Rihanna, 32, stole the show at the 51st Annual NAACP Image Awards, which aired lived from Pasadena, California on BET Networks on February 22. RiRi was honored with the highly coveted President’s Award and she looked fabulous in a purple Givenchy Spring 2020 ruffle dress with a massive poofy skirt. She styled the dramatic dress with a pair of black leather lace-up heels, but the best part of her look was without a doubt her glam. Rihanna’s hair was done by longtime hairstylist, Yusef Williams, who shared with HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY, what steps he took to achieve her stunning look.
Rihanna slicked her hair back into a high, sleek ponytail that was extra long, while tight braids on the sides of her head wrapped around her ponytail. Yusef revealed the inspiration behind her look, saying, “I took inspiration from her dress. It was so voluminous that I wanted to create a sleek hairstyle to complement the look.” To get the look, Yusef followed the four steps below.
1. “I started by washing + prepping her hair with the Suave Professionals Natural Hair Sulfate-Free Shampoo and Suave Professionals Natural Hair Moisturizing Curl Conditioner. The shampoo is sulfate-free and cleanses while infusing moisture and shine to the hair. The Moisturizing Curl Conditioner deeply hydrates and helps protect against breakage.”
2. “Once her hair was cleansed and conditioned, I used the new ghd Helios Hairdryer and my new The Y by Yusef Medium Round Brush to give her a sleek, shiny blowout. The ghd Helios Hairdryer is so lightweight, but powerful and works to give you a smooth, shiny blowout. Paired with my The Y by Yusef brush, which has a thermal barrel that retains maximum heat while drying and strong nylon bristles that easily grasp hair, I created a sleek base for the look. After her hair was fully dried, I used the ghd Platinum+ Styler to eliminate any frizz and get her hair as shiny and smooth as possible.
3. “Next, I sectioned off her hair and braided a few cornrows and secured them. Then I used The Y by Yusef Cushion Paddle Brush, which has a wider surface to detangle and smooth thick hair, to pull her hair in a tight, sleek ponytail and secured with The Y by Yusef hair elastics and bungees to really keep it in place. They’re specifically designed to keep thick, curly hair in place without pulling on strands. Not a hair moved!
4. “After the ponytail was secured, I pulled out a few pieces and braided them to add a cool layer of dimension. I used the Suave Professionals Natural Hair Define & Shine Gel Serum to make her hair super sleek and shiny and then locked it all in with the Suave Professionals Firm Control Finishing Hairspray, followed by the Suave Professionals Refresh & Revive Dry Shampoo to get rid of excess oil and mess it up a little bit so it doesn’t look so pulled together. I finished off the look by using The Y by Yusef Toothbrush to style her baby hairs.”