theGrio Style Guide: Keke Palmer talks hair with Kamala Harris, Blair Underwood weds
In this week’s Style Guide, a Beyoncé fan scores her $53K pair of sunglasses; we catch up with Essence Fest and more.
How does Vice President Kamala Harris keep her bob looking silky smooth? The answer shocked Keke Palmer.
In the latest episode of “Baby, It’s Keke,” the actress and new mom ventured to the White House for an in-depth sitdown discussion with Harrison on the state of maternal and women’s health in the country.
It’s a conversation worth listening to in full, but eventually, it turned to lighter topics, as the actress switched gears to ask the vice president how often she gets a silk press — and Palmer was left gobsmacked by Harris’ answer.
“So you know, I don’t use a curling iron,” Harris said, causing Palmer to drop her jaw dramatically. “It’s too much heat; I use a round brush,” she continued.
Palmer asked the vice president if she had some “kind of magical round brush” before noting that her hair “must be super fine.”
“No, it’s not,” she said. “It takes a while. A boar-bristle… it takes a lot of heat. But it’s too much heat to do that and do [another hot tool].”
In case you’re attempting this at home, there are a couple of ways to achieve a silk press; Harris was referencing the blowout method, which involves using a blowing dryer while also creating tension on the hair with a round brush. Even when used instead of a curling iron or flat iron, this method requires a lot of heat on one’s hair, but damage can be mitigated using a heat protectant following a good cleansing wash and deep condition.
Other methods include using a hot comb, flat iron, or curling iron after freshly washed and conditioned hair has been blow-dried. For a “heatless” approach, set your hair overnight; there are “heatless” hair curling rods that are also known to get the job done.
“Girl, you have us shook on the internet,” Palmer said. “You and Queen Latifah are going neck-and-neck with the silk presses.”
Other moments that had the internet in a frenzy as June came to a close include Beyoncé casually tossing a pair of $53K sunglasses to a fan during a stop on her “Renaissance” and Blair Underwood’s wedding photos. We get into both and more below.
InStyle’s June cover star Alicia Keys reveals the secret to inner and outer beauty
For singer, songwriter and Keys Soulcare founder Alicia Keys, the connection between mind and body is vital to attaining inner and outer beauty. Having started her music career at just 15 years old, Keys’ coming of age played out in the public eye, and she shared her journey of self-reflection on the cover of InStyle. From going through what she describes as a “rebellious moment” to finding a sense of peace, the Grammy-award-winning star has learned quite a few lessons.
“I was just dealing with a lot of toxic energy and stress and things that I didn’t really know how to handle or what to do about it or how to regulate,” Keys told InStyle. “I think that the biggest thing that I really learned is having that relationship with yourself. So you know how to regulate these emotions or these stress factors. It’s really one step to finding not only your peace but then your own inner beauty because it’s coming from that space.”
Leading up to the newest Keys Soulcare product launch, Keys sat down with InStyle to discuss her self-reflection rituals, makeup evolution, the importance of setting boundaries, and more.
Beyoncé nonchalantly throws a pair of $53K designer shades to a lucky fan during the Renaissance World Tour
Imagine walking out of a Beyoncé concert with a pair of Queen Bey’s designer shades. Now, before you begin to wonder how this lucky fan got past Beyonce’s seemingly indestructible bodyguard, Julius, the “Renaissance” singer willingly gave them away. In true “Diva” fashion, Beyonce threw a pair of black Off-White shades she was wearing into the London crowd at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. After double-checking the brand, Queen Bey tossed the sunglasses, reportedly valued at $53,000 into the crowd twice after security initially tried to retrieve them from the audience. But TikToker Global Valentino was the lucky fan who caught Queen Bey’s unexpected gift.
“I fully lost control of my body in that moment,” said the TikToker, per Marie Claire. Describing the evening as the “best night of my life,” the 20-year-old fan revealed that “the sunglasses have [his] birthday inscribed in them,” making the experience even more memorable.
As Beyonce prepares for the North American leg of the Renaissance World Tour, we can’t wait to see what other surprises she has in store.
Next year’s Pirelli Calendar will be shot by Prince Gyasi
The 2024 edition of the iconic Pirelli Calendar, known for capturing some of culture’s most prominent names in a mix of fashion and visual art by master photographers, is being shot by a Black member of Gen Z.
According to Women’s Wear Daily, the honor of creating the next installment of the calendar has been bestowed on 28-year-old self-taught Ghanaian photographer and visual artist Prince Gyasi, who has made a splash in the art and fashion editorial world with his vibrant photographs, often featuring Black subjects set against bold pops of color.
Not in New Orleans this weekend? You don’t have to miss out on Essence Fest
Essence Fest has officially touched down in New Orleans with Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliott, and Megan Thee Stallion as headliners. The three-day festival, which kicked off on Thursday, June 29 and runs through Monday, July 3, will feature free cultural events in the daytime, including pop-ups, installations, panels, shopping, food, and more; plus a live concert series in the evening with A-list performers.
In addition to Hill, Elliott, and Megan Thee Stallion, this year’s music lineup also includes Tems, Wizkid, Doug E. Fresh, Jill Scott, Salt-N-Pepa, and more.
If you’re stuck at home this weekend and have access to Hulu, you don’t have to miss out on the party. According to WWD, all three nights of musical performances (including the headliners and other special acts) can be watched on Hulu with a Hulu base plan subscription.
Blair Underwood weds Josie Hart
Last weekend, a major heartthrob officially took himself off the market. Blair Underwood married his longtime friend Josie Hart in an intimate wedding in the Dominican Republic.
Per People magazine, for the ceremony, Hart wore a bespoke transitional two-in-one trumpet gown with a detachable overskirt and a cathedral train, created by Nneka C. Alexander of Brides by Nona Couture Atelier. Underwood wore an Isaia ivory jacquard patterned evening jacket with a satin lapel, linen vest, and matching slacks. The couple’s wedding date was embroidered in gold inside the actor’s jacket.
“The first time I saw her in the dress, she looked like a princess. She was so beautiful,” Underwood told the publication when discussing the couple’s special day. “The deep emotions that were displayed during the ceremony, the lightness and fun of the reception, it all felt humbling because it all just fell into place. It was amazing.”
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