Local Black stylists, barbers care for more than just people’s hair
BENTONVILLE, Ark. (KFTA/KNWA) — Stylists at House of Styles in Bentonville provide a safe space for their clients.
“We could be having the worst day. Everything could be going wrong. But come to the salon, get your hair to talk to your stylist, laugh, cry, vent,” said Brenisha Williams, a cosmetologist specializing in protective styles.
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She says the salon is more of a therapy appointment.
“It’s more of therapy on both ends because I love doing hair to the point where it feels like therapy for me when I’m doing it. And, the same with the clients, we talk about just about everything,” Williams said.
Erica Thumbutu is one of her clients and she says Williams has seen her through a lot of stages in her life.
She says she has struggled with loving her natural hair over the years but by coming to the salon, the stylists help her see the beauty of it.
“It has really come from a lot of conversations with Bre and Stacy just telling me how much that my hair is thick and it is love and how lovely it is just the way that it is,” Thumbutu said.
Thumbutu says she’s able to learn how to do hairstyles for herself and her daughter.
“Bre and Stacy being so welcoming and open arms judgment free, that I’m able to do that and feel good about it,” she said.
She says it’s important to find a salon to call home in Northwest Arkansas.
“You’re not only coming to get a service, but you’re coming in and it’s like you’re just hanging out with family,” Thumbutu said.
Williams helps a lot of her other clients learn how to love their hair as well, especially kids.
“A lot of kids struggle with that, thinking that if their hair is not long and straight, that it’s not good, that they have bad hair if it’s kinky, curly, or if it’s not very long,” she said.
Jojuan Shade, a barber at the salon, says the barber shop is also like a therapy session for men and boys.
“I might need to shut the door so that way, I have a client or two that where we’re in deep conversation and it just needs to be a male perspective on there.”
Shade says it’s a judgment-free zone.
“There’s times, too, where they give me advice or things that I’m going through, and then I’m able to relate and also give them advice on things that they’re going to do as well.”
Williams says if you are looking for a stylist, to research how long they have been doing hair and find one that can do different kinds of styles.
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