Natural hair and self-love: V Stylez of Hairology Academy

Victoria Paulino has transformed herself into “V” or “V Stylez", owner of Natural Hairology Salon and Hairology Academy. She holds a license in Master Cosmetology and over 30 years of knowledge and experience. Through educating clients on healthy hair tips, Victoria is constantly thinking of ways to promote self-love, acceptance, and confidence. Keep reading to learn more about her story and what sparked her passion in helping people of color with the growth of natural hair.

Thanks for sharing your story with us. Let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.

My name is Victoria Paulino. I'm originally from Norfolk, Virginia, but I've been in Georgia since 1998. In my early years, my parents were very traditional when it came to my hair. I have a very tight curl pattern that was associated with being nappy and unacceptable when I was growing up in the 80s and 90s. My parents would take me to the salon to get my hair permed and relaxed, but my hair rejected the process every time. Instead, my hair and scalp would continue to get damaged by the harsh chemicals. As a child growing into a teenager, I felt disappointed and frustrated that my hair would never achieve the look society deemed acceptable or beautiful. 

Out of both desperation and my desire to fit in, I started to do my own hair around the age of 13. I definitely had my share of stumbles and missteps, messing up a style here and there, but ultimately with practice, persistence, and determination, I got better with each style. Before long, my friends and family started to notice that I had a skill for hair and asked to get theirs done by me. While I no longer carry the weight of what others — including society — think about me, I have learned the very important lesson that both your inner thoughts and outer appearance affect the way you feel about yourself. I am here to help men and women of color from the inside out.

Please tell us more about Hairology Academy. 

Much like in my youth, I found that chemicals used in relaxers are very damaging to black women’s hair, leaving burns and scars. I decided to focus on doing natural hair and promoting natural hairstyles. As a natural hair specialist, I work extensively with starter locs, loc retwist, interloc, instant loc, loc extensions, and loc repair. I provide hair and scalp treatments and hand-make my growth oils. 

Hairology Academy is a training center in the hair and beauty industry with a program focused on cosmetology. Our goal is to educate, motivate, and inspire every student to succeed through learning about the hair business and becoming licensed. This includes business and technical skills, psychology, and sanitation, along with the health and wellness of the stylist and their clients. We provide certification for loctician, braider, and lash technicians. Soon, we want to add nail technician and barber programs.

Has it been a relatively smooth road? If not, what were some of the struggles you’ve faced along the way?

There are always roadblocks and learning curves when you are working in any field, but especially when your business and passion meet. I have a great mentor, The Millionaire Barber, who guides me on the best way to navigate the challenges that come with the hair industry and opening a school. I also have a team who assists me with different aspects of my business, such as marketing and content creation. One of the best things a person with goals can do for themselves is find good mentorship and build a team that sees your vision and supports your dream. The path is mapped out and a lot clearer with these things, but I still face struggles, such as finding support programs that assist in helping start-ups with funding to open a brick-and-mortar school. 

What are you currently focused on?

Recently, I have started coming out from behind the chair and actively sharing the knowledge I have acquired over the years with other aspiring stylists. After 30 years, my passion has moved from doing hair myself to teaching others how to work with their clients. My focus is on making sure stylists first understand the connection between the body and hair to get optimal results. I also remind stylists that sitting down in the chair is about how your client feels on the inside. Mastering the art of technique and style is important, but so is making sure you are knowledgeable about all aspects of taking care of your client’s hair, which goes beyond the surface level.  

What can we expect from you next?

I am currently working on expanding the online classes available at Hairology Academy and moving into a brick-and-mortar location that will have day and evening classes available for students to learn in person and from around the world. I am also working on my own hair care product and education line. I look forward to continuing to make an impact in the natural hair world through both my products and educational materials.

You can find V Stylez on Instagram @naturalhairologyllc and learn more about Hairology on the website. Be sure to follow her Hairology Academy Channel on You42 for tutorials on coloring, locs, treatments, and much more!