Shellee Mendes
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"Shellee Mendes, the only female African-American owner of a hair salon on Newbury Street, exudes glamour, with her flowing hair extensions, shiny pants, and eyelashes big as wings.
Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler has come to her for his hair extensions, and she recently doubled the space at her Salon Monet, renting another floor and adding staff."- Megan Woolhouse for the Boston Globe, November 1, 2014
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How did you get into the hair industry?
The hair industry have always been a passion of mine. I worked in the corporate world, but I kept sliding back. I would do my own hair, my daughter’s hair, and my friend’s hair. It was a passion that I desired to do. A friend of mine finally told me to go to friend school since I love doing hair. I didn’t think it was possible because I was busy, and I needed the benefits at my job. I just didn’t have time to go to school for cosmetology. But if it's your passion and you’re driven, then you’ll make time. I went to school at night part-time while I worked full-time. When it came close to my graduation, I decided that I wasted time not doing what I wanted to do in life, so I thought to start working in an area that is booming. That’s when I came to Newbury street to work at a salon.
Did anyone introduce hair to you?
I introduced it to myself. It was always in my heart to do hair because I loved hair. I always thought it was a woman’s crown that she would never take off. At that same time, we walk around with this crown on our heads, and our hair always has to look good.
What type of hair did you learn to do in cosmetology school?
I went to a school in a mostly caucasian area, so I learned mostly on caucasian hair. It was so easy to me because I feel like if you can do African-American hair then you can do any hair. I’m the type that also like hands on, so after theory I would go to the lab and take walk-ins. I would do cuts, perms, and color. I learned mostly on white hair, but it was what I needed to be well-rounded. That really helped me a lot actually. As a stylist, we should know how to do more than one type of hair. I like to service anyone who walks into my business with any type of hair. I am able to do that by learning every texture of hair. I consider myself an artist, and like artists should be able to play with all colors, I should be able to play with all textures.
What are some of the hair trends you see amongst your black clientele?
I see the beautiful braids which I love! I see wigs and hair extensions--I love those too. I love transformations. I see a lot of the natural looks, and I like that as well. If I have one suggestion for African-American hair, it's to keep it healthy. With natural hair, you have to stay on top of your trims, and you have to keep the hair clean. Healthy hair begins with a healthy scalp. A lot of African-American girls have problems with relaxers and their edges. I feel that when a lot of places do braids, they braid too tight. The same thing happens with weaves. It’s pulling their hair and causing hair loss, especially on the edges. We call that baby hair, and baby hair is gentle hair. It can’t take a lot of pulling, so when there's a lot of pull, it gives up after a while. Relaxer can be harmful too. Applying it to your scalp and edges can damage your hair follicles. But, I do a consultation for anyone who comes into my salon and sits in my chair.
Do you have any opinions on the idea of “good hair” vs “bad hair” ?
To me, good hair is strong hair. It's not curly, wavy, or straight hair. Good hair is healthy hair. It's not about the texture; it's about the health of it.
How has the salon been helpful for you as a woman of color?
It's helpful for me because I have a diverse clientele. For example, a mom could be African-American, her husband could be caucasian, and her kid could be biracial. I could do all their hair. A lot of salons, especially on in this area or on this street, cannot do that. If it's a black owned salon, they mostly do black hair. If it's white owned, then they usually do white hair.
Can you describe what attracted you to the salon atmosphere?
I was born and raised in the projects. I was a single-mom, homeless with two kids. However, I never let that deter me. I decided to go for it regardless. I thought to myself that if I make it, then I make it, but if I don’t, at least I tried. I began working on Newbury St. which became Easy St. for me. It was my passion. I had a thick clientele of black and white people--mostly white-- and they followed me when I opened my own salon. If I can do it coming from where I am from.
Why do you think hair is so important?
I think hair is so important for everyone. When I see people, I see their hair first. I am so into hair, so that's what I notice before I notice their face. Hair is important because when people see you, they are looking at your face, but your hair is apart of your face. Your face is a beautiful picture, and your hair is the beautiful frame around it. You want your hair to look good at all times.
How has your hair expressed your identity?
I’m half Cape Verdean, and my mom is Jamaican and has a little bit of white in her too. I’m pretty mixed. I wear my hair the way I feel. I like it down with a little bit of style and body in it. I want it just flowing. Sometimes I’ll wear it in a ponytail. I’ll give my hair a rest and take my extensions out. Most of the time, I wear my natural hair with just a piece or two in it. That's how I feel comfortable: flowy and free. Depends on how I feel when I wake up. I would encourage people to do the same as long as they feel comfortable. Sometimes hair can be overpowering, but wear it the way you feel!