In the chair with: Stacey Ciceron – Essence

“Every time I go into a community of women of color, women with natural hair, I see so many similarities that it feels like you grew up in the same house.” Stacy Ciceron says ESSENCE. Like most kids growing up in black homes, Cicero was given her first sedative around age 10. “I didn’t learn to appreciate my hair,” she says. “I’m from the Caribbean, so it was hard.”

At the age of 17, the Trinidadian regained her natural hair, but soon cut all of it off. However, the moment, which she found “extremely liberating,” had a 2-hour expiration date before she introduced her big cutlet to her family. “They just thought I was crazy for shaving my hair,” she recalled. “But if I hadn’t done it, I wouldn’t be where I am now.”

After graduating from Dudley Cosmetology University in North Carolina, the Brooklyn-born hair stylist began working throughout the world on fashion shows, photo shoots and with celebrities. Then her partnership with Orib he began. “Everyone had this little bottle,” she says when asked to assist develop them A group of hydration and control as a brand consultant in 2018. For her latest enterprise with the Ciceron brand, she traveled to Kenya to collaborate on their Holiday collection 2024wherein a Kenyan artist performed Thandiwe died.

Below, Ciceron explains her favorite products, debunks hair myths, and shares what she’s learned from her clients.

Her current favorite products

First of all, every little thing in A group of hydration and control with Oribe shall be my favorite. But truthfully, each time they release something recent, I get to try it and it literally becomes my recent favorite. But this season, just by being in the spirit of excellence and serving at a high level, I’m doing my very own personal research. I’m ears to the ground, ears to the street, trying to search out out what people love. I actually have teenagers at home, so it is usually good. I all the time know what the latest edge control is, what the latest mouse is, and I try it.

I actually have my hands on many products comparable to rollable mice, edge controls, and coverings, but only the Oribe version of them. They have tons of products lined as much as launch. I just attempt to squeeze my little ideas in there. Some have made it to the surface, and a few are on their option to next yr and the yr after that. But some things, like mouse curls, are great for all hair types. I believe I could go to trichology next yr. I care very much about scalp care.

Her favorite hairstyles

My specialty is metamorphosis. The whole transformation lies in the indisputable fact that women include their heads down and leave with a way of self-confidence. So if I can get you to get a haircut because quite a lot of times women of color are afraid of getting a haircut. They don’t even need to call it cutting or pruning. But the most significant thing is to care for the health of your hair, create an incredible shape and silhouette, because without it nothing will look good. And then providing them with styling, whether or not it’s ironing silk, washing and cooking, or an updo, but only this transformation.

A hair myth I would like to debunk

Beauty itself is a myth. The textures are beautiful. Recently I talked about what an ideal wash and go is. I can show you find out how to get an excellent defined hairstyle, but don’t think that should you do not have definition in the wash, you are not beautiful. The biggest myth I would like to debunk is what beauty means to humans. Short hair is gorgeous, long hair is gorgeous. Thick hair is gorgeous, thin hair is gorgeous.

Growing up in a Caribbean home, your hair is your beauty, your crown and your glory. Our identity, our hair is our freedom. So why should we limit it and box it in to say what beauty is? The way you express yourself is your individual beauty.

What she learned from her clients

First of all, they taught me to just accept my gift. For a few years I simply viewed it as a skill slightly than a present. At the time I just did a twist out, wash and go or a set of rolls. I learned from them that it’s greater than that, that it’s greater than only a skill. It’s nearly being present, encouraging, and just using that presence, that healing space.

I also love my mature clients. They are like mother figures. I learned rather a lot from them about find out how to speak, find out how to carry myself and find out how to imagine in myself. Just with regards to coaching, being a mentor. I am unable to even point to 1 lesson – they gave me parenting advice and wife advice.

How he lifts the spirits of his clients

I realize that I show up and study their needs, what they express, and I also provide encouragement, highlighting that they’re special and helping them appreciate their very own beauty. Then equip them with education in order that they can [take on] the biggest challenge: find out how to style your hair. If I give them the tools with a bit of confidence, I recharge their batteries with the encouragement and skills I impart to them.