Raquel Fernandes
- Curl Artist
My hair story started at age 15, when I decided to do my big chop following two years of having chemically straightened hair. The decision to relax my hair was made by my mother (also a Hair Stylist) who thought it would make my hair more manageable. Having chemically straightened hair was the norm at this time but I missed having my thick, messy hair to play around with. As my roots returned, I began to fall in love with how it curled and it made me excited about getting my curls back.
When I became ready, I locked myself in the bathroom and cut every strand of straight hair off with a pair of kitchen scissors. Oops but it was so liberating! From then, I would try to educate myself on my hair although there weren't as much knowledge as there is now. I had tested almost all the older hair products and made so many trials and errors. With time I started to realise what worked for my curls.
My path into the hair industry started after finishing my first year of university studying Sports Therapy. I decided that I wanted to help others learn to care for their curls. I promptly enrolled at a hair college and became a fully qualified Hair Stylist. I then undertook two curly hair specialisation courses at a well-known Academy in New York.
My 10 years of salon experience has allowed me to gain knowledge with various curl types, develop my own cutting technique and be considered a perfectionist by many. I especially love using my scissors to create new shapes and big chop transformations.
My mission is to change your curly hair salon experience, to show you what you can achieve with your hair and to help you fall in love with your curls.
- Beyond Curls