Meet Zofija

Zofija is a hairstylist and colour expert who began her journey into hairdressing after starting her male to female transition six years ago. Working with clients to inspire them with confidence and their own self-expression, Zofija is focused on working towards a less gendered and more inclusive haircare industry.

I'm Zofija, a proud 27-year-old transgender woman originally from Lithuania, currently living in London. During my transition, I realised the immense significance hair holds in terms of self-expression and self-enjoyment. Embarking on my transition, undergoing hormone replacement therapy and growing my hair longer became a therapeutic process for me. I'm very proud to work in the industry and help my clients discover their own signature styles and confidence.

I'm so happy to be working with CLOUD NINE to educate and inspire others on inclusivity within the haircare industry.

Working as a stylist in the hair industry means Zofija is very conscious of causing unecessary damage to her natural hair and tape extensions. Zofija has type 2B hair and should be styling at 150 degrees.

The CLOUD NINE Temperature Calculator is such a great tool for finding your optimum styling temperature for your individual hair type. I recommend it to all of my clients!

Try it now to learn your optimum styling temperature for your hair type.

Where did your hair journey began?

My hair journey began when I started my transition from male to female around six years ago. During this time, I realised how important hair can be in terms of self-expression, self-identity and confidence. Hair can help you to express yourself and show up as you truly are so it really helped me to finally start feeling comfortable in my own body.

What challenges have you faced because of your hair?

For so long I felt trapped and as though my outward appearance didn't align with my inner self. My hair went through so many changes during my hormone replacement therapy and I lost more than 50% of my hair. It really affected my confidence because I loved my hair when it was long and thick. I was very emotionally attached to it. The hardest thing for me to learn was that hair growth takes time. It really pushed me to reconnect with myself and become become my own supporter. It also motivated me to take extra care when it comes to my work as a stylist - especially when taking care of my clients' hair.

Where are you currently at on your hair journey?

When I started growing my hair, I tried so many ways of adding hair and getting it to a length that I was comfortable with. I tried clip in extensions and I tried wigs as it took some time to grow my hair to a length that I was really happy with. Styling and caring for my hair has allowed me to authentically present myself and show up as I am today.

As a trans woman do you feel represented in the hair industry?

In general, I think the hair industry is very gender biased towards females. Most products and styling tools I come across have been created with women in mind. But when you look back into history, you'll see that men were the driving force when it came to hair. Just look at the vikings - their hair was a symbol of power. In reality, hair is important for everyone, no matter how they identify. I really think the industry needs to step up and become more gender neutral and inclusive.

When does your hair make you feel unstoppable?

I feel the most unstoppable when my hair is clean, fresh, coloured and styled. When I'm feeling that confident, it makes me feel as though I can open whatever doors are in front of me.

What piece of advice would you give to someone struggling with their identity?

Be your truest self. Hair has truly helped me to feel comfortable in my body and show up how I always wanted to be. If someone sees me and thinks that if I can, they can too, that would be my biggest achievement.

As a stylist, what do you love about CLOUD NINE?

As a stylist, I would choose CLOUD NINE tools because they really care about hair. Since they released the Temperature Calculator, people can find out the temperature that works for their own hair type. CLOUD NINE has such a wide range of tools that makes styling easy not only for stylists like me, but also for you at home.