Behind every beautiful performer is a hard working hair stylist. Celebrity hairstylists keep the performers looking glamorous and a step above the rest. According to an online interview with Tina Knowles, mother and stylist of R&B singer Beyonce’ Knowles, when it comes to managing her daughter’s hair it’s not as easy as it seems.
“It took Beyonce’ about two years to grow the relaxer out. She couldn’t afford to cut her hair off and start from scratch, so we cut her hair a little above her shoulders and trimmed the ends as we went along,” said Knowles. “Wearing braids during the transition period really protected her hair onstage and saved her style from sweat disaster.”
When Beyonce’s hair is not in braids, it appears to lay straight down and long on her shoulders.
“When she had to wear it straight for an awards show or an appearance, we pressed her hair and used a flat iron. Her hair is not as easy to manage as she thought it would be. Sometimes we curl her hair with a curling iron to give it a softer look. When she had the relaxer, coloring made her hair so fragile,” Knowles said. “Now, because her hair isn’t double processed, she lightens the front without causing much damage.”
Nikki Tucker, songtress Alicia Keys’ exclusive hair braider, keeps Alicia’s hair braided and healthy.
Tucker said in her online interview, “I go on tour with Alicia, but I’ll braid in the studio or at her house–whenever, wherever I can. I’m a stickler about stray, fuzzy hairs so we change her style every three or four days.
Between styles I advise Alicia to take the braids out and let her hair breathe for a day or two.”
Alicia Keys’ style of braids is something that she has made famous and it continues to set her style apart from other women in the entertainment business.
“I love cornrows and I love how she wears them,” said Michael Hollins a junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering from Denver.
Queen of hip-hop soul Mary J. Blige hairstylist Tré Major keeps Mary’s hair filled with color.
In his online interview he said, “Mary loves to color her hair. She is daring so it allows me to do whatever I dream up. She has the perfect look, attitude and skin coloring.
Mary colors her own cropped hair but to really experiment and for quick changes, I customize wigs and hair extensions for her. Weaves and wigs give you the full effect of color without damaging the hair,” said Major. I usually use three or four colors for streaking and to give the style depth. I always deep-condition Mary’s hair to keep hair color vibrant.”
With all these women each has a style of their own. Their versatility comes from the minds of the one’s whose days fulfillment is in making them glamorous, their hairstylist.
“The celebrities hair always looks good, but you get what you pay for. Their hairstylists are doing a good job,” said Howard Metoyer, a sophomore majoring in marketing from Baton Rouge.
