There are hair stylists, there are hair gurus and then there’s Gabrielle Bates a.k.a. King Onyx, owner of the Atlanta based celebrity hair salon, Vanity Trap.
To see her on social media, you’d know that she’s a no-holds barred entrepreneur who does not hold her tongue. Sometimes funny, sometimes serious, and sometimes downright controversial, she’s a transparent millennial who’s made a name for herself. Despite living in the super saturated hair capital of the south, her lane is undeniable—if you want a undetectable lace hairstyle, she’s got you covered.
Growing up in Florida, she always had her sights set on hair. As far back as age 11, you could find her combing hair, painting nails or playing in make-up. Over the years, she has worked hard and mastered beauty by obtaining certifications in make-up artistry, cosmetology and as a nail technician. Through her work, she has gained notoriety among celebrities, influencers and the everyday woman alike. As a result of displaying her top-notch work, she is a social media heavyweight with over 100K followers that are always on the lookout for her latest works of art. Just like her “keeping it real” videos on Instagram, you can bet that in person, what you see is what you get—an unadulterated and unapologetic confident women.
On a softer side of the industry, she strives to work with cancer and alopecia patients. Her organization donates time, expertise and hand-crafted units to cancer and alopecia sufferers. Efforts like these are the types of reminders that let us know that there is way more to life than just doing a job, making money and being popular on social media.
Known in the beauty industry as a “Jill of all trades,” this twenty-something tress expert is leading a charge across the nation. Earlier this year she launched a coast-to-coast tour with her signature lace installation classes. Hopefully this will start to turn the tides on some of the not-so-professional units that continue to make their way onto movie sets, reality TV shows and major magazine covers.
Kudos to Gabrielle for not only being multi-talented entrepreneur, but also multi-faceted woman with a charitable heart. This is Black Girl Magic!
Catch her on Instagram at @King_Onyx or on her site: www.kingonyx.com