Why Justine Skye Believes ‘Being a Black Woman and Being Beautiful Are Not Mutually Exclusive’
Justine Skye is shaping up to be the next big beauty icon, and it’s easy to see why.
The R&B singer’s “Purple Unicorn” hair has made her a muse for hair care brand Dark & Lovely, which launched “Passion Plum,” a dye for its Go Intense! line inspired by Skye’s signature hue. The 21-year-old also announced a collaboration for MAC Cosmetics’ Future Forward range, launching April 13, a shimmery purple highlighter that will be perfect to wear during music festival season.
Skye’s beauty game is so on point that she’s quickly become a mainstay on our personal vision boards and the subject of our curiosity. Like, seriously — how does she keep that purple hair looking so good all the time?
Fortunately, we got the opportunity to ask Skye about her hair, her trajectory to beauty icon status, and how she’s helping inspire a new generation of bold, adventurous beauties looking to push boundaries, carve new spaces, and represent a wider range of beauty.
Yahoo Beauty: Why did you decide to partner with Dark & Lovely?
Justine Skye: “I’ve always been a fan of the Dark and Lovely brand. I grew up using their products at home. I only work with brands I believe in, and I’m so happy to be a hair color ambassador.”
Why have you stuck to purple hair all these years?
“My hair has been purple since I was 16 years old, and it has always been my signature look. One day, I was in the studio recording and someone said this sounds so magical, and I was like ‘Yeah, it is really magical.’ That same person then said ‘You are like a Purple Unicorn.’ And I was like, ‘Wait, I am a unicorn.’ I looked it up and unicorns are majestic, beautiful, strong, and smart. I just felt like this [color] embodies who I am and who my fan base is.”
Is your natural hair colored purple as well? If so, how do you maintain the color?
“Yes, it is. I maintain the color with regular color treatments every six to eight weeks and deep conditioning my hair with products that have great ingredients such as Dark and Lovely Au Naturale Moisture LOC Deep Conditioning Delight with coconut oil to keep my hair soft and prevent damage.”
How do you pamper your hair?
“Before I go to bed, I twist my hair so it doesn’t get knotted by morning and cover it with a silk scarf so it stays moisturized. In addition, I tend to wash my hair around once a week or every two weeks, depending on what I’m doing with it. For instance, if I have a photo shoot and they use a lot of product in my hair, I’ll make sure to wash my hair after the shoot. One thing that I must do with every wash is deep condition. I have this theory in my head that it will make my hair really healthy, especially since I’m always keeping it in different styles.”
Who is your hairspiration?
“I don’t really have one, but I do love the way Naomi Campbell‘s hair is always layed!”
You have a collaboration with MAC in the works. Can you tell us a little bit about that?
“I am a part of their Future Forward campaign that is set to drop in April. We are launching a soft-purple iridescent highlight powder. I love to glow, and it’s important for me to have a good highlighter to brighten up my look. I love using highlighters and wanted to do something sparkly and purple to not only represent me but also my purple hair. The purple shimmer can be used to create a futuristic or a ’90s look, depending on what you want.”
You’re shaping up to be a bonafide beauty icon with your hair ambassadorship and makeup line. What is important for you to get across to the world about the beauty of women of color, especially dark-skinned women?
“To me, being a black woman and being beautiful are not mutually exclusive. I embrace my darker skin, always have, always will. In addition, I believe black women have always been trailblazers and trendsetters. Acknowledgement or not, we are and always have been beautiful. Nevertheless, I am glad to see the media beginning to embrace diversity more.”
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