“I had very long hair growing up and had a strong aversion to even the idea of a haircut,” celebrity hairstylist Malcolm Marquez tells ESSENCE. “Hair became a way for me to have control over my look, and learn about myself.” Over the years, Marquez changed his hair (but never the length) letting his styles grow through each stage of his life, from Bantu knots and braids to basket weaves.
Growing up watching pop and rap artists on VH1, his interest wasn’t exclusively in the music, but in their hair. “The way it moved, the bold hairstyling of the 90s/00s, I couldn’t get enough,” he says. After attending The Aveda Institute Tucson, he knew he had to move to Los Angeles to further his career. His biggest connections in beauty were linked through nightlife, where he landed his first major gig doing hair for NoSesso’s SS24 collection. “I do feel like some of my work reflects the era of hair I grew up watching,” he says, pinning in bouffant, sculptural hair fashion (as seen in ESSENCE’s Beauty School series).
With the show launching his career, the Opus Beauty hair artist is now most associated with Grammy Award-winning rap star Doechii, as the hands behind some of her most iconic looks. Think: her interconnected braids on The Late Show to her Grammy’s hair pieces and her latest look, a Superfine afro at the Met Gala. Other than Doechii, he’s dabbled in work with other celebrities, like red strands attached to a silver pixie a Rihanna Puma ad, wet waves for Tyla’s “When I’m With You” music video feature, and even seen on models, like Jules Smith, in Echelon Noir’s Black Hair Reimagined Hair Show. With his hairstyles often reaching into the otherworldly, “It’s important for me to practice my work in less commercial spaces to stay inspired.”
Below, Marquez talks about his top healthy hair tips, what he’s learned from his clients, and more.
What He Loves Most About Hairstyling:
“Honestly, the independence. While I work in a support role most of the time, I decide what I do. I’m grateful for my agents who help advise me when I’m feeling unsure or stuck. But really its me at the end of the day deciding how to carve my career path. I think what keeps this industry interesting for me is that I get to choose how I navigate it.”
His Favorite Products:
“I personally started using a new shampoo/conditioner from Jupiter that’s a very stylish, clean approach to dandruff shampoo. TGIN miracle styling foam has been a favorite for all textured hair. It has a great weight for defined styling and doesn’t dry the hair out.”
His Favorite Hairstyles:
“I could never choose. I find beauty in creating both extreme to simple. There’s meaning behind both and as long as the storytelling of the hair is there.”
His Top Tip for Healthy Hair:
“Shampoo your hair! Detoxify your hair. Your protective products won’t work unless your hair is clean. A simple, consistent routine is all you need. Let your hair breathe!”
What He’s Learned From His Clients:
“A lot of my first clients/collaborators were trans women and queer fems. Through the work I’ve done with them I’ve created community. I found friends and family in a city that was new to me. A community that lifted me up to a higher platform. They taught me what community truly means in ways that has nothing to do with doing hair.”
How He Uplifts His Clients:
“I think the most important thing you can do to uplift a client is listening to them. Not just hearing them, but listening. Most people in the chair just want to be listened to and understood. I think the humanity of connection can sometimes get lost in all of the business of beauty. The chair is a time for clients to feel safe and beautiful. Listening to someone actively will not only create a genuine connection with a client but your confidence in yourself to do your best work.”
How Healing Hair Is:
“I personally think the beauty space is a place to heal. Confronting your relationship can be as healing or meaningful as you make it. Some clients just want their hair done and some want to connect deeper. I think as hairstylists we all approach the “healer” role differently, and fit in where we can. For me doing hair is a healing practice, so it’s mutually exclusive.”