Staff Report

MIAMI – After 20 official years in the hair game, South Florida’s very first salon to specialize in catering to women of color’s natural manes and tresses is marking another milestone. On Saturday, December 10, Natural Trendsetters Salon will host its 14th Annual “Royal Coils Natural Hair Expo” at the Hyatt Regency Downtown Miami, located at 400 SE 2nd Avenue in Miami. Beginning Saturday, December 10, attendees will be able to enjoy a two-day celebration of the African diaspora through natural hair, featuring actress Tanya Wright, author of I Found God In My Hair.

The expo will kick off with a fabulous runway show featuring the latest hairstyles, product lines, designers and leaders in the beauty industry. On Sunday, December 11, the focus will be on beauty and overall wellness through a shopping experience with national vendors, beauty workshops, expert panels and live entertainment.

Wright’s book and presentation is one of the highlights of this year’s event as Royal Coils is excited to expose attendees to the actress’ message of self-love. Her book, I Found God In My Hair: 98 Spiritual Principles I Learned…From My Hair, focuses on humorous, but meaningful lessons Wright learned on her journey to embracing her curly mane. Wright has appeared on shows such as HBO’s “True Blood” and Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black.”

Simone Hylton co-founded Natural Trend Setters with her sister Yanique Hylton. As one of the primary organizers of the event, she said she is extremely proud women are embracing their natural beauty.

“With the current shift in the beauty industry, Tanya’s book exemplifies the feeling women are having as they embrace self-love which is leading to this natural hair revolution,” Hylton said.

This year’s theme is “Natural Hair Revolution.” Hylton said the thought behind it isn’t about revolting against anyone in particular about the current status quo, but rather about showing there is more than one standard that beauty can be measured by.

“It’s about revolutionizing our self-love to embrace natural hair as an option for a standard of beauty for women of color,” Hylton said. “It makes me proud that many women of color, not just black women, are embracing this as an alternative and the show is evidence of that. It’s about loving ourselves from the inside out.”

The black haircare industry is estimated to reach a collective worth of $500 billion by 2017, with many of those dollars going to companies outside of the black community. Through dynamic speakers, powerful workshops and engaging experiences, The Royal Coils Expo seeks to connect products and people to ensure the empowerment of the community through culture and commerce.

The weekend’s activities feature an artistic hair showcase, a presentation on the revolution of natural hair, celebrity stylists, makeup artists and designers. Attendees will also enjoy product giveaways, live entertainment from Grammy nominee Maimouna Youssef and performances by Island Gal and April Raquel.

The Royal Coils Expo welcomes hundreds of women, men and families from all over the diaspora to enjoy two days filled with embracing natural living, through haircare, self-love and community. In its 14th year, the expo is about the continuous evolution of black culture and holistic living, while connecting consumers and professionals to bring forth a revolution based in passion and learning. Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased at www.myroyalcoils.com.