The Hair Saint: Ona Diaz-Santin's journey of empowerment through curls

October 16, 2024 -- For Ona Diaz-Santin, hair care is more than a profession. Much of her childhood was spent in salons owned and staffed by her great-grandmother, grandmother and mother, where her love for hair styling and self-care developed.

For years, the stigmas surrounding curly hair both within and outside her own community made Ona inclined to wear her hair straight during much of her early life, until on the day of her high school graduation, her blow dryer broke, leaving her with no option but to sport her natural curls.

"Everyone was like 'Oh my God, you permed your hair?' and I [thought] wow - people think I have straight hair."

As an Afro-Latina with textured curls, hair holds a deep personal meaning for Ona. A term often thrown around in the Latinx community to describe curly and textured hair is "pelo malo," which translates to "bad hair." It's often made to emphasize the antiquated perception that natural hair is unprofessional, unclean and overall undesirable. Thus, many Latinx people with textured hair straighten their curls with heat or chemical treatments.

Ona has worked extensively to master curly hair care. For the past seven years, she's been the owner of 5 Salon and Spa in Fort Lee, New Jersey and has been refining her skill in the styling industry for nearly three decades. Dubbed "The Hair Saint" by her regulars, Ona's clientele ranges from celebrities like Diana-Maria Rivas and Dr. Oz to now-adults in her community whose hair she's been cutting since they were children.

"I don't take it lightly. They can go anywhere else around the world, and they choose to come here," she says.

While Ona's specialty is curly hair, she has built up an eclectic mix of talented stylists, manicurists, masseuses and more with the intention of creating an inclusive, empowering space where anyone can feel pampered and beautiful.

The three-generation legacy of hardworking women that Ona comes from, combined with her industry expertise and personal experience, has made her a well-known figure in her own community and beyond. Her mission of empowerment through natural beauty drives her to continue her work and encourages her to look toward the more inclusive future she aims to help create.

"I get glimpses of my daughter, and I'm like, wow, she is strongI think that's what's been passed down. That's important because I got to pass the torch down at some point."

Regardless of hair type, Ona and her team at 5 Salon and Spa welcome all - and in the true tradition of a Dominican peluqueria, you'll be greeted with a big smile, celebrity chisme and, of course, a cafecito.

Keep up with Ona and 5 Salon and Spa on their website and her Instagram, @_thehairsaint.