gratitude

Thankful for My Family and Community

Sometimes I have to stop and remind myself just how lucky I am. Life isn’t always easy.  In fact, most of the time it’s a fucking circus  and its hard!! But when I look around at the people in my corner, I realize how much love and support I’ve been given.

My tribe has been my anchor through every season of life. From Chicago to LA to Texas, through career changes, kids, chaos, and everything in between, they’ve been there cheering me on (and sometimes pulling me through).

Shoutout to my first supporter, my mom, my rock. She’s always believed in me and is the first to say, “Yea, let’s fucking go!” whenever I come up with some batshit crazy idea. I can always count on her to keep my weight in check and my finances straight.

And then there’s my husband, Danny. He deserves the spotlight here. He literally sacrifices himself to keep me, our family, and my career stable and in balance. He is the reason I get to work, create, and build my business. Raising a family is tough, especially in a city where we have no family to fall back on. It’s me and Danny. Danny and I.

But it doesn’t stop there. My community…clients, friends, neighbors, and even those of you reading this have become part of my tribe. You’ve celebrated my wins, picked me up in tough times, and reminded me that none of us are doing this alone. I’ve heard your tears fall, and you’ve heard mine. I’m so grateful for the chance to give and receive that kind of connection.

Gratitude isn’t even a big enough word for how I feel. Family and community aren’t just a support system; they’re the reason I get to keep going, the reason I get to build the life I love, give my kids the best shot at life, and the reason I still believe in the good that’s out there.

And, of course, an honorary mention to my haters. Thanks, girl. You push me harder than an ant carrying 50 times its weight. I’m here because you didn’t believe in me. Thanks, boo, keep working hard and fighting the good fight. You’ll be counting singles… I’ll be over here counting hundies in my undies.

Who is she

hi..

Meet Airika: The Woman Behind the Chaos

Hi, my name is Airika, but most people know me as Hairika. I’ve been in the hair industry for over 20 years, and if you’ve ever sat in my chair, you already know it’s never just about the hair. It’s deeper than that. It’s about community, the therapy, the laughs, and sometimes the tears that come with it.

I started my own salon suite because I wanted a space that felt like me: no bad vibes, just real connections and good energy. And now, I’m starting this blog for the same reason. Instagram captions are cute, but they don’t give me enough room to rant, reflect, or share the stories that deserve more than a photo and a hashtag.

So about me…

I’m 42 years old and I feel like I’ve seen it all. I started my career in Chicago at the ripe age of 20, studying and working with Vidal Sassoon. That experience gave me the kind of education you can’t buy twice; sharp technical training and even sharper life lessons.

From there, I spent the better part of my Chicago days at a men’s salon. It was honestly the best time.  I learned everything about men’s styling and how different that side of the industry is. At 30, I moved to Los Angeles for a fresh start, not realizing that move would define my whole life.

I worked at a barbershop in LA, blending everything I’d learned from Sassoon with my men’s salon years. It was there that I met my husband, Danny. I still remember the day we met. I thought he was SOOOO COOL (but that story deserves its own blog post). Eventually, we got married and had our first child, Ocean, in 2016. Being a working mom in the city was expensive, exhausting, and flat-out hard. So, like any girl who needs her mom, I decided we needed a change. In the summer of 2018, we packed up, scared and excited, and moved to Texas to be closer to my biggest supporter, my mom.

In Texas, I landed my last corporate gig in the industry, and I’ll always be grateful for it. My managers trusted me, believed in me, and gave me room to grow. During that time, I had my second child, my daughter, my angel, my bully, our last puzzle piece. That job gave me the balance to be a full-time mom while still keeping my hands in hair.

By late 2024, I knew I needed to make a bigger change. My motto has always been: Nothing changes if nothing changes.  So I took a leap on myself. I started my own business. And in the past year, I’ve found a community in my clients-turned-friends that feels unstoppable. I’ve built something impenetrable to negativity. I said “fuck it” (and honestly, “fuck you”) to the haters and now, I feel like I’m thriving.

5 Hair Myths That Need to Die Already

Let’s get one thing straight: the internet is full of bad hair advice. Between TikTok “hacks,” Instagram trends, and your aunt’s bathroom wisdom from the 1900’s, there’s a lot of nonsense floating around out there. I’ve been in the hair industry for over 20 years, and I’ve heard it ALL! So let’s bust some myths, shall we?

Myth 1: Biotin makes your hair grow faster.

Nope. Sorry, babe. Biotin is just a B vitamin not a miracle. Unless you’re clinically deficient (which is rare), popping supplements won’t suddenly make your hair grow faster or thicker.

The truth: overall nutrition matters more. Protein, iron, vitamin D, zinc, and hydration are the real players in healthy growth. And guess what? You’re probably already getting enough biotin naturally from foods like eggs, salmon, nuts, sweet potatoes, and leafy greens.

Too much biotin can actually backfire. High doses can interfere with lab tests, especially thyroid and heart panels [the FDA has even issued warnings about it.] So before you waste money on hype, eat your veggies, take care of your body, and watch your hair thank you for it. Don’t believe me? Look it up. If I’m right, you owe me five bucks.

Myth 2: If I never get a haircut, my hair will grow faster

Nah. Your hair grows from the scalp, not the ends. Trims don’t “speed up” growth…but they prevent split ends from traveling up the shaft and breaking your hair OFF.

Skip trims and your hair will still “grow,” but it’ll look raggedy, uneven, and probably shorter in the long run. Consistent trims = healthier length retention. That’s the actual secret.

Myth 3: TikTok said I need more layers

Jesus Christ. If TikTok told you to jump off a bridge, would you? Layers can be amazing, but they’re not one-size-fits-all.

The right layers depend on your face shape, hair texture, density, and lifestyle. Fine hair cut into too many layers? Flat city. Thick curly hair with random, choppy layers? Hello, triangle head and frizzy curls. I’ve seen enough TikTok-inspired “layer jobs” to know some of them belong in hair jail. Always see a pro who actually understands YOUR hair before chasing a hashtag trend.

Myth 4: If you pluck one gray hair, it goes away

False. Gray happens when your follicle stops making pigment…yanking the strand won’t change that. The same follicle will just grow another gray hair.

Worse? Repeated plucking can scar or weaken the follicle until it stops producing hair altogether. So instead of “fixing” a gray, you risk thinning or bald spots.

If grays bug you, there are smarter options: glosses to blend, highlights to camouflage, or full coverage color. Or just own the silver. Tweezers and denial? Not the move.

Myth 5: Washing your hair every day is always bad

Listen to me right now.  There’s no one-size-fits-all answer here. Washing is about scalp health, not a calendar rule.

If you have an oily scalp, sweat a lot, or work out daily, washing every day might be exactly what you need. If you have dry, curly, or textured hair, stretching washes to once a week could be healthier. What matters is HOW you wash: use the right shampoo for your scalp type, condition wash (aka co-wash), and don’t strip your hair with harsh detergents.

Bottom line: your scalp, your choice.

Final Thought

So yeah, the internet lies. I don’t. [[Shocking, I know]]  Next time you hear a “magic hack” for your hair, ask your stylist before you trust some girl on TikTok with a ring light.