It's starting to warm up outside, so you know what that means...it's time for summer hair. But summer hair isn't a one-size-fits-all. While most of us opt for no-fuss hairstyles like braids and twists, we can't forget about our other protective style sis, wigs. I know what you're probably thinking: it's too hot to wear a wig in the summer. Listen, I understand, but there are ways to wear a cute wig and feel cool while doing it. xoNecole spoke with hairstylist and UNice expert Dayonna Worrell about the best wigs to wear for a summertime vibe.
According to Dayonna, some popular summer hair looks include bright colors and warm tones. "Expect to see plenty of blonds, auburns, and funky fashion colors," she said. She also suggests using wigs to try different colors without damaging your hair. Dive into some of her best wig tips for the summer below.
xoNecole: Are there different styling tips for wigs in the summer versus the winter months, like whether to use bonding glue or wear a wig cap in the summer?
Dayonna Worrell: This is a tricky question because there’s no wrong or right answer. It varies from person to person depending on personal preferences and how one’s body reacts to heat. If you’re someone who doesn’t necessarily sweat much, then bonding may be the better option for you. Personally, I like to be able to remove my wigs, so I opt for a glueless option (like the UNice Bye Bye Knots wig). I always recommend wearing a wig cap no matter the season because this is what helps the wig to lay flat and achieve that scalp look.
xoN: What are some ways to prevent sweating and keep your head cool while wearing a wig in the summer?
Dayonna: Wearing wigs that are made with ventilated or mesh caps will help keep your head cool during the summer. If the wigs you're wearing do not come with caps, you can opt for UNice's mesh wig caps, which were designed for the optimal level of breathability, comfort, and softness. Ensuring to keep the hair underneath freshly braided down and maintained in between wears will help reduce the amount of product buildup on the scalp and allow for a fresher feel. Lastly, I like to keep a small personal fan in my purse to help cool down, especially on the days the wigs are bonded down.
xoN: Are there any products that are safe to use on the wig to achieve a wet and wavy look?
Dayonna: To achieve a wet and wavy look, I like to use water, leave-in conditioner, mousse, and an oil-based serum. I personally like to use Mizani's Miracle Milk Leave-In, Bio Silk's Serum, and Mielle Organics' Pomegranate and Honey Curl Defining Mousse. Other alternatives are The Doux's Mousse Def Texture Foam, DevaCurl's Mist of Wonders, and High Shine Anti-Frizz Nourishing Oil.
xoN: What is the best way to care for your wig while traveling?
Dayonna: When traveling, I like to bring a collapsible wig block; my favorite is this one from UNice that comes in a pack of 3! This allows me to rest my wig on the head when I’m not wearing it to help maintain the shape and current style. I also always pack travel-size products for retouching, such as a wax stick, hair spray, and hot tools.
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Adrian Marcel On Purpose, Sacrifice, And The 'Signs Of Life'
In this week's episode of xoMAN, host Kiara Walker talked with R&B artist Adrian Marcel, who opened up, full of heart and authenticity, about his personal evolution. He discussed his days transitioning from a young Bay Area singer on the come-up to becoming a grounded husband and father of four.
With honesty and introspection, Marcel reflected on how life, love, and loss have shaped the man he is today.
On ‘Life’s Subtle Signals’
Much of the conversation centered around purpose, sacrifice, and listening to life’s subtle signals. “I think that you really have to pay attention to the signs of life,” Marcel said. “Because as much as we need to make money, we are not necessarily on this Earth for that sole purpose, you know what I mean?” While he acknowledged his ambitions, adding, “that is not me saying at all I’m not trying to ball out,” he emphasized that fulfillment goes deeper.
“We are here to be happy. We are here [to] fulfill a purpose that we are put on here for.”
On Passion vs. Survival
Adrian spoke candidly about the tension between passion and survival, describing how hardship can sometimes point us away from misaligned paths. “If you find it’s constantly hurting you… that’s telling you something. That’s telling you that you’re going outside of your purpose.”
Marcel’s path hasn’t been without detours. A promising athlete in his youth, he recalled, “Early on in my career, I was still doing sports… I was good… I had a scholarship.” An injury changed everything. “My femur broke. Hence why I always say, you know, I’m gonna keep you hip like a femur.” After the injury, he pivoted to explore other careers, including teaching and corporate jobs.
“It just did not get me—even with any success that happened in anything—those times, back then, I was so unhappy. And you know, to a different degree. Like not just like, ‘I really want to be a singer so that’s why I’m unhappy.’ Nah, it was like, it was not fulfilling me in any form or fashion.”
On Connection Between Pursuing Music & Fatherhood
He recalled performing old-school songs at age 12 to impress girls, then his father challenged him: “You can lie to these girls all you want, but you're really just lying to yourself. You ain't growing.” That push led him to the piano—and eventually, to his truth. “Music is my love,” Marcel affirmed. “I wouldn’t be a happy husband if I was here trying to do anything else just to appease her [his wife].”
Want more real talk from xoMAN? Catch the full audio episodes every Tuesday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and don’t miss the full video drops every Wednesday on YouTube. Hit follow, subscribe, and stay tapped in.
Featured image by xoNecole/YouTube
Self-Validation, No Meals After 5 P.M. & The Wellness Rituals That Helped Lizzo Take Her Power Back
Don't let the "weight release" fool you, Lizzo's transformation wasn't just physical. It was spiritual, emotional, and deeply personal. In her Women's Health cover story, the "Good As Hell" artist opened up about the low point that became the catalyst for radical change in her life, inside and out.
In the summer of 2023, Lizzo found herself at the center of what she calls painful allegations when some of her former dancers filed a lawsuit against her. The 37-year-old singer has denied their claims, and though she has experienced "backlash my entire career," going through such legal woes coupled with public scrutiny proved to be detrimental to her mental health, leading her to one of the darkest periods of her life.
She told Women's Health, "I got very paranoid and isolated. I wasn’t even talking to my therapist. I wasn’t present. I wasn’t open. I wasn’t myself anymore."
After spending months in isolation, Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, decided to go to a tour stop on the Renaissance World Tour. She was nervous that the public would shun her, boo her, or reject her, but instead, she was embraced. It shifted something in her and after feeling so in the dark, she saw the light again. "It made me feel like, wow, maybe I don’t want to die," she shared with Women's Health.
"That was the kick-starter to me being like, ‘Okay, Melissa, get your ass in gear and take your f*cking life back.’"
Her first step in Operation Get Your Life Back? Cutting out the external noise. She gave her team total control of her social media and stopped looking at comments. "My validation was from external sources, people telling me they loved me, or that I look good, and accepting me," she explained. "But if that’s all I’m getting my validation from, when it changes—and it will, because people are not always going to like you—what happens? Where are you going to get your love from?"
Lizzo continued, "I can convince myself that I’m beautiful, my body fine, no matter how big or small. But reminding myself that you can’t let others tell you who you are—that was hard work."
Lizzo started going to therapy again, she started practicing quigong meditation, reading books, journaling, and doing sound baths. She released unhealthy relationships, drank echinacea tea, and began incorporating Pilates as a means to "feel sacred" and "be gentle" with herself.
But what many have interpreted as a "weight loss transformation" after she popped out sharing she met her "weight release" goal earlier this year, Lizzo has clarified that it has been something deeper for her than the aesthetic of a smaller body. "I wanted to be big-girl skinny," she told the mag. "Every big girl knows what I’m talking about. Big-girl skinny is 250 pounds." According to her, it was her back issues that inspired her to take the physical part of her wellness journey seriously.
I DID IT! #weightrelease
@lizzo I DID IT! #weightrelease
Through her friend Kelly Rowland, she linked up with her now-trainer Marvin Telp and developed a fitness regimen that prioritized strength and intention. Her weekly schedule now includes moves like single-leg deadlifts, reverse flies, and lateral lunges, along with infrared sauna sessions and cardio. Add to that a change in eating habits after realizing her vegan diet no longer served her (to be fair, she wasn't doing the vegan thing the "healthiest" way).
All the meat substitutes, bread, cashew cheese, and soy left her bloated and lightheaded, so now she's switched things up a bit to fill the nutritional gaps. When it comes to diet, it's heavy on the protein and vegetables for Lizzo. A typical day eating looks like scrambled eggs and cauliflower hash browns for breakfast, Thai chicken salad or lettuce wraps for lunch, and turkey meatloaf with greens for dinner.
She also has a strict cutoff of no meals after 5 p.m. to support her GERD and give her body the time it needs before bed to digest her food sans the acid reflux. Of her relationship with food and wellness, she told Women's Health, "There's a balance. I think that's what true health is."
Read Lizzo's full cover story with Women's Health here.
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