Stylist Onika Cooper hopes to empower clients

In 2018, hairstylist Onika Cooper had big dreams of producing her own line of hair-care products. Two weeks ago she made that dream a reality with the launch of her Natural Touch brand of organic hair growth and beard oils at her St Mary’s Village, Moruga salon.

“It feels good being able to make good on the promises I made to myself," she told WMN.

Cooper, a youth development officer at the recently-created Ministry of Youth Development and National Service, is the owner of Cooper’s Hair Salon on Gomez Street. The 27-year-old said she worked to develop these products because she wanted to see more organic haircare products on the market – something she believes is virtually nonexistent in TT.

“We always see the bigger brands and their products, but there’s a lot of chemicals and preservatives they contain which can be harmful to people’s health... A client of mine bought an item from Africa that consisted of all organic ingredients. I always wanted to create products that were natural and I did so with the hair care products."

For Cooper, hairstyling began as a childhood hobby when she braided her sisters' hair. Eventually, she saw the potential to earn some extra cash and with her parent’s permission transformed the family’s garage to a makeshift salon. Although she studied mass communications and journalism at the College of Science Technology and Applied Arts, she also has a background in chemistry, which came in quite handy. Her products, she said, contain 14 natural ingredients and are approved by the Ministry of Health’s food and drug department for public use. They are exclusive to her salon for now, but she hopes to distribute to stores and other salons soon.

But, she told WMN, her motives as a stylist extends beyond giving her clients a pretty hairstyle and smooth skin. She also wants to empower them to realise their full potential. She recently hosted a hairstyling workshop in Moruga, which she said was more than simply teaching participants how to do their own hair.

“It wasn’t just about learning new techniques for braiding; it was an opportunity for people to reach out and connect to one another, which is something that has been missing because of the pandemic.”

She intends to host other workshops for young people outside the realm of hairstyling – workshops that will encourage them to be the best versions of themselves.

“I really want to so much more for youths and youth development. It’s something I’m really passionate about so I want to hold motivational speeches and seminars on leadership and public speaking to help them develop their skills.

“I’ve had my fair share of challenges but the work paid off, and I hope in my own small way I can help other young people realise their potential and take the first steps towards achieving their goals.”