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5 minutes with celeb hairstylist Melford Hlabola who has touched the crowns of Sonia Mbele and more

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Actress Sonia Mbele styled by Melford Hlabola.
Actress Sonia Mbele styled by Melford Hlabola.
Photo: @melforddivashair/Instagram

This jack of all trades has touched the crowns of so many of our favourite South African celebrities. We wanted to know more about the man behind Melford Divas Hair.

Who is Melford (Tell us about yourself and your history as a hairstylist)?

Melford is a passionate creative artist who specialises as a beautician; initially I started off mainly as a hairstylist with a small hair salon operating in the outskirt townships of Johannesburg. I have now grown to branch out into other categories of beauty including advanced/new age make-up techniques and custom-made wigs as well as avant-garde make-up for television.

What has been the highlight of your career?

Seeing my business grow from a small enterprise to a large organisation with 20 staff members based in two large beauty parlours located in Newtown and Alberton. I was also an in-house hair and makeup specialist at one of South Africa’s largest media houses for two consecutive years doing hair & make-up for their celebrity cover stories and fashion spreads.

READ MORE | Wig Care 101 | The dos and don'ts

How do you keep setting trends?

I try to keep up to speed with what is happening in the market and the industry on the international pedestal and what the South African consumer is receptive and reluctant to; I then conceptualise customised trends that’ll suit my customers’ needs. I also buy hair and beauty magazines and watch a lot of fashion and beauty lifestyle oriented television shows.

See some of Melford's work below:

 

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