“In The Chair” spotlights the incredible hairstylists and makeup artists in our community who are giving us major inspiration. Each week, they discuss their personal beauty and career journeys, what they’ve learned from their clients, and their top glam tips.
“I’ve used my own hair as a creative case study,” celebrity hairstylist Coree Moreno tells ESSENCE. Using himself as a test dummy for his clients, Moreno has tried it all: big chops, chemical straightening, color, sew-ins, natural styles. From the start, “I wanted to understand the way I’d be impacting them by doing certain styles.”
Because of this, he’s never worked a “real” job. “It’s always been hair,” he says. From being his little sister and mom’s personal hairstylist at age 12 to building a client list by the time he finished high school, the self-taught hair artist graduated Grahmn Webb Academy (a now closed hair school in DC) before going on to work in the city’s top salons.
“Being able to evolve under supervision of people I trust was truly a blessing,” he says. But, it wasn’t until the visionary hair artist Vernon François took him under his wing, did he enter the world of Hollywood hairdressing. From working with Zendaya, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Shaboozey, Moreno says he’s best known for turning something out of nothing. “It’s such a unique space to be able to work with what someone naturally has and enhance that.”
Read on for more about Coree Moreno’s top tips for healthy hair, a myth he’d like to debunk, and the deeper meaning behind his work.
His Favorite Hairstyle to Do:
I love co-washes of any kind—whether it’s a wash and go or silk press, a good shampoo is always a must. The Cantu Shea Butter Shampoo is one of my go-tos because it leaves hair feeling protected and healthy. I also love enhancing my clients’ natural textures, and for that, I’ve been using Cantu’s Weightless Smooth and Curl Cream. It keeps their hair soft yet defined, making it feel like true styling.
His Top Tip for Healthy Hair:
Healthy hair to me is all about moisture and shine. I’m big on regular dustings, cutting less hair more frequently to retain length, and using the right products.
A Hair Myth He’d Like to Debunk:
You 100 percent can bounce between silk press and curly when your stylist is consistent.
The Biggest Lesson He’s Learned From His Clients:
I’m not always right. I prefer my clients to challenge me and the way I see them, overall, it keeps me mentally open.
How He Makes His Clients Feel:
I love reassuring my clients’ sense of self through my work and always lead with service at the forefront.
The Deeper Meaning Behind His Work:
100,000 percent touching one’s crown and having uncomfortable conversations creates such a sacred space where healing happens. I’m an artist who is off with unique, different ideas and will often push my clients to expand their minds to different ideas of self and hair.
