Big Easy Takeover- Essence & Design Essentials

For over 20 years, the Essence Music Festival has brought together influential celebrities and soul stirring music against a backdrop of amazing Cajun food and Creole culture, found best in New Orleans. During the weekend, I had an opportunity to attend a private meet and greet at the Design Essentials “BIG EASY” Celebrity Gifting &  Styling Lounge, featuring the beautiful songstress and Loc Queen, Ledisi. Sponsored by Design Essentials new natural hair care line, available at Sally’s, I was able to meet and sample some great natural hair and skin products. From Polish & Co, a natural nail care line out of Greensboro, NC to makeup/brow expert The Look by Joi, I got the sense that DE was more than just another hair care company, they were also about empowering women as well.

  Such is the case with the Ledisi and DE collaboration to

Photo courtesy of Brainchild Associates

launch the Look Book. The Look Book features style inspirations to accentuate the beauty of natural hair.  As a loc’d woman and Ledisi fan, I was super excited about seeing her, meeting her and flipping through the pages of this book, appropriately subtitled “Inspired by Locs and Love”. From the time Ledisi released her first album, she has shown the world that locs can be beautiful, sensual, trendy, and fashion forward. Now the Look Book will inspire even more creativity and challenge limited perceptions of loc’d hair. As a bonus, DE teamed up with great stylist from across the country to give 15 minute hair styling sessions to sample their new natural hair care line focused on what us naturals crave the most, MOISTURE! Although I didn’t get a chance to get the book, it was an awesome experience!

Special thanks to Taronda Gibbons and Brainchild Associates for the media invite!

Stay tuned for a Design Essential Giveaway!

Thanks to Tawana for representing As the Wind blows in New Orleans!