There is a growing hair trend that is resulting in African Americans gravitating away from the excruciating upkeep of sew-ins, quick weaves and perms to going natural.

 Historically, Black hair was naturally styled in the form of Afros, locks, braids including zillions, cornrows and twists before the advent of Madame C. J. Walker and the hot comb.

 Responding to what is perceived as a new way of life, Textures by Nefertiti was among the first, now emerging natural hair-care salons in Metro Detroit.

 Initially opening up her salon in her home, Nefertiti has been specializing in natural hair care just over fourteen years.

 “I knew that Black women wanted to embrace who they were naturally,” Nefertiti stated. “They wanted to enhance their natural beauty. They got tired of the perms tearing out their hair and the diseases the perms create.”

 Accommodating her ever-growing clientele, she first moved inside of the Spiral Collective downtown that houses a bookstore, an art gallery and an incense shop seven years ago before taking residency inside her own salon across the street last April.

 Spatially creating a tranquil oasis, she uses earth tones of brown, gold and green coalesced with plush leather seating, subtle wafts of incense and gentle soul-relaxing music.

“It’s really a mind, body, spirit connection that happens when people just come here to get their hair done,” Nefertiti said.

 Catering to all forms of natural hairstyles, her salon provides services for braids, sisterlocks, interlocks, two-strand and comb twists, strawsets cornrows and a plethora of others.

 According to Nefertiti, shedding the chemical habits and converting to a natural hairstyle is not just a hair statement —it becomes a way of life.

 “You have to start within,” she said. “For a lot of women, they had to get over, believe it or not, of being concerned about what their church members thought. Some Black people (also) had concerns about their jobs. They think people on the job care but they don’t. In fact, they compliment them. But I’m seeing less and less of that now.”

 But it’s not just about your hair; it’s also about what you consume.

 “My focus has always been inner beauty, how to enhance it, how to create it, a balance for women,” she said, and that includes what people eat, such as red meat, and their level of water intake, both of which affect the condition of the hair.

 “I find that (people’s) diets are full of processed food,” Nefertiti said. “I recommend that people have a more balanced diet of whole foods, meaning staying away from processed sugar, bleached flours and chemicals in food.”

 Providing the complete package for a new state of mind, Textures by Nefertiti also operates as a full-service salon offering massage therapy, extensive facials, waxing including eyebrows, ear-coning and natural nail care services.

 As an advocate of spiritual work, she has a past-life regression specialist on staff to heal karmic pasts while Nefertiti herself is a certified Reiki therapist, a person who helps reposition a person’s energy in order to heal their aura.

 “Beauty really does start within,” she stated.

 Textures By Nefertiti is located at 4147 Cass Ave, in Detroit. For more information, visit www.texturesbynef.com or call (313) 831-4771.

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