Meet Tippi Shorter--Celebrity Hairstylist & On-air Hair Care Expert

Tippi Shorter is responsible for many of the lovely locs of today's hottest stars to include Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson and Rihanna. In between keeping our favorite celebrities looking fabulous on the Red Carpet, she is the on camera spokesperson for both Pantene and Clairol Professional and recently launched her own line of hair for weaving! Wow!

Whew!

Your titles include celebrity hairstylist, spokesperson and now the creator of your own hair line and Mom....How do you manage to keep it all together?

It's not easy, but, I have an amazing support system. My husband handles the home front and my business partners keep the hairline together, which gives me the time to work with my clients and spread the word about healthy hair on TV for Pantene and Clairol Professional.

Styling Tips from Tippi Shorter

Rihanna
DON'T-Be afraid to experiment with haircolor! A majority of African-American women relax their hair and are afraid of "double-processing" damage from haircolor. However, Clairol Professional's Beautiful Collection is gentle enough to relax and color on the same day! Beautiful Collection moisturizes hair, restoring the luster and shine that relaxers can take away.

Tippi Shorter

Tippi with Alicia Keys
DO-Use a leave-in conditionerthat is thick in texture, and load up on the alcohol-free gel to keep your natural curls in place. A great product to try is the Velvet Soft Regimen, which includes a shampoo, conditioner and special once-a-week treatment for extra conditioning. This product line caters to women with coarse and textured hair and actually improves hair condition when using heat styling tools.

Tippi Shorter

Tippi Shorter with Alicia Keys
DO-Protect hair from the sun and chlorine. Wet hair before going in the water. Hair is like a sponge and if it is already wet, it will soak up less of the chlorine. For added protection wear a swim cap and make sure to rinse hair thoroughly after swimming. Use products with UV protection to protect hair from the sun.

Tippi Shorter

Rihanna

DO-Highlight hair to match the season. In the warmer months, stick to light or golden tones and in the colder months, use richer, warmer tones.

Tippi Shorter

Tippi Shorter with Jennifer Hudson
DON'T-Fight your natural hair!You may just want to embrace the heat and humidity by going au natural because the moisture in the air makes hair swell. But whether relaxed or curly, enhancing color with Beautiful Collection will keep hair hydrated and shiny.

Tippi Shorter

Tippi Shorter with RhiannaDON'T-Excessively brush hairBrushing leads to frizziness. Simply detangle hair with a wide-tooth comb while wet, then air-dry to further decrease frizz and prevent heat damage.

Tippi Shorter

DO-Combat sun and chlorine damage. While the sun imparts much needed Vitamin D to our hair & skin, prolonged exposure can lighten or otherwise alter your hair color. Beautiful Collection is a great way to 'revive' your hair color by adding depth, intensity and much needed nutrients like Vitamin E, Jojoba Oil, and Aloe Vera for immediate nourishment & revitalization. Using a conditioner prior to swimming can act as a barrier and provide some protection against chlorine, however a good clarifying treatment incorporating a 'swimmer's shampoo' after a day at the pool should help remove any chlorine. Beautiful Collection adds luster to hair stripped by chlorine. It imparts moisture and shine combined with incredibly rich translucent color, which makes the hair look and feel more healthy.

Tippi Shorter

How were you able to secure your position as Pantene's celebrity spokesperson and what exactly does the gig entail?

I was approached by Pantene about four years ago and went through the interview process, after about 2 weeks I got a call from them asking me to join their family. I was excited because I truly love their products. The same scenario happened with Clairol Professional about four months ago. I am their celebrity spokesperson and I give quotes to magazines, tips on their sites, do press events and healthy hair makeovers on television.

Backing up a bit, you originally wanted to be a dancer, what made you decide to get into hair styling?

I had an injury that basically ended my dream of a professional dance career, during my recovery time, an opportunity came to me from a friend, to take over her job while she would be out having a baby. This job was to assist a great hairstylist. I've always been into fashion and beauty but never really thought that I could make a career out of it [because] I had no idea what my options really were. I took the job and 12 years later, here I am with you on AOL Black Voices..........

Allow me to get STAR STRUCK********

Your current celebrity roster includes stars such as Alicia Keys and Jennifer Hudson both artists who have been successful at transitioning their looks with extremely different hairstyles.

Alicia Keys initially started out with cornrows, but on this latest album her hair is soft, wavy and quite full. What was the process you went through when deciding on this look for Alicia? In that same vein, Alicia tends to stay away from color....will we ever see her in a color and if so, what could we expect?

She is so great to work with. When we met, she had already transitioned from the braids, but, she was still experimenting with styles. I asked her if she would be ok with me giving her (big) hair and she was down for it. My first time working with her, I used her natural curl and fluffed it out making it very glamorous and sexy, she loved it and that's where we are living in this moment. I give Alicia a natural rinse, it's her natural color mixed with a clear coat to give her hair shine and to help put a barrier against the curling irons. We haven't really talked about coloring her hair a different color, but I have used a few color clip-ins to change up the look for her performances.

With Jennifer's debut single "Spotlight" she sports a chic, razor sharp bob--a nice change from her full curls--what has it been like working with the Oscar award winning star? How much of her personal input is taken into account when creating her hairstyles? Like Alicia, will we ever see her in color?

Jennifer already has an amazing career, but, she is brand new to the music scene. Her label people had a lot of ideas about what her hair should look like, but, they gave me the freedom to present some ideas. Jennifer really liked the ideas and everyone was on board. And again, we haven't talked about color, but, you never know.

Can you give us a hint as to what we can expect next from either one of these stars in terms of their hair?
There will be some big changes, but, you have to wait and see. I will send you the exclusive.........

(We will be waiting for them too! Thanks Tippi!)

And now back to Tippi...

What is Gorgeous Girl Hair?
GGH is a high-end hair line that I have created with my biz partners. We have traveled around the world and we are bringing the finest quality hair to the masses. It's not just for the celebrity anymore. Note that Tippi plans to open up a NYC store front shortly where you can not only purchase the hair but also receive styling and beauty services.

And in closing..break down for us your look right now...
I'm in between styles right now. It goes from sleek and straight to big and curly depending on my mood, either way, it still has a very bohemian vibe...