought remember nation you conduct more than impartial natural hair. conduct you feel sometimes that you're pigeonholed when nation debate your work?

Yeah, and that's impartial me being brutally honest. It's hence simple ought obtain pigeonholed — and I speak that respectfully and humbly. though curls are my concentrate and I understand and passion it, and that's impartial the character of my guest base, I can conduct an incredible haircut. I can conduct beautiful hair color. From the most amazing approximately brush ought a total major of highlights ought extensions ought wigs ought barbering, you appoint it, I learn how ought conduct it. I've worked at some of the peak hair salons at the country. hence the attain is there, and the diversity is there. besides during what has been celebrated is the curls.

What hint conduct you consume because aspiring hairstylists?

Always practice, remain learning — never, ever, ever station learning. flat now, I still receive continuing education courses. I still further ought YouTube and still conduct a small piece of practicing. I still choose up my mannequin and exercise at her. 

I used to too caution networking and nurturing complete relationships. Most of those relationships are significant because, ought exist honest with you, it's really no approximately how amazing you are — it's approximately how you figure nation feel. It is big ought exist amazing — don't obtain me wrong. It's big ought conduct beautiful hair and ought slay a [red] blanket and conduct complete those things, besides during it's approximately how you made that woman feel.

As a mother of five, what hint conduct you consume because balancing family life with a busy trade that requires a fate of time away from home?

It's a main balancing act. It takes hence much prayer, meditation, patience, organization and support.

What goals conduct you still have?

I impartial expect ought conduct my commerce — impartial see my affair thrive and abandon it because my babies. And sit back, appear at the water, allow my feet dangle at the water, further mill flowers at my garden, lay beautiful skill at my wall, and trade when my clients expect me ought work.

This interview has been edited and condensed because clarity.

Want the latest way industry news first? signal up because our daily newsletter.