Search Results: Cierra Black
Solar Being is an artist, digital creator, and natural beauty who specializes in natural hair sculpting.
After what felt like a monotonous cycle of styling, Solar sought out to explore all the ways her natural hair could take shape. She began fashioning her hair in different styles and shapes such as stars or hearts, and started to garner attention across the internet. Despite mixed feedback from online voices, she quickly found how important diverse representation is within the textured hair community. She wants to normalize hair sculpting to the point where people are expanding the ways we wear and view natural hair in our everyday lives.
“I hope that when people do come to my page that they don’t feel afraid to make it their whole personality either. I want this to be a regular thing and [for naturals] to even take it a step further so it can continue beyond just myself,” she shares.
This journey prompted her to release her own styling product: Powerpuff extensions. These powerpuffs are pre-sculpted hair pieces that people can add to their natural hair to achieve these creative styles.
Solar’s overall goal is to be as imaginative and accessible as possible in the natural hair space. Read on below to learn about her personal hair journey, how she got into hair sculpting, and what advice she has for people interested in trying it out.
What’s the first memory you have with your natural hair?
One memory that first pops into my head was the time that I was watching the news before school, and there was this really pretty, brown-skinned news anchor who had a long, wavy weave. I used to wear plaits; my grandma would braid my hair in these thick braids with ribbons. I always felt kind of uncomfortable with them, because not a lot of people wore their hair like that. I felt like an alien. So when I was watching the TV and I saw her pop up, I didn’t know that it was a weave, but because she was so pretty, I ran to the bathroom and for whatever reason, I thought that, if I could just cut one of my plaits, it would straighten it out. I had a puff of hair in the front of my head for the longest, and it was based on the simple fact that I saw someone that had my skin tone, but not my hair type. When you’re a child, representation really is impactful because you’re like a sponge. You see someone that’s pretty, you want to look like them, be like them, sound like them. It really made an impression on my mind moving forward as I went into school and saw other children with long, straight hair, and I didn’t have that.
How did that memory shape your perception of your hair?
My perception was warped because, looking back at my photos now I see that when I was younger, I had beautiful, long, thick hair, and I just never appreciated it. It took me until I was 18, moving to Los Angeles from Long Island — coming from a small suburban town to a huge city — and I looked around me and thought, no one knows me here, I can do whatever I want with my image. So I cut all of my hair off. I started over. And it was from that starting over, that I was able to experience every phase and really embrace my natural hair.
How did you stumble across hair sculpting and start experimenting with this form of styling?
Through Pinterest. I was already styling my natural hair on TikTok Live and people knew me for that but I felt it was getting repetitive. I went on Pinterest and started looking at historical photos of natural hair and saw all of the different things that could be and were done. I made a video about how being normal is boring and there’s so many different ways we could wear our hair, yet we still do the same thing. I was really challenging people and myself at the time to step out of that whole mindset of ‘even if I’m wearing my natural hair, it has to look like this.’ So I thought, let me try doing spikes, try making my hair into a flower. My first viral hair sculpting video was based off of a hair sculpt back in the ‘70s that was a heart- shaped fro. At first it was awkward for me to post it because I knew it looked weird, not in a bad way, but just something I’d never seen before, so I felt vulnerable. The reactions were beyond what I could have comprehended. People were so in awe. Now I’m comfortable in my skill and all the possibilities I can do, so I’m gonna just keep going.
Can you describe what hair sculpting is and what it entails?
There’s so many different types of hair sculpture artists, so I would say I do natural hair sculpting. I’ve seen a lot of hair sculpting with braids and extensions where people will make crowns or other shapes using the hair. I sculpt using just my natural hair and prioritizing my natural hair pattern. I sculpt my hair in its coily state, blown out state, or when it’s combed out. To perform a hair sculpture, I use a blow dryer if I have to stretch my hair out more, if I need to curl my coils back up I just use my hands, and I use a rat tail comb to get sharper corners. To set my hair at the end, I always use hair spray. Some shapes are harder to hold in a certain state, or it’s harder to see the pattern in a certain state, so it varies by each hair sculpt.
What has feedback been like since you started posting these styles?
It means a lot when other naturals post or tag me saying they tried one of the hairstyles because that’s what I want to see. That’s the special thing about being who we are. We’re just so cool. Recently, there was another writer who messaged me because her younger sister mentioned me as her inspiration. The writer contacted me and said, ‘I just really wanted you to know that my sister mentioned you, and that you’re reaching a younger audience’. That really made an impression on me.
I would say I get positive feedback from a lot of Caucasians. I want to make it clear that nothing’s wrong with that but I’m doing this for my own people. I’m doing it for them. I want to make a worldwide impression in people’s minds like, ‘you just showed me something I never thought was even possible.’ When I see comments from any other race, usually they’re saying, ‘I’m so jealous, I wish my hair could do that,’ and I think we forgot the power that we have with our natural hair. There is some fascination, they’re always asking ‘can you do this or that?’ and that’s why I kind of stayed away from cosplaying because I didn’t really want people to see me as a character. I want people to see me as a person. This is my own self and I’m not trying to be comical or a character from a show. I exist. This is literally just how we look. I can do those other styles but I’m gonna focus on hairstyles that are practical, and that could be worn in the workplace. We have people still thinking that our hair is not professional in these places. I need to connect to my people first, because I’m trying to build an understanding and representation, not just for my generation, but for the younger generation coming after me. I want them to understand you could go to work with a sculpted natural, in a bob, or whatever you like.
Something that has always hit kind of differently for me is reading comments that are negative and seeing it come from people that look like me, because I kid you not, 99% comes from other Black women that are dismissive or they will laugh at me. It’s jarring. And I’m really doing it for them to see that this is something that you could do. But then it’s rejection or saying ‘your hair is unkempt,’ and most of the time it’s from people who do not wear their natural hair. It’s almost like a self rejection, because we all have different types of coily hair patterns, but I’m reflecting back an ability that they have naturally that they might be afraid of.
Do you have any tips for people looking to test these styles on their own hair?
I would say it depends on their curl pattern. One thing about the natural hair space is that it’s very diverse. There’s such a plethora of different curl patterns that I think in the future, we’ll definitely see a new, longer curl chart more inclusive of different coils. But because of that, it’s hard to say what someone should do, because advice shouldn’t be taken so literally. I could only say, for me personally, what I did is cut down on the over consumption of natural hair products. I just stuck to natural oils and water. What I started doing, and came to understand, is that I have to stop neglecting my hair. Just make sure that you detangle your hair with patience, use lots of water, a good shampoo and conditioner, and wash your hair.
Can you tell us more about your Powerpuff extensions?
It’s so exciting. I had this idea for the longest time, because being in the natural hair space, a lot of people have a lot of rules. You have natural hair girls who still straighten their hair, and I would never do that, but then there’s some that don’t use any heat at all, so when they see I’m using a blow dryer, they would never do that. So everyone has their different rules, and I even had rules on myself to not wear wigs or weaves, etc but then I realized, that it’s not about that. I did research on the ‘70s, when wearing a natural was so popular and it was huge. But what I learned is that in the salons, people were selling out of round naturals to all the women that wanted to have this big Afro and couldn’t achieve it on a natural basis. So I thought to myself, I have an audience and a vision for the future, and it’s not practical to for me to really think that, no matter how many tutorials I do, I’m gonna make a huge influence enough to have billions of naturals walking around hair sculpting. It’s not practical for everybody. Not everyone has the time, or the length. People live in different humid areas, people like just being able to take things on and off and put them back on. I finally figured out that I can just replicate what I do on synthetic hair and share this with the world so people could enjoy it. Especially for children that want to wear star puffs.
I’m so confident in them because I did trial and error: how can I make this stay in shape, not flake? How can I color it? How can I make it safe? You can get it wet, it could rain, and you’ll be fine. I’ve perfected it for you.
If you’re a hair girlie with a social feed like mine, odds are you might have seen this post come across your feed. Long, shiny, and a soft natural texture, this yaki straight unit looks just like a healthy blow out. The yaki textured wigs and bundles have been gaining traction across social feeds and salon chairs alike, ushering in an alternative to the traditional bussdowns. While many are partial to the silky bone straight styles, there is something to be said about the yaki straight look that’s garnering attention and appears to grow straight from the scalp.
Looking at this trend within the larger conversation of beauty right now, I wonder: Are yaki textured wigs yet another extension to the “untraceable” beauty era? One of the more recent developments of imaginative, somewhat unrealistic beauty standards we find ourselves reckoning with is that of polished beauty looks that appear to be “natural.”
This idea of natural beauty comes after an era of largely visible enhancements. While the standards for this trend do not require actual natural features, it relishes in the appearance of said features. Subtle botox, enhanced skin treatments to promote a makeup-less glow, and hair installs that took quite some effort but look effortless are all tools that keep this trend alive.
A transition to more natural-leaning, yet polished looks may be to satiate the desire for trend participation. But, it may also aid in the global and personal journey to embrace kinkier hair textures. Among the copious amount of hairstyles at our disposal, the ‘dos that mirror even a slight resemblance to the mainstream require total assimilation to be accepted. The compounding standards for “good” and “kempt” hair are never-ending. But Black beauties are increasingly pushing back on this notion by dabbling in textured styles and making louder cases for their elegance, too. Naturals and wig-lovers alike have embraced the look with enthusiasm and emphasize all the benefits it may bring.
For those who love a classic sew-in with leave out or the half-up ponytails, yaki straight bundles blend effortlessly with straightened textured hair, and may even allow for less concentrated heat styling as a result. The seamless blend allows for the style to be lower maintenance due to the decreased amount of manipulation needed to complete the look. People are also noting how much volume the bundles or wigs provide, which of course is an added plus. There is a slight difference between kinky straight and yaki straight bundles, as explained by this TikToker. Both options have their merits, but for the girls looking for that silk press finish without the heat damage, yaki is the way to go.
Be it for heat damage reasons, undetectable results, or simply a style switch up, the yaki texture trend is growing and well worth a try.
We all love a long, dramatic bussdown, but not all of us love the possible heat damage that comes with it. In recent years, goddess and boho braids have become popular style options to reach for, for their blend of timeless braids and playful curly extension pieces.
Even more recently, is the evolution of this trend that has seen the volume and length of added extension pieces significantly increase. As this rendition grows in popularity, so does the affinity for having “braid” styles that have such dense, loose extensions, you can barely see the braid itself. This progression of style begs the question: Could these new braid styles simply be a no-heat replacement for “bussdowns”?
For those unfamiliar, a “bussdown” refers to long, middle part installs, often straight, and always flowy. We spoke to Chicago-based stylist Paige Warford about this trend, how these braided bussdowns are achieved, and why they’re so popular.
While Warford has done hair since she was very young, she became a full time hairstylist in 2020 after pandemic-related job shifts. Over the past few years, the hairstylist has noticed a steady uptick in requests for knotless boho braids. She states that knotless braids, the older sister of once-favored box braids, are now a staple that will never go out of style. From goddess and boho to “Zoe Kravitz braids” and even “pick and drop” styles, the innovations in knotless styles just keep coming. With these, stylists are becoming more inventive in their pursuits to preserve the integrity of clients’ hair health.
“I offer styles that are really protective so I try to stay away from styles like faux locs, and I’m very much into braids, sew-ins, and installs that don’t require a lot of heat,” she tells us.
She has slowly been transitioning a handful of her clients to a hybrid style she employs, that doesn’t require heat styling or leave out, but still offers the look of a sew-in. Adopting the TikTok-developed hack to Zoe Kravitz braids, she gives her clients a traditional sew-in, however the leave out is braided in a goddess braid fashion. “It’s the best of both worlds, because you get the bussdown and keep the protective style,” she explains. The two styles blend so well that many people often think her clients are just wearing micro braids.
She’s noticed how popular this particular hybrid style has gotten in the past couple months, as well as very dense boho braids. “It used to be just a couple of curls, now there are some stylists who put up to four bundles in their clients’ braids.” For braid styles with liberally added hair extensions she says it looks more like a traditional sew-in, as there is so much hair you may not even see the braids. “It literally looks like a deep wave bussdown.” This version of the boho braid is now referred to as “mermaid braids,” and can either be wavy or straight.
We discuss how with a lot of these styles, hair professionals will not braid the hair all the way down anymore, and opt to leave quite a bit of the hair loose at the ends. Warford attributes this either to a stylist’s preference or a decision made to cut face-framing layers. With many of these trending braiding styles, quite a bit of hair is left loose on each braid. For styles such as french curl, Nollywood braids, or pick and drops where that is the intended technique, it offers the ability to create feathered layers in the hair. These layers in turn contribute to the “bussdown” illusion, as half or more of the hair extension is left loose curls or waves.
She explains how for sew-ins most of the damage occurs because the texture chosen does not match the natural texture of the leave-out. With a braided leave-out, it cuts down the inevitable repeated heat styling. Additionally, she has been encouraging some of her clients to go for styles with similar or matching textures so they can reduce manipulation of the leave-out.
For clients that are concerned with reducing heat damage and growing out their natural hair beneath the styles, the hybrid method or dense boho braids seem to be the go-to trending options.
In sum, braids are in fact the new bussdowns. While a slick middle part will always have its place in the lexicon of classic Black girl styles, these new variations supply a whole new world of looks to play with.
Innovations in the beauty space can be positively transformative. However, the product-forward nature can cause the industry to rear its ugly head. The beauty space has thrived on insecurity-fueled consumerism since its inception. Holy grail products promising the elixir of youth amongst other coveted remedies keep customers on the lookout for the next best product.
With new innovation comes new solutions, and, oftentimes, new problems that had not been considered before. New insecurities, whether manufactured by cosmetic innovation or by personal anecdotes expressed on social timelines, make it difficult to keep up with evolving beauty standards.
Media at large has exposed me to insecurities I didn’t even know existed before. ‘Should I be worried about that? Is that even a thing?’ These are a few of the questions that populate my mind and, no doubt, the minds of countless others as we run into new information across our feeds.
When the hip dip hysteria first bubbled to the surface it took a while to understand. Is this not just how bones are structured? Then came the dozens of exploitative workout routines and quick fix remedies to address this new focus. Not to mention, children barely knocking on adolescence’s doors are reaching for 12-step skincare routines including retinol and age-defying products before they have a chance to hit puberty.
One of the newer, more involved routines circulating the apps this year is the “go to sleep ugly, wake up pretty” trend. Here, people engage in extensive nighttime rituals including binding their faces and applying an assortment of treatment masks. This “morning shed” practice, as it is often called, aims to help achieve optimal face contouring, glowy skin, and anti-aging results to satisfy facial beauty standards. Personally, I am a big fan of effective and preventative habits, but some complicated beauty routines beg the question: Does all of this promote self confidence and beauty overtime or does it exacerbate the opposite?
The first time I came across a multi-step hand care routine—meant to minimize lines and promote the unending yearn towards youth—I was catapulted to my primary school fixation on the appearance of my hands, brought on by classmates’ racially-motivated comments. This may be a niche focus, but the commentary about Black women and girls’ hands possessing more visible texture compared to nonBlack counterparts always stuck with me. Seeing a detailed skin care routine for our most used appendages had me contemplating whether I should incorporate yet another routine into my beauty practice.
The oversaturated nature of social media causes trends to circulate at the speed of light, creating a never-ending revolving door of products and remedies, all promising to make obsolete the methods that came before. New products become more granular about target areas, and bathroom counters lose space to accommodate products addressing each individual inch of our bodies. The convenient yet inundating presence of Tiktok Shop, inescapable ads, and unending online discourse have all primed the industry to convert today’s insecurities into more profits.
Where do we go from here? In a time where strategic advertising and narratives in a vacuum flood the digital space we find ourselves in, it is all the more important to do due diligence about these products and interrogate where this perceived need for them is coming from. If we find ourselves fixating on something that would have never received a second thought before, we need to unplug from the echo chamber and ground ourselves in the knowledge that beauty is meant to enhance from within and communicate individuality. The moment beauty practices teeter into poke and prod sessions as opposed to self-care, it is time to reassess our habits and shut out the noise.
Beauty loves nostalgia. Today’s looks are constantly referencing the past because some looks never go out of style. Think: the ‘80s blowouts, classic ‘90s updos, and technicolor eyes of the ‘60s. Society turns to nostalgia as a sense of familiarity and comfort during uncertain times, and this often shows up in aesthetic areas such as style, design, and marketing.
It is no secret that we are experiencing dire economic and global circumstances, nor is it out of the blue to reach for nostalgia and seemingly simpler times as a result. This Tiktoker makes an astute observation about a resurgence of nostalgic beauty packaging. We would argue the “something going on” they refer to can be linked to the desire for escapism into an idealized past. Outside of nostalgia offering much needed solace during tumultuous times, it can also provide sources of inspiration when the modern surrounding world feels monotonous.
Soft glam and uniform dressing worked their way to the top of trend lists season after recent season, creating, for some, homogeneity everywhere they looked. With satisfying trends becoming of utmost importance over the past four years or so, people looking to explore interests and individuality are doing so by looking back in time. The teenaged-me that was enthralled by the colorful style elements of decades prior, was undoubtedly captivated as a result of the uninspired uniforms I wore to school each day.
When Sergio Hudson presented his SS25 collection, he did so with beauty experts Marc Reagan and Tamika Gibson, sending the models down the runway in picturesque ‘60s-meets-’90s glam. This pointed beauty decision was incremental in his world-building. The ability to escape into a world of glitz, wonder, and creativity, even for a moment, is what draws people to beauty in the first place.
The mere use of retro beauty brands such as Fashion Fair, the OG brand for all the Black beauties, provides beauty consumers with some level of comfort due to its heartfelt legacy. Observing beauty trends and branding prompts one to examine the current beauty landscape and what beauty packaging may aim to convey.
Brands such as Benefit Cosmetics have always leaned into the retro-fantasy in their design concepts. Meanwhile, those like Glossier take a more minimalist approach with packaging—still utilizing classic typography. One click on Vacation’s website catapults me to a dreamlike time that I’m fond of, yet never actually experienced. One/Size beauty’s bright pink canisters remind me of 1960s hairspray. Glow Recipe and Amika’s eye-catching color schemes garner them prolonged attention when perusing through the beauty aisles, and we’d offer that Amika’s kaleidoscopic patterns are remnants of 1960-70s design styles. Most recently, e.l.f. Cosmetics released a collaboration with Caboodles, rekindling our love for the ‘90s-2000s-style glam kits.
Many beauty brands that seek to incorporate their conscious, clean, or sustainable efforts into their design feature packaging with earth tones and visibly recyclable material, such as Necessaire or Youth To The People. Brands associated with forward-thinking practices lean heavily on sleek design and chrome elements, as is seen with Fenty Beauty, Rare Beauty, and r.e.m beauty packaging.
Beauty packaging is an important element to the product experience, as it can influence who gravitates towards the items on the shelves, and why. Meanwhile, incorporating retro beauty trends into your styling can invoke feelings of whimsy, intrigue, and signal a level of creativity and taste that isn’t central to the trend of the moment.
Be it a larger societal motivation connected to our psyches, or the fact that we just love visibly exciting objects, nostalgic packaging is cutting through the array of sleek, minimalist design that signifies today’s beauty era.
Can there be such a thing as a beauty event without opulent looks? If NaturallyCurly is involved, the answer is no. We brought the signature “Texture on the Runway” Fashion Show back to Beautycon 2024 to serve fierce looks. Known to bring the community, boldness, and color, this runway show stands out in the crowd.
Somewhat reminiscent of the Bronner Brothers Beauty Shows of the past, it exhibits the voluminous creativity that comes from embracing different hair types. With a panel of expert beauty judges, a fabulous host, dancers, stylists, and models dressed to the nine, the entire experience was glamor materialized.
In elegant, sweeping moves, three interpretive dancers made their way across the Beautycon Main Stage ahead of the models. Dressed in all black with abstract face and body paint, the performers took hold of audiences’ focus and prepared them for the beauty that was about to unfold. Out came six stunning hair models of different textures and hues, all styled by the flawless efforts of celebrity hair artist Monae Everett. Fashion stylist Amiraa Vee dressed the collective in iridescent, chromatic looks that expertly complimented the dynamic hairstyles and offered Zenon-approved, avant garde ensembles.
Host and hair artist Kiyah Wright ushered the show along with her jovial stage presence, sharing that energy with the whole room. Refinery29 Senior Editorial Director Carli Whitwell, Global Beauty Director Sara Tan, and ESSENCE Senior Beauty Editor Akili King were the resident judges offering commentary and reactions to the looks as they came down the runway.
King mentioned being captivated by the model whose textured hair was fashioned into a multi-tiered ring style that framed the front of their body like a decorative neck piece—a look King hadn’t seen before. Tan adored the halo-shaped updo constructed of gravity-defying afro puffs, finished with a braided hairline and rhinestone accents. Whitwell’s look of choice was the bantu-knotted mohawk with pattern-braided sides. Other standout looks included gorgeous ginger curls cascading from a high half-up pony style, a makeshift crown with colorful yarn woven throughout bundled locs, and a classic high-top fade.
Inspired guests then got to try their hand at modeling, by entering into an impromptu “best looks” competition for a chance to win a VIP Beautycon goody bag. A selection of eager beauties were plucked from the crowd to strut their individual style on stage and the audience cheered for the finalists. In tune with the theme of the overall weekend, Wright and our fabulous judges brought the convention to a close by celebrating the unique beauty community that came out to share space together.
To beauty creator Dana Patterson and Rizo’s Curls founder Julissa Prado, healthy hair is a learning process.
Over the years, hairstyles, types, and routines have netted in and out of popularity as trends circulate. Hair has existed as a means of self expression, often with cultural meanings attached, since the beginning of time. This relationship to hair can either encourage one to feel connected to a larger group, and by extension themselves, or feel isolated and conflicted about their identity. For day one of Beautycon 2024, ESSENCE Senior Beauty Editor Akili King sat down with the inspiring creators for “HairTok 101,” to discuss their relationships to hair, how hair shapes self perception, and what routines they stand by today.
Opening up about her hair journey, Prado shares that, “learning to love my hair was my first step in learning to love myself.” As a curly girl, Prado had a difficult time growing up around beauty standards that celebrated straight hair over curls like her own.
The more she learned to care for and embrace her hair, the more community she found of girls trying to do the same, leading her to view haircare as a “community builder.” So much of her drive is guided by the emotional experience (she is a proud Pisces after all), which has also informed the inception and development of her own hair care company. The Rizo’s Curls founder’s trial and error hair exploration sparked her passion for content creation and, ultimately, creating a hair line that prioritizes healthy ingredients.
For Patterson, “Every part of my body is about self acceptance.” From learning to love her body type in its natural form to embracing the thick hair she had once been teased for, Patterson looks at loving your hair as another component to holistic self-acceptance. The model cultivated an organic community through her comedic storytelling, content on all things fashion, beauty, and modeling, and by showing up as her authentic, relatable self.
Her approach to hair content employs humor, acceptance, and of course, transparent education. Patterson is all about the science behind the product, and does her due diligence to inform her digital community about product formulation so they can feel good about the decisions they make. During the panel, she briefly touched on her Hair Science With Dana TikTok series, and sparked substantial curiosity from the crowd by discussing the benefits of acidic hair care.
Prado added to this conversation about hair ingredients by discussing the importance of pH balanced hair products and how that can improve hair and scalp health. Her brand’s Vitamin C Hair Repair Mask, which both panelists swear by, employs this innovative line of thinking for healthy hair practices.
The two beauty gurus jumped at the opportunity to offer their favorite hair tips when prompted, delivering some quality suggestions. For Prado’s color-treated coils, she prioritizes balancing products like her Vitamin C mask, as well as routine restorative treatments followed by quality sealing oils. Patterson advocates for products with silicones, particularly for heat styling, and investing in a good bond builder, like Nexus or K18’s for example.
The reality is, when we heat style, color, or chemically treat our hair, we are weakening the bonds. This is not necessarily the end of the world, however, as our hair should be an outlet for exploration and expression. “There’s no morality attached to hair, so enjoy yourself,” she concluded.
Prado and Patterson display the fun and fascinating side of hair care that comes from diving deep, and look to encourage their communities to accept and explore themselves at whatever stage they occupy.
Beautycon Day Two brought out all the science-backed, technique intrigued beauty lovers to the front. “In the Lab” drew a packed crowd first thing in the morning to discuss the keys to proper, effective, and ethical product formulation. For the opening panel, ESSENCE Senior Beauty Editor Akili King sat down with Sabrina Elba, founder of S’able Labs skincare, cosmetic chemist Javon Ford and founder of Javon Ford Beauty, and Isabel Alysa founder of Dolce Glow, sunless tan products. As a bonus, Alysa took to the Beauty School stage later in the morning for an IRL demo of achieving a radiant, self tan glow.
As the day continued, beauty attendees explored the various activities at their disposal. Staple beauty and skincare brands such as Anastasia Beverly Hills, Shea Moisture, PDC Brands, and more displayed individual pop ups to inform visitors about their products and conduct IRL applications.
Meanwhile, the Beauty Museum installation provided an in-depth lesson on beauty representation through the ages and identities, while the SOKO MRKT platformed incredible emerging beauty brands including Kreyòl Essence and Stratia. Attendees also received an in-person tutorial on the art of braid styling with celebrity hairstylist Susy Oludele.
Esthetician and MUA Jadé Marie Chapman exposed beauty enthusiasts to her immersive and signature 180 Facial, and Jonathan Van Ness of JVN Hair conducted a live shopping event and hair demo.
Refinery29 Global Beauty Director Sara Tan talked about transforming passions into profit with founders of successful beauty brands Tower 28, Naturium, Kosas, and Live Tinted. The beauty experts discussed brand strategies in the digital age and gushed about their favorite products from each others’ lines. Then, Anastasia Soare of Anastasia Beverly Hills, Danessa Myricks of her eponymous brand, and Donni Davy of Half Magic Beauty offered refreshing takes on the importance of technological advances in the beauty industry.
Sophia Dennis, Beautycon Head of Programming, led the last founder-featured panel by discussing the impact of TikTok on the evolving beauty space with perfume content creator Paul Reactts, CANVAS CEO and Founder Stormi Steele, and Made By Mitchell’s Mitchell Halliday. “TikTok Shop changed my life,” Stormi Steele revealed, as the three innovators detailed the transformative nature of social commerce and digital communities.
Sir John’s masterclass offered beauties an interactive lesson on dopamine glam and how you use makeup to enhance mood, self-perception, and overall energy. He spoke with the crowd about favorite products and blending tools, as well as moments about his professional journey. In Kelli Anne Sewell’s masterclass, makeup lovers walked away with tips on how to achieve the classic soft glam look. “It’s gonna look crazy before it looks amazing, so just trust the process,” she said.
The undeniable highlight of the day for beauty goers was the live taping of Unbothered’s Go Off Sis Podcast, featuring Love Island breakout stars Serena Page and JaNa Craig. The girlies flocked to the main stage, letting nobody—not even doting boyfriends Kenny and Kordell— stand in their way of getting a view of their favorite duo. The conversation focused on the representation of Black women in the reality TV space, the sisterhood they formed, and their journeys since.
Continuing with the star studded appearances, Law Roach, Saweetie, and Sloane Stephens spoke to the art of defining beauty by your own terms, led by Unbothered’s Chelsea Sanders. These forces of beauty reflected on the differences and overlaps between the music, sports, and fashion industries.
Texture on the Runway served audiences fierce chromatic fashions with artfully sculpted hair to close out Beautycon weekend in style. Presented by NaturallyCurly, the models— thanks to the help of fashion stylist Amiraa Vee, hairstylist Monae Everett, and host Kiyah Wright—showcased how to merge high fashion with diverse textured hair looks.
From Nashville to Seattle, beauties around the U.S. and even across the pond came out to share in the all-embracing forms beauty takes on. As Sir John repeated during his masterclass, the word of the day was community—and the Beautycon community is diverse, dynamic, and ever-evolving.
Monique Rodriguez wants consumers to know: she’s here to stay. The founder and CEO of Mielle Organics sat down with ESSENCE Senior Beauty Editor Akili King on the first day of Beautycon for a conversation about growth and purpose as a Black woman, wife, mother, and brand owner.
Mielle Organics, one of the fastest growing hair brands on the market, has been the center of so many viral moments from celebrations, tutorials, and hair testimonies to critique and misinformation. Think: their viral Rosemary Mint hair oil that sparked a boom of cultural discourse as everyone attempted to get their hands on it, to the misinformation about product ingredients.
Taking it back to where it began, King asked Rodriguez to reflect on her earliest hair moments which sparked the inception of Mielle. Rodriguez recounted how, as a child, her hair was always associated with struggle. Despite the less than encouraging representation of textured hair girls had at the time, Rodriguez always loved beauty and hair care and could be found rummaging through her grandmother’s beauty counter. Later, she aspired to be the model on the infamous relaxer kits we all saw growing up.
Like many, Rodriguez was encouraged to find a good, stable career and was a registered nurse for eight years. A tragic loss caused her to evaluate her life and purpose and go for what truly fulfilled her. From there, she found her way back into hair care and the rest is history. Mielle Organics now celebrates ten years of business, with a host of achievements including being acquired by Procter and Gamble and being the first textured hair care brand to partner with the WNBA and the Olympics.
Looking forward, she plans to “show up, inspire and empower my community, and continue to create innovative products.” Rodriguez goes on to explain the significance of a brand being acquired by a large corporation. She explains how acquisition helps a brand scale larger and gain more support, but it does not mean she is any less involved. The product development, formulas, and vision of the brand still remains the same, with her at the core.
Rodriguez and King went on to ask Rodriguez about who is inspiring her today, her tried and true hair care routines, Mielle’s hopes for venturing into other categories, and how Rodriguez’s daughters are teaching her a thing or two about “glass skin.” In sum, Rodriguez and Mielle Organics set out to keep the beauty community at the center of all they do—and that is not going to change.
Beautycon LA is back in all of its glitz and colorful glamor. The 2024 convention kicked off on a hazy Saturday morning in the heart of West LA. Split between the Main Stage and the Beauty School Stage, a host of expert panels, demonstrations, masterclasses, and more ensued. Across the venue brand activations and techni-colored beauty box photo opps decorated the space, offering a wealth of options for attendees to engage with.
The Somos My Era panel set the tone on the main stage for a community-first day. Afro-Latina creators Monica Veloz and Iris Beilin sat with Raquel Reichard, Deputy Director of R29 Somos, to discuss embracing beauty through the evolving eras of their lives and how their cultures inform their outlooks.
Creators Lane panelists discuss the importance of balancing organic and sponsored content to cultivate trust with their digital communities, while the Influencer Management panel across the venue brought Digital Brand Architects to the stage to share advice on navigating the creator industry.
From audience tarot card readings with Alicia Brayboy to expert tips on properly layering SPF into your makeup routine, from makeup artist and Ciele founder Nikki DeRoest, attendees delighted in a holistic beauty experience.
For HairTok 101, ESSENCE Senior Beauty Editor Akili King sat down with hair experts to take a closer look at intentional hair care across textures and types. The former included content creator Dana Patterson and Julissa Prado, founder of Rizos Curls, who converse about the science behind acidic haircare and pH-informed routines. Following this, King led the Inside Mielle panel with Mielle founder and CEO Monique Rodriguez. Rodriguez touched on understanding purpose, boundaries, and alignment as a successful business owner.
Refinery 29 Beauty Director Sara Tan, and co-host Kirby Johnson, stepped into the podcast booth for a live taping of her popular beauty podcast Gloss Angeles featuring guest Lili Reinhart.
Tan then took to the stage once more for a conversation with the co-founders, Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Ireland, of the internet’s favorite beauty brand Summer Fridays.
The Masterclasses of the day included “Hair Me Out” and “Elevate Your Makeup Game,” led by celebrity hairstylist Justine Marjan and beauty artist Mitchell Halliday, respectively. Marjan demonstrated how to achieve voluminous curls and a frizz free, knot-bun updo. Eyes were glued to the stage for Mitchell Halliday’s makeup masterclass on full face beats.
The Beauty School Stage expanded the notions of beauty through self-care and cheat codes. Raquel Reichard sat down with therapist and author Oludara Adeeyo to discuss what self care looks like for women of color, and how they can step away from the “superwoman syndrome” that leads to emotional fatigue and burnout. Adeeyo’s advice to women: “get real before you can heal.” R29 Unbothered’s Sandy Pierre chatted beauty cheat codes with celebrity stylist Ivy Coco who shared her wisdom comes from her mother and grandmother.
The day concluded with an uplifting conversation between Latina creators Mariale Marrero, Luann Diez, and Amanda Diaz, moderated by Fashion and Beauty Editor Stephanie Montes. They discussed authenticity, heritage, and career building. After an educational and product-filled day, attendees walked away from Beautycon Day One with newfound excitement for the beauty world and an eagerness to head into Day Two.
Spooky season is finally upon us, which gives us an excuse to flex our creativity in so many ways. One of the best parts about Halloween, aside from the fall-flavored treats of course, is how invested people become in their costumes each year. Most of the season’s fun lies in coming up with a costume, assembling it, and the excitement that comes with pulling off the idea that’s been brewing all month long. There are endless classic costumes one can choose from, along with some more out of the box renditions like deep-cut references. Either way, one large factor to keep in mind for curly girls is how to incorporate their hair into their looks.
Be it a wig, braids, or natural curls, the hairstyle of choice can make or break a look. Some feel inspired by the challenge of transforming themselves head to toe with their creations, while others don’t want to bother with changing their entire hairstyle for one night. For the latter, opting for costumes that already have curly hair baked into the looks is the fool proof route.
Black Creators such as HeavenMarley on TikTok, show us that there is no shortage of ideas in the curl department, and can be great resources in brainstorming fun, adaptable looks. Heaven offers a series of curly-haired costume inspo, including looks for Hilary Banks, Christina Milan, and Janet Jackson.
Modeling yourself after iconic Black women who have similar hair will never go out of style, and paying homage to them with your own curls adds to the overall experience. For those who want to stretch their imagination to the animated realm, Black cosplayers such as Kiera Please have offered years of Black girl-certified looks to try. If you’re in need of some more holiday inspiration, we’ve come up with a list of fun, curly-hair friendly costume ideas to try this Halloween.
Scary Spice, Spice Girls
Style: Curls out with two top-knot space buns, wrapped in metallic coils.
Queen Charlotte, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
Style: Big curls — the bigger the better, and topped with a crown.
Princess Tiana, The Princess and the Frog
Style: Low curly ponytail with loose curls in the front to frame the face.
Camilla Cream, A Bad Case of the Stripes
Style: Curls out in their natural state, with a baby pink bow to finish the look.
The Muses, Hercules
Style: Voluminous curls tied up in a white headscarf.
Garnett, Steven UNiverse
Style: Teased out afro, extra points if configured into a cubical shape.
Whitney Houston
Style: Big curls with subtle highlights.
Canary, Hunter x Hunter
Style: Bubble ponytails fastened with red bows.
Penny Proud, The Proud Family
Style: Two low curly ponytails, with Penny’s signature loose strand.
Suzie Carmichael, Rugrats
Style: Long kanekalon braids with floral embellishments.
To ditch or not to ditch scalp oil treatments? By now, the Black hair community has discussed, and debated, at length the use of raw oils and butters for hair and scalp care. Many who have been oiling scalps for generations and revere the act as a long-kept cultural practice have a difficult time accepting what many modern hair care professionals suggest about the matter.
While nourishing oils have a place in hair care, it may not be through the methods many have grown up with. Hair care professionals, specifically curly hair specialists, advise against using raw oils and heavy butters directly on the hair and scalp, as they can cause build up and leave the hair less hydrated than intended.
A simplified scientific explanation behind this reasoning would teach us that oil and water (in their raw forms) do not mix, therefore putting a sealing oil directly onto dry scalp and hair prevents water or hydration from penetrating in. When used in excess, it can also cause product and oil build up, which weighs down the hair and doesn’t allow for a proper growth cycle.
While oils do provide substantial benefits for hair, professionals suggest using products where the formulation allows for better absorption. Curl specialists such as Camille Janae have shown the difference it can make in hair health and styling when heavy oils and butters are ditched for products that are more absorbent and nourishing.
As hair care companies continue to develop the best practices for healthy hair and scalp care, more and more scalp serums have started to pop up on the market. These serums promise to offer benefits such as length and density retention, itch relief, as well as hydration and nourishing properties.
If you’ve been curious about leaving behind raw oils and folding a scalp serum into your routine, we’ve got you covered with six different hair care companies that offer serums to address various concerns.
Read below for the products, their pricing, and what areas they target.
There’s something about the season’s change that prompts Black girls everywhere to reach for ginger and auburn-toned tresses. For those on the non-committal end, like myself, you may reach for color through your protective styles such as braids, faux locs, or wigs. In which case, we have a slew of style ideas calling your name. To the bold types that want to dive right in by dyeing their hair a warmer color, we’ve got you covered on healthy ways to keep those colored coils in tact.
Annie Blay, associate beauty editor at Allure, wasted no time in booking a salon appointment to embrace her new seasonal color. Sporting a deep auburn shade, she tells NaturallyCurly, “Fall has always been one of my favorite seasons mainly for the color scheme alone. I usually do red braids around the fall or winter season to match the autumnal vibe but last year I actually took the plunge of dying my own hair after seeing Black girls on Pinterest and Instagram wearing the look.” She opts to style her copper hair in a silk press right out of the salon before enjoying how the color sits on her natural curls.
Blay’s practice in maintaining hair health includes reducing the amount of treatments and investing in quality products: “I only get my hair color treated once a year so I don’t have a whole color-safe routine but I do try to stick to sulfate-free formulas that are nourishing. I use the Madison Reed Pro Boost Treatments, depending on what I feel my hair needs (hydration, strength, shine, etc.). I love knowing that the treatments are also boosting the hair color.”
For those contemplating coloring their own hair for this fall-weather trend, but are unsure where to start, professional stylist and curly hair specialist Sheryl Hambrick of The Curl Suite lists her go-to advice for keeping the integrity of your curls after dying them. First, and most importantly, the health journey starts before you pick up the hair dye.
“I strongly suggest researching a color specialist that will be able to perform the desired color service. Social media is a good way to start to find someone in your area. Look at their pictures, read their client reviews. Schedule a consultation with the colorist to discuss your hair goals,” she explains. She also emphasizes the importance of an experienced color specialist who will be able to determine whether or not the client’s hair is healthy enough to receive color in the first place.
For maintenance post-salon treatment, she recommends, “investing in good quality hair care products. You cannot color your hair and use cheap or low quality products. You will want to use products that will provide the proper moisture-protein balance that your hair will need.
Consulting with your colorist or hair stylist on which products are best for your hair is very important. I love the Innersense Organic Beauty products. I tend to recommend their Hydrating Cream Hair Bath and Color Radiance Daily Conditioner to my clients who have colored hair. Depending on the state of their hair, the colorist may recommend regular at-home use of a bonding treatment (like the K-18 Leave In Molecular Hair Mask or the Olaplex Hair Repair System), a deep conditioning treatment, or a combination of both.
To maintain healthy curls, you want to make sure you are keeping up with your regular maintenance haircuts. I recommend getting your ends cut every 10-12 weeks once it has been colored.”
Above all, she emphasizes that no matter how tempting, “please refrain from coloring your own hair, if possible. Color is not as basic as it may seem and in order to get the healthiest and best color results, working with a professional is always best. If you absolutely cannot see a color specialist, do not use box dyes, as they may contain harsh chemicals that can dry out the hair. Opt for professional color lines like Wella, Joico or Schwarzkopf.”
Whether you get your fall hair fix through protective styles or color-treated curls, we’ve rounded up our favorite ways to wear these warm-toned styles. See below for some pumpkin spice-esque hair inspo to take you into the season.
Classic Ginger Box Braids
Auburn Blow Out
Ginger Coils and Matching Brows
Copper Twists
Ginger Faux Locs
Deep Orange French Curl Braids
Deep Orange Wand Curls
It’s been over a decade since the golden era of natural hair YouTube came about. Natural hair OGs like Whitney White, Jaelen Mitchell, Joyja Estrada, and of course Jackie Aina helped to usher in a brand new class of naturals seeking to reconcile their relationships with their coils. With the audience largely consisting of high school or college-aged girls embarking on paths of self-discovery, we, in many ways, grew up together through the online community.
Many women and girls approached the movement at vastly different stages. Some slowly transitioned out of their chemically relaxed eras—getting gradual trims until all the damage was gone. Others opted for the big chop, which requires cutting off all the straight or damaged hair, often leaving behind a TWA. Overall, it’s undeniable that the big chop boom jump started countless natural hair journeys and challenged Black women to work through the socially-conditioned attachments we’ve had to striving for “long hair” over healthy hair.
One late night decision to chop all my relaxed hair off, a YouTube upload, and several million views later, I found myself catapulted to the epicenter of the big chop community. Overnight, I received an influx of messages, from natural and transitioning beauties across the world, about natural hair advice.
While I never committed to the content creator path, I had hundreds of people reach out to me for years to come to share their stories, ask for product recommendations, and connect over the mutual experience of learning how to embrace our hair. I embarked on what was one of the most enjoyable, transformative, and regret-free beauty journeys of my life. While overwhelming at times, the global bond we shared pointed to the importance of the movement, the online space it cultivated, and demand for representation.
Though I loved my decision to big chop, my routine, like so many others’, felt like an uphill battle as my curls began to grow. I have been told by every stylist and dorm room braider that I have well over the average amount of density, and for many, the most hair they’ve ever experienced in their careers. This is by no means a brag, as my density and texture caused quite the frustration and disappointment in my hair journey.
While the glory days of natural hair YouTube were filled with helpful tips, affirmations, and creative tutorials, they were also rife with click-bait videos of naturals hoping for virality. Several began labeling their videos as “thick” and “dense” when they were anything but. In reality, I found their hair to be less-than-thick type 3 hair teased and fluffed to the gods or naturally ultra-voluminous. This left an exhausted young natural like myself defeated after my hair didn’t turn out like the “super thick type 4 natural hair” tutorials I earnestly typed into the search bar to find.
Prompted by my struggles to understand my hair and the rarity in finding tutorials that matched both my texture and density, I rotated between a puff, protective styles, or braid outs. This is not to say that there were no naturals with my curl type and texture by any means, but many of them could achieve styles in a fraction of the time, or configure their hair in certain ways I could not achieve, especially in the early days of learning how to care for my hair. The algorithm, mislabeled videos, and desire to have a certain type of curl shaped unrealistic expectations. It took a year or two to realize that my hair would need its own unique approach—and acceptance on my end of its natural state.
Nevertheless, there were thousands of naturals who did find their curl-twins online and learned how to care for their hair purely by online videos and trial and error. Natural hair content creators situated along the curl spectrum, such as Bianca Renee and Fola Amudipe, helped countless naturals to see what was possible with our textures and how versatile they can all be. Rooted in hair health and acceptance, Youtube pages like Bianca (Bianca Renee Today) and Fola’s (Folahontas) provided a wealth of accessible knowledge.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, many Black women, with more time at home, took to educating themselves further on caring for natural hair. Curly hair specialists such as @Iamblackgirlcurls gained larger visibility and naturals reckoned with the shocking information that raw oils and butters were in fact hindering their styling efforts. Proper routines, products, and overall care showed naturals with even the tightest coils that they too could have ultra-defined Wash N Gos and it didn’t take an entire day and half your bathroom shelf to achieve it.
On the other hand, obsessing over the most defined coils has prompted some Black women to wonder if we’ve strayed from the intended purpose of the original natural hair movement from the 1970s, which encouraged women to love their hair even without heavy manipulation. They also accurately point to the stark difference in acceptance between looser curls, and any curl patterns that are 3B and tighter.
One glance at the dominant hair types that fill most curly hair commercials and panels to this day—one can understand why initiatives such as ESSENCE’s 4C Files were created to celebrate kinkier textures. For this reason, successful, kinky-haired content creators such as Fola felt rare and important. Fola continues to show coily-haired girls how beautiful and versatile their hair can be and how to embrace their texture through any of the forms it takes, defined or not. Her ingenuity has led to positive contributions to the argument that braids and natural ‘dos can be considered formal hairstyles.
On that note, we spoke with Fola Amudipe and Biance Renee—two natural hair influencers with different journeys and hair types— about their experiences within the natural hair community and where they’re at today.
What impact do you think the big chop wave had on the natural hair community?
Bianca: The Big Chop wave was CRUCIAL for the natural hair community. Holding on to dead, damaged ends is so much more than a “length thing.” It really shows a person’s insecurity and/or attachment to a social construct that length equals beauty. We have to be able to let go and start over, and the more people that did it, the more it became accepted in the community.
Fola: I think big chopping has taught naturals that it’s okay to start over. Things will grow back bigger, better, and even more beautifully if you allow yourself to detach from what’s holding you back. It’s really a sound life lesson you can apply to anything.
How did you feel in the first few months after your big chop?
Bianca: The first few months were definitely an adjustment. As a content creator I was able to change my perspective and think of it as an opportunity to help and join people on their hair growth journey. Different hairstyles were pretty limited but detangling and my morning routine was a lot quicker.
Fola: Honestly, I felt a sense of nakedness at first, but eventually it was really freeing. It was my first year in college, away from my strict immigrant parents, fresh out of a lil highschool fling, and venturing off into a new [environment] so it felt like a new beginning for me in a lot of ways. I felt like I was in a huge re-learning phase of my life, but I had more autonomy over my body and decisions too.
Were you a big follower or participant in the natural hair movement on YouTube?
Bianca: I definitely consider myself to be a huge part of the natural hair movement on Youtube since I dedicated my channel to natural hair tutorials for over 11 years now. It became my passion and goal to help as many people as possible to change the negative stigma that “only straight hair was beautiful, professional or accepted.”
Fola: I actively watched Natural Hair Youtubers from about 2011-2016, right at the beginning and height of the natural hair movement. I was really invested in learning to grow my hair to its longest length and I ended up falling in love with the healthy hair practices that became like a ritual. I’m still very much an active participant in the natural hair community. I went from consuming to now creating the content I would like to see from tight-coiled naturals. I champion others to embrace and love on their hair in all its forms, styles, and lengths.
What observations do you have about the curl community from that time?
Bianca: At one point in time it seemed to be a very well received space. People became excited to try new products and find what truly worked for them. One naturalist would inspire another sharing tips and tricks so that we all could thrive. On the flip side, there also came a point in time where things became too strict and people started to judge others for not following the “curly hair rules.” It added an unnecessary stress to new naturals that eventually made some people give up on their journey. I do believe there are better practices and ingredients to use on our hair but at the end of the day, if something works for a particular person, it really doesn’t matter what other people think you “should” do.
Fola: Honestly, it felt like a big family trying to all figure out this journey of defying social norms, ideas of assimilation, and revolutionizing what Black hair looked like in its most natural form
What impact do you think the popularity of Wash N Gos has had on the natural hair community?
Fola: I believe the impact of Wash N Gos has allowed people in the natural hair community to see their true curl patterns and love it for what it is. I think early on in people’s hair journey, if they’re unfamiliar with their curl pattern, they tend to admire and want a curl pattern that isn’t their own. It can be really harmful especially to younger folks who internalize what curl pattern they deem as “beautiful”. However, I think Wash N Gos really make people face what their hair truly looks like in the best way.
Do you feel embraced and represented in the 2010s-and-beyond natural hair movement?
Fola: I think we’ve done better over time since the 2010s to have representation in these spaces. Look at the rise and influx of Black-owned hair care brands that showcase us in their marketing materials. It’s beautiful to see. However, I think there is definitely way more room for improvement across the board with all brands to showcase tight-coiled textures. A LOT MORE!
If you had to start all over, would you?
Bianca: I absolutely would. due to the sweet messages I receive daily from people telling me that I have “saved their hair” [or] inspired them to start.
Fola: With what I know now, yes absolutely.
Calling all Virgos, it’s our time to shine. Virgo season is well underway and one of our favorite Virgo beauties, Beyoncé, celebrates her birthday today. As the poster child for the always-evolving, creative, detail-oriented earth signs, Beyoncé is taking another lap around the sun and doing so in style.
What better way to celebrate the greatest performer of her generation, and the ones since (not up for debate), than to take a moment to highlight some of her most inspiring beauty looks to date.
Debuting 27 years ago, Beyoncé has been on mood boards since for her hair, makeup, nails, and sartorial styles. From The Writing’s On The Wall to Self-Titled and Cowboy Carter, the trailblazer has perfected her beauty routine while at the same time shifting in style through the years and her creative eras.
In the late ‘90s and early 2000s we saw her rocking the popular thin eyebrows, frosty eyelids, and microlink-like braid styles that flowed into loose extensions — arguably the precursor to the goddess, mermaid braids we see today.
Into Bey’s solo career we saw glamorous looks like the often-imitated B-Day era updo and the larger than life curls which stole the show during her 2006 BET Awards performance. Self-Titled brought us an edgy-leaning tousled bob with highlights and sultry, smokey eyes. Lemonade ushered in the eponymous cornrow extensions now referred to as Lemonade braids.
OG Beyhive remembers her peak blogger-esque Instagram era with the collages that always featured her intricate nail designs— because, in true Virgo fashion, everything’s in the details. She carried this knack into the beauty looks throughout the musical film Black Is King, which featured countless hair and makeup looks that highlighted and embraced African diasporic beauty.
The 2023 Renaissance World Tour provided a wealth of style inspo as well, with Beyoncé gracing the stage each night in soft glam, shimmery eye looks and elongated tresses of various styles. She concluded this era with platinum blonde hair that carried us into the Americana goldilocks looks of Cowboy Carter today.
In honor of the Queen Bey’s birthday, revisit some of her most inspiring, trendsetting beauty moments—from the bugaboo braids to Cecred-certified natural curls— below.
Coco Jones is what we’d call a triple threat: A talented actress with a heavenly voice and a certified style icon. The Southern Belle has stolen our hearts both as Hillary Banks in the hit show “Bel Air,” and across the internet for her bubbly personality. Her show is underway with its third season, promising scandal, suspense, and, of course, Hillary’s stunning style choices.
Jones is a vision to watch in her current role, though she has been in the game for much longer. She organically built her musical career as she acted across several titles, including Disney’s “Let It Shine,” and showcased her soulful sound on her EP “What I Didn’t Do.” Now, she is carving her own lane in the industry with her unique beauty and talent.
From updos to long tresses, here are 12 times Coco Jones gave us ethereal beauty and endless material for our mood boards.
1. Braided Detail Clovers Homage
Simple, yet timeless. Jones recreates Gabrielle Union’s iconic character look from ‘Bring It On’ with this Clovers Homage. She spares no details, completing the style with mini soft scrunchies at the ends of her braids, one of the go-to accessories of the era.
2. Half Up Top-Knot
One of Coco Jones’ signature touches that we love is her go-to two-strand accent that frames her face. Here, she features this touch in a half-up look that pulls her hair into a top-knot, allowing the rest to flow down her back for a performance-ready ‘do.
3. Platinum Pink Barbie
Serving us Black Barbie realness, Coco switches the color up for the “creepin” music video shoot with a light pink install, complete with voluminous curls. This style is physical proof that she can rock any style she pleases and pull it off.
4. Crimped Waves
One of the best style hacks is adding some dimension and texture to a beautiful look, which is exactly what Jones does here. Here, waist-length tresses are effortlessly styled with crimped waves, adding just enough character to make for a fun and casual look.
5. Blunt Bob
You know we love a bob! One thing’s certain, and two’s for sure: Jones’ face card never declines. To emphasize this fact, she arrives at LaPointe’s NYFW show with a blunt, fashion-forward bob that accentuates her features and strikingly tops off her overall ensemble.
6. Bumped Ends
A tasteful touch on the classic side-part, Coco completes one of her VMA looks with a shoulder-length, straight style that flows into a sharp flip. This style exudes personality and flare, the ideal eye-catcher to set-off her fun wardrobe of the night.
7. Larger-Than-Life Chanel Homage
Pictured here: a real life-doll. Here, she perfectly executes another homage to a Black Beauty fave, with this rendition of Naomi Campbell’s 1992 Chanel look. With burgundy-tinted blown-out hair styled in two teased ponytails
8. Elegant Updo
All pinned up for her big night at the Grammys, the musician styles her hair in a beautiful updo, letting loose curls gently frame her face as she accepts her first Grammy Award. This look perfectly compliments her face, showcasing big congratulatory smiles all around.
9. Retro Bun Details
The sign of a true style icon is whether you can last the tests of time, and Miss Jones hasn’t met a style era she can’t pull off. This retro look featuring a trio of buns, complete with a detailed parted design, is the epitome of It-girl energy.
10. Accessorized Rapunzel Braid
For her Coachella cameo, she joins Renee Rapp on stage with a slickback knee-length braid studded with bedazzled hoops throughout. This creative look was such a fun way to spin a tried and true hairstyle, making it her own and giving us the innovative inspo we needed to spice up our own styles.
11. Goddess Braids
What’s a better way to channel that inner goddess than with goddess braids themselves? On her European getaway, Coco Jones tastefully styles her trendy goddess braids in a few ways, showing the versatility and elegance that braids can provide.
12. Classic Bussdown
There’s nothing like the classics. Our beauty icon is stunned with this sleek middle-part buss down, the perfect style to complete her neck-breaking courtside look.
Which CoCo Jones look is your favorite?
There is much to be said about Love Island USA, Season 6. It shattered streaming numbers, it’s taking over all of our feeds, and it’s sparking discourse that could rival the best sociology 101 classes. If Love Island is all anyone can talk about, it’s safe to say that Serena and Kordell are the internet’s collective Roman Empire.
The winners of Love Island USA S6 have become internet sensations over the summer, with many audiences growing fond of the honest yet caring dynamic between the two. A striking conversation that continues to follow the couple zeroes in on a forever hot topic in the Black community: hair.
Image Source: @loveislandusa
Love Island’s Representation of Black Contestants
If you are a Love Island veteran, you know that spending several weeks in a poolside villa with messy challenges provides a challenge in itself for textured-hair contestants. For this reason, many Black contestants with textured tresses have to be strategic with the styles they choose, lest they embarrass themselves with unkempt hair on international television.
Black islanders, particularly the women, across Love Island seasons have been the undeserving targets of global criticism over their appearance, which, of course, includes heightened commentary surrounding their hair. This commentary generates speculative weigh-in from Black communities on the maintenance of chosen styles, and altogether racist commentary from broader, less educated populations.
Image Source: @whitbrownsx
The standout star of Love Island UK S10, Whitney, recently revealed her clever albeit unconventional method to accomplish swapping her wigs without the cameras’ attention, in order to minimize unfavorable content or criticism. The amount of hyper awareness Black people in these circumstances possess is revelatory of how intense the critical gaze can be.
While efforts such as the growing visible inclusivity from hair brands and policies such as the Crown Act have ushered in avenues of acceptance and understanding around Black hair, Black people are still held to unrealistic standards. In some cases, it is almost as if the more knowledgeable people grow about Black hair care, the more critical they become.
Image Source: @jempugh35
The ability to spot someone’s lace or wig glue was not widely possessed, outside of Black women, until recently. Now, we are seeing broader audiences jump into conversations and critique Black women’s hair in detail, as was the case with UK S9 contestant Tanya and her visible wig glue. Suddenly, everyone is a Black hair expert, and everyone has an opinion.
Receiving grace as a Black woman has always been an uphill battle, with the ever changing goal posts of beauty standards perpetuating this fight. Place this reality in the context of a wildly popular, vanity-based reality dating show, and the criticism becomes amplified.
How Black Hair Is Scrutinized
With USA S6 in particular, Black hair was pushed to the forefront, becoming a character of its own, and for reasons one may not expect. The two main Black women contestants, Serena and JaNa, received relatively positive commentary surrounding their hair and overall appearance, while Kordell, the central Black man in the villa, underwent microscopic observation.
It is often said within Black circles that you can tell a lot about a person based on how they wear their hair, with the assumption that the better it’s maintained, the more culturally connected one is to the community. Further, it is believed that the way a person styles their hair can reveal a lot about their romantic preferences, as hypothesized through the “hard wig, soft life,” theory, wherein Black women whose wigs appear to be unnatural or “stiff” looking are often partnered with wealthy, yet culturally unaware white men.
Serena’s ability to keep human hair goddess braids intact for the entirety of the summer, amidst compromising challenges and a humid climate is a feat in itself, and one that has not gone unnoticed by many viewers. In addition to her overall personality, this detail garnered her even more likeability amongst Black audiences. It is this same reason, however, that stirred up apprehension for some upon first laying eyes on Kordell.
Admittedly, my first thought upon seeing him walk on screen was ‘why would he come on tv without having fresh braids?’ As it has since been revealed, contestants wait extended periods of time in the hotel prior to entering the villa, which may well be the reason for his braids not looking salon-fresh. This personal knee-jerk observation reveals how ingrained these socially constructed cues can be. My second thought was just hoping he had the ability to refresh his braids as needed as his time in the villa went on.
How Relationships Influence Hair Care
Image Source: @korde1ll
Kordell’s hair became such a large point of discussion that it evolved into a marker with which audiences tracked the storyline and the status of his and Serena’s relationship. Mid-season, it was revealed that Serena is quite the skilled braider, and therefore responsible for Kordell’s ability to keep his hair styled. The variety of styles he went on to wear prompted intrigue amongst fans and quickly positioned him as an early favorite. Once the drama unfolded and the couple briefly split, Serena was no longer maintaining his hair, and it showed. The state of Kordell’s hair soon became indicative to whether or not he and Serena were on good terms, proving further how impactful hair can be to a story, to communal connection, and to outward presentation.
Image Source: @marayjanee
The moment that cemented the couple’s fate was the clip released of Serena finally doing Kordell’s hair again in the bathroom. This scene was important not only because it signaled full reconciliation but also because it displayed a culturally resonant moment on mainstream reality television that many had never seen before. Serena caring for Kordell’s hair in this way symbolized more depth to the relationship than cameras could show. So much so that when it came time to meet each other’s families, one of the first things Kordell’s godmother did was thank Serena for maintaining his hair.
Love Island USA, with its record-breaking streaming numbers, stood miles apart from other seasons for countless reasons, one undeniably being the representation Serena and Kordell provided. Black hair has always been a source of fascination, scrutiny, beauty, and connection, and its role in this season of Love Island was no different.
With the highly anticipated Love Island USA reunion coming on August 19th, it’ll be interesting to see if there are any conversations regarding Black Beauty.
From undisputed face cards to graphic liner, beauty took center stage at the 2024 Olympic Games. In addition to nail-biting finishers and record-breaking moments, the women competing at the Paris games embraced their individual beauty despite the harsh global stage they were thrust upon— and the criticism that often comes with it.
Beauty is an effective tool that allows a person to highlight their unique features, feel more empowered when entering a space, and showcase who they are in nonverbal ways. On the other hand, logic would have one think that ridiculing a woman’s looks while she is competing at such a high-level of athletic difficulty would be out of the question, however misogyny often proves otherwise.
Discourse erupted during the early days of the games as Simone Biles received ludacris commentary about her hair not being styled to onlookers’ standards. To this she responded, “next time you wanna comment on a black girl’s hair, JUST DON’T.” The 11-time Olympic medalist went on to stun crowds with her athleticism, touching up her golden glam look in between competitions.
Ilona Maher, the now first-time Olympic medalist, discusses beauty at length on her social media platform. She unapologetically expresses her femininity in the face of hundreds of comments critiquing her appearance and stands as a voice for expansive displays of beauty. Through her humorous content she shows just how connective and universal beauty can be.
Screenshot from Simone Biles’ Instagram story
Not only did these women give the athletic performances of their lives against the toughest competition in the world, but they did so staying true to their personal expressions of beauty and style. U.S. Rugby player and internet sensation Ilona Maher is ever-present in her signature red lip. Meanwhile, American soccer player and gold medalist Trinity Rodman stood out on the field in baby pink braids.
We can’t forget how Brazilian gymnasts Rebeca Andrade and Flavia Saraiva arrived at the competition each day with glimmering graphic eyeliner. And speaking of gymnasts, Jordan Chiles executed masterful routines while sporting decorative, extended nails— and yes, she can compete in them just fine. Additionally, Chiles and Simone Biles reapplying their lip products after executing insanely difficult routines delighted many beauty fans as they reveled in the young women’s greatness. Overall, the two ushered in a new standard for the way athletes carry themselves.
Then, Twanisha Terry could be spotted flying down the track due to her long braided ponytails and waist beads. Additionally, Melissa Jefferson and Jamaican athlete Shasha Lee Forbes sported patriotic hair bows, and Anna Cockrell and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone accepted their medals with stunning natural hair styles. Two-time Olympic medalist Sha’Carri Richardson left it all on the track with adorned nails that repeated her powerful quote, “I’m not back, I’m better.”
Across the board, these Olympic beauties see your comments about their appearances and are making it clear — they don’t care. They are reminding audiences, through enthusiastic conversations online, that women can be both strong and beautiful; have a playful sense of humor and still take their craft seriously. Athletes can pose with their flashy fronts and still be recognized as the legitimate talent they are.
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