My name is Brittani Parker, and I am the owner of Bee Stokes Styling, LLC, a Beauty and Wellness brand. I started my company in my South Carolina State University dorm room in 2012. There I began doing hair for college students to obtain money for my graduation needs. Soon I realized that I had a natural gift for understanding the scalp conditions of my clients, which led me to receive further education at Empire Beauty School. There I saw many women who were suffering from hair loss due to things such as alopecia, lupus, high blood pressure, or cancer. I began making wigs for these women to specifically meet their needs. Not all the hair loss in these clients was the same, nor did each client need the same type of extension. Many of these women did not know that they had so many options and were thankful for the education on my custom wig services. While I created hairpieces for these women, I treated their scalps with professional products that stimulated growth. In addition to my personal hair loss journey, my work with these women created in me a passion to make my business more than strictly service-based. I wanted to edify women on their personal hair and scalp through quality services, products, and education.
My passion to expand my business reach led me to acquire certification from the Toni Love training center as a non-surgical hair loss specialist, and I began to work with the Veteran’s Affairs office in North Carolina. Unlike many wig providers, I have the knowledge and qualifications to work directly with the VA, insurance companies, and dermatologists. I provide high-quality wig services at a reasonable price to the consumer based on their diagnosed hair loss, but this issue is much larger than just the clients that sit in my chair. Alopecia is rapidly affecting women throughout the country.
As I worked with various clients, I noticed a pattern of alopecia in my African American clientele. In the recent decade, the increase in women wearing wigs for comfort has created further issues in the hair health community. Because many women do not know how to properly take care of their natural hair, they neglect the scalp's nourishment, and this often leads to alopecia. Before anything, my goal as a business is to educate African American women not just on the importance of their hair, but the need to understand the scalp as well. To reach more clients, I began a YouTube channel in 2017 to provide entertaining education on hair loss, beauty topics, and other issues affecting the African American community.
Although many people may know a woman affected by some form of alopecia, few people understand the mental toll it takes on a client. Bee Stokes Styling has spread awareness of the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF), and offers a safe place to discuss the physical and psychological effects of medical hair loss. The company has created a community where women find free education and resources on identifying the various causes of hair loss. My biggest joy is from hearing women in my community discuss how their self-esteem has been positively impacted. As a person who lost 40% of my hair before, I understand the importance of fortifying someone who does not feel like they look like themselves. My company is not just beautifying these women it is enriching them as well.
My most recent venture is a clothing line inspired by my YouTube community. I wanted comfy and casual, with slogans that would resonate with my audience. The initial theme was “Handle With Care” as a reminder to treat your hair well, and I have added “Stand on Business” as this year’s motto. If you or someone you know is dealing with hair loss, or if you’d just like more information, let’s connect through one of my links below!
