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These Are The Hair Trends Bringing The Heat This Summer & Beyond
One of my favorite aspects of being a Black woman is the dedication to our ever-changing hair. Forever testing the bounds, we love staying a step ahead while placing no limits on what we can do with a lot of texture and a little imagination. Our hair is a lifestyle and the art of being a Black woman includes our diverse range of looks we can pull off from one week to the next. Whether a sleek pony or beachy body waves, we can literally pull off anything we set our mind to.
During the summer, there are quite a few looks I try to squeeze in before the warm weather starts to cool off. It's hard to resist the temptation of a blunt cut or long bob to keep hair off our neck and shoulders for a super chic and easy look. If not a drastic cut then maybe extra length and volume with soft beachy waves that I can easily maintain for an effortless style. If I’m not experimenting with cuts or lengths of my hair, then I’m experimenting with brighter hair tones and colors that come alive with the light of the brighter beaming sun. Whichever hairstyle I’m wearing for the moment, there always seem to be certain styles that I tend to gravitate towards at certain times of the year.
Like everything else within the beauty world, hair has trends and this season is all about blunt bold cuts and effortless hair. To get a better idea of what women are asking for, I reached out to the California-based owners of DreamGirls Fine Hair Imports & Salon for hair tips and inspiration on the top hair trends of summer.
Meet the Experts
DreamGirls co-founders, Tonya Thompson and Sharie Wilson.
Sisters, Entrepreneurs, Healthy Hair Experts
1. Beach Waves
"We highly recommend wearing a protective weave style to promote healthy hair growth, and to give your hair a break from everyday wear and tear. The summer is a great time to wear protective styles like weaves, especially since we are outdoors exposing our hair to the sun and elements like chlorine and salt water," Tonya and Sharie explain. "Beach waves are great if you wish to have a longer style, which can easily be done with no heat, twisting your hair back and securing it with a bonnet before you go to bed at night, and then letting it loose in the morning to reveal loose waves.”
2. Classic Curls
You can never go wrong wearing big bold curls. One of my all-time favorite looks for summer, this is one of my go-to looks especially when during high temperatures. I love that curls are hassle-free and able to withstand the elements without the use of heating tools. Using a moisturizing spray, a long tooth comb/pick and a banana bun at night wrapped with a silk scarf can uphold your curls for weeks. “Simple classic curls are one of the top three styles requested by clients during the summer,” states the styling duo Tonya and Sharie.
3. Lob
Lob is short for “long bob.” A bob, but longer, hitting somewhere between your ear level and chin, the lob can land as far as your shoulders or somewhere in between. I love this edgy style, especially when adding brown or blonde highlights for an even bolder eye-catching look. Tonya and Sharie add, “Classic cuts that re-emerge every summer are textured lobs and choppy bobs. These looks allow you to quickly style, in addition to being classic looks that never make you look dated.”
4. Blunt Cut
The classic bob is still a go-to look however this year they’ve gotten even shorter, giving even more of a summer appeal. Tonya and Sharie state, “We recommend short [hair] cuts that are off your back and easy to quickly style.”
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This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
Feature image courtesy
‘ACross Generations With Tiffany Cross’ Have A Candid Conversation About Diversity In Media
Being the only Black person at your job can often make you feel isolated. There’s no one to relate to or who even understands your background. This is a conversation that many Black people have among each other and a topic that was covered in the latest episode of ACross Generations with Tiffany Cross.
Host Tiffany sat down with media professionals Michele McGhee and Sidney Madden to discuss everything from diversity in media to their own journeys in the industry. Tiffany, who has worked at many media platforms such as BET, revealed that during her time at CNN, she felt isolated and dismissed by her coworkers.
“Not only isolated in what you looked like but isolated in your lived experience and have people summarily dismiss your humanity on a daily basis,” she said.
Michele agreed; however, she took a different approach toward the dismissiveness she experienced while working at CNN.
“I would sit there, and I’d be like, oh my God, I’m the only one, and really it made me connect to my faith because I said God wants me to be the only one because He wants me to have this voice. He wants me to have this moment, and He wants me to go on this journey because if you’re with someone else, I can’t stretch and grow you the way I need you to be.”
She continued, “So now, as a 58-year-old woman, I never ask God, why am I alone.”
Michele is now the co-founder and CEO of Expectant Media, a company that elevates Black-owned media and creators.
Sidney is a writer and host of NPR’s podcast Louder Than A Riot. When she began working at NPR, she was one of three Black people and the only Black woman in the music department.
She recalled a moment when she pitched a story about Cardi B’s buying power before she became mainstream and how well it did on the site. The story reminded her of the value she brings to the table.
She said, “It was a point of validation for me because I’m like, ‘Oh, actually, I can learn all this stuff you’re talking about, but there’s some things you’re never gonna know. And I’m truly gonna be the expert in that I can assert in this place that you can never take away from me, and that’s the voice.”
Watch the full episode of ACross Generations with Tiffany Cross below.
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Feature image by ACross Generations with Tiffany Cross/ YouTube