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In the Chair with: Brandon Horsley-Thompson – Essence

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Courtesy of Brandon Horsley-Thompson

When Brandon Horsley-Thompson was a youngster applying for a summer job in his hometown of Columbia, Missouri, who had his eye on a hair salon. But he admits it was a lie that helped him get in. “They signed me up for the barbershop because as a 14-year-old gay kid from the Midwest, being a barber wasn’t what you wanted to be. But it all worked out,” Horsley-Thompson tells ESSENCE.

He started off as a “hair wash boy” who also had the task of “sweeping up the hair.” Soon, the budding skilled caught the eye of a certified stylist at the salon. After a month of observing him, she asked him to “help her stick the marks.” Horsley-Thompson felt that all the pieces got here naturally to him. It was confirmation that he was exactly where he was alleged to be.

At age 15, he moved to Dallas and enrolled in cosmetology school in highschool. Although he didn’t pursue cosmetology after graduation, hair was all the time something Horsley-Thompson did in his spare time.

In the Chair with: Brandon Horsley-Thompson

When he enlisted in the Navy, Horsley-Thompson spent his deployment “doing extensions and cornrows.” He then did a series of presidency jobs, and the GI Bill helped him proceed his studies at a hairdressing school in Dallas, Texas. But his ambitions were greater than styling at a neighborhood salon. Despite this, he moved to Los Angeles with the intention of working in television, film, and production.

“I had to do 100 more hours to get my license in California or stay in Dallas. But I was ready,” he says. “So I signed up for Tony & Guy. My first week there, I shot a commercial and starred in a commercial. I just knew L.A. was for me.”

Taking a seat behind the chair at Drybar in Studio City was also a sensible profession move for Horsley-Thompson, because it helped him make some necessary connections in Hollywood. The hair and makeup artist has worked with stars like Angelika RossMissy Elliott and Keke Wyatt, in addition to brands like Hennessy, Jack Daniels, Target and Kohl’s.

“I’ve noticed that in this industry, it’s not common to be nice, on time and get the job done. When you have those things, it sets you apart,” she says. “As a creative and a hairdresser, we get so many monetary rewards, but it’s nice to give back and share the gift.”

Below, Horsley-Thompson shares the most vital lesson he’s learned from the women in his chair, the straightener he cannot live without, and more.

In the Chair with: Brandon Horsley-Thompson
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His favorite hairstyles

I believe my aesthetic is classic and effortless. My job is to create the look – and my job is to coach my clients on maintain that look. Hair can look great the day you wear it, but when it looks 85 percent the same because it did three days later, that is what I like. I like loose, effortless, combable hair!

His current favorite products

This Pravana Nevo Intense Therapy – leave-in treatment. Regardless of the hair structure or race of the person, you should use this product on everyone. It is a very good base for blow-drying, braids, twist-outs. And it doesn’t weigh down the hair like other products.

Kenra Professional This is one other considered one of my favorite brands. I like their formulas because they moisturize but don’t weigh your hair down, so you may get the most out of the products. Remington I made this little straightener. I am unable to find it anywhere! The day it comes out, please check me out. It has a bevel. You can apply it to the edges and it just smooths them out. No one has ever said, “This burns me.”

His top tip for healthy hair

I’d say wash your hair with warm or cool water because hot water dries it out. It feels good but it surely doesn’t do anything.

In the Chair with: Brandon Horsley-Thompson

The hair myth I need to bust

That “my hair can’t do that.” I all the time tell people it is not “my hair can’t do that,” it’s about the approach to getting the hair to where you would like it to be. If you’ve someone who has shorter hair and so they feel like their hair won’t look a certain way. They might want to think about a side part as a substitute of a middle part.

What he learned from his clients

Clients have poured out their grievances on me about how I run my very own business—including arrange an LLC and never be a sole proprietorship only for insurance purposes. I actually have gained the most from the women I actually have served, learning business ethics.

How he lifts the spirits of his customers

I tell them that there is barely one “you” and that you simply are doing the best you may. So in case you get into this thing, whatever it’s, you shine. I feel like I’m an ear to listen because sometimes people just need to talk it out. They don’t really want my input. They just need an “uh huh” or a “yeah” or a “hmm” to get them on the path that they already know is true. I try not to present advice because I’m not a therapist, but I do know that I make decisions by myself just by talking it out loud and having someone in the room. Add to that a pleasant shampoo, a done hairdo, walking out of the house feeling like the best version of yourself, and the answer is yours.


This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Celebrity Coverage

Black love was everywhere on the red carpet at the 2024 Emmys

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Idris Elba and Sabrina Dhowre Elba attend the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Peacock Theater on September 15, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images)

The 2024 Emmys took place in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 15. And while no Black stars swept the Emmys this 12 months (congrats to Leo’s LaMorne Morris for taking home the trophy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series), the event brought out a few of our brightest stars and their partners. There were Idris and Sabrina Elba, Niecy Nash and wife Jessica Betts, Viola Davis and Julius Tennon, and more. As we do for each major event, we’ve rounded up all the Black love moments from the 2024 Emmys. Scroll right down to see who showed up and showed out at TV’s biggest night.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Meet Tricia Lee, Real Estate Champion: Rising Star of Netflix’s ‘Owning Manhattan’ – Essence

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Tricia Lee was a lady. Long before she wowed Netflix viewers along with her enviable style, personable personality, and savvy business acumen on the hit series, which was just renewed for a second season, she was giving her elementary school friends bathroom makeovers. As she grew, so did her entrepreneurial spirit. “In college, I would do other students’ makeup before parties in my dorm room,” Lee recalls with a smile. “I always wanted to be an entrepreneur.”

Lee, who’s of Jamaican descent, was born in Brooklyn, New York, raised in Arizona, and moved back to the Big Apple after college, where she’s lived for 23 years. A proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Lee desired to work in the wonder and fashion industry—and she or he did. After climbing the ranks at cosmetics giant Estée Lauder, Lee joined cult favorite makeup brand MAC Cosmetics within the brand’s early days and quickly rose through the ranks. Then, in 2005, Lee opened The Polish Bar in the center of Brooklyn. Her chic beauty salon also offered waxing, makeup, and lashes to her trendy clientele. In 2016, Lee desired to try her hand at a brand new field: real estate. The small-time powerhouse closed her beauty business to pursue real estate full-time and concentrate on learning a brand new craft. Her drive paid off. Eight years later, it’s winning the hearts of people around the globe because of the Netflix series.

We managed to squeeze in a bit interview with this savvy businesswoman about her daring profession moves, the realities of working along with her husband – and the surprising the explanation why buying real estate is more attainable than most of us realize.

ESSENCE: Congratulations in your success ! The show was ranks in the highest 10 in over 40 countries worldwide. What have your opinions been for the reason that series debuted?
TRICIA LEE: Most of the feedback is, “I need to watch more of you! They don’t show you enough.” Sometimes that annoys me because it isn’t my show. It’s Ryan [Serhant] show. My family, people near me, usually are not surprised by the show and the general public opinion I receive. I also discovered that I’m superb in front of the camera. [laughs]

ESSENCE: We discovered that you just work along with your husband, Jeffrey St. Arromand. You each have even been guests on ! What does constructing a business along with your spouse appear like?

LEE: I believe we may very well be rather a lot more decoupled from our marriage. We haven’t got all of it discovered yet. We’ve set some boundaries. But it’s hard. I don’t need to be the boss on a regular basis. I need to be soft. I don’t need to must select. I attempt to separate it. We’re kind of like yin and yang in relation to strengths. Jeff is more of a curious type. He can sense the energy of the client or the vendor. Whereas once I walk right into a house, I take a look at the interiors and the aesthetics. I believe, “Oh, this needs to change. Or this needs to change.” He doesn’t take a look at those things. When a client works with us, they get two different strengths, but they’re only paying for one.

ESSENCE: You are such a refreshing example of a successful black woman on reality TV. How does that make you are feeling?

LEE: Honestly, I just desired to be myself. You’ll see some attitude. You’ll see some humor. You’ll see some gentleness. You’ll see all of that, because that is all I’m. I’ll talk my mind, because I even have every reason on the earth to be confident. And sometimes I’ll be nervous, because I’m beginning to tackle parts of this business which might be recent to me. I can not control how people perceive me. It’s not my business. I don’t need to own it. I believe it’s great that individuals have accepted me so well. I believe it’s higher that I do not live and die by this, like most individuals would.

ESSENCE: Amen! Speaking of women and property, what are some creative ways we will get into the true estate game with lower than ideal funds or resources?

LEE: How much does it cost you to attend to own a house? More single women are buying homes now than single men. Imagine that. Forty years ago, you could not even get a mortgage with no man’s signature. So owning a house must be viewed as an asset-constructing issue, similar to where you reside. But sometimes we wish to examine off other things first. For example, you wish to get married, you wish to have a baby, and you wish to buy a house. Well, how much does that waiting cost you in the true estate conversation?

When we girls take a look at buying real estate as constructing assets, we’re more prone to do it with our mom, our sister, our greatest friend. So possibly you may’t afford a Bed-Stuy brownstone that you just buy by yourself. But possibly you and I should buy it together. Maybe in five years we’ll have 2 or 3 of them. Too often we devalue our own communities. But we’re seeing a revival in places like Detroit and Baltimore. Thankfully, individuals are starting to grasp that. Don’t underestimate the proven fact that you begin where you might be.

GIST: I’d like more advice for first-time home buyers.

LEE: Credit, money, and criteria! What is your credit rating? How much money do you might have not just for the down payment, but in addition for closing costs. Criteria: You must know the way much your needs and needs will cost you. When buying a house, your budget is the deciding factor. What are your criteria for must-haves and negotiables? For example, the very first thing I normally ask my clients is: What is your timeline? 2 months or 2 years? What are your criteria? Type of home (apartment, single-family, multifamily), size, price, and site. Here’s a tip… Budget and site are the true questions on this case.

THE ESSENCE: How do you already know if you’re ready to begin searching for a house?

LEE: If you do not know if you’ll be able to buy a house, nevertheless it’s a brief-term goal (about 18 months), contact a mortgage lender for a financial assessment. You must know the way much you may save in that point, what you may afford based in your credit rating and income. You’ll have a plan of motion. The house hunt starts if you’re able to shop.

ESSENCE: We hear rumors about unusual 40-12 months mortgages. What do you think that?

LEE: 40-12 months mortgages can work, especially in case you plan to purchase and hold for some time. They can dramatically offset the monthly maintenance fees. That’s an enormous help with current rates of interest, nevertheless it also lets you buy more home at a cheaper monthly cost. That’s in case you plan to carry for some time.

ESSENCE: You are captivated with empowering women, especially black women, in some ways. How can people be told about your upcoming projects?

LEE: Yes, the following Money Matters event with Tricia Lee will likely be this fall at Serhant [in New York City]. I also organize a luxury event called Dinner in Noir. People can follow me on social media to get updates on @lovetricialee.


This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Arrested in New York After Grand Jury Indictment – Essence

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Sean 'Diddy' Combs arrested in New York after grand jury indictment

Photo credit: Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images

Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested Monday night on the Park Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan after being indicted by a grand jury, authorities said. Combs, who has faced multiple sexual assault lawsuits and a federal human trafficking investigation over the past 12 months, was detained by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, CNN reports.

The specific charges against the music mogul remain unclear, but U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams confirmed the arrest in a press release. “Earlier this evening, federal agents arrested Sean Combs on a sealed indictment filed by the SDNY,” he said. “We expect to file a motion to unseal the indictment in the morning and will have more to say at that time.”

Combs’ attorney, Marc Agnifilo, criticized the choice to file charges, calling the indictment “unfair.” According to the report, Agnifilo said, “We are disappointed with the decision to bring what we believe is an unfair indictment against Mr. Combs by the United States Attorney’s Office. Sean “Diddy” Combs is a music icon, a self-made entrepreneur, a loving family man, and a proven philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years constructing an empire, adoring his children, and dealing to uplift the black community.”

Agnifilo continued by emphasizing his client’s cooperation with investigators, adding, “To his credit, Mr. Combs has cooperated with this investigation and voluntarily moved to New York last week in anticipation of these charges. Please reserve judgment until you know all the facts. These are the actions of an innocent man who has nothing to hide and is eager to clear his name in court.”

Combs, 54, has been under intense scrutiny in recent months, and the arrest is the most recent in a series of legal challenges he has faced. The federal investigation features a human trafficking probe and a series of sexual assault lawsuits. In one in all the most recent cases, former Danity Kane member Dawn Richard filed a lawsuit on Sept. 10 accusing Combs of verbal abuse, sexual assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Earlier this 12 months, Homeland Security agents raided Combs’ properties in Los Angeles and Miami as a part of a human trafficking investigation. HSI confirmed the searches in a press release, saying, “Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York conducted the law enforcement action as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners.”

Combs also got here under fire in May when CNN released a video of him physically attacking his then-girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura, in 2016. The video was consistent with allegations made in lawsuit filed by Ventura in November 2023. Although the lawsuit was settled the day after it was filed, it added to a growing list of legal issues the entrepreneur has faced.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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