Meet Kiyah Wright, a renowned celebrity hairstylist who has earned two Emmy Awards for her exceptional work in the field.
Her ingenuity has set a benchmark for image-making and revolutionized the appearance of confident, successful, and alluring women worldwide. Transforming the looks of celebrated personalities like Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum, Taraji P. Henson, Kerry Washington, Halsey, Ciara, and many more, Wright’s hair innovations have graced popular TV shows such as Pose, Power, Black-Ish, America’s Next Top Model, and more.
As a highly sought-after trendsetter in the beauty industry, Wright has received numerous accolades, including the Hollywood Beauty Award and the Golden Scissor Award. After securing two Emmys and becoming a hairstylist to the stars, most would stick to styling the A-listers. But, Wright still sees herself as a salon hairstylist at heart and enjoys performing makeovers on the everyday woman at her Beverly Hills salon.
“The love for making women, and men, feel beautiful and look their best, especially when they are going out into their everyday lives bossing up every day,” Wright told BLACK ENTERPRISE of continuing to work at her salon.
“I really love being able to service them, be creative and just work with inspiring people every day.”
Wright firmly believes that “when you change your hair,
you change your life.” When not catering to celebrity clients and managing her salon, she focuses on growing her custom hair brand, Muze|Hair.Through her haircare company, Wright provides a customized collection of hair extensions, wigs, hair maintenance products, and salon services designed by the veteran hairstylist to cater to the needs of the curly, kinky, and textured haircare market.
“Because hair is directly connected to a woman’s self-esteem, Muze|Hair was all about me being inspired by everyday women and beautiful styles that make them feel pretty, but also these women inspire me to create,” she said of her haircare line.
“I want Muze|Hair to be the people’s brand.”
Her ultimate goal is to become the go-to brand for textured hair, just like Paul Mitchell is for traditional hair types.
“Paul Mitchell was my biggest inspiration as it relates to how far you can go as a stylist, products, and branding,” she said.
With her new book, From Beauty to Business, Wright shares financial keys to success with the next generation of beauty professionals.
“Financial literacy was not taught to me or even in my family or household, which later in life made me more aware of how important it was to know and understand,” she explained.
“I wrote From Beauty to Business to really help beauty professionals understand the importance of having their finances together and how to ensure that their business is in order. It’s one thing to be a celebrity hairstylist, but it’s another thing when you think about everything you’ve accomplished 25 years down the road, and you have not even considered your finances.”
Wright has built an entire business and brand around her model of being “unapologetically beautiful every day” and offered some words of wisdom to those looking to do the same.
“Caring about yourself is more work than it sounds,” she said. “I think that the secret to a woman being unapologetically beautiful every day is truly caring about yourself and showing up for yourself every day.”