We are spotlighting the winners of Beauty Launchpad’s 30 Over 30 contest, sponsored by Denman Brush.
Get to know Jamal Edmonds (@lamajbackwards). He is a texture expert and owner of Lamaj in the City in Washington D.C.
Q&A:
Beauty Launchpad (BLP): What is a fun fact about you?
Jamal Edmonds (JE): I’m the karaoke king!
BLP: How did you get your start in the industry?
JE: I got started in the industry by doing my younger sisters’ and high school friends' hair. I quickly realized I had a gift and went to beauty school at night while still being in high school during the day. I went to work at a salon and started building a client base only for the owner to tell me she was closing the salon after being there one year. I eventually took over after she left, and the rest was history.
BLP: What is your proudest achievement in the industry thus far?
JE: My proudest moment in the industry is winning the Texture category for NAHA in 2022.
BLP: What advice would you give to the younger version of yourself just starting out in the industry, looking back on your whole career?
JE: If I had to give my younger self advice I would say to never compare your journey to anyone else’s and to continue to stay the course.
BLP: What is your current favorite hair trend?
JE: My favorite hair trend now is a beautiful bob cut, but with body and movement. I think it’s timeless, simple and very chic. Almost every woman can rock a version of a bob.
BLP: What is a valuable hair tip that you want to share with your fellow stylists (whether it’s a business tip or something related to styling/working with hair)?
JE: One tip that I would like to share, especially to the natural hair community, is that you don’t always have to use extreme heat to smooth textured hair. People may sometimes assume that because textured hair seems more dense than it is, you should use your irons at 450 degrees. You should always start at 410 degrees and work your way up, if needed. That way you won’t ruin someone’s natural curl pattern.
BLP: What inspires your work?
JE: My work is always inspired by the beautiful Black women that visit my salon and always creating a safe salon space for them that offers premium salon services. I also take inspiration from pop culture, art and nature.
BLP: What is something that keeps you passionate and motivated in the industry each day?
JE: My clients keep me motivated each day. It’s important for me to keep a safe salon space and provide premium salon services for my clients.
BLP: What changes would you like to see the industry make in order to grow/change/evolve/be better than it was before?
JE: In order for our industry to continue to grow, every stylist should have training in all texture types. I think that should start in beauty school. The skill set of every hairstylist will be even, and they can service any texture type.
BLP: What is a career goal you have for yourself?
JE: I’ve accomplished a lot in the beauty industry, but two goals I have for the future is to become a creative director and eventually dive more into television and film.
To see the full list of winners, read Beauty Launchpad's May/June issue.
