Ancient hair braiding artifacts date back thousands of years to sculptures from Egypt and the Nok culture of Nigeria. People throughout West Africa used hand-carved wooden combs, palm oil, beads and shells to create beautiful hair styles. Mandisa Ngozi, which means sweet blessings, was opened by sisters Valencia and Denise Jones to uphold this ancient tradition.
Inspiration
Valencia, a FAMU psychology major, styled clients from home in the early 1990’s. “People would request braids or yarn wraps like Erika Alexander from “Living Single” so they could give their hair a break from relaxers or grow out damaged hair,” says Valencia. “Over time I began to notice the overall health of hair in its natural state,” says Valencia. “My degree was African centered, so I was also paying attention to the relationship between hair, culture and self-esteem,” says Valencia. After graduation, Valencia chose to pursue hair instead of graduate school. “We made the strategic decision to operate as an art and braiding gallery instead of a traditional hair salon,” says Valencia. This move helped the sisters avoid certain cosmetology licensing restrictions. “I decided to build my business around the ancient art of braiding and create an uplifting spiritual experience around natural hair,” says Valencia.
Sweet Blessings With the art of hair braiding
Valencia and Denise Jones
Trust Your Vision
While a clean space, professional staff and time management are important, the sisters insist that personalization is key for client retention. “Everything from the candles we burn to the hair oil we use can be adjusted to your preference,” says Valencia. Hair oils are blended according needs like dry scalp and desired smells like coconut or peppermint. A few mixtures are currently available on www.mandisa-ngozi.com.
During the first year of business, the sisters competed in the 1996 Taliah Waajid Natural Hair Show in New York. They won first place and their styles were featured in national magazines. “This win raised our profile and attracted celebrity clientele like Erykah Badu,” says Valencia. Tyra Ferrel from “Boyz n the Hood” and many other loyal clients return because they feel there is no other experience like Mandisa Ngozi
By: Ayodele Vassall-Gore
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