Celebrity hairstylist Cliff Vmir is a bonafide badass working with some of the top talents in entertainment, including Cardi B, who months ago crafted Cardi's icy blue hair color that lit social media ablaze. Recently, the millionaire hairstylist gave his 700K+ followers an up close and personal look into his life by starring in his own BET web series Wig Out. At only 21 years old, Cliff holds the reins as a premier stylist and has gained a loyal following on social media as well as from his classes where aspiring hairstylists learn valuable techniques and expert advice for mastering the latest looks.
Luckily for us, we were able to snag Cliff for a moment to talk about what he knows best: Wigs! From advice on purchasing our wigs to caring for and maintaining them, Cliff has us covered, and we are definitely taking notes.
Courtesy of Cliff Vmir
It’s All About the Lace.
"When purchasing a wig, you should make sure that the lace is pretty thin and the color of the lace matches your skin and [that] it's a swift lace," Cliff told us. "You also want to make sure that you are getting a nice quality wig. You don't want to get a wig that's kinda cheap because you get what you pay for."
Quality Matters.
Quality over quantity is a life mantra that goes double with wigs. "There [are] so many different types of hair you can use for a wig and that (quality) is something you want to pay attention to when purchasing a wig. You don't want to get a wig that you spend a lot of money on or feel is a lot of money but it's not great quality. You just want to keep your eyes open and do your research, especially from the company you're purchasing your wig from."
Cliff also added that sometimes spending more money on hair upfront can save you money in the long run. "[With] synthetic hair, you can't curl it, you can't straighten it, you could probably color it but it just doesn't give you that flexibility or that movement that human hair does," he explained. "Synthetic hair swells up after a week or two in the end… That same money you're using to buy [and replace] those synthetic wigs, you're gonna be using the same amount of money that you could've been spending on an expensive wig that would last you about six months."
Prep Your Wig Properly.
"When you're doing a wig, you just have to make sure that you bleach the knots, you're plucking it, you're tinting the knots and lace to make sure it matches your skin color. As long as you pluck it well and apply a nude stocking cap underneath to make sure that you have the scalp-like look, then you'll be fine."
Cardi B styled by Cliff Vmir
Courtesy of Cliff Vmir
Keep It Clean and Dry.
"Make sure that you're very gentle when it comes to shampooing the wig. Make sure you use a mild shampoo and conditioner as well as putting the wig [under] the dryer. That's a lot better and makes the hair feel a lot softer, opposed to blow drying it or air drying it. Air drying it is fine too but you want to make sure that the lace is fully dry, so put it [under] a hooded hair dryer."
If you're looking to wear your wig long-term and prefer to sew it to your head, Cliff has a tip for that too: "Shampoo, condition, and rebraid [your hair], that way you're not putting any heat unto it, really giving it time to grow."
The Way You Store Your Wigs Is Important.
In order to preserve your wigs you must store them properly. "You can get a dome head, the styrofoam heads, or you can even put your wigs in a silk bag. If you are sleeping in the wig, just make sure that it's a silk bonnet or silk scarf. Make sure that the wig has some kinda silk around it, but if it's not around silk, then it needs to be propped up somewhere because cotton does dry your hair out."
Wear The Hair That Works Best For You.
"I wear my Mink Brazilian hair. That's the only hair I really wear out of my company [Hym Hair]. It's very expensive but it lasts a super long time. You can wear it for a year straight and it'll still look like you just got it. That's the only hair I wear. I've tried Indian hair, nothing really wrong with it, it's just the Mink Brazilian hair is less maintenance. If I press it out, I can sleep all on it, and then run a brush through it and it'll still be straight [for] two full weeks."
Tune into Wig Out every Sunday on BET Digital, YouTube, and BET Facebook and the BET App at 6pm. Follow Cliff Vmir on all social media @cliffvmir, and look out for his new EP in March.
Featured image courtesy of Cliff Vmir.
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Some women have their whole wedding planned out, from the bridal gown and venue to the bridal party and playlist. However, KJ was not one of those people. “I didn’t foresee a wedding in my future,” she reveals. “I was just gonna be the boss chick, rich auntie. I didn’t force love in my life until recently. I never had an idea of what a dream wedding would look like, it was easier for me to elope.”
KJ Smith
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
And to many people’s surprise, that was their original plan – until Skyh brought up a valid concern. He was raised by his grandmother and thought she should be at the wedding, and naturally, that led to KJ wanting her grandmother to be there as well – then her mom – and later her sister – and, you’ve gotta invite the besties too, right? From there, the guest list continued to blossom. Much like the updo and pop of color bold red lip, she wore on her special day, which was initially on her Pinterest board as a soft glam look with her hair hanging on her shoulders, KJ is okay with changing her plan if it brings her and her loved ones happiness.
So let’s get into the wedding, which took place in Malibu, CA. The first thing you should know about the celebrity couple is that they’re non-traditional. They know, and they don’t care. So, in true unconventional fashion, they shared the morning of the wedding together.
“I woke up with Skyh, we walked our dog, had black coffee, and said good morning to the people who stayed at the venue with us,” she says.
Now, it was time for hair and makeup. While she was getting glammed up, she had Black-owned McBride Sisters wine and champagne (which ties into The Black Experience theme) on deck with her mom and friends, had her besties help rework her vows, retried on every outfit (sis is very Type-A), took photos, and ended the early-celebration with prayer and meditation. It seems very non-Bridezilla, I said.
“Yeah, I was the most unbothered bride ever. Everyone was just so supportive. As entertainers, we go on red carpets all the time. We actually have a production company,” she explains. “The get-ready process was like a day at work, but with people we love the most. Being entertainers, we didn’t feel stressed at all, but my excitement was so high.”
Things moved quickly, and before she knew it, it was time to line up to walk down the aisle.
“Yeah, I was the most unbothered bride ever. Everyone was just so supportive. As entertainers, we go on red carpets all the time. We actually have a production company. The get-ready process was like a day at work, but with people we love the most. Being entertainers, we didn’t feel stressed at all, but my excitement was so high.”
KJ Smith and her bridal party
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
Since everything started with their grandmothers, the couple wanted to ensure they honored them and planned to keep an element of their wedding traditional. Although we’ve all seen the reception videos and photos online, you may have noticed visuals from the wedding itself are harder to find.
“We planned for it to be traditional, but we’re not like that, so we tried to create those moments. We jumped the broom and had a salt ceremony (where the bride and groom individually pour salt into a glass container, symbolizing their lives becoming one.) But honestly, still, nothing was traditional about it.”
She goes on to explain that her mom caught the holy ghost coming down the aisle, her glam team was on deck, and she became so nervous with excitement that she had an anxiety attack – something she struggled with for years, she explains tearfully. Her friends had to literally cheer her down the aisle because of how overwhelmed she felt until she eventually calmed down.
“Skyh was standing there with his hand on his heart; we have our own little language, and I could feel the support,” she shares.
It was surprising to hear all these emotional moments happened before the party we saw online. That is until she once again got into the backstory.
“As a Black woman actress, for so long, it was popular to be mysterious and secretive, but that’s not who I am or what I like. Plus, we both wanted to create an experience for everyone there. We are the people who always host family and friends,” she says. “Like for me, the first order of business was getting sandals for the women so they can dance all night long. We had oxtail, D'ussé, and a coffee and sativa lounge – which is part of Skyh and I’s lifestyle and routine. We wanted to bring them into our world.”
Skyh Black (L) and KJ Smith (R)
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
She went on to discuss the dance routine she did for her husband at the reception, which has taken over the internet. Apparently, that’s another thing that didn’t go according to plan. According to KJ, she had promised a performance at their joint bachelor/ bachelorette party, but her outfit got stolen from her car. So, Skyh ended up performing for her – complete with a strip tease. Still, she never forgot her promise to dance for him.
So, she hired her friend as a choreographer, learned the routine, made friends and family watch it endless times, and attended Beyoncé’s Renaissance show a few days before for a confidence boost. It ended up being a show to remember. But that wasn’t all the night offered. Lil Mo performed, and the guests received special goody bags featuring their favorite Black-owned products like journals, hair care, and more.
“We made sure everyone was taken care of all night. That kind of stuff makes us happy. I wanted everyone there to experience the joy and love I have for myself, my partner, and for them. I wanted them to feel full and whole, and they had the time of their lives,” she says.
But naturally, the internet is going to internet, and while there were countless people praising the event and applauding the newlyweds, some thought it was too over the top. I was curious to know her thoughts on some of the criticism.
“It’s cool. We did what we wanted to do. I’ve decided to share my world with people. Just how I went on social media platforms and found inspiration, I want people to do the same,” she explains. “I don’t think it's fair to my supporters not to give that out. There’s so much I wanna share with brides, specifically Black brides. I love that people are adding it to their Pinterest boards."
"I wanted everyone there to experience the joy and love I have for myself, my partner, and for them. I wanted them to feel full and whole, and they had the time of their lives."
KJ Smith
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
“I’m happy with it because we did what we wanted to do. They can do what they wanna do. Don’t be cruel, though, because you will get blocked,” she said, laughing.
The more I spoke with her, the more her sense of freedom shined through. People are always going to have their opinions, but at the end of the day, it’s you who has to live your life, and it seems like the couple realizes that and embraces that power. She also stressed the importance of not living for others and the lessons life has taught her.
“I’ve been to countless weddings, and I’ve been in countless weddings. I’m a generally older bride. So when women in my demographic get married, and you and your husband are busy working people like us, you deserve to have the one you want to have,” she shares.
“This is what we wanted to do. Our loved ones love and support us. We did so much to honor them, but we also wanted to start our own tradition, legacy, and creation. I'm not going to be pulled back into ideas of the past when I’m trying to create a future with my partner. “
If you’d like to see more of the couple, you probably won’t have to wait long. Although no content is planned yet, she admits to being an oversharer. “Me being open and transparent about my experiences lets people know it’s okay to have flaws; it makes you human, and for many years, I didn’t believe that was okay. I had pressure to be perfect, and I’d crumble every time,” she explains to xoNecole.
Now, she owns her flaws and uses them as a superpower to connect with her community and feel and express her love.
“Some people give us [Skyh and KJ] a hard time because they say we just seem too perfect. I’m like, why is that a bad thing? I love the people I love. From my man to my mama, to my friends - unabashedly. We move through time and space how we want to move. If we did it another way, we’d let ourselves and our union down.”
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Feature image by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
