Hi everyone!
Welcome to my little slice of the internet where I will be creating detailed content on Saturdays to guide my fellow ‘fro sisters on their journey to growing and maintaining a full head of hair that makes them proud and keeps gravity in awe.
My name is Kemi Lewis, and I am the Founder of KL’s Naturals Beauty Bar. I am a lawyer turned entrepreneur and I had the distinct honor of setting up the first natural hair care salon catering exclusively to the then budding natural hair community in Nigeria in 2013.
So, back up a bit. Lawyer turned Entrepreneur; how did that happen? Here is something of a summary; in 2012, I got back from the US after a brief stint living there. It was time to chart a new path in Nigeria, but I wasn’t quite sure what that would be.
It was frustrating and I was getting impatient with myself. During a regular conversation that would later prove to be a defining moment, a friend threw it at me, “Kemi, why don’t you start a natural hair salon?”
I had a real flair for hair. I have always been good with it, and at the time, I was a newly minted natural myself. It was also true; there was a growing community of women who were transitioning from relaxed hair to nurturing their natural hair and at the time, there were no salons created to specifically cater to their needs. So I started one!
KL’s Naturals Beauty Bar was born, in a small space that held 2 chairs and had 2 employees.
7 years after taking a chance on a dream, we have grown to 3 branches of KL’s Naturals – at Dolphin Estate, Lekki, and Ogba – and a family of over 35 members of staff who live out the vision of this brand day in, day out.
I am incredibly grateful to do this work and live out this purpose.
It is not just hair. As women, there is a whole correlation between the state of our hair and the way we feel about ourselves. There was a time, not too long ago, where you would hardly find one Nigerian woman in ten whose hair was natural. My hair was chemically treated too! We were taught to see our natural hair as tough, as difficult to manage and even as untidy.
Nowadays, in a group of ten women, you will likely find seven who have natural hair. That’s progress! Because we now know a truth; that our natural hair is beautiful and if we care for it the right way, we will enjoy the dividends of hair that is growing, retaining growth and super healthy.
That is what this is about.
I imagine you still have some interesting ideas about your hair that are far from the truth. I understand; there is a ton of information out there mixed with misinformation and disinformation so congratulations on being here and welcome.
I look forward to sharing tons of actionable content with you and having Saturday conversations that add to the flavor of the weekend.
Please subscribe, and invite your friends.
Let’s go! See YOU next week!
