On Feb. 10, at 6:30 p.m. Project Grad along, with the Islander Pledge Initiative, hosted “Campus Conversations: The State of Black Hair.” The event was held in order to help celebrate and educate audience members on black hair.

The conversation and demonstration were led by two guest speakers Tim “Bo” Mack and Amanda Wheeler, who are co-owners of Aspire Studios, a hair salon in Corpus Christi that specializes in styling black hair.

“We wanted to bring everyone together and just celebrate black hair in all its glory,”said Mack. “We shouldn’t feel discriminated, and we shouldn’t feel embarrassed about something that was a God-given gift.”

“When it comes to black hair, it isn’t something we should be ashamed of,” added Wheeler, “it’s something we need to celebrate.”

Mack and Wheeler shared with the audience seven “Top tips from the pros.”

The first was “Practice good bedside manners.” Mack and Wheeler advised people to either wrap their hair in a silk scarf before bed or to make sure to use a silk or satin pillowcase.

The second top tip is to “Beat the Heat!” When styling or drying black hair, Wheeler and Mack advised against using hot tools as much as possible, instead opting to dry hair naturally.

The third tip on the list was “Snip, Snip, Snip.” The stylists said that it was important to get regular trims, even if it looks like your hair hasn’t grown much.

Fourth on their list was “Know your Products.” Mack and Wheeler suggested to do some research and experimentation with different hair products until you can find one that works for you.

The fifth tip is “Conquer the Combing.” One of the most important things, according to the stylists, is to make sure to use wide-tooth combs and picks instead of finer combs or brushes.

Sixth up on the list is “Cool it on the Washing.” The stylists noted that while it is important to keep your hair clean, washing too much will strip the hair of much needed moisture and natural oils.

The last tip on their expert list is “Moisture, Moisture, Moisture!” Mack and Wheeler stressed the importance of avoiding products with any sort of dehydrating ingredients. One way they suggested to help combat dryness is to use oils often.

If you have more questions, Aspire Studios has a Facebook page you can reach them on.

Stay tuned with Island Waves as we bring you more coverage of Black History Month events!