She taught middle schoolers as a teacher in Fort Bend ISD but had not truly considered entering the hairdressing industry until a teacher colleague urged her to give the industry a shot.
“She always saw how I did my hair and was always asking me who was doing my hair,” Collins said.
At the urging of her colleague, Collins took on an assistant position at her colleague’s hairdressing business in Katy to learn the ropes of the business.
The techniques she learned and honed and shared ideas about served as an extension of her natural creativity, she said.
Collins quit her teaching position in February 2021 after realizing her true passion lay in hair.
Until July, Loc’d N Studios had been run out of Collins’ parents’ home; since July, the salon has had its own dedicated location on Texas Parkway in Missouri City.
Collins’ teaching experiences translate well to her clients, she said.
“I’m the person who can have a consultation and help Black women with the knowledge of how to protect their hair and how to style their hair to make it look cute while keeping it healthy,” she said.
Ensuring healthy hair is central to the philosophy of Loc’d N Studios, which focuses on the loc style of hairdressing, a style in which hair is formed by locking or braiding hair in various styles, sizes and at various lengths.
The hairdressing studio does this by requiring assessment consultations ahead of any hairstyling. These consultations focus on assessing the hair in its natural state; taking photos; and asking questions about hair hygiene habits, physical activity and medication, Collins said.
As the business looks forward, Collins said she wants the studio to keep prices within reach.
“I want to make sure clients—Black women and Black men—can still afford to style our hair and embrace our natural hair and it not be thousands of dollars,” she said.
Loc’d N Studios
2440 Texas Parkway, Ste. 216, Missouri City
713-294-9817
www.locdnstudios.com
Hours: Tue.-Thu. 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 9 a.m.-7 p.m; closed Mon., Fri.
Natasia Collins and the team at Loc’d N Studios emphasize healthy hair for all clients who have locs. Here are some healthy hair tips.
Trust the process:
Once a client washes their hair after locs are installed, a particular look takes shape, though that process takes time.
Trust your stylist:
Attempting to adjust a style that is still taking shape may only do more harm than good.
Let your hair do what it wants:
As the hair takes shape, make sure you are washing your hair every week.
Moisturize every week:
Make sure your hair is moisturized. Clients will see some dryness during the loc setting process.
