Changing the “Coarse” of Curlee Hair: Interview with Faith in Curls

Introducing our new blog series, “Changing the Coarse of Curly Hair”! In this series we interview curlee change makers: salon owners, hairdressers, curlee platforms, curlee journalists, and much more. Stay tuned, because Curlee Girlee is changing the coarse of curlee hair and it begins right here … Tuesday is blog day!

For the first in our series of interviews we are honored to introduce Jarely Nunez, a Curlee Hair Specialist and Devacurl Inspired. Jarely is the owner of Faith In Curls. Faith In Curls is a wonderful curlee haired salon dedicated to making a difference in the lives of curlee haired women and little girls. Faith In Curls is located in central Florida, but at only 21 years old, Jarely has a following that has spread way beyond the southern part of the U.S!

Curlee Girlee: What made you decide to be a hairdresser?

Jarely: I didn’t grow up wanting to be a hairdresser. I was actually on the path to being in the medical field. However, in my journey of figuring out what I truly wanted to do with my life, I began to embrace my curly hair more. I stopped putting so much heat on it and looked into taking care of my curls. In doing so I found a curly hair stylist on social media and the moment I came across the page and scoped it, I knew in my heart that this was it. This was the career I had been longing to find. So I decided to quit my job where I was working at a nursing home and began cosmetology school two weeks later.

Curlee Girlee: You opened your own salon. How long ago was that?

Jarely: Yes indeed, I opened my studio salon in December of 2016. It was one of the greatest decisions I’ve made thus far.

Curlee Girlee: You are so young to own your own salon, I am so impressed! What made you decide to do that rather than working for someone else?

Jarely: I decided to open my own salon because I believed that I had built up enough of a clientele to be independent. There was a window of opportunity for me to make the move at the time so I took it. I wanted to create a space where it’s intimate for myself and the client to talk all things curly and help them feel comfortable in privacy while tending to their curls.

Curlee Girlee: What do you think makes you successful as a hairdresser?

Jarely: I believe that what makes me successful as a hairdresser is my passion for not just curly hair but also for women. I believe that my craft is more than just a specialty in doing hair; it’s my relationship with my clients. Being able to meet the expectation of the curly haired clients who have had past experiences in salons that have not been positive is definitely rewarding. When my clients are happy about their curls and the experience of the service it certainly makes me feel as though I am doing exactly what I should be doing.

Curlee Girlee: Do you work exclusively with curlee hair?

Jarely: Yes, I work exclusively with curlee hair. I made the decision to only serve the curly community before I stepped into beauty school. I knew that I wanted to truly be a specialist in working with naturally curly hair since there are so many different kinds of curls in itself.

Curlee Girlee: Do you work with children as well?

Jarely: I do work with children of all ages as long as their hair is curly! The youngest lady I’ve had in my chair was one year old, we simply styled her curls!

Curlee Girlee: What is the biggest difference in working with curlee hair and straight hair?

Jarely: I believe the biggest difference between working with curlee hair and straight hair is that there are so many different kinds of curlee hair, whereas straight hair is just straight. There are subcategories in the categories. For example there is wavy, curly, coily, and kinky. And in those there are different curl patterns and densities which range from thin to thick! It’s truly amazing and there is so much to learn.

Curlee Girlee: Do you find that curlee haired women struggle more with their hair than straight haired women?

Jarely: I do believe curly haired women struggle more with their hair because most don’t know how to style it, let alone know where to start with exploring the kind of products which are needed for their specific curl needs.

Curlee Girlee: What is your favorite go-to curlee hair product?

Jarely: My favorite go-to curlee haired product would have to be a combination of Devacurl’s Supercream and Ultra Defining gel.

Curlee Girlee: How important do you think it is to help Curlee Girlees start to love their hair and embrace their curls?

Jarely: I think that curlee girls starting to love and embrace their curls is one of the most important things which needs to be taught, along with knowing who you are. From childhood we unconsciously observe the expression of those around us pertaining to our appearance, even if it’s a simple, “Woah, her hair is big.” And if the Curlee Girlee doesn’t know that her hair is beautiful and assured of that truth, then she surely wouldn’t be confident embracing it. She’d see it as a bad thing. Along with always seeing straight hair in today’s society, she’d certainly feel out of place. We were created longing for a sense of BELONGing, so when there isn’t complete encouragement around training of curlee girls, they lack confidence and even self-love.

Curlee Girlee: What is your best advice for Curlee Girlees, younger and older?

Jarely: My best advice for Curlee Girlees, younger and older, is to find some curly friends and be encouraged in your naturally curly hair journey. Talk about your struggles, ask questions in the community of curlees, and you might just find that they go through the same thing. I have found that in the community of curlee haired women they happily share tips and tricks to help embracing curls more beautifully. They also encourage and uplift each other.

Curlee Girlee: What is your biggest hope for little girls with curly hair?

Jarely: My biggest hope for little girls with curly hair is to create a curly culture that can show the world that being naturally curly is a beautiful quality that does not need to be tamed. I hope that more little curlee girls learn to do their hair at a younger age so that they can grow into confident teenagers and young adults without insecurity about their natural curls!