Essence Magazine:
Photos courtesy of @kaitsehay By India Espy-Jones ·Updated May 1, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…
Texture On Set, a hair conference and show founded by celebrity hairstylist Naeemah LaFond, returned to Brooklyn’s Industry City (just steps away from the ESSENCE HQ) yesterday morning. The doors opened at 10 A.M., inviting Black hairstylists and industry pros alike to an industrial warehouse to chat about all things textured hair, hosted
Essence Magazine:
Gilbert Flores/Billboard via Getty Images By India Espy-Jones ·Updated May 1, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…
After years of writing hit songs for award-winning artists—including Chloe x Halle, BLACKPINK, and Ariana Grande—Victoria Monét did us all a favor by blessing us with her angelic vocals. Going solo, the singer-songwriter released her debut album, Jaguar II, and “On My Mama” ended up being her biggest hit. The infectious song
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By Mecca Pryor ·Updated May 1, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…
The Met Gala has always been more than a red carpet moment. Rather, it’s a living archive of fashion at its most daring—where > Diana Ross’s ruffled entrance in 1981, to Naomi Campbell and Lil’ Kim’s iconic Versace moments in the ’90s, the gala has long been a space where Black >Beyoncé in Givenchy and Rihanna in Guo
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Getty Images. By Mecca Pryor ·Updated April 30, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…
Mother’s Day is the perfect moment to show appreciation for the women who do it all. And, contrary to popular belief, thoughtful gifting does not have to come with a high price tag. Finding meaningful Mother’s Day gifts under $100 is all about choosing pieces that feel personal, useful, and a little indulgent at the
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By India Espy-Jones ·Updated April 30, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…
Last night, the 2026 Billboard Women in Music Awards—held at Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles—honored the most influential voices in the music industry. Additionally, hosted by Keke Palmer, who was also one of the show’s performers, the event recognized artists including one’s we’ll see at this year’s ESSENCE Festival, chief curator Teyana Taylor and performer Kehlani.
But first, Visionary
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By Karissa Mitchell ·Updated April 30, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…
There’s a moment every loc wearer hits: standing in the beauty aisle, overwhelmed, wondering if you need all of this to take care of your hair. You don’t. Locs are not high-maintenance, but they are intentional. The goal is not to pile on product. It is to understand what your hair actually needs and give it just that:
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Courtesy of India Espy-Jones By India Espy-Jones ·Updated April 29, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…
In one week, the 2026 Met Gala—held annually at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art—will have the world’s most recognizable celebrities in attendance. Most celebrities have been preparing for this year’s gala since last year’s: investing in priceless couture gowns and jewelry worth millions. But, what are they doing to prep days before
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Courtesy of the Debra Lee Collection By Mecca Pryor ·Updated April 29, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…
Debra Lee has nothing left to prove. After serving as Chairman and CEO of BET for 13 years, launching her own organization Leading Women Defined, and holding board seats spanning Burberry, Marriott, Warner Bros., and more, she has long cemented herself as one of the most influential executives in media and
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Photos Courtesy of Velocity Black. By Akili King ·Updated April 28, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…
ESSENCE Senior Beauty & Style Editor Akili King believes ‘glow’ is more than skin deep. In The Ritual Report, she shares personal healing practices—from acupuncture for skin and grounding benefits to ‘dopamine dressing’—designed to inspire readers to find creative ways to soothe their nervous systems and reclaim their magic from the inside