In this article we’ll be shining a light on some of our favorite style icons. But this isn’t just your run-of-the-mill celebrity breakdown. Not only will we look at the stars who’ve donned the best hairstyles, but we’ll also take a peek behind the veil, illuminating the stylists behind the styles, and the entrepreneurs and innovators who’ve given us the tools to become our own trendsetters at home.

Celebrity Spotlight

Let’s start by taking a look at the icons that wear the styles we love; our favorite stars and celebs whose edges are always laid and who always show off the coolest hairstyles.

Lil Kim

The 90s was *the* decade of reinvention in Black pop culture. While there’s an endless list of celebrities and socialites that added their own special sauce to Black hair culture, Lil Kim definitely deserves her roses. Lil Kim sported wigs that ran across the color spectrum during a time when Black women were repeatedly called “ghetto” or “ratchet” for embracing color. Would we have iconic looks from Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, or Megan thee Stallion without Lil Kim to pave the way? We don’t think so.

Issa Rae

If you’ve ever seen Issa Rae’s *Insecure,* you know that her self-named character Issa is always sporting unique and beautiful natural hairstyles. On-and-off screen, Issa has shown audiences that there truly is versatility and creativity in natural hair.

Zendaya

From Marley twists to frizzy fros to bedazzled cornrows, Zendaya knows how to model natural and relaxed hairstyles alike. As a fan favorite for her stunning red-carpet looks, Zendaya has made it known that natural hairstyles can be as chic and glamorous as she is.

Behind the Veil

While the stars and models are the ones who launch new styles into mainstream popularity, we wouldn’t have these styles without the groundbreaking stylists behind them.

Tokyo Stylez

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Let’s kick it off with Tokyo Stylez, a transwoman who is best known for working with Cardi B, Kylie Jenner, and Beyonce. Tokyo’s love for hairstyling began with her little sister, whose hair care routine she took over when their mom went to jail. A few years later, she started doing hair in her community and began making wigs for fun. She modeled the wigs she made on her Instagram feed and soon friends and family members were asking her to make wigs for them too. But those weren’t the only people watching her Instagram. Kylie Jenner also saw Tokyo’s work and hired her as a personal stylist. Since then, Tokyo’s career has only grown with some of her most impressive looks being Cardi B’s heart ponytail wig and Kylie and Kendall’s 2019 Met Gala looks.

Ursula Stephen

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The next stylist on our list is Ursula Stephen. Ursula grew up in the Bronx and earned her Cosmetology license at 16, long before she even finished high school. After her high school graduation Ursula dove into the world of haircare. When Ursula was just starting to make waves in the industry, she partnered with Rihanna who was beginning to build her own empire. Ursula crafted the look behind Rihanna’s Good Girl Gone Bad era, an edgy style that put her on the map. Today, Ursula’s busy crafting some of Zendaya, Laverne Cox, and Mary J Blige’s best looks.

Felicia Leatherwood

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Felicia Leatherwood AKA the Hair Whisperer started doing hair at 9 years old, and this quickly became a passion that quickly became lifelong. An LA native, she went to Santa Monica Cosmetology School, then started working at the prestigious Millenium Hair Salon. While there, she caught the attention of Will Smith among other Black celebrities for her knack for creating natural hairstyles. Today, you can see some of Felicia’s hottest styles on Issa Rae in Insecure and Yara Shahidi in Grownish.

Bringing it Home

Celebrities aren’t the only ones who want glamorous dos or soft and healthy curls. The pioneers we’ll be visiting next have created products that’ve helped us create extraordinary hair in our everyday lives.

Lisa Price

Stylist turned entrepreneur Lisa Price got her start as a stylist on the Cosby Show. Despite her busy schedule, she experimented with making hair care products in her spare time. She sold her hair milks and creams at Brooklyn Flea markets and when word-of-mouth spread, she converted her living room into a storefront for the products that would soon become Carol’s Daughter. Beyond helping the curly-haired masses nourish their locks, her products attracted high-profile customers like Jada Pinkett-Smith and Erykah Badu.

Art Dyson

Next up is the only man on our list, Art Dyson. Born in Harlem in 1936, Art didn’t plan on going into the field of haircare. He was originally an Air Force mechanic, but after 15 years, he decided he wanted to switch to cosmetology. While doing his program, he realized that only 1 out of 1600 hours of the curriculum was spent on black hair. After graduation, he began working at the May.Co Salon, Dyson developed the thermal blow drying technique. Using this technique, hair stylists would attach a nozzle to their blow dryers, a method that helped them blow textured hair straight. As his career developed, Dyson remembered that 1 single hour of textured hair training he received in school and knew he was meant to pave the way for Black clients to have a more equitable salon experience. He created his own training programs that focused on textured hair care and his innovations earned him the role as the first president and CEO of Soul Scissors.

Annie Turnbo Malone

Annie Turnbo Malone is a style icon from the 1900s. Born in 1896 to formerly enslaved parents, Annie was an incredibly talented woman who combined her passion for chemistry and hairdressing to create shampoos and scalp treatments that helped grow and straighten Black hair. Her haircare line became known as Poro Products and with it she became one of America’s first self made millionaires. Her haircare empire spanned the US, Africa, and South America, making her worth $14 million. Annie used some of her capital to create a million dollar factory and beauty complex that mentored budding stylists and entrepreneurs. Chief among her mentees was Madam CJ Walker.

There’s never been a time like now for textured hair enthusiasts. Not only do we have access to the inspiration and products that can help us craft our curls, but platforms like Youtube and TikTok make recreating even the most complex hairstyles simple. Stars, stylists, and innovators have truly paved the way for all of us to become our own style icons.