Vixen Chat: Derek J Talks Shoe Designers, “Hair Battle” and Hair Tips

Derek J is a man who knows hair… and heels. VIBE Vixen sat down with the celebrity hair stylist in his newly relocated Atlanta salon to discuss hair tips and why black hair gets a bad rap. Oh, and of course we had to dish about his gal buddies from the Real Housewives of Atlanta. He dishes about which cast member he thinks has made a complete transformation over the years. -Chantell Black
VIBE VIXEN: You are always in a pair of heels.  Who is your favorite shoe designer?
DEREK J: I love high-end shoes. I love the Gucci’s and the Louboutin’s, but unfortunately I wear a size 11, so I can’t really fit them. So Tory Burch, Stuart Weitzman, Jeffrey Campbell are my faves.
Your show, Hair Battle Spectacular, recently debuted it’s second season. What kind of advice did you give to the hairstylists?
My advice to them is you don’t have to be good at everything, just be good at what you do. Don’t try to come in here and wow us; do what you know. It’s a competition, and you don’t want to lose because you trying to do all this other new stuff. Just do what you know how to do, be the best at it and make it fabulous.
What kind of hair tips do you have for the fall season?
A lot of black women don’t have a hair regimen.  You should be getting your hair shampooed at least once a week and ends trimmed every four to six weeks. Then you need to decide if you want to be natural or relaxed, and keep up on those things. From relaxed to natural, cut it all off or get a weave.  And get a good stylist that focuses on hair maintenance, not just hair styling.
What’s the biggest mistake girls make with their hair?
They want everything, but not take the time to maintain it all. They want the weave in, they want the weave out, they want relax, they want natural, just figure out what you want.