• 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 legacy1
  • 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 · News

Celebs with Super Natural 'Dos

Celebs with Super Natural 'Dos
By · November 23, 2010October 29, 2020
01
Leela James

Before stepping in front of a mic, James nourishes her larger-than-life tresses with Soft & Beautiful Oil Sheen Conditioning Spray ($3, drugstores) for luster. She conditions her hair-line with Dr. Miracle’s Temple & Nape Gro Balm ($8, drmiracles.com). When she’s off stage, the petite power-house prefers braided styles. “I believe in keeping my hair away from as much stress as possible,” she says.

02
Shingai Shoniwa

The front woman of the British trio, The Noisettes, has major altitude. To duplicate her towering, Afro-punk style create twin French rolls, suggests Sabine Bellevue, stylist and owner of Sabine’s Hallway in Brooklyn. Turn front strands up and over the rest of the hair and secure with hairpins. For a fuller effect, include hairpieces under the rolls or tease the hair before rolling.

03
Janelle Monae

It’s practically impossible to catch the diminutive songbird during her kinetic performances without her trademark tux and Oxfords. It’s even harder to find the Kansas City native without her signature pompadour. The retro style elevates and sculpts hair into shape over the forehead with hairpins. Bellevue recommends Smooth ’N Extra Hold Gellation ($3, drugstores) to secure the style.

04
Jill Scott

The Philly songstress occasionally pairs her braided styles with high-definition ringlets. To achieve these coils, dab Miss Jessie’s Curly Buttercreme ($32, missjessies.com) onto dry hair before double-strand twisting and tying hair up for the night. But don’t OD on the hairdress. “A little goes a long way,” says Bellevue. For tighter curls, use the Buttercreme on wet hair and create smaller twists.

05
Ledisi

From an elegant updo to a funky cascade of coiled locs, Ledisi’s multidimensional red hair has extreme versatility. “I have branded a style all my own,” says Ledisi. “I cannot imagine myself putting chemicals in my hair.” The vocalist uses Fantasia IC Hair Polisher Styling Gel to groom her locs ($5, beauty supply stores), but admits her mane has some flexibility. “I’m an actress too, and if the right role comes along, I might make some adjustments,” she says. “Hopefully I can wear a wig and keep my locs!”

06
Esperanza Spalding

Less is definitely more, so when it comes to the singer and bassist maintaining her free-form ‘fro, she avoids salons and hairstylists. Instead, Spalding nurtures her hair by wetting hair and applying her homemade cocktail of shea butter, cocoa butter, olive oil and tea tree oil to preserve its softness. "Salons don’t know what to do with my hair," she says. “They always cut too much off.” Besides, her fluffy coif isn’t a huge undertaking. “My routine is pretty simple and my hair fares pretty well with little product.”

07
Goapele

Three years ago, the Oakland-based chanteuse chopped her locs and now rocks maze-like cornrows. Sculpted into a looped hawk with an African thread-wrapping technique, Goapele’s braided masterpieces can take her stylist Anana Scott up to nine hours to create. “Anana’s designs are old school and futuristic,” Goapele says. For smoother braids, the singer preps her hair with Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Hair Moisturizing Hair Lotion ($5, drugstores), air-dries and then straightens the roots with a blow-dryer.

08
Chrisette Michele

When fans compliment Michele on her new short ‘do, it catches her off guard. "People say, ’I love your hair.’ I’ll tell them, ‘I don’t have any!’ " the singer jokes. She brightened her sleek cropped coif with Clairol Nice n’ Easy Natural Dark Neutral Blonde ($8, drugstores). To define coils, she uses Mixed Chicks Leave-in Conditioner ($17, mixed-chicks.com). The conditioner allows her the luxury of minimal upkeep. “I don’t have to do much to it,” says Michele. “And I love it!”

Read More

Money & Career
Boss Moves: Inside Issa Rae's Hollywood Empire
Black Celeb Couples
These Super Romantic Celebrity Couples Keep Us Believing In Love
News
Investigators Find Police Department and D.A. Failed Elijah ...
Beauty
Jada Pinkett-Smith Just Unveiled Her New Skincare Brand, Hey...
News
Tiger Woods Injured In Car Crash
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.

©2021 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