Meet Kellie Belvedere.
Kellie was a dear friend and stylist to Jess (she called her Jessie). Their love of curls brought them together and unsurprisingly Jess left a mark on Kellie professionally and personally.
Even as we called Kellie she was in the process of mixing her own “Jessicurl cocktail” of Rockin’ Ringlets Styling Potion (the first product she was introduced to) and Sprialicious Styling Gel.
Kellie-Thank you so much for meeting with us today. We love that you are so connected to Jess and our products. Tell us a little about yourself and the shop you are currently at.
Well, that is a great question because this is actually changing as we speak. I'm movin’ on up and big things are happening, but for now, you can get in touch with me anytime by emailing me at kelliebelvedere@yahoo.com.
You knew Jess and actually did her hair for a while. Tell us how you came to meet and become friends with Jess.
So out of a negative came a positive. I met Jessie from her doctor and actually became friends because of her illness. I had been doing her doctor's hair for a long time and Jess loved what was happening there. Her doctor introduced us and we quickly bonded over our curls and how to properly care for them.
On the first day she came in, she brought her products in with her. She had to have unscented products that she could trust because of her health. That is how I learned about her products and how to use them. It is also where she said something that would stick in my memory forever. Upon marveling at her use of her own products and complimenting her on applying her product onto wet hair, she said “YES! Frizzy hair is just curly hair that got away.” I tell people that line all the time!
From that first session, Jessie started sending people to me from all over the state and this fueled my current successes and formed clients that I still have today.
How did you get started on your curly hair journey?
Most people with curly hair fight their curls. I understood the importance of embracing your curls and stopped fighting them quite a while ago! The grass is not greener on the other side. That laser focused my attention on fellow curly haired people embracing what they naturally have.
We see an increase of people in our communities seemingly embracing their natural curls and we are curious if you see this from your position as well?
YES! One of the things that has allowed this to happen is that the knowledge is out there now on how to embrace their curls. Learning how to manage your curls used to be daunting but it isn’t anymore. I send people all the time to Jessicurl.com and YouTube to watch Jessie's videos. This information has allowed people to finally embrace what they once fought and it’s right there ready for them to click.
What are some of your biggest tips for Curlies caring for their hair?
When applying the leave-in products, don’t be afraid to mix them. Play around. Don't just buy one gel, buy two and mix and play. They really work well together. Utilize your free samples or 2oz travel sizes to experiment.
Things like Awe Inspiraling Refresher Spray to rejuvenate your curls are huge to bring them back when going out that night or just bringing life back in between washes.
For swimmers, mix Deep Conditioning Treatment with the Oil Blend and put on dry hair before getting in the pool. It WORKS! It creates a barrier against the chlorine and sun.
Bottom line is Jessicurl has the products you need and you can try them out to see what works well together
Are there any Jessicurl products that you just can’t live without?
Awe Inspiraling Refresher Spray is my number one go-to product. We don’t have time to do a full wash routine every time we want our curls to pop. With this, you don’t have to.
What is the best way to support you professionally?
Emailing me is the best possible way to meet or just ask questions. I am really good at responding pretty quickly!
Kellie, thank you so much for sharing your story with us and your connection to Jess. What thought would you like to leave with our readers?
People need to know to embrace their curls. When you have the knowledge and the right products available to you, you are going to fall in love with your curls, and that is the way it should be.
