Five Minutes with Mo David Concepts
All Things Hair: Can you tell me a little about the history of your hair and how it’s changed over the years? Mo David: I used to keep it really, really short, except for a small patch at the top of my forehead that I let grow out an extra inch or two. I’d use gel to make it into a little spike so I could look like a cartoon. I really hated my curly hair, and I also used to wear a yarmulke every day, so it only made sense to keep it short. All Things Hair: In what ways does your hair play a role in your identity? And your brand identity? Mo David: I think there are some people for whom their hair is linked entirely to their brand identity and their hair acts like a calling card for their personalities. I don’t feel like I’ve put in the effort as of yet to associate my curly hair with my brand but I think that the things that I value about my hair are things that I value in my brand: honesty, authenticity and living your truest life. I’ve just started growing it out in about the last eight months, so I’m still getting used to people associating me with curly hair. Growing up, I always wanted straight, thin hair. Letting it grow and taking the time to learn how to care for it has been a big lesson in self-love. It forced me to slow down while getting ready and take the time to treat myself kindly. That time to be alone with my thoughts is invaluable. All Things Hair: Hair and head coverings play a large role in Orthodox Judaism for both men and women. How did wearing a yarmulke for most of your life affect your hair care routine/identity? Mo David: I always really resented wearing a yarmulke growing up. I felt like it was holding me back from styling my hair and expressing myself how I wanted to. It also set me apart while doing daily activities, and I was so used to people staring at my yarmulke in the grocery store or making snide comments at skate parks. My answer to that was to just shave my hair off as often as I could, and make the whole situation less attention-grabbing. Looking back, it was probably good that something prevented me from spiking my hair up completely. Frosted tips were definitely on my mind and I would never have lived that down. All Things Hair: Walk us through your hair care routine. Mo David: I wash my hair every night, and I’ve heard that’s bad but I can’t get in bed unless I do it. After that I run hair oil through the curls to keep in the moisture, and let it air dry. My hair shrinks a lot as it dries, so the next morning the curls are pretty tight and close to my head. I use a detangler to pull out the curls a little bit, and try to style it into some sort of delineated shape. That usually doesn’t work, so I let it do what it wants. All Things Hair: What’s one of your favorite hair trends of the season? Mo David: I don’t think I follow hair trends too much! I’ve seen a lot of guys shaving patterns or lines into their fades, and I think that can look really cool. I’m not sure it’s for me, though. All Things Hair: What hairstyle or trend do you want to try next? Mo David: I’d really like to grow my hair out to my shoulders. But I don’t think I have the discipline or the jawline for that. All Things Hair: Can you tell us more about the self-care practices that you adhere to in relation to your hair? Mo David: I think that anytime that we take the time to learn about ourselves and spend time ourselves and our thoughts and our bodies, it heightens the quality of our relationship with ourselves. You don’t take time for things you don’t care about. Taking the extra five minutes to understand my hair and my texture is both therapeutic and cathartic. All Things Hair: Can you talk about your hair from a cultural and generational perspective? Mo David: I remember seeing pictures of my grandfather when he was in high school and he had the exact same hair as me. Seeing his curly hair and how he styled it and then doing my own thing with my texture definitely makes me feel connected to a longer line of people and heritage, identity and family. Enjoying it and taking the time to style it makes me feel more connected to my grandfather and to the men and women in my family that have done and sacrificed so much so that I could be here and it helps me to remember to be proud of where I come from and who I am. Looking to learn more about men’s curly hair? Hear our best tips for how to style men’s curly hair.
