Issa Rae has always been everything to me.
I was first introduced to the genius that is Issa Rae during my junior year of college. Broke and bored, my best friend and I had plenty of nights where we had no choice but to chill inside, drink $5 moscato, and watch ratchet reality TV. Feeling as if we were lessening our IQ’s minute by minute, my friend suggested that we try a show on YouTube that another friend of ours recommended.
“It’s called Awkward Black Girl and it’s about a black, 20 something who hates her life and has a bald head from what I’ve heard.”
That was the only explanation she could offer. The bald head intrigued me enough to search for the show. From the opening sequence, I was hooked. I’ll forever remember the image of Issa’s character, Jay, taking off a hoodie, revealing a complete shaved head, bare face and large silver hoops. All I could do was laugh.
I love her dry sense of humor, wit, and overall personality. But, the one thing I felt she lacked in was her hair. Once her hair started growing past her baldie, it just seemed as if she had no idea on how to handle it. Like many new naturals, she went through the growing pains of styling her natural hair - publicly. We’ve all struggled with finding the right products for our curl patterns, styling our hair when it’s experiencing that “in-between” phase of length, and the annoyance of having to twist your hair every other day for a consistently bomb twist-out. As terrible as it sounds, it was fun to watch Issa experience the same. It made her more relatable! Even better, it’s been great to see her, with the help of her stylist, Felicia Leatherwood, perfect her natural dome. Her hair glow up has been real.
'I'm very proud to have the wonderful opportunity to show the world that natural hair can be timeless, beautiful and classy all at once. Whenever Issa or any of my clients make appearances in front of cameras, I feel that it inspires women all over the world to feel important, beautiful and curious about their own tresses and what could be possible with their ideals about body images,' Leatherwood told ESSENCE.
Let’s take a look at some Issa Rae hairstyles and her amazing hair transformation!
Photo: Giphy
The I just broke up with my man of 5+ years and I need a fresh start big chop.
The My hair is growing and I am able to bantu knot it at night for a twist out, but I lack the right product for my curl pattern. And my edges aren’t exactly laid.
Photo: Pinterest
The I hired a stylist who added a cute crochet bun and natural bang for this red carpet. I'm getting it together! look
Photo: Black Girls Rock!
The mix between “80s Michael jerry curl and inner Solange”
A Jill Scott “Living My (Hair) Life Like It’s Golden” and Alicia Keys “Songs In A Minor” hybrid look that I'm living for.
That good “Up-do for prom” look for the naturalistas
Photo: 234Star
A gorgeous crochet, twist and updo all in one.
That “Back from the Motherland and I found my complete peace” look
Issa is killing the hair game! As the new face of Covergirl, I am excited to see her slay as the easy, breezy and beautiful woman she is! Are you a fan of all these Issa Rae hairstyles?
