Today’s Business Highlight: The Loc Spa Hair Studio

rosajaviersales
3 days ago
13 min read

Updated: 40 minutes ago

Sherone, owner of The Loc Spa Hair Studio

I first met Sherone Bryan-Ryer while leasing the commercial space that now calls The Loc Spa Hair Studio its home. From the very first interaction, her calm presence stood out to me. So it feels right that she closes out Season One of this Business Highlight Series.

And somehow, the way her story unfolds, it naturally opens the door to what is coming on Season Two. The alignment feels almost like destiny.

Sherone is the owner of a natural hair care salon in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where her work goes beyond styling: it’s about care, education, and restoration. In our conversation, we explored everything surrounding natural hair: the good, the challenges, and the realities many people don’t talk about. But most importantly, we focused on solutions.

I’m truly excited to share her story with you! Let’s get into it!

Sherone supports her clients' businesses!

I have transcribed the entire conversation into this blog. The interview was conducted in English

Business Information:

Name: The Loc Spa Hair Studio

Location: 1212 West Broad St, Bethlehem, PA 18018

Tiktok: thelocspahairstudio

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beautyfromashescreations/

Square (bookings): https://thelocspahairstudio.square.site/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelocspahairstudio/

Introduction and Location

Rosa: Hello!

Sherone: Hello.

Rosa: How are you?

Sherone: I'm good. How are you?

Rosa: Good! Can you tell us who you are, where we are? What do you do?

Sherone: I am Sherone Bryan-Ryer. I am the owner of the Locs Spa Hair Studio. We are in Bethlehem, PA.

Rosa: Where are you located specifically?

Sherone: 1212 West Broad Street in Bethlehem.

How it all Started

Rosa: How did you get into this work and what made you stay with it?

Sherone: I've wanted to be a hairstylist since I was five.

Rosa: Really!

Sherone: My mom said I’ve been saying it ever since, and it just stuck. In high school, I was adamant about getting into the Vo-Tech program where I lived. By the time I graduated in June, I already had my cosmetology license. I completed my junior and senior years in the program, got all my hours, sat for my boards, and have been doing it ever since.

Rosa: That's awesome! So how long has that been?

Sherone: Twenty years.

Rosa: Twenty years!

Sherone: In June. It'll be twenty years.

Discovering Natural Hair and Locs

Rosa: Oh. So, what drew you specifically to natural hair and locs?

Sherone: I started out doing everything because I really love hair. But I fell in love with locs about twelve years ago. I’ve always loved natural hair. I started really young, braiding and learning as I went. And being adopted, I didn’t have anyone who knew how to do my hair, which pushed me to learn. I started with my own hair, then friends’ hair. It’s just something that’s not really taught in beauty school.

Rosa: Okay.

Sherone: They touch on it a little, but if you really want to get into it, you have to seek it out—take extra classes and keep learning.

Rosa: So, being adopted really shaped the wanting to do natural hair?

Sherone: Yeah, I think hair in general. I’m not sure what originally drew me to it, but now that I’ve met my biological family, a lot of the women do hair: my older sister, cousins—so maybe it was just natural.

Rosa: OH! That’s cool!

Sherone: My older sister, one of my cousins—a lot of the women in my family do hair. So I don’t know, it just always felt like something I was meant to do.

Rosa: That's so funny!

Sherone: Yeah.

Licensing and Education

Rosa: Oh, my God! Okay. so what was your licensing process like?

Sherone: Pennsylvania requires 1,250 hours, so I completed that through a cosmetology program while I was still in high school. My junior year was a half-day program, I would go to Vo-Tech in the morning and then return to my high school in the afternoon. By senior year, I was at Vo-Tech full-time, focusing on both theory and hands-on training. We even ran a salon in the school, so on Fridays, clients would come in to get their hair done.

Sherone: When I took it, you took a theory part and you then took a practical.

Rosa: Okay.

Sherone: Now it's only theory. So, it's a little different.

Rosa: Where did you go to school?

Sherone: Lebanon County Career and Technical Center—that was the Vo-Tech—and I went to ELCO High School in Myerstown, PA.

From Employment to Business Owner

Rosa: Okay. What pushed you to open your own studio instead of working in a bigger studio?

Sherone: I started in private salons and then moved into corporate salons. I worked at Hair Cuttery for about eight years and worked my way up from employee to assistant salon manager. I always knew I wanted my own salon, it was just about timing. A few years ago, I decided to take that leap. I started in salon suites, then moved into a barbershop, and eventually ended up here.

First Appointment Experience

Rosa: Awesome. When somebody books with you for the first time, what can they realistically expect?

Sherone: It depends on what you're looking for. Some services, like micro starter locs, require a more in-depth consultation beforehand. But everyone who sits in my chair gets a consultation. Before we start, I’m going to ask questions about your hair, what you’ve been doing, what’s been working, and what hasn’t. That’s part of being a cosmetologist. You’ll also get a full shampoo. Everyone gets shampooed, and it’s not an extra cost, it’s included.

Rosa: Oh, I see, because there's a lot of hidden fees sometimes.

Sherone: Yeah, there's a lot of hidden stuff. And I'm a little bit old school.

Rosa: Awesome. That’s something people are really going to appreciate. So walk me through the services you offer and what you feel most confident in.

Sherone: I offer all things locs, starter locs, traditional locs, microlocs, and crochet for wicks. I’m confident in all of them, but I absolutely love microlocs. That’s my favorite service to do.

Client Relationship & Loyalty

Rosa: Awesome! What kind of relationship do you build with your clients?

Sherone: My clients become like family. We’re friends most of the time, it’s really just me and them. Sometimes my daughter is here, but we go through life stages together. I have clients who have been with me for years: from when I was working out of my home, to different salons, to suites, and now here. We’ve been through weddings, funerals, babies—everything together.

Rosa: Awe! That's so cute. Okay, so every stage through their life?

Sherone: Yeah.

Rosa: And their hair plays a big role in all of that.

Sherone: I’m really big on healthy hair and a healthy scalp. I have no problem being honest with my clients, if something isn’t good for your hair, I’ll tell you. And I’ll also guide you on the steps we need to take to get it where it should be.

What Healthy Hair Really Means

Rosa: So what does healthy hair mean to you?

Sherone: Healthy hair means it’s flourishing in its natural state. If you have finer hair, it’s not going to be thick, but it should be growing, retaining length if that’s your goal, and not breaking. No split ends, and proper care with the right products and shampoos for your hair. I don’t focus too much on hair types like 4A or 4B. Instead, I focus more on porosity—how your hair absorbs and retains moisture.

Rosa: Right! Can you explain what porosity means?

Sharone: Porosity is how your hair holds moisture. Ideally, you want medium porosity, your hair absorbs moisture but doesn’t lose it too quickly. If your hair takes a long time to get wet, that’s something we need to address. Sometimes you can put water on afro-textured hair and it looks like nothing happened, it just comes right back up. That’s when we figure out what’s going on with the hair shaft, build a plan, create a routine, and decide what treatments are needed.

Rosa: That’s really cool. What should someone understand about caring for natural hair that often gets overlooked?

Sherone: Natural hair is a commitment, it takes time. But once you understand what your hair and scalp need, it’s beautiful and incredibly versatile. You can wear it straight, curly, in locs, twists—it really does everything.

Rosa: I agree! I agree! How does someone’s lifestyle affect their hair, and how do you guide them?

Sherone: Natural hair can fit almost any lifestyle, it just depends on what you’re doing. For example, if you have locs and you’re in the gym every day but want them to stay neat at the root, we may need a different retie or retwist method.

Rosa: Okay.

Sherone: But I also tell people to embrace it. Natural hair isn’t meant to look perfect all the time. If you try to keep it too sleek, you end up using too much product, which causes buildup and scalp issues. Sometimes it’s better to just embrace the puffiness.

Moving Beyond "Hair Types"

Rosa: What are some common mistakes people make when trying to manage their own hair on their own?

Sherone: Social media and YouTube play a big role. A lot of people get caught up in hair typing—“Do I have 4A? 3B?”—but most people actually have multiple curl patterns on their head. So instead of focusing on type, I focus more on how your hair holds moisture and how it responds to manipulation. Some people’s hair just doesn’t like to be handled too much, it’s like, “leave me alone.” For most natural hair, low manipulation is better.

Rosa: I mean, a lot of us went into natural hair–Went into like this: “What type of hair am I?”

Sherone: Yeah.

Rosa: And even though we’ve had our hair our whole lives, we were used to chemicals and straight styles, so that became a big focus in the natural hair community.

Sherone: It did. But that wasn’t always the focus. I remember before the 2010s, hair typing wasn’t really a big conversation. Usually, I tell people to think back to when they were younger—when their hair was longer, healthier, and fuller. I ask them, “What were your mom, aunt, or grandma doing to your hair?” Most of the time, it was simple: twists, braids, ponytails: low manipulation styles that stayed in for a week or two. It was very much a “less is more” approach. Then as we got older, we started trying everything, different products, different styles—and that’s when people began noticing breakage or lack of growth.

So instead of focusing on hair type, I bring it back to health:

How does your hair hold moisture?

What does it respond well to?

What’s realistic for your density and texture?

Because if your hair isn’t healthy, the type doesn’t really matter.

Rosa: Right!

Sherone: And sometimes it’s also about making sure your hair is getting what it needs, like protein for strength.

Identity, Representation & Motherhood

Rosa: That makes a lot of sense! What does embracing natural hair represent beyond styling?

Sherone: For me personally, I’ve always mostly worn my natural hair, with relaxers here and there. I was always someone who wore braids. But really embracing my natural hair came when I had my daughter. I wanted her to love her hair, to see that it’s beautiful. So I made the decision to fully embrace it myself. Because our daughters are always watching us. They look at us and think, “I want what you have.” So if we’re embracing our hair and saying, “I love my hair. I love how it looks,” and taking care of it, they’re going to follow that.

Rosa: Exactly. That's important, right?

Sherone: It's huge.

Rosa: The little girls are always watching us.

Sherone: Always.

Expectations Vs Reality

Rosa: When natural hair became more popular in the 2010s, there was a big focus on hair types, but with that came unrealistic expectations. No matter how closely you follow someone else’s routine, your results won’t be the same. How do you bring people back to realistic expectations?

Sherone: When clients bring in pictures, I usually cover the face and ask, “What do you actually like about this hairstyle?” Because a lot of times, people are looking at the person as a whole and not just the hair. So I have them focus on the details, what they like and what they don’t. That’s a big part of my consultation process. Before we even get into inspiration photos, I ask: What do you like about your hair? What don’t you like?

Rosa: So, psychological?

Sherone: It’s really about g etting specific. If someone says their hair is “too frizzy,” I’ll ask: what does that mean? Is it puffy? Is it dry? Is it static? We break it down so we can actually understand what’s going on.

Rosa: That’s really smart. How have you seen clients’ confidence change throughout their hair journey?

Sherone: I see it the most with reconstructions or starter locs as they progress. In the beginning, some clients say they feel like they look like Cynthia dolls.

Rosa: Just a little bit boneless?

Sherone: Kind of! But as their hair grows and matures, it really starts to flourish. You can see the difference every time they come in, they get excited about their length and the progress they’re making.

Rosa: Yeah, we definitely care about length!

Sherone: Exactly. They’ll say, “Look, I can put it in a ponytail now, and it swings.” And that confidence shift is everything.

Misconceptions About Afro Hair

Rosa: oh, that's cute! What's something you wish more people understood about our texture? Our Afro hair?

Sherone: I wish people understood that while it can be a little fragile, it’s not as scary as they think. A lot of stylists—especially those who haven’t worked with it before—get intimidated because it’s full and dense. But it’s really not complicated. If you go back to the basics of hair care, it’s the same regardless of texture. The foundation doesn’t change.

Rosa: That's great. It’s really just about breaking it into sections.

Sherone: Exactly. Break it down, work in smaller sections, and you’ll be fine.

Rosa: What has owning your own space taught you about yourself? I mean, before, you were working under someone, right?

Sherone: Yeah.

Owning her Own Space

Rosa: And you mentioned working from home a few times. But what about having a dedicated space that you have to drive to?

Sherone: I really like having a dedicated space. But more than anything, I value the freedom it gives me. I mostly work while my kids are in school, so I don’t do evenings. I love being able to create my own schedule. If I have something important for my family, I can plan ahead, block off that time, and work my appointments around it. That way, I’m not missing those moments.

Rosa: Yeah, honestly, it probably makes you a better professional too, right?

Sherone: Yeah,

Rosa: Because you don't feel that guilt.

Sherone: Exactly. And my clients understand that. If someone wants to book on a day I’m unavailable, I’ll let them know, and they’ll just choose another day. Most of my clients also pre-book, which helps everything run smoothly.

The Salon as a Safe Space

Rosa: That's awesome! If someone is watching and trying to decide if you're the right stylist for them, how would you describe your approach and your expectations?

Sherone: I'm really chill.

Rosa: Honestly. Yes!

Sherone: And laid back.

Rosa: Yes!

Sherone: If you come in, you can pretty much expect a relaxed environment. I’m naturally a shy person, unless I’m doing hair.

Rosa: You become like a different person.

Sherone: Exactly. I’m very chill. If you’re calm and laid back, we’ll definitely mesh well. And even if you’re not, as long as you enjoy a relaxed vibe, that’s what you’ll get here. Music is a big part of the experience too! I’m a 90s R&B, early 2000s type of person, so that’s usually what’s playing. Some mornings, you might get gospel—that’s my vibe too.

Rosa: I think being a hairstylist is so important because it creates a space for women to connect.

Sherone: Yes.

Rosa: People really open up—you’re not bound by HIPAA, but you hear everything.

Sherone: Oh, yeah. We're like therapists.

Rosa: I agree!

Sherone: And it’s nice, especially when you’ve been seeing someone for a while. I’ll remember things like, “Didn’t you take a trip last time? How was it? Do you have pictures?” It’s really just conversation, real connection. Even with my male clients, I’ll ask about their kids, what they’re into, what’s going on in their lives. I remember those details.

How to Find & Book

Rosa: That's awesome! Well, can you please tell us where to find you on social media? Anything you want to plug and remind us where you're located?

Sherone: I’m located at 1212 West Broad Street in Bethlehem. You can find me on Instagram and TikTok at @thelocspahairstudio, and I also have a Facebook page under The Loc Spa Hair Studio. I also have a stylist who comes in on weekends—Touched by Benka—so if you’re looking for braids, definitely check her out. She also offers loc services.

Rosa: They can just call here, right?

Sherone: Yes, you can call or text me at 484-516-8612. I respond to texts the quickest since I’m usually with clients during the day.

Rosa: I totally hear you.

Sherone: I always tell people: send me a text, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. You can also message me through Square if you’re on there.

Rosa: And how can people book you?

Sherone: You can book online through the link on my Instagram or Facebook, it’ll take you directly to my website. Just keep in mind, Saturdays are currently booked out pretty far, usually a couple of months in advance, so weekday appointments are your best bet if you’re looking to get in sooner.

Rosa: Or take a day off of work!

Future Goals

Sherone: I’m here on weekdays—Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. I’m also in school right now, so Mondays and Wednesdays are dedicated to studying.

Rosa: What are you studying?

Sherone: I’m completing my prerequisites for nursing. My second passion is working with moms and babies. I really want to support Black women through the birthing process.

Rosa: That’s amazing! You’re definitely needed everywhere. Do you work with kids as well?

Sherone: I do, as long as they’re able to sit. There’s no strict age limit—it really just depends on their temperament.

Rosa: Got it. Well, thank you so much.

Sherone: You're welcome!

Rosa: This was really great.

Supporting The Loc Spa Hair Studio Means Supporting Local, Intentional Hair Care

As the final feature of Season One, supporting The Loc Spa Hair Studio means supporting a locally owned business rooted in care, education, and long-term relationships.

And while this chapter comes to a close, Season Two is already on the horizon—bringing a fresh wave of local businesses and stories that I’m truly excited to share with you.