Mane stars! - hair care of African American female celebrities
How do the beautiful people get gorgeous and stay that way? Here, the pros tell us how it's done
Celebrities: With their coiffed hair, glowing skin, toned bodies and flawless makeup, they always appear picture-perfect. Their secret weapon? They get by with a little help from some friends: hairstylists, makeup artists, aestheticians and personal trainers whose job it is to keep their clients camera-ready. We've asked these miracle workers to share some of their behind-the-scenes beauty tips and secrets. They'll show you that you don't have to be rich and famous to look that way.
If a woman's hair is her crowning glory, then Oprah Winfrey, CeCe Winans, Lauryn Hill, Lela Rochon and Toni Braxton are queens. Their tresses bounce, shimmer or lie smoothly perfect, and their trend-setting styles send sisters to salons, photo inn had, demanding the same fly do's. These celebs entrust their locks to professionals whose credo is: Impeccable coifs stem from healthy hair. And all hair, relaxed or natural, needs regular, informed maintenance. According to Andre Walker, author of the new book Andre Talks Hair! (Simon & Schuster) and the man behind Oprah's signature hairstyles for the past 12 years, "Oprah knows it's important to condition her hair, which keeps it lustrous and full." Every other day, the talk-show maven shampoos her relaxed hair herself to remove product buildup and perspiration, and she conditions it to replenish moisture and nutrients. "We change her shampoo and conditioner regularly so her hair has the opportunity to respond well to new and different products," notes walker. Touch-ups to straighten the hair ("Not make it bone-straight," Walker stresses, "just manageable") and cuts are done simultaneously every eight weeks, for uniform texture and to prevent breakage. Walker then blows Oprah's hair dry, bends it with a curling iron and finger-combs the layered long-fringed locks into place.
"Hair is supposed to look vibrant," declares Sybil Winans, sister-in-law and longtime hairstylist of gospel diva CeCe Winans. Winans maintains CeCe's bouncy, looks-as-if-it-were-just-done do--even under the harshest performing conditions--by routinely deep-conditioning and moisturizing her naturally thick, coarse hair. Particular attention is paid to hydrating the ends of the hair, which is chemicaly treated and semipermanently colored, protecting it from dryness and brittleness. Roller-set wraps are brushed out with a large paddle-shaped boar's-hair brush, stimulating CeCe's scalp while infusing her hair with body and sheen. Should a photo or video shoot mandate extreme styling with potentially damaging results, "I'll put extensions in so that the hair we `abuse' is not hers," admits Winans.
Lauryn Hill's natural hair requires just as much TLC as chemically treated hair, says her hairstylist, Veronica Fletcher of the Dyaspora Salon in New York City. "Keeping it clean, conditioned and lubricated is essential for her well-groomed styles," says Fletcher, who has twisted and coiled Hill's thick, soft-textured tresses to fit the demands of the busy singer's schedule.
Moisture and protein is the secret to Lela Rochon's supple, texturized tresses. "As an actress, Lela understands that her hair must be maintained properly through her many transformations," says her stylist, Iraina Gibson. Rochon's hair-care regimen includes regular trims to prevent split ends and oil treatments to strengthen, nourish and revitalize the hair. Gibson's star client also adheres strictly to periodic detoxifying treatments to prevent product buildup.
When tending Toni Braxton's fine, naturally wavy locks, stylist Marie Davis opts for molds and roller sets, which are less harsh than thermal styling. Davis finds wigs, weaves and low-intensity color treatments such as low lights or highlights (as opposed to a more intrusive allover color change) give the songstress the frequent style changes she craves without damaging her delicate hair.
For those who use the added support of hair weaves and extensions, Ellin LaVar of LaVar Hair Designs, New York City, weave master to stars Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige and Naomi Campbell, advises: "Take care of it as if it were your own hair." Wash and deep-condition it every week; tighten it after two months and replace it after four months."
What makes stars like Angela Bassett, Nia Long and Naomi Campbell look so radiant? No doubt about it, it's the skin they're in. They all have regimens that keep their complexions fine, flawless and fabulous. Here's what they do to get that glow:
Angela's luminous skin stems from inner and outer maintenance. In addition to drinking enormous amounts of water and watching what she eats, Angela visits the Gahin Spa in Los Angeles every three weeks for facials, regular massages and acupressure. She is also a fan of the Princess Marcella Borghese skin-care line. Nia's a stickler for following a precise regimen. She begins the day by washing her face with TaUt facial cleanser by Leonard Engelman, followed by a 15-minute facial ice pack to invigorate her skin, ending with Aveda Hydrating Lotion. Once a week Nia also treats her face to Aveda's Intensive Hydrating Mask. Supermodel extraordinaire Naomi Campbell's looks are her livelihood, so she must come correct 365 days a year. Clean skin is her mantra, so she always makes sure she removes all her makeup (late nights are no excuse). Naomi cleanses her combination skin twice daily with cucumber-enriched products from Mario Badescu Skin Care in New York City (she's so loyal that they deliver these products to her wherever she is in the world). She also sees Christy Chis at Badescu about every three weeks for facials, which include on herbal mask with seaweed algae and deep cleansing. And when Naomi's skin is dehydrated from extensive flying, Chis concludes with an enriching oxygen treatment.
When you consider the 40 illustrious hues that comprise our skin tones, it is excitingly clear that the possibilities for makeup artistry are virtually endless. So despite what your mother may have said, don't be afraid to experiment with colors and techniques that help you put your best face forward, like the stars pictured here. Halle Berry's makeup artist, Mary Burton, concedes that for the most part what she does for this wholesome beauty is simply accentuate her features. Burton concentrates on highlighting Halle's natural beauty with sheer, muted earth-toned makeup, enhanced with flecks of frost and gloss for subtle contrast. "My goal in never to let you see where anything begins or ends on her makeup, there's a problem." Blending is also important to Iman. The former model likes her earth-toned makeup shades to meld to create a matte finish, says her makeup artist and the creative director of her skin-care and cosmetics line, Byron Barnes. Iman's other tricks include a dab of gloss centered on her small lips to give them focus; a thin strip of liquid liner on the top lid for precise shaping and a rich deep finish that can't be achieved with a pencil; and smoky, rather than stark, liner that provides subtle framing for her recessed eyes. Patti LaBelle dares to be whoever she wants to be at any moment--and uses makeup to express it. "Nothing's ever too little or too much for Pat!" exclaims her makeup artist, Sam Fine. "She thinks makeup is fun and brings an attitude of indulgence to it. She'll try just about anything!" Over a canvas of cream foundation (to provide an even tone), Fine blends the orange, gold and brown hues that Patti loves, to achieve a finished, alluring look. Because Patti's eyes are big and expressive, Fine makes them the focus of her face, while keeping her comparatively small mouth soft in muted complementary shades (from the Patti LaBelle Signature Lip Collection).
IF you've never played golf, perhaps you'll never understand the attraction. But if you're like many celebrities--whether they've been playing for years or just recently began to tee it up--you'll agree that the game has an unusual appeal that can consume you.
Golf has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years, so much so that the game--long and wrongly considered a less-than-physically-challenging sport--is inspiring yoga and Pilates workouts. Celebrity golfers, who often pay personal trainers big money to help them get in shape and help them stay physically fit--say there are some definite physical benefits associated with an outing on the links.
Experts say you can get the most out of a round of golf if you walk the course, the length of which can measure about 5 miles, depending on the course. Walking improves your cardiovascular health, builds endurance and allows you to burn a moderate amount of calories. If you carry your clubs, you can get an upper body workout as well. And hitting the ball actually can improve your hand-eye coordination, which can be useful in many other areas.
Many celebrities and professional athletes have begun playing to add another level of competition to their lives and to be able to spend more time together with their families, who are joining them on the course.
Some players like Oakland Raiders cornerback Ray Buchanan love the sport so much that he and his wife, Sheree, built their dream home at Sugarloaf Country Club in Duluth, Ga., home of the PGA Tour's Bellsouth Classic. Their multimillion-dollar mansion overlooks the 9th hole, and Buchanan, a former Pro-Bowler, plays two to three times a week during the off-season.
"At first, I didn't like golf," says Buchanan, formerly of the Atlanta Falcons. "But after a while, it was like a virus--so contagious that I wanted to keep playing and learn more."
Sheree Buchanan, who starred as part of the "NFL wives" team in the Emmy-winning reality TV series The Amazing Race 4, just started playing golf a few months ago, in an effort to spend more time with her husband. She took up golf; he took up her favorite sport--tennis. She's just beginning to understand why her husband loves the game so much--the competition with yourself and a desire to always do better. Eventually, the couple hopes that their four children will grow to love the sport as much as they do.
"[Golf is] still brand new for me," Sheree says. "For us, it's fun. He teaches me, and as long as we don't have a lot of people [playing] behind us, it's OK."
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad, who also owns an entertainment company and nonprofit foundation, says he started playing golf when he entered the NFL and "fell in love with it."
"Golf is something that is very relaxing for me," says Muhammad, who already is encouraging his 3-year-old son to play. "I think being able to play golf allows you to meet and associate with different people."
But it's not only professional athletes who enjoy time on the course. Actors such as Samuel L. Jackson and Will Smith, and singer Johnny Gill also love the game. Even celebrity couples make the rounds together.
Dondre Whitfield and Salli Richardson-Whitfield, who married in 2002, golf together often. Whitfield, a Brooklyn, N.Y., native, became hooked on the sport 11 years ago--after his first visit to the driving range. Richardson-Whitfield, who has been playing golf for six years, is still teeing off into her seventh month of pregnancy. The Chicago native began playing after she was invited to participate in a celebrity tournament in Jamaica about six years ago. The couple, who had just started dating around that time, found that they had a mutual love for the sport.
"We can spend five hours together, quality time," says Richardson-Whitfield, set to star in the upcoming movie, Anacondas: Hunt for the Blood Orchid. "And for me, it gives me a way to compete with myself."
"It's a physical game of chess," says Whitfield, who stars with Bernie Mac and Angela Bassett in Mr. 3000 in September. "You have to fight your emotions, because there can be highs and lows."
The couple says that they plan to encourage their child to play golf, too, because it's a sport that teaches you honesty. Whitfield says that because golf is generally an individual sport, if you cheat, you cheat yourself.
Considering the joy that the game has brought Dondr6 and Salli, they have only one regret when it comes to golf: "We wish we had started to play when we were kids."
GOLF NOTES
* GOLF CAN BE PLAYED BY YOURSELF or with your friends. If you're just starting out, make sure you inform the people with whom you're playing that you're a beginner, and don't hesitate to let other groups "play through" if you're playing too slowly.
* THE PHYSICAL BENEFITS OF GOLF INCLUDE aerobic exercise from walking, better flexibility, improved fine motor skills, improved depth perception and improved coordination.
* WHILE GOLF CAN BE EXPENSIVE--RANGING IN PRICE FROM $20 TO $225 PER ROUND--THERE ARE WAYS TO SAVE MONEY. Consider renting your clubs or purchasing used clubs that are in good condition. Find an inexpensive public golf course (golf guides such as Fodor's list the best and rate them) or driving range. Also, consider calling the pro shop at a golf course and asking them to cut your foursome a deal. One golf expert says that there is strength in numbers, especially during downtime. Another tip is to play during the week or late afternoon rather than weekends when greens fees are much higher.
* CONSIDER TAKING GOLF LESSONS. The learning curve with golf can be pretty steep and frustration levels can run very high. You can take group or individual lessons at a cost of roughly $25 to $150 per hour.
* NOT ALL COURSES ARE CONSIDERED EQUAL. While you may be able to walk some courses without difficulty, walking the more hilly courses will make your enjoyment of the round go downhill. Make sure you're educated about the ins and outs and ups and downs of the course you want to try. Get a golf cart if you're unsure of your stamina.
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