Inspiration: "How I got into the world of hair modeling."

A few posts ago, I shared a press release where Pantene was holding a casting call for hair models at the Essence Festival. I got a few questions from a couple of you who were interested in getting into the world of hair modeling. Your inquiries reminded of a conversation I had with a real life hair model I met while attending the Curly Nikki meet up event. Just as I was leaving the venue, I asked this beautiful curly haired woman with perfect skin if I could take a picture of her. We chatted a little bit and she shared, during our conversation, that she was a hair model.

My ears perked up when she mentioned hair modeling so I decided to ask her to share a little bit of her story with us in a brief interview:

How did you get interested in Hair Modeling?

Ironically, I didn’t seek out to do hair modeling. I was very fortunate in having the art of hair modeling find me. I was online entering a hair photo contest for Black Hair Media (BHM). A few months later I received a telephone call from the owner stating that I had won the contest and they wanted to take additional photos of me. Members of BHM took a trip from Atlanta to where I reside in Florida for a full fledged photo shoot consisting of approximately 7,000 photos. It was a lot of hard work, especially for an outside shoot during the heat of the day in Florida, But it was lots of fun!

Do you have any previous experience?

I had no prior modeling experience.

Where have your pictures been featured?

My photos have been featured on my personal blog, Knotty Tresses, Black Hair Media & Curly Nikki. More to come in the very near future ....

Do you have any other projects coming up?

Yes, I have something big upcoming in the next month or so. Look out for details on my personal website at knottytresses.com, which is still under construction.

Do you plan on following this new career path? If so, how?

This is not a career path I intend to pursue full time. I am a careered woman with a regular 9-5 that I enjoy very, very much. I perform hair photo shoots sporadically. While I do take it seriously and enjoy every minute of it, it’s something fun to do on the side.

What advice would you give to someone who would like to become a hair model?

Once you’ve become established, try to practice good hair days as much as you can because you never know who you’re going to run into! I have had a few occasions where people have recognized me from my photos, but didn’t know my name. I felt awkward and even somewhat embarrassed when my hair wasn’t looking my absolute best. (Nadege says: "this is excellent advice that I need to follow more often.")

I also recommend you take professional photos and pay the extra cost for editing if needed. Your portfolio is your license to exposure!

You have fabulous skin, can you share your skincare routine?

Funny you should mention that. The photographers and directors seem to appreciate the smoothness of my skin because it requires very little photo editing. (By the way, Najah did her own makeup in these pics. She looks amazing). Sometimes they use my photos for a quick event that may only last 24 hours or so. To put hours of editorial work into photos that are only going to be utilized for a short timeframe can be costly. Taking care of your skin is just as important as taking care of your hair. I use the following three skin products:

Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Facial Cleanser

Ambi Fade Cream for Normal Skin

Neutrogena’s Visibly Even Daily Moisture

Do you eat healthy or drink lots of water or take supplements?

Yes, I eat very healthy foods. I absolutely love dark green leafy vegetables such as collard greens, mustard greens, spinach and especially broccoli. I’ve recently added fruit to my daily diet regime. My favorite spot to eat is Panera Bread. They’ve got all my money! :-) I can probably count on one hand the amount of times I’ve drunk soda. Don’t like it at all! Not the taste, nor the acidic effects it adds to your skin which can sometimes be seen through your pores. I take a very basic over the counter supplement (but not as often as I should). Unfortunately, I have a strong weakness for sweets, which is where I get into trouble! :-/

Your hair is gorgeous, what is your regimen?

In the beginning, I was somewhat of a product junkie--purchasing almost every cutely labeled or good-smelling product on the shelves. Now that I’ve found a hair recipe that works for me, I tend to stay away from over-purchasing products and sticking to what I know works best for me. That said, I use Giovanni Smooth as Silk Conditioner, which also works as a great detangler. I comb/detangle my hair once per week. The other 6 days of the week I just get up and go, or wash ‘n go. I also like Curl & Style Milk and Curl Enhancing Smoothie by Shea Moisture. All the mentioned products are organic and sold at Target.

Thank you Najah, for sharing your experience with us. I'm sure, if lots of us could have our wish, we too would be showing off our gorgeous hair to the world (and get compensated for it). I learned from you that it's important to keep our hair on point 'cause you never know..... I also looked at your list of skin care products and decided to add a few skin tone evening products to my skin care regimen. I also was encouraged by your healthy diet which contributes to that gorgeous glow. Thanks for inspiring us!

photography credits: SMedia, LLC.