Rihanna Elle Cover Tutorial by Yusef

Rihanna’s cover and beautiful fashion spread in the current issue of Elle has generated quite a bit of buzz. Her much discussed hair look, created by celebrity stylist Yusef for Rich Hair Care, strikingly accentuates the drama of the fashion she wore.

 

THE LOOK:

 

Texture, definition and shine were key to the bold, natural look. “The hair was loosely pulled back in a tight ballerina bun, the opposite of a typical all-sleek fashion chignon,” said Yusef.  “We let the strands fall out around front and sides to soften the look, then pulled out and twisted selected pieces all over the head for drama.

 

“I used only one product to style the look, RICH Argan Oil De-Frizz and Shine Mist. It made the hair look good for the camera but was light and didn’t weigh it down. It gave it a light, airy texture while nicely conditioning and smoothing.”

 

THE PREP:

 

“The night before we shampooed the hair with RICH Intense Moisture Shampoo and RICH Intense Moisture Conditioner, which Rihanna loved, and loosely braided the hair, avoiding any tension, so it was ready for the next morning. We were planning to do something super high fashion with wigs or extensions. However, at the shoot when we saw the clothes, we decided to strip it down to something more natural yet still creative as a contrast to the designs."

 

RECREATE THE LOOK:

 

1. After unbraiding Rihanna’s hair, Yusef used a curling iron on the midlength and ends. This gave a hint of a curl, removed any frizz on ends, and helped defined the texture.
2. The hair was then pulled loosely to the back into a tight, sleek ponytail, wrapped it into a bun, then pinned.
3. For a polished, finished look, Yusef misted RICH Argan De-Frizz and Shine Spray all over the hair. 
4. Yusef sprayed RICH Argan De-Frizz and Shine Spray on his fingers, twirled some of the ends, and randomly pulled selected pieces out to accent the texture and add extra reflected shine.