The Mane Cut Podcast

This week, Jade and Cataanda are diving into one of the most controversial topics in the hair industry: the apprenticeship model. Should stylists still be learning by working under someone in a salon, or is formal cosmetology school the only proper path? Cataanda comes in hot with a strong opinion: apprenticeships need to go away. As an educator and licensed cosmetologist who's worked in product d...

This week, Jade sits down with Aminah, the creative force behind Amor's Hair & Co and an award-winning hairstylist who's redefining what textured hair can be. Aminah's work lives at the intersection of beauty, music, and fine art. She's created hair art for the Amor's "Girls Will Be Girls" album, had her work featured in exhibitions, and in 2023 took home the Texture Style Awards Student Stylist o...

In this episode of The Mane Cut , Jade Buffong and Cataanda James have a necessary conversation about hair policing within the Black community — the comments, assumptions, and judgments that often come from people who look like us. They unpack how hair policing shows up in everyday life: from length assumptions and “real hair” debates, to generational expectations around professionalism, loc stigm...

This week, Jade sits down with internationally acclaimed hairstylist and educator Naeemah LaFond—the 2024 North American Hairstylists Awards Editorial Stylist of the Year and the visionary founder behind Texture On Set and Black On Set. Naeemah has trained professionals in over 15 countries, styled some of the most iconic runway looks and global campaigns, and made history as the first Black woman...

This week, Jade sits down with Morgan Mills—a boundary-pushing hairstylist, creative director, and multidisciplinary artist who's styled everyone from Winnie Harlow to Young Thug to SZA. Morgan's work has graced campaigns for Meta and Converse, been featured in Vogue and The Cut, and showcased at New York Fashion Week. But her impact goes beyond celebrity styling—she's building an empire that incl...

In this deeply personal episode, Jade and Cataanda tackle a topic that doesn't get discussed enough: hair grief. Whether it's unexpected heat damage, a stylist who chemically straightened your hair without permission, stress-induced hair loss, or hormonal changes during perimenopause, the emotional impact of major hair setbacks is real and valid. Topics Covered: Understanding Hair Grief What hair...

Meet Ariana Ariana is a licensed cosmetologist, editorial stylist, and the creative force behind Ariana’s Canvas. Her work centres around natural hair, wellness, and artistry - bringing her artistic touch from sketchbook to editorial shoots, runways, and short films. Where to find Ariana: Instagram | Website The interview Here are all the questions we asked Ariana, so you can fast-forward to the b...

In this episode, Jade and Cataanda are back after a 6-week break to debunk five of the biggest myths in textured hair care - from washing frequency to protective styles. Topics Covered: Myth #1: Only wash your hair once a month Why dirty scalps block follicles and prevent growth. The 7-14 day washing rule explained. Myth #2: Cutting makes hair grow faster Understanding length retention vs actual g...

This week's episode tackles a question we get ALL the time: Should I be taking hair care advice from my favourite textured hair influencer, or should I stick to licensed professionals? The short answer? Both have their place, but it's all about knowing WHEN to listen to whom. 🎯 The Bottom Line: Influencers = Great for discovery and raising awareness Licensed Stylists = Essential for personalised,...

Meet Keisha With over 20 years of experience, Keisha has worked across events from the Southern Women's Show to Richmond and New York Fashion Week. Her work has been featured in Modern Salon, Behind the Chair, and many more publications. She's won several awards including Editorial of the Year from the Beauty Awards and Willow Bayes Creative Hair winner. Where to find Keisha: Instagram | Website T...

The Real Talk About Black Hair Brand Sales You Need to Hear Hey Mane Cut family! This week's episode is probably our most passionate discussion yet. Jade and Cataanda are tackling the elephant in the room: why do we celebrate some black haircare brand acquisitions but criticize others? Here's what got us fired up: ✨ Carol's Daughter is back! Lisa Price reclaimed her brand from L'Oreal after 10 ye...

Nita is a powerhouse stylist and the founder of Healthy Hair Couture, a salon and wellness destination built for serious hair healing. Based in Dallas, Nita has made it her mission to make sure every woman looks good regardless of their hair texture. With over 10 years of experience and certified expertise in hair loss prevention and restoration, Nita blends cosmetology, science and compassion in...

Welcome to another episode of The Mane Cut! This week, Jade and Cataanda talk about what happens when relaxers are disguised as other treatments. One of the most painful experiences that anyone can experience at the hand of a stylist, is having their hair either damaged through lack of care or altered without their consent. Yet, sadly, there are still people who have their hair permanently straigh...

Welcome to another episode of The Mane Cut! This week, Jade and Cataanda talk about the business challenges that textured hair stylists face. One of the most challenging things that stylists can face is balancing the creativity of serving their customers with the demands of running their own business and being the brand. From finding the perfect location, to choosing between a salon or a suite, an...

Rayven is an editorial and session stylist with over a decade of experience. A force in both salon and editorial spaces, through mentorship and platforms like Texture on Set, Rayven is leaving her mark on the industry and supporting other stylists along the way —both behind the chair and behind the scenes. Besides having a range of mentors to help build her career, Rayven is also a Mizani Educator...

Welcome to another episode of The Mane Cut! This week, Jade and Cataanda talk about the effects that menopause can have on your hair. While there are more conversations about menopause than before, there isn’t much information out there about the impact menopause can have on your hair. From additional dryness, itchy scalp and hair loss, there are plenty of changes that women experience with their...

Meet Jules Jules is a celebrity, fashion and editorial stylist and make-up artist. Besides having her work published in the LA times, and working Fashion Week, Jules has also supported celebrity clients like D Smoke, Lion Babe, Tasha Cobbs, George Clinton and many more. With all of this experience under her belt, in this episode, we talk to Jules about the realities of building a career beyond ass...

Welcome to another episode of The Mane Cut! This week, Jade and Cataanda talk about children and teenagers doing too much with their hair. We’ve all seen it. From young children having their hair constantly manipulated with next to no break, to teenagers adopting wigs and weaves, damaging their hair lines and changing up their styles every few weeks, we’re now seeing (more than ever) a huge declin...

Meet Kay Kay is an assistant celebrity and editorial hairstylist who has done some incredible work. From working with stars heading to the Met Gala, to landing the cover of InStyle Magazine with Anna Delvey to presenting on stage at Textured on Set and being mentored by the one and only Naeema LaFond. Given Kay has already done so much, in this episode, we talk talk about what it’s really like to...

Welcome to another episode of The Mane Cut! This week, Jade and Cataanda talk about how we can deal with judgement and stereotypes because of our hair. Now we know the internet streets can be wild. But what happens when people are outright judged for their hair for no reason? From customers having side-bar debates over a sales assistants straight hair, to assuming anyone with curly or coily hair p...

Welcome to the extra episode of The Mane Cut! This week, Jade and Cataanda talk about celebrities making hair care lines. Over the past few years, we have seen more and more celebrities break into the Black hair space. From major releases like Fenty and Cecred to the smaller ranges like Inala. Now the real question is, why would you try a celebrity hair line vs all of the others that are out there...

Meet Christina Christina is a celebrity, and editorial hair stylist who has worked one everything from red carpet looks to editorial shoots with major brands and celebrities. Christina has done a range of work from New York Fashion week to working with brands we know and love like Pattern Beauty, African Pride, Carol’s Daughter and Adidas. As well as working for the likes of Teyonah Parris, Christ...

Welcome to the extra episode of The Mane Cut! This week, Jade and Cataanda talk about creating a textured hair care routine on any budget. With so many hair products on the market, most of us struggle to find the right ones for our hair. We all have that shelf (or shelves) full of shampoos, conditioners, oils and hair cremes that weren’t quite right, and we sit there regretting the expensive mista...

Meet Ikeyia Ike is a celebrity, fashion and editorial hair stylist who has worked with the likes of Pattern Beauty, Essence and many more. Ikeyia has most recently worked with Kendrick Lemar’s team for the Superbowl LIX Halftime show, styling the background dancers with hair lead Nikki Nelms. Not to mention she’s worked at Paris and New York Fashion week, and worked with some all-time favourite ce...

Welcome to the first extra episode of The Mane Cut! This week, Jade and Cataanda talk about the question that seems to be circling around again: to relax or not to relax? Even though more and more people have returned to their natural hair, we’ve noticed the interest in relaxers ticking up again. But the real question is, why? Is it for convenience? Are people still struggling to learn how to look...