“In The Chair With” spotlights the incredible hairstylists in our community who are giving us major inspiration. Each week, they discuss their personal hair and career journeys, what they’ve learned from their clients, and their top hair care tips.
Many renowned hair stylists start their journey as self-taught “kitchen stylists.” However, throughout his childhood, celebrity hair stylist Jawara Wauchope relied on family to gain hands-on experience in a salon. First, he grew up seeing his aunts do hair in Jamaica. Later as a teen, “my cousin Simone Hylton invited me to Florida where she owned a hair chain named Natural Trendsetters,” he tells ESSENCE. “She had me work in her salon for the summer and that’s when I fell in love with the salon life.”
Since then Jawara has developed an impressive roster of clients that includes the likes of Beyoncé, Naomi Campbell, Iman, Bella Hadid, Megan Thee Stallion and many more. But his A-list clientele didn’t happen by chance. Behind these glamorous encounters were countless hours of hard work put in by the hair architect who graduated from FIT and Aveda cosmetology school at the same time. “After that I assisted and worked in Harlem hair salons. Then, I started to assist session artists in the fashion world like Sam McKnight and Guido Palau,” Jawara shares.
In 2013, Jawara embarked on a solo journey to further explore his gift. He relocated to London, collaborating with well-established photographers on editorial shoots, where this venture led him to make a mark in the European circuit. Jawara quickly became known for his distinctive storytelling through hair, a series of intricate braids, sculptural moments and choppy, head-turning looks that became a signature mark for the stylist. All of these accolades landed him on the artist’s side, calling for him to curate exhibitions that pay homage to his Jamaican-American roots.
Boasting an impressive resume, Jawara wasn’t done yet. In 2021, he snagged the title of Senior Beauty Editor-at-large at i-D. This feat highlights his relentless and insatiable hunger for success, to which he playfully points out was due to more than three decades of non-stop dedication to his career.
Below, the hair icon goes into detail about his favorite products, hair care tips, and more.
His current favorite products
Some of my favorite hair care products at the moment are the Cecred products and the Pattern products. I have also been concocting my own oils for years.
His top hair health tip
Really take care of your scalp in the textured hair community. A lot of us overlook scalp care, and I would like to evangelize that because scalp care is the foundation of healthy hair.
A hair myth he wants to debunk
This idea that dirty hair grows, and the less you wash your hair the more your hair grows. That is not true. Your hair grows more with a very clean scalp and clean hair shaft. The improvement of blood circulation is also the key to healthy hair growth.
What he’s learned from his clients
I’ve learned so much from my clients. Mainly that hair is a very intimate and spiritual thing so I’ve learned how to tap into their energy. I like to know exactly how they want to feel and look.
How he uplifts them
I uplift my clients in many different ways. One of them is making sure that I create a safe space. I play the music that they like, create a private space and speak to them with empathy. This always seems to unlock another portal for me and my clients. Recently, I did Anok Yai for the Met gala and we watched Denzel Washington movies back to back while I was styling her hair. It was a calming time for her.
