Emmy-Winning Hair Stylist Hadiiya Barbel

Emmy-winning hair stylist Hadiiya Barbel, aka The Crown Adorness, is well known for beautiful haircuts and Crowns that transform her clients. Having worked with celebrities such as Wendy Williams, Angela Bassett, and Ashanti, Hadiiya knows how to keep calm in the spotlight.  She is currently working on a beauty book meant to educate and empower women. Read Glitter’s exclusive interview with Hadiiya below to find out more!

GLITTER: What is your philosophy on natural versus processed hair?
HADIIYA: My philosophy is: whatever state your hair is in, love it and care for it. Natural hair unprocessed is always best and stronger. Nevertheless, we love styling options so we play with color and chemicals. This is where I reintroduce clip-ins, extensions, and the wig, which is now the crown!

GLITTER: As Wendy Williams’ stylist, your work was in the national spotlight every day.  How did you handle that kind of stress?
HADIIYA: When I was working with Wendy, it was a wonderful challenge; the spotlight was on her wigs daily. There was no room for the slightest mistake. I would arrive early each day before the staff and Wendy. I needed the quiet time to get my mind settled and to enter into my creative zone. Keeping a healthy lifestyle also contributed to keeping stress down.

GLITTER: You have a reputation for calming the hair and the person during a hair emergency. What advice do you have for us on those bad hair days?
HADIIYA: Bad hair days: always have a really good backup plan. Keep it ready, as we know that those days are coming! If you don’t have a really cool hat, then have an amazing crown! Always keep whatever option ready to go and prepared. Cute headbands and ponytail add-ons work wonders. Clip-in hair extensions create fullness and are great for a day when the hair is flat and lifeless.

GLITTER: What was your most challenging hair care experience?  How did you work through it?
HADIIYA: My most challenging experience was when I was called at the last minute to do one of my favorite icons. She had a hair designer already booked who was 2 hours late. So it was very difficult for me to make the connection with this client but I did her hair my way and did the best for that time. I felt bad because if I had the chance I would’ve really rocked it the way I would’ve liked to. She was so upset at her regular stylist that when I came to fill in at the last minute, she barely gave me a chance.

GLITTER: What was your most gratifying hair care experience?
HADIIYA: My most gratifying experience was when I won 10 thousand dollars in 2005 for the Bronner Bros hair competition, which I put together in 2 days while touring with Ashanti at the same time. The advantage that I had over the other competitors was that I believe in working with real models, a professional makeup artist, and a team of really talented support. I won this competition because I was able to change looks over and over and over again using wigs at that time (which now I call crowns). They couldn’t figure out what was coming on the stage next. I always kept them guessing!

GLITTER: Your crowns look so well made. What makes them different?
HADIIYA: What makes my crowns different is that they aren’t wigs they are Crowns. An artist creates them. When taking a wig and making it a Crown, there are three things that are standard: Great foundation, amazing hair quality, and a great cut and design.

GLITTER: What inspired you to become a “Crown Adorness?”
HADIIYA: Well rather than just do hair; I wanted to use my gifts of healing to adorn the crowns of the heads that I touched.

GLITTER: What advice / options can you give to girls who don’t want to have a full crown of hair but like the idea of adding pieces for Prom?
HADIIYA: Young girls: know that you are goddesses and treat yourselves as such. Always look inward for energy rather than outside of yourself. Remind yourself daily how amazing you are. Know that it is your inner beauty and kindness that reflect outer. This, no one can take from you as it belongs to you.  On Prom night, clip-ins and extensions work really well to create that fullness or length and glamorous prom look. When adding additional hair, be sure to match the texture and color to your natural hair. Highlights are nice but [only] as long as you have the base color to blend the look together. To secure the clip-ins, backcomb the roots so that the base is stronger.

GLITTER: What are some Prom looks that never go out of style?
HADIIYA: My favorite prom look is loose waves or hair with texture and volume because it’s fun, flirty, and free! The pompadour, a side swept bang and high ponytail, half up and half down. These looks are classic. They will never fail you. Adding hair accessories such as sparkly clips, pins, and flowers add spice and a feminine touch.

GLITTER: If you were to put together a Prom Hair Emergency Kit, what would be in it?
HADIIYA: A teasing brush, hair pins of many sorts, hairspray – light and strong hold, hair clips and hair extensions, 3 different size curling irons, dry shampoo, blow-dryer / flatiron.