We had the good fortune of connecting with AEVIN DUGAS and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi AEVIN, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My thought process for starting my own business was, “Why not?” For years I didn’t want people to think I went for the Afro title for money because it truly was and will always be about self love. But i realized, I have a lot to share and although I never was educated professionally regarding hair, I have researched, trial and error, formulated products for personal use for years. Why not share them and IF I could make a profit from it what’s wrong with that. I came out just wanting to help people and kept my ideas to myself for years. I’m finally ready to step out in faith and take this as far as I can go and then some.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My work goes back to when I first went natural. I learned my hair in the first few years, after that it was enjoying my hair, styling my hair and trying to get others to come to the natural side. You didn’t see me on YouTube doing videos but you would catch me in a store in the hair isle trying to help someone who was struggling with what products to pick. Going to my friends salon and answer questions for anyone who asked about why I went natural, how I went natural and how I maintained it. In turn those questions and answers sessions would sometimes get others to go natural as well. So when people were asking who I was and that they’d never heard of me before Guinness my answer was always “I’ve been putting in my own work for the natural hair community for years. Guinness helped me to bring it to the forefront. I even started a website with a friend called “AFROMANIACS” regarding natural hair, makeup, kids hair care and locs but let it go once Guinness came about. I WORK IN A FAMILY BUSINESS FOR WOMEN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. THIS JOB HAS TAUGHT ME LOVE, COURAGE AND PATIENCE. The ladies are my biggest supporters!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First , I would ask them what they want for breakfast either beignets from Café beignet or something hearty and because it’s New Orleans there’s too many places to name but my favorite at this moment is a place called bearcat. Next we would go to some antique shops in the French quarters, which is one of my favorite things to do. Next is lunch and a New Orleans staple place to go would be Port of call where you can get one of their famous burgers and baked potatoes along with a 32 ounce drink of your choice! By dinner again because it’s New Orleans there are so many to choose from It would just depend on what type of food you want. From seafood, to Italian to steakrestaurants New Orleans has it all. Then by night we will go to my favorite spot, the Ritz Carlton, to hear some jazz music, or the Monteleone, where they have some of the best drinks, and some thing called the carousel bar, which is actually a real carousel that goes around while you drink. If you’re still up to it after all of that, we would hit Frenchmen Street from there anything goes…..!!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
THIS IS FOR MY GRANDMA (LOUISE) WHO PASSED AWAY JULY 22, 2022 WHO WAS THE ONE THAT PRESSED MY HAIR IN HER KITCHEN MANY A DAYS. WHO LET ME SCRATCH AND GREASE HER SCALP. LET ME PUT HER RELAXERS IN (YES I SAID RELAXERS) BECAUSE LET HER TELL IT, “MY SCALP STARTS TO ITCH IF I DON’T GET A PERM” LOL. TO THE ONE WHO HELPED ME PUT STREAKS IN MY HAIR WHEN I WAS A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL, THEN WHEN I FELT THEY WERE TOO LIGHT, SHOWED ME HOW TO TONE THEM DOWN BY TINTING MY HAIR WITH COFFEE!!!
-I MISS YOU GRANDMA-
ALSO TO MY MAMA WHO SUPPORTED ME WITH EVERY VENTURE REGARDING MY HAIR….. IT WAS THE PIC OF HER AFRO THAT I ALWAYS ADMIRED THAT MADE ME WANT TI NOT ONLY WEAR MY NATURAL HAIR BUT MY NOW FAMOUS AFRO!!

Website: WWW.CHEMHAIRSTRY.COM

Instagram: AEVINDUGAS

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