“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.
Takisha Sturdivant-Drew may be a new name to you, but her work has likely been on your mood boards for decades. As a celebrity stylist to some of Hollywood’s top actors, she creates glamorous looks for TV shows, movie premieres, and red carpets. Her clients include the likes of Ariana DeBose, Tessa Thompson, Misty Copeland, and Kerry Washington.
From that 2024 Met Gala pixie to the natural curls and the many swingy bobs, Sturdivant-Drew and Washington never miss an opportunity to give us swoon-worthy and wearable styles. That’s likely because Sturdivant-Drew is a firm believer in movement. “My mom always had beautiful, bouncy hair that reminded me of Farrah Fawcett. Without a relaxer and simply blown out, her hair was full of movement,” she says. Those conversations turned into styling sessions, which led Sturdivant-Drew to pursue a career as a hairstylist.
Growing up in Queens Bridge, she had aspirations of being a high-profile stylist from the beginning of her career. “I knew I wanted to work in an upscale salon to gain experience and a certain clientele. I would write down my goals often, and after a year of assisting and working on my own clients, I decided that I wanted to move into celebrity styling, and that’s when I was introduced to Kerry Washington,” she tells ESSENCE.
For 24 years, the pair have created pure magic, and Sturdivant-Drew’s list of celebrity clients and businesses continued to grow. After achieving her goal of becoming a celebrity stylist, she then opened her studio in Brooklyn, started a haircare brand, and created a line of hair extensions. Creating is at the core of her work, but for Sturdivant-Drew, the results are the real reward. “I love doing hair, but seeing my client’s hair improve, whether it’s growth or health, and how good they feel after getting their hair done is the best feeling.”
Below, Sturdivant-Drew chats with ESSENCE about her favorite moments, products, and what she’s learned from her clients over the years.
Her current favorite products:
I like to use extensions in lots of different ways. Wigs are nice, but I don’t like to see lace and want it to look natural on my clients. My favorite kind of extensions are clip-ins—I am definitely a clip-in queen! On more than one occasion I’ve been known to create a head full of clip-ins from the nape of the neck to the crown. They’re a great option because they allow flexible styling and have a seamless look that keeps the hair moving as you walk. They’re also quick to install, which means I can take the client from one look to another in no time at all.
Her favorite hairstyle:
I like for all my clients to look expensive, and to me, that translates into a hairstyle that has movement. Whether it’s a weave, extensions, or a wig, my aesthetic is for the hair to look as natural as possible and to move effortlessly. With my clients, we usually begin by discussing what they’re wearing or how they want to feel that day and then go from there. But the goal is always to have them walk out with a style that speaks to the world and turns heads. My personal style is a bit more experimental. I’m a hair chameleon and love to change my hair per my mood.
Her top tip for healthy hair:
I always say it starts with the foundation and the products. If you’re trying to strengthen and hydrate your hair, pro-vitamins and nurturing ingredients are essential. My TSD Provitamin Shampoo and Flower Extract Conditioner are designed to nourish your hair and maximize its health. I always recommend adding a bit of heat with the conditioner to ensure the ingredients penetrate deep to the roots or using it daily to moisturize your hair. Restorative haircare routine aside, I’d say trims are essential. Sometimes people get worried about cutting their ends, thinking it takes away from their length. But the reality is that neglecting regular trims only leads to breakage and split ends.
A hair myth she wants to debunk:
Certain ingredients like peppermint and castor oil have become trendy for hair growth, but they don’t give the hyped-up results people talk about. That’s not to say that they can’t work, but I think hair growth depends more on the products you’re using and how you care for your body. The way we treat our body, like taking vitamins, our water intake, and our sleep schedules, can all affect our health.
Quick fixes for hair growth are few and far between, so it’s hard to say that simply using an ingredient on your hairline will make your hair grow long and thick. Instead, I think it’s best to focus on the overall goal of hair health, learn about your texture and how the ingredients work, and then seek out products that will work best for your texture and hair type.
What she’s learned from her clients:
Every client teaches me something different, but I’d have to say patience is the number one takeaway. I’ve always been excited about working and had nervous energy that kept me moving. My clients helped me realize the importance of slowing down and living more. Because of them, I’ve learned not to rush and have become a much calmer person. I’m lucky to have such beautiful and kind women around me, and they feed me as much as I do them.
How she uplifts her clients:
Getting your hair done is therapeutic, and when my clients are with me, it’s like we’re having a mini session. It’s a safe space where they can vent and talk through things, and so I like to be a listening ear for them. Another thing I’ve always done is take pictures with my clients and maintain a relationship outside of hair. I’ll text them periodically to see how they’re doing or send them a photo of us that I love. You never know everything that’s going on with people, and sometimes those small things can really make someone’s day.
I feel blessed to say that I’ve had the same clients for years, and most of them have been with me since I started at 19. So for me, it’s important that I take care of them the way they take care of me. I’m grateful and thankful to have them, and I want to show them how much I appreciate them by making them look and feel good.
