
Jordin Sparks Shares Her Self-Love Journey To Embracing Her Natural Curls

Effortless grace, undeniable natural beauty, and a voice hand delivered by God and his angels themselves are just a few of the notable ingredients that make up Jordin Sparks. The former sixth-season American Idol winner - who made history as the youngest winner of the entire franchise at just 17 years young - has gone on to release hit after hit, marking her territory as a key voice in the 2010s R&B scene with “Tattoo,” “One Step At A Time,” “No Air,” and “Battlefield.” Now, the Sparkle star has added a few new titles to her resume, including wife, mother, and Cantu Beauty ambassador.
The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter has been personally tapped by the hair care brand to join forces in an effort to shine a light on the brand’s community initiatives to give back to women around the world. This includes her partnership with the global nonprofit organization Women Empowering Nations, which kicked off in 2022 with a surprise virtual visit to the final 11 young women who were awarded a spot in the Cantu GLOW Global Fellowship, a four-month hands-on experience in the beauty industry.
In an exclusive interview with xoNecole, Jordin opens up about her natural hair care journey, how self-love and self-care work hand-in-hand, and how becoming a mother and a wife has challenged her self-care maintenance.
xoNecole: How did the partnership with Cantu first begin?
Jordin Sparks: Well, I actually ran into [Global Marketing Director] Dametria [Mustin] down in New Orleans for ESSENCE Fest. We were at this Black excellence brunch and our paths crossed, and we just kind of connected. I really love what the company stands for and how they are empowering women, and at the same time making and helping women feel beautiful with their hair no matter how they rock it. Anytime I can be a part of something that helps uplift women and empower them, I want to do it, so it just seemed like the perfect partnership.
xoN: When did you begin to fall in love with your natural hair?
JS: Honestly, I think it took a little while to fully embrace my hair. I always loved my curls, but when I was growing up, I always wanted something that I didn't have naturally, which was straight hair just because it was different; it was so pretty. My mom's hair was straight as well, but I loved my curls - always. I never wanted to get rid of them. I think it wasn't until probably my mid-twenties that I really started to understand my hair and what it needs, what it doesn't need, how it works best, how to take care of it with a crazy schedule, and different things like that. I would say my mid-twenties was when I really started to embrace and love my natural hair.
Jordin Sparks.
Image courtesy of Cantu.
xoN: When does your hair feel the most beautiful?
JS: Honestly, I love it when my curls are doing what they're supposed to and being wild and free. I love them when they're like that, but now that I've discovered protective hairstyles, I also love my hair in braids. I feel really beautiful when I have those, and I especially love the fact that I can do so many different things with them as well.
xoN: How has your hair routine changed since you’ve become a wife and a mother?
JS: Well, I definitely don't take as long to do my hair like I used to. That's also why I love the protective styles. With braids, I tried faux locs, I tried the Marley twists. I love them all, but the best part about them is that you just wake up and go. You don't have to do anything and you still look fly no matter where you go. It's definitely changed as I have less time and I need less fuss, to be honest.
xoN: Why is it important to include natural hair into conversations about self-love?
JS: Honestly, I think this is a really good question because if we can't love our hair, which is our crown, it naturally comes out. We can change it when it's out with different treatments and stuff, but we can't change the type of hair that we have. I mean, I'm sure technology has come so far that maybe we can now, but as of now, I don't know if we can do that. If we're talking about self-love and loving ourselves in all that we are, that would definitely include the crown of hair that we wear.
I know when I was younger, my hair just did what it wanted to do. I didn't quite know how to do my hair yet, and sometimes it would make me feel a little self-conscious because I was already tall and stood out where I was. When my hair kind of just did its own thing, it stood out even more. I'm grateful. I know we're all individuals and I'm meant to stand out from the crowd, but when I was younger, I just wished my curls would've just done what I told them to do.
Embracing my hair has definitely helped me embrace the rest of me as well. My natural beauty and what I have. I love my cheeks, I love my eyes, I love my face, my skin, my smile especially, and I love my hair. When you look in the mirror, those are the things that you see. You see your eyes, you see your face, and you see your hair. I think that it's definitely important to include that in the conversation with self-love because it's one of the first things that you notice, and the first thing that you see, and it's going to be with you. I mean, hopefully, it'll be with us for as long as we are around, but it depends.
"Embracing my hair has definitely helped me embrace the rest of me as well. My natural beauty and what I have. I love my cheeks, I love my eyes, I love my face, my skin, my smile especially, and I love my hair."
xoN: Who are some of the women that you turn to for natural hair advice?
JS: Honestly, this is a good question as well because I have learned a lot over social media, and with all the different women that I come across and I run into. Everybody that I have met, all these different women, these amazing artists, and songwriters, and actresses that I've come across, and in other fields as well. Everybody's got a different way of how they do their hair and it's always so interesting to me. If the conversation comes up, I definitely love to ask, but I learn a lot of different ways to do your hair and different hacks from social media, to be honest.
xoN: What are some key lessons that you’ve learned about natural hair and self-love that you wish you would’ve learned sooner?
JS: I wish I could have told my younger self that doing my hair is a process and that it's something that you have to learn. When you're young, you want everything to happen right then and there. I don't remember spending a ton of time crying over my hair, but I do remember moments where I felt frustrated and just wished it would've been easier. But nothing that's ever worth doing is very easy, so I'm grateful that I've learned to exercise patience in that way with my hair. Being able to love and embrace my hair has really helped me with who I am and all the things that make me me.
In the self-love department, I feel like I've had a good grasp on who I am for a long time, but I feel like I would have wanted to tell myself that true beauty and true inner peace do come from the inside when you shake off all those external things that don't really define who you are. Clothes don't define who you are - they're an extension of who you are, but they don't define you. An accessory in your hair, a shoe, makeup, all of those things don't define us. It's who we are inside and how we treat other people. Especially being in the industry, sometimes that message can get blurred and cannot come across so easily.
I think I would've just told my younger self to not worry, don't sweat the small stuff, you'll be coming into your own, and you'll be coming into your power as a woman the more you grow and the more that you learn, and that it's going to be amazing. I'm still the same person to my core, but I know that 18-year-old Jordin couldn't mess with Jordin now.
xoN: In the entertainment industry specifically, how have conversations around natural hair evolved, and where can we see improvement?
JS: I have seen a ton of conversation about natural hair. There's tons of think pieces, there's clips, there's videos, there's hacks, there's all these different things on social media and all over. I think it's great that we're having that conversation so the youth can hear these conversations, see them, and realize that they're not alone and that we've all had to figure out our hair journeys together. On the other hand, I do feel like what we need more of is people who know how to do these types of hairstyles. It's very few and far between where you find somebody who can do what is asked for a character as an actress.
Then have somebody come in and try and do natural styles in the way that we know that they should look. I don't think that there is enough. Basically, we need more hands on deck. All hands on deck. We need more people who can do natural hair. I've got to give a shout-out to my girl Alicia, who did my hair while I did my Christmas movie (A Christmas Treasure) in Vancouver. She took such good care of my curls. They were beautiful. We had a plan where I wouldn't put so much heat on my hair so that my hair could still grow and look great. I really love her, so I want to give her a shout-out because she really is helping us girls feel like we know what we're doing with our hair when we come to set.
xoN: How do you include your hair into your self-care routine?
JS: To be honest with you, right now, for my self-care routine, I just need something that I don't have to think about. My hair is in a protective, braided style right now and I love it. I know if I need to glam it up a little bit I can. If I want to be casual, I can do that as well, but for my self-care and my mental right now, I need something that I don't need to think about and I can just get up and go. That's where I'm at right now.
For more of Jordin Sparks, follow her on Instagram @JordinSparks.
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Featured image courtesy of Cantu.
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'Sistas' Star Skyh Black On The Power Of Hypnotherapy & Emotional Vulnerability For Men
In this insightful episode of the xoMAN podcast, host Kiara Walker talked with Sistas star Skyh Black, as he opened up about his journey of emotional growth, resilience, and self-discovery. The episode touches on emotional availability, self-worth, masculinity, and the importance of therapy in overcoming personal struggles.
Skyh Black on Emotional Availability & Love
On Emotional Availability & Vulnerability
“My wife and I wouldn't be where we are today if both of us weren't emotionally available,” he shared about his wife and Sistas co-star KJ Smith, highlighting the value of vulnerability and emotional openness in a relationship. His approach to masculinity stands in contrast to the traditional, stoic ideals. Skyh is not afraid to embrace softness as part of his emotional expression.
On Overcoming Self-Doubt & Worthiness Issues
Skyh reflected on the self-doubt and worthiness issues that he struggled with, especially early in his career. He opens up about his time in Los Angeles, living what he calls the “LA struggle story”—in a one-bedroom with three roommates—and being homeless three times over the span of 16 years. “I always had this self-sabotaging thought process,” Skyh said. “For me, I feel therapy is essential, period. I have a regular therapist and I go to a hypnotherapist.”
How Therapy Helped Him Heal From Self-Doubt
On Hypnotherapy & Empowering Self-Acceptance
Skyh’s journey is a testament to the power of tapping into self-development despite life’s struggles and being open to growth. “I had to submit to the fact that God was doing good in my life, and that I'm worthy of it. I had a worthiness issue and I did not realize that. So, that’s what the hypnotherapy did. It brought me back to the core. What is wrong so that I can fix it?”
Watch the full podcast episode below:
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Quinta Brunson Gets Real About Divorce, Boundaries & Becoming
Quinta Brunson is the woman who chooses herself, even when the world is watching. And in her June 30 cover story for Bustle, she gives us a rare glimpse into the soft, centered place she's navigating her life from now. From leading one of television's most beloved series in the last decade to quietly moving through life shifts, the creator of Abbott Elementary is walking through a personal evolution and doing so with intention, grace, and a firm grip on her boundaries.
Back in March, the 35-year-old filed for divorce from Kevin Jay Anik after nearly three years of marriage, citing "irreconcilable differences." The news hit the headlines of news outlets fast, but Quinta hadn't planned to announce their dissolution to the public so quickly.
Quinta Brunson On Divorce, Public Scrutiny & Sacred Boundaries
"I remember seeing people be like, ‘She announced her divorce,’" she told Bustle. “I didn’t announce anything. I think people have this idea that people in the public eye want the public to know their every move. None of us do. I promise you. No one wants [everyone] to know when you buy a house, when you move, when a major change happens in your personal life. It’s just that that’s public record information."
In regards to her private moves becoming tabloid fodder, Quinta continued, "I hated that. I hate all of it."
"I Am An Artist First": Quinta On Cutting Her Hair & Reclaiming Herself
Still, the diminutive phenom holds her crown high in the face of change and is returning to the essence of who she is, especially as an artist. "Cutting my hair reminded me that I am an artist first. I want to feel things. I want to make choices. I want to be a person, and not just stuck in having to be a certain way for business." It's giving sacred rebirth. It's giving self-liberation. It's especially giving main character energy.
And while the headlines keep spinning their narratives, the one that Quinta is focused on is her own. For her, slowing down and nourishing herself in ways that feed her is what matters. "It’s a transitional time. I think it’s true for me and my personal life, and it’s how I feel about myself, my career, and the world," Quinta shared with Bustle. “I feel very serious about focusing on watering my own gardens, taking care of myself and the people around me who I actually interact with day-to-day."
That includes indulging in simple rituals that ground her like "making myself a meal" which has become "really, really important to me."
That spirit of agency doesn't stop at the personal. In her professional world, as the creator, executive producer, and lead actress of the critically-acclaimed Abbott Elementary, Quinta understands the weight her choices carry, both on- and off-screen. She revealed to Bustle, "People used to tell me at the beginning of this that the No. 1 on the call sheet sets the tone, and the producer sets the tone — and I’m both of those roles."
She continued, "I understand now, after doing this for four years, how important it was that I set the tone that I did when we first started."
Quinta doesn't just lead, she understands the importance of curating the energy of any space she enters. Even amid a season of shifts and shedding, her power speaks loudly. Sometimes that power looks like quiet resistance. Sometimes that power is soft leadership.
And sometimes that power looks like cutting your hair and taking back your name in rooms that have forgotten you were an artist long before you were a brand.
Read Quinta's cover story on Bustle here to witness the fullness of Quinta's becoming.
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