By Appointment Only | 9:30 AM - 6 PM , Tuesdays -Saturdays | locksofnu@gmail.com

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What We Do

Locks of Nu Natural Hair Spa is a salon that specializes in natural hair therapy. Driven by our motto “Healing the Community Follicle by Follicle," our mission is clear! To provide exceptional service enhancing the beauty within and throughout. Our dedicated team works to ensure that we maintain an environment not only focused on the artistic styling qualities of hair but also the overall health and care of your natural hair. It is our responsibility to ensure that our clients leave our establishment more informed about their hair and hair care regimen. Most of our services include shampoo, herbal rinse, scalp massage, conditioning, and a hot oil /steam treatment to guarantee a chemical-free hair care experience and the best services possible.

Dr. Ebony T. Nichols, LPC, LCAT, BC-DMT

Dr. Ebony is a somatic mental health and wellness practitioner, Licensed Professional Counselor, Board Certified Dance/Movement Psychotherapist, Licensed Creative Arts Therapist, licensed cosmetologist, and entrepreneur. Born and raised in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York, Dr. Ebony has been the proprietor of Locks of Nu Natural Hair Spa since 2003. While currently no longer behind the chair as a stylist, utilizing the mission of "Healing the Community Follicle by Follicle," her primary focus was to create a therapeutic environment within the Black community; this was her genesis for connecting artistic/cultural aesthetic, expression, self-care, and psychology. 

Dr. Ebony holds a Bachelor of Arts with a focus in psychology and a master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in Dance/Movement Therapy. She earned her Ph.D. at Lesley University's Doctorate program in Counseling and Psychology: Transformative Leadership, Education, and Applied Research. Her research and work rooted in cultural/race identity and trauma-informed healing care, centering Black Aesthetics of the African Diaspora through cultural movement narratives, non-verbal communication, and somatic-based healing practices.

Trained in ballet and modern dance, Dr. Ebony found her love for the freedom of movement in the NYC house dance community. In 2005, she co-founded Afro Mosaic Soul Dance Collective, using social dance and music as a tool for emotional healing and expression. Dr. Ebony also has experience in partial hospitalization/inpatient psychiatry and mental health care facilities working with individuals with psychotic and behavioral health concerns, as well as with individuals who are developmentally diverse and experience physical, emotional, and sensory challenges. She has also worked with non-profit organizations and has  international experiences including  Ghana and Togo, West Africa, Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua, utilizing various expressive art therapy techniques toward personal/communal healing while exploring the dynamics of historically underrepresented communities. Dr. Ebony currently works in private practice as a therapist, researcher, adjunct professor, and curates therapeutic retreat spaces.

Our Collaborative

Being a natural hair stylist a.k.a "Crown Worker" is just a job for some, but for our collective, this healing art is a calling. Each and every individual at Locks of Nu is dedicated and committed to our client's health and well-being. Locks of Nu has grown into a collaborative model of individual creatives collectively working together to support community wellness. Through our  apprenticeship incubator initiative, workshops and educational opportunities for natural hair scholars, we live by our motto of "Healing the Community Follicle by Follicle."

Our Hair Spa

Locks of Nu has been a fixture in its Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn community since 2003 and has grown into a collective of independent stylists working together as a healing collaborative. Our primary focus is to create a therapeutic environment for Black people of the African Diaspora as we understand the unique multigenerational experiences of our culture and aspects of historical hair trauma experienced within our community. Locks of Nu Natural Hair Spa is a safe space where we can feel empowered in our identity and celebrate our natural hair. We do this through workshops and artistic events that emphasize our natural beauty using music, dance, holistic health, and fashion.

Locks of Nu has participated in numerous hair shows and industry showcases over the years such as the Philadelphia, PA Locks and Natural Hair Styling Competition, Winning 1st and 3rd place; and The International African Arts Festival Natural Hair Shows. Locks of Nu has also organized hair shows at Wep Ren Put (the African Kemetic - Egyptian New Year Celebration presented by Heal Thyself Holistic Center with Queen Afua & Baba Heru) and co-produced a revolutionary production titled “Style Through Movement” which showcased the connection between, music, dance, fashion, and art. Locks of Nu has presented as panelists for natural hair discussions such as the “Roc A Natural Hair Conference” presented at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and has been featured in various trade magazines including, Braids and Beauty Magazine, Hype Hair Magazine, Braids International Magazine, and Essence Magazine to name a few.

 Apprentice Incubator Program

Our apprentice incubator program allows developing stylists to cultivate their natural hair care/ loc techniques and skills while building their careers in a nurturing and supportive environment. Apprentices are mentored and supervised by our team of master locticians and natural hair artisans. When booking with our apprentice stylists, clients receive services at a discounted rate, and we welcome feedback to help our apprentices grow and improve their skills.

​Empress Sharima

Empress Sharima is a licensed natural hairstylist and has been cultivating locs for over 20 years. Empress has been a part of the Lock of Nu Team since 2012 and is the core grounding energy of the salon. Her loving and nurturing spirit emanates throughout the space. While gifted in her craft in many ways, from loc grooming to loc styling, Empress Sharima loves starting locs most and states that through loc initiation, she can watch the journey within a person along with the growth and maturity of their locs while building a relationship with the individual in the process. When not laying her gifted hands on the crowns of her clients, she is generally moving about the space, ensuring that everyone is nurtured and fed; if at the hair spa on the right day, you may experience one of Empress Sharima's delicious vegan dishes that she enjoys preparing for clients and team. 

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Ona Osirio Maat 

Ona a.k.a Ona the Locksmyth has over 31 years and counting of experience cultivating locs. Ona was the proprietor of Locksmyths African Lock Groomers (2000 - 2011) with the motto "We Lock Heads and Open Minds." Ona is an early pioneer in the natural hair care industry, and in 1989, she developed the Locksmyths Method, a.k.a. Locsmything. The Locksmyths Method is a unique and fluid hair locing technique used by loctitians globally. Ona developed the Lockmyths Method through her research of hair locing ceremonies in ancient Khemit (Egypt). In 2019, Ona received The Master's Pioneer Award for her development of the Locksmyths Method and her contributions to the natural hair industry.

Ona has been featured in natural hair books by natural hair pioneers such as Diane Bailey, Tulani Kinard, Diane DaCosta, and Ademola Mandela. She is loved and respected at Locks of Nu as Ebony's mentor and one of the first financial supports of Ebony's dream to become an entrepreneur and open Locks of Nu Natural Hair Spa. Ona has taught the Locksmyths Method at natural hair conventions in NYC and Atlanta. She has appeared in numerous publications such as Essence Magazine, Braids & Beauty Magazine, Sophisticates Black Hair and was featured twice in the New York Times and appeared on the TV show "B. Smith with Style."  Ona is currently focused on teaching workshops, and training those who want to become certified in the Locksmyths Method as a standardized system of loc care. Her workshops  includes three modules; The history of Locs, The Psychosocial aspects of Locs and Natural Hair, and The Practical Application of Loc Grooming through the Locksmyths Method.