• Celebrity
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Women in Music
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
  • Fashion
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion House
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Color Files Podcast
    • Nails
    • How-To
    • Beauty Carnival-Archive
    • Dope Stuff On My Desk
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weaves
    • 4C
    • Spring Hair And Beauty
  • Love
    • Love & Sex
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle News
    • Coronavirus: Everything You Need to Know
    • Health & Wellness
    • Holiday Gift Guide 2020
    • Unbossed Podcast
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
    • Currency Conversations
    • Your legacy
  • News
    • BLACK VOTES MATTER
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Videos
  • Events
    • WELLNESS HOUSE: YEAR OF RENEWAL
    • LEVEL UP: Entrepreneur Summit (DEC 2020)
    • Power Tools
    • SHE GOT NOW
    • Girls United Summit
    • Making Moves Now: Virtual Bootcamp
    • #EF SESSIONS
    • Dear Black Men
    • Cares Act
    • News & Announcements
  • Festival
  • Subscribe
  • Essence Studios
  • Girls United
  • NaturallyCurly
  • Shop Essence

Follow Us

Skip to content
  • Essence Studios
  • Girls United
  • NaturallyCurly
  • Shop Essence
  • Celebrity
    • Celebrity
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Women in Music
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
  • Fashion
    • Fashion
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion House
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Color Files Podcast
    • Nails
    • How-To
    • AVEENO® Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty Carnival-Archive
    • Dope Stuff On My Desk
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • Beauty News
  • Hair
    • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weaves
    • 4C
    • Spring Hair And Beauty
  • Love
    • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Coronavirus: Everything You Need to Know
    • Health & Wellness
    • Lifestyle News
    • Holiday Gift Guide 2020
    • Netflix’s Jingle Jangle Gift Guide
    • Unbossed Podcast
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
    • Currency Conversations
    • Your Legacy
  • News
    • News
    • BLACK VOTES MATTER
    • Essence 50th Anniversary
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Videos
  • Events
    • Events
    • WELLNESS HOUSE: YEAR OF RENEWAL
    • LEVEL UP: Entrepreneur Summit (DEC 2020)
    • Power Tools
    • SHE GOT NOW
    • Girls United Summit
    • Making Moves Now: Virtual Bootcamp
    • #EF SESSIONS
    • Dear Black Men
    • Cares Act
    • News & Announcements
  • Festival
  • Subscribe
Home · Hair

The Year in Celeb Natural Hair

At ESSENCE, we keep a close eye on lovely world of natural hair. And this year we saw an amazing mix of celebrity naturalista moments from curly veterans and neophytes alike. Go ahead and get inspired for your own natural do (or big chop) by this collection of our favorite looks of the year.

By Crystal G. Martin · December 2, 2013October 27, 2020
01
Naturally Gorgeous
Kimberly Elise
Getty Images
02
Naturally Gorgeous

Tanika Ray gives her curls definition with highlights. We love this pairing of her warm-toned hair with a copper dress at the NAACP Image Awards last year.

03
Naturally Gorgeous

With the success of Romeo and Juliet on Broadway, Condola Rashad, daughter of Phylicia, is quickly becoming a star in her own right. She’s also aced all of her red-carpet natural ‘dos—we’re definitely looking forward to seeing more of her.

04
Naturally Gorgeous

Here’s one more sweet braided look from the 26-year-old actress at the Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom premiere in New York City.

05
Naturally Gorgeous

We love it when celebs switch up their looks! At last year’s American Ballet Theatre Opening Night Spring Gala Alek Wek forgoes her signature close crop for awesome cornrows. Amazing!

06
Naturally Gorgeous

Andy Allo looked radiant in a big, curly fro. Her perfectly unfussy hair was great paired with an intricately embroidered dress at last year’s ESSENCE Black Women in Music.

07
Naturally Gorgeous

Though she wears locs as our favorite zombie-slayer on The Walking Dead, real-life Danai Gurira looks amazing rocking her short natural cut at the Season 4 premiere last October.

08
Naturally Gorgeous

Goapele shows us how to use color to spice up a short cut when she rocked brown locks to the Baggage Claim premiere in Los Angeles.

09
Naturally Gorgeous

Shingai Shoniwa wins the award for the cutest top knot! We love the volume and addition of a delicate hair accessory.

10
Naturally Gorgeous

We fell in love with Sophie Okonedo’s natural mane back in 2004 when she rocked braids and curls while promoting Hotel Rwanda. She hasn’t stopped wowing us in the years since.  Here she kept it simple with a big hair full of ringlets.

11
Naturally Gorgeous

Lupita Nyong’o produced the 2009 documentary In My Genes, but made her big mainstream debut last year in Twelve Years a Slave. We’re super excited about this newcomer and hoping for many awesome mane moments in years to come.

12
Naturally Gorgeous

2013 was a major year for Thandie Newton with a new beauty blog, Thandie Kay, and a role in the the critically acclaimed Half of a Yellow Sun. All the while she’s maintained absolutely stunning curls.

13
Naturally Gorgeous

We’re loving the actress’s side-swept updo, too.

14
Naturally Gorgeous

Viola Davis debuted her cropped cut in 2012 and hasn’t looked back! We love how she pairs her cut with flawless makeup and highlights her curls with warm brown color.

15
Naturally Gorgeous

Nicole Ari Parker wore an intricate style during a speaking engagement in Los Angeles. We adore the look as a super-sophisticate up option for curly curls.

16
Naturally Gorgeous

How amazing is this twisted updo? Jill Scott got creative with her styling for a performance at the Taste of Chicago this summer, and it was certainly one of the year’s best looks.

17
Naturally Gorgeous

Ledisi never fails to deliver an intricately beautiful natural look. Here, her locs look regal and chic in two rolls at the crown of her head.

18
Naturally Gorgeous

Solange never disappoints and this year was no exception. This sky-high twisted do was our favorite of the year.

19
Naturally Gorgeous

Yaya Dacosta consistently delivers stand-out red carpet looks. This modern take on the pompadour rocked our world!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

20
Naturally Gorgeous

Sometimes bigger really is better. Erykah Badu killed it with a massive blonde blow out at the BET Awards in LA this past June.

21
Naturally Gorgeous

First comes the cut, then comes the curls. A few weeks after debuting her sassy new cropped hair, Alicia Keys wore her hair in its natural curly state. We admired this naturalista moment and hope she rocks the curls again soon!

22
Naturally Gorgeous

Leona Lewis’s mane of golden and platinum curls is eye catching after a performance at a G.A.Y. nightclub in London.

23
Naturally Gorgeous

Corrine Bailey Rae’s curls are perfection (!) at last year’s Brit Awards in London.

24
Naturally Gorgeous

Adepero Oduye is certainly a Natural Hair All-Star, and this playful half-up style is perfect support for why she’s one of our faves. 

25
Naturally Gorgeous

Chrisette Michele (AKA the hair cameleon) has settled into a very rad short cut that’s highlighted in blonde. Perfect inspriration for your New Year, New You haircut!

26
Naturally Gorgeous

Not only do we love 29-year-old cellist, Esperanza Spalding’s music, but her hair is everything. We love that her big, fluffy fro is part of her signature look.

27
Naturally Gorgeous

Monica Calhoun debuted her big chop on the Best Man Holiday red carpets last year (and in a emotional scene in the film). Welcome to the naturalista club, Monica!

28
Naturally Gorgeous

Though we love to see Tracee Ellis Ross’s boingy curls wild and free, we’re enamored by her in a top knot. Here she rocked an undone look to a SiriusXM Radio event last October.

Read More

Entertainment
Chloe X Halle Talk 'Grown-Ish' Relationships And The Best Le...
Entertainment
The 11 Most Anticipated Films Of 2021
Op-Ed
Biden Should Add 'The CAREN Act' to His List of Executive Ac...
News
An Inauguration Day of ‘History and Hope’
Ledisi And Columbus Short To Play Mahalia Jackson And Martin...
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2008 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now