Rooted in Culture, Built on Community: Inside the HUE Affair 26'
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By Jewel Benton & Kelsi Bowen
On Saturday, May 30, 2026, the Hair Unites Everyone (HUE) Affair celebrated its 10th annual event at the Metropolitan Pavilion, drawing beauty enthusiasts, entrepreneurs and industry professionals from across the region
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Featuring more than 60 Black-owned and Black-supported beauty brands, the milestone event showcased a vibrant mix of products, services and networking opportunities. With early-bird tickets selling out in advance and popular Jamaican food vendor Oseno Jerk serving attendees throughout the day, excitement surrounding the event was evident long before the doors opened.
A lengthy line of guests stretched outside the venue as attendees eagerly awaited entry, a sight that came as little surprise to organizers, especially current HUE curator Ylorie Taylor. The annual event has steadily grown over the past decade into a highly anticipated celebration of Black beauty, culture and entrepreneurship, attracting a loyal following and new supporters each year.
As guests poured into the Metropolitan Pavilion, they were welcomed into a space dedicated to community, creativity and the continued growth of Black-owned businesses within the beauty industry.
“We need this. It fills our cup. It keeps our community going; it recycles our dollars; we absolutely need access to capital, community, and customers. And that’s here at HUE,” says Taylor.
The HUE Affair was founded by Sabrina Boissiere, a pioneer in creating professional, social, and communal avenues centered on natural hair. Boissiere created the HUE Affair in Brooklyn in 2016, at the height of the natural hair movement. Since then, the Hue affair has expanded to Austin, Houston, Chicago, and Philadelphia. In 2024, beauty industry veteran and brand architect Ylorie Taylor took the reins and has continued to evolve the HUE Affair into what she says is “bigger”, “better”, and timely.
Amid ongoing concerns about discrimination against natural hair in schools and workplaces, Taylor said the passage of the CROWN (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) Act in 2019, now adopted by 27 states it reinforces the mission of the HUE Affair.
“Think about all the brands that started because there wasn’t a solution for natural hair,” Taylor said. “We validated the need for this type of beauty event and these types of beauty brands. We need things that are for us and by us, and I’m happy to be an ecosystem for that.”
Photo Credit: Shatimah Monaé Brathwaite
The impact of Taylor’s leadership was evident in the event’s turnout. Part of the excitement centered on the event’s coveted swag bags. The first 200 attendees received bags filled with full-size products from HUE partners, including Pattern, Kativa, Palmer’s and The Doux.
Swag bags were assembled by volunteers like Yssa. The 2026 installation was Yssa’s first time attending the HUE Affair, and she did so as a volunteer: “As a volunteer, I helped facilitate the event, make swag bags, and entertain the crowd outside in line,” she says. One of the perks of being a volunteer is that you're first in line when it comes to receiving goodies like curl refreshers, leave-in conditioners, curl styling gels– all of which Yssa left the event with. She says this especially came in clutch because “[I’m] on my last leg of hair care products; all I have is cocktails left, so I’m just happy to re-up for free.” By cocktails, she means a mixture of products made to stretch it out for longer use.
Photo Credit: Shatimah Monaé Brathwaite
However, volunteers weren’t the only ones to get free stuff; major brands like Cream of Nature and HUE partners Bask and Lather, KISS, and HUE sponsor CVS held giveaways offering free, full-sized products to winners and participants until supplies ran out. As a marketplace, the hue affair also offers attendees free “re-ups” on the products they love most and introductions to products they’re going to love.
For vendor Arnett, the 2026 HUE Affair marked two major milestones: her first time participating in the event and her first time vending outside her home state.
Arnett, owner of The Dappled Wood, discovered the HUE Affair through Instagram after seeing a mutual friend attend a previous event. Inspired by what she saw, she immediately felt her brand belonged there.
“I wanted to come and be a part of a space that celebrated melanin,” Arnett said.
Based in Baltimore, Maryland, Arnett typically sells her handcrafted jewelry at local markets and pop-up events throughout the area. She encourages customers to follow her website for updates on upcoming appearances and future pop-up locations.
Long time vendor Natalia Melville is the Trinidadian henna artist behind the brand Henna Dready. She says it is one of the “ best events” she's been to and because she’s been coming for so long, she’s “locked in”. She credits founder Boissiere and HUE’s current curator Taylor for helping her establish a clientele that keeps her coming back, who she now calls her “ OG’s”. “My regulars keep looking for me when they’re here,” Melville says, gesturing to a woman sitting in a chair to her left, waiting to get henna. Melville offers a diverse set of h styles ranging from chest, facial, leg, back, and feet designs, and also party/event services. To book her services, visit her website or @HennaDready on Instagram.
Shenequa Johnson, is multidisciplinary artist, and founder of SJohnsondesigns, a creative brand that celebrates Black women and natural hair through art and design.
Johnson said she first learned about the HUE Affair several years ago and was drawn to the event's strong attendance and vibrant atmosphere.
“It always looked really interesting and always had a great turnout,” she said. “I figured it would be a great opportunity to get myself out there.”
Her inspiration for launching SJohnson Designs stemmed from what she described as a lack of representation in the illustration world.
“I wanted to create the art I wanted to see,” Johnson said.
At this year's HUE Affair, the SJohnson Designs booth featured custom doodle-style portraits in color and black-and-white, Afro-inspired bag charms and stationery celebrating Black culture and natural hair.
Husband-and-wife team Terrance and Dandria Williams are the co-founders of Shateria Beauty, a plant-based natural hair care brand offering multifunctional products formulated for both curls and locs.
Founded in Chicago, the company was created in response to what the Williamses saw as a shortage of Black hair care products in local beauty supply stores despite strong consumer demand. According to Dandria Williams, Shateria Beauty's mission is to make "clean beauty accessible and affordable."
"Our clarifying shampoo with apple cider vinegar is perfect for both of us," she said. "My husband can clarify his scalp, and I can detox my locs with the same product."
This year marked the couple's second time vending at the HUE Affair. Terrance Williams said the event has become an important space for connecting consumers with brands that are both "culturally aligned and matter."
The couple has traveled from Chicago to attend the event for the past two years and plans to continue participating in the future.
To learn more about Shateria Beauty, visit the company's website or follow @ShateriaBeauty on Instagram.
Asili's Boutique, a plant-based skincare brand founded by mother-daughter team Yolanda, Jasmine and Chazanda Jackson, made its long-awaited debut as a vendor at this year's HUE Affair.
The family-owned business first learned about the event in 2024 through fellow small business owner Eyeland Vibes, which shared its vending experience on social media.
"When I saw them doing it, I was like, 'I have to check it out,'" said Jasmine Jackson, spokesperson for Asili's Boutique.
After applying to participate for several years, the brand was finally selected as a vendor in 2026.
"The vibes have literally been unmatched since the doors opened," Jackson said.
Guided by the motto, "Rooted in nature, crafted with intention," Asili's Boutique offers a range of herbal-inspired products, including handmade soaps, body butters, oils, shampoo bars, sugar scrubs and African net sponges.
"Everything from head to toe," Jackson said.
The company's mission is rooted in creating products for people with sensitive skin and common skin conditions.
"We curate products with various skin ailments in mind, like eczema and psoriasis," Jackson said. "We want people with sensitive skin to use products like everyone else."
Beyond addressing skincare concerns, the brand aims to encourage self-care and wellness.
"We're often so busy with life and family that we don't take care of ourselves," Jackson said. "Sometimes saying, 'Let me soak my feet,' or 'Let me take a bath with a nice handmade soap,' can be the reset we need."
Approaching its sixth year in business, Asili's Boutique remains a family affair, with Yolanda Jackson formulating many of the products. Jasmine Jackson said she is proud to be part of the company's continued growth.
"I look forward to sharing my products with my family. I call all my customers my family," she said.
To learn more about Asili's Boutique, visit the company's website, follow @AsilisBoutique on Instagram or stop by its storefront in Staten Island.
For a full list of 2026 HUE Affair vendors and partners, visit the event's website and follow its Instagram page for updates on future events.