Tishlovestexture

Lessons From A Second-Generation Cosmetologist 🤎

I’ll be honest: growing up in a salon, I used to hate having to help. Being forced to sweep floors, welcome clients, and assist stylists just felt like being put to work.

I didn’t realize I was being groomed for leadership.

Looking back, I’m deeply grateful for every bit of it. Watching my mother educate on stage for Clairol showed me early on what authority in this industry looked like. But working that salon floor gave me something cosmetology school never could: a front-row masterclass in human behavior, client communication, and empathy long before I ever stood behind the chair.

You can learn technical skills anywhere, but the ability to read a room, understand people, and carry yourself with judgment is taught in the field.

👀What did your early environment force you to learn that you’re grateful for today? 👇🏽

Coffee & Curls… my baby 👶🏽☕️🤎

I originally created Coffee & Curls as a way to bring beauty professionals together, to learn, connect and build community as we continue moving toward a more abundant textured-hair professional community.

And I still deeply believe in that work.

But as we make progress, I’m reminded that there are still so many people on the other side of the chair waiting for help.

People looking for a professional.
Individuals hoping to simply have a conversation about their hair.
Just trying to understand what their hair needs, how to maintain it and which information they can actually t r u s t.

That’s what the stories I shared reminded me of.

After 28 years behind the chair, and a lifetime of lived experience with textured hair, I know how powerful it can be to finally have a space where you can ask the questions you’ve been carrying and receive r e l i a b l e information rooted in professional experience.

So Coffee & Curls is growing. 🤎

**Coffee & Curls: The Community Edition** is bringing that conversation directly to you.

On October 17th, Tampa will have its own intimate space for people to come together, open up about our hair, ask real questions, learn, and connect, with coffee, curls and community at the center of it all. Just us.

And I have a feeling it’s going to be something truly wholesome.

**Tampa, save the date. October 17, 2026.**

More soon.

With curls, texture and love,

Tish🤎

This was a meaningful week because I had the opportunity to contribute to British Vogue's article, "How Hot Weather Affects Curly and Textured Hair Differently," a topic I've discussed with clients for years.

Opportunities like this give me hope and remind me that there is growing interest in thoughtful, evidence-informed conversations rooted in both professional expertise and lived experience. They also reinforce why I remain committed to educating both professionals and the communities they serve.

This experience continues to inspire the educational work I'm building with Curls & Texture U™.




Read the article:

Hot Weather Affects Curly And Textured Hair Differently. Here’s How To Maintain Condition Six expert-backed tips for happy, hydrated hair this summer.

j u l y e d.

1. precision
2. joy
3. release
4. gold
5. distance
6. n**e
7. st. tropez
8. serenity
9. impact
10. branzino
11. educate
12. bts
13. love
14. journey
15. stealth
16. science
17. skyline
18. routine
19. glow
20. press

Sometimes people aren't neglecting their hair or their hygiene.

Sometimes they're simply trying to survive.

Recently, I published *Matted Hair Reset: The Road to Healing*, a body of work inspired by the stories I've witnessed throughout my career.

Stories of grief.

Stories of overwhelm.

Stories about depression, burnout, caregiving responsibilities, mental wellbeing, and daunting life circumstances.

What many people see as neglected hair is often connected to something much deeper.

Salon professionals are often trusted with more than hair.

We're trusted with intimate stories.

Over time, I've come to understand that hair can be connected to identity, self-esteem, emotional well-being, and the challenges people carry behind closed doors.

This book explores those connections with compassion, curiosity, and without judgment.

I hope it reaches the people who need it, exactly when they need it.

Matted Hair Reset: The Road to Healing is now available on Amazon.



https://a.co/d/04uW9bFR