Anu Prestonia

{{Notability|Biographies|date=August 2020}}

Anu Prestonia is an African-American hairdresser based in New York.{{cite news|last1=Saro-Wiwa|first1=Zina|title=Black Women's Transitions to Natural Hair|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/01/opinion/black-women-and-natural-hair.html?_r=0|website=New York Times|date=31 May 2012|accessdate=17 April 2016}}{{cite web|last1=Andrews|first1=Jessica|title=Not a Trend: Regarding the Afro as Art|url=http://www.elle.com/culture/art-design/a29255/regarding-the-afro-as-art/|website=Elle|date=9 July 2015|accessdate=17 April 2016}} She is considered an expert in the field of natural hair styling for black women.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/black-history-month-2015-fro-back-article-1.2105302|title=BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2015: It's a 'Fro back!|website=NY Daily News|access-date=2016-04-17}}{{cite web|title=Ask The Experts: 5 Ways To Keep Locs Tight|url=http://www.essence.com/2015/06/10/ask-experts-5-ways-keep-locs-tight|website=Essence|accessdate=17 April 2016}}{{cite web|last1=Mji|first1=Zanele|title=Rocking Box Braids|url=http://fashionista.com/2012/11/everything-you-need-to-know-about-rocking-box-braids|website=Fashionista|accessdate=17 April 2016}}

Prestonia grew up in Norfolk, Virginia, and later moved to New York City at 10 years old.{{Cite web |title=Anu Prestonia interview conducted by Candacy Taylor, 2012-09-05 |url=https://www.loc.gov/resource/afc2012035.afc2012035_00526_ph04/?r=-0.234,-0.018,1.532,0.741,0 |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA}} In 2012, she produced In Our Heads About Our Hair, a documentary about hair acceptance, and African-American women's hair care and self esteem.{{Citation |last=Angaza |first=Hemamset |title=In Our Heads About Our Hair |type=Documentary, Comedy, Drama |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2206946/?ref_=nm_flmg_job_1_cred_t_1 |access-date=2024-10-10}}{{Cite web |title=Documentary Film makers & Film Productions. Watch Documentaries Online |url=https://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/play/52026/in-our-heads-about-our-hair |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=www.cultureunplugged.com}}

In 2021, she launched Anu Essentials, a line of perfumes and body care oils.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Erica |date=2021-08-16 |title=The Natural-Hair-Care Pioneer Turned Perfumer |url=https://www.thecut.com/2021/08/anu-prestonia-scent-memories.html |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=The Cut |language=en}}