Toriah Lachell is an American cosmetologist and curly-hair specialist based in Boston, Massachusetts. She owns The Curl Bar Boston, a salon dedicated entirely to natural curl care. While many first heard her name through her past relationship with NBA star Jayson Tatum, she has built a clear professional identity of her own — as a trained stylist, entrepreneur, and mother.
- Toriah Lachell Profile Summary
- Early Life and Background
- Toriah Lachell and Jayson Tatum Relationship
- Pregnancy and Birth of Jayson “Deuce” Tatum Jr.
- Breakup and Co-Parenting
- Journey Into Cosmetology and Career
- The Curl Bar Boston
- Toriah Lachell as a Mother
- Social Media Presence
- Toriah Lachell Net Worth and Financial Overview
- Toriah Lachell Personal Life and Relationship Status
- Personality, Values, and Lifestyle
- Future Plans and Long-Term Goals
- Conclusion
- FAQs
Toriah Lachell Profile Summary
| Attribute | Details |
| Full Name | Toriah Nicole Lachell |
| Date of Birth | February 20 or 21, 2000 |
| Age (2025) | 25 years old |
| Birthplace | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Current City | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Zodiac Sign | Pisces |
| Profession | Curly-hair specialist, cosmetologist, salon owner |
| Salon | The Curl Bar Boston |
| Education | Cosmetology school, graduated 2018 |
| High School | McCluer North High School |
| Mother | Julie Gibbs |
| Stepfather | John Gibbs |
| Children | Jayson “Deuce” Tatum Jr. |
| Net Worth (2025) | Approx. $2 million |
| @hairbytoriahlachell, @thecurlbarboston |
Early Life and Background
Childhood and Family
Toriah grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, raised primarily by her mother, Julie Gibb,s and stepfather John Gibbs. Her stepfather played a meaningful role in her upbringing, and she has acknowledged him as a steady influence in her life. Details about her biological father have never been made public — a boundary she has kept intentionally.
Her childhood was grounded and active. She was not drawn to glamour or trends early on. Instead, she was energetic, competitive, and family-oriented. Those qualities shaped how she approached challenges later in life, including early motherhood and building a business from scratch.
Education and High School Years
Toriah attended McCluer North High School in Florissant, Missouri, just outside St. Louis. She was a dedicated athlete — playing varsity soccer throughout all four years and varsity softball for two years, after starting on the junior varsity team. In 2014, she was named to the Suburban XII North Division all-conference softball team as an outfielder.
Sports gave her something that carried forward into her adult career: discipline, consistency, and the ability to work toward long-term goals without losing focus. She was not a standout academic figure in the public eye, but she was known among peers for having a strong personality and a grounded attitude.
Toriah Lachell and Jayson Tatum Relationship
How They Met
Toriah and Jayson Tatum crossed paths as teenagers in Missouri, even though they attended different schools. She was at McCluer North High School while Jayson went to Chaminade College Prep, an all-boys school in Creve Coeur. They moved in overlapping social circles and built a connection through mutual friends.
Their relationship became briefly visible to the public in 2015, when a Sports Illustrated article mentioned Toriah by noting she was showing off her prom dress while Jayson was already being tracked as one of the top high school basketball recruits in the country.
High School Relationship
The two dated from around 2014 to 2017. During that period, Jayson’s profile rose sharply. He became a heavily recruited player, enrolled at Duke University, and prepared for the NBA Draft. The relationship faced real pressure — long distance, packed schedules, and growing fame created friction.
Rumors about Jayson seeing someone else, including mentions of Samie Amos, circulated during this time. Neither party confirmed specifics publicly. As both of them moved into new phases of life — Jayson into professional basketball and Toriah into early motherhood — the relationship ended.
Who Is Jayson Tatum?
Jayson Tatum was born on March 3, 1998, in St. Louis, Missouri. He played one season at Duke University before the Boston Celtics selected him third overall in the 2017 NBA Draft. He has since become one of the most recognizable players in the league, earning multiple NBA All-Star selections and leading the Celtics through deep playoff runs. Off the court, he is known as a devoted father to his son Deuce, who regularly appears courtside at games.
Pregnancy and Birth of Jayson “Deuce” Tatum Jr.
Toriah became pregnant in late 2016 or early 2017, at a point when Jayson was finishing his freshman year at Duke and preparing to enter the NBA. In a candid interview on In Depth with Graham Bensinger, Jayson admitted he was terrified when he found out. He said he kept the news from teammates and coaches because he feared it would hurt his draft stock.
At eight months pregnant, Toriah relocated from St. Louis to Boston to be near Jayson as he started his career with the Celtics. Jayson Christopher Tatum Jr. — known as Deuce — was born in December 2017. Toriah was 17 at the time; Jayson was 19.
Just two weeks after giving birth, she enrolled in cosmetology school. That decision said a great deal about her drive. She wanted to complete the program while Deuce was very young, so she could build a more flexible career once he got older.
Breakup and Co-Parenting
The relationship ended not long after Deuce was born. No confirmed reason was ever made public, though the combination of distance, NBA scheduling demands, and the pressures of young adulthood played clear roles. Jayson has since been linked publicly to singer Ella Mai, while Toriah has kept her personal life entirely private.
Despite the split, both parents have maintained a functional co-parenting relationship. Deuce spends time with both of them. He is frequently seen at Celtics games with his father and appears in posts on Toriah’s social media as well. Their arrangement stays quiet and focused on what their son needs — not on public drama.
Journey Into Cosmetology and Career
Passion for Natural Hair and Curl Care
Toriah did not grow up confident about her hair. Like many Black girls, she relied on relaxers through middle school and into high school because she did not know how to work with her natural curls. A friend who had embraced her own natural texture pushed Toriah to try the same.
From there, she turned to YouTube tutorials and began experimenting on herself. She documented her progress on Instagram, and people started reaching out asking her to help with their hair. Someone close to her told her she visibly lit up whenever she talked about curls — and that comment stuck.
Cosmetology Training and Certifications
She enrolled in cosmetology school in Boston in 2017 and graduated in August 2018. Beyond the foundational license, she pursued advanced training in methods specifically designed for curly hair:
- DevaCurl certified — a leading curl-cutting technique
- Rezo Cut certified — a dry curl-cutting method focused on shape and volume
- Cut It Kinky Alumna — specialized training for tightly coiled and kinky textures
In 2021, she appeared on The Glow Up Effect podcast, where she talked openly about her hair journey, her decision to go into cosmetology, and how she developed her approach. Her credibility in the curl space comes directly from this layered, ongoing education.
The Curl Bar Boston
Building the Salon
The Curl Bar Boston is a curl-exclusive salon — every service, cut, and treatment is designed around natural texture. Toriah opened it with the intention of creating a space where clients felt genuinely understood, not just accommodated. The salon built a loyal client base quickly, largely because Boston lacked dedicated curl-focused options at the time.
The environment is educational as much as it is service-based. Toriah teaches clients how to maintain their curls between appointments, not just how to look good walking out the door.
Growth and Notable Recognition
One of the salon’s highest-profile moments came when comedian Trevor Noah visited for a haircut. The visit brought additional visibility and reinforced the salon’s reputation beyond its regular client base. Growth has continued through word-of-mouth, a professional booking system, and selective brand partnerships. On May 1, 2022, Toriah marked the salon’s one-year anniversary — noting how much the client community had contributed to its success.
Online Curl Education Program
Alongside the physical salon, Toriah created the Curl Bar Curl Course: Case Study — an online program that teaches curl science, cutting techniques, and styling methods to aspiring stylists and everyday people wanting to care for their own hair at home. The course extended her reach beyond Boston and created an additional income stream outside of salon services.
Toriah Lachell as a Mother
Deuce Tatum has become something of a celebrity in his own right — a familiar face courtside at TD Garden and beloved by Celtics fans. Toriah keeps his day-to-day life as private as possible, focusing on a stable routine over public exposure.
She has shared glimpses on Instagram and TikTok — including a video of herself doing Deuce’s hair at the salon that drew significant attention. In March 2023, she shared a TikTok series from a trip to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, with Deuce and a friend. Some of those videos crossed one million views. Her approach to motherhood is quiet but clearly present — she lets the occasional real moment speak for itself.
Social Media Presence
Toriah maintains two professional accounts — @hairbytoriahlachell and @thecurlbarboston — along with a private personal profile. Her public pages focus on client transformations, hair education, and salon updates. She does not use them for personal branding in the celebrity sense.
This separation is deliberate. She avoids drama, keeps commentary minimal, and lets her work carry the content. That professionalism has helped her build a following of people who follow her for the craft, not the connection to Jayson Tatum.
Toriah Lachell Net Worth and Financial Overview
As of 2025, Toriah Lachell’s estimated net worth sits at approximately $2 million. That figure reflects income from three primary sources:
- Salon revenue from The Curl Bar Boston
- Online course sales through the Curl Bar Curl Course
- Brand partnerships tied to natural hair products and beauty
She built this from nothing — no inheritance, no platform handed to her. Her financial stability came from consistent client demand, smart income diversification, and long-term planning from a young age.
Toriah Lachell Personal Life and Relationship Status
Since her split from Jayson Tatum in 2017, Toriah has not publicly dated anyone. She has made no announcements and shown no signs of a new relationship on social media. Jayson’s life in the spotlight — including his relationship with Ella Mai — contrasts sharply with Toriah’s deliberately quiet approach.
She focuses on her son, her salon, and her growth. Boston is home now, and her routine there reflects exactly what she has built: a stable, private, purposeful life.
Personality, Values, and Lifestyle
Toriah has described herself as “not a girly girl” — more comfortable with sports, R&B music, and low-key routines than with trends or attention. She has mentioned Tupac among her favorite artists and once noted she would eat chocolate cake for breakfast without regret. These small details paint a picture of someone grounded and unperformed.
Her core values show up consistently: hard work, humility, discipline, and a drive toward self-improvement. She came up through varsity sports, early motherhood, and a demanding professional certification — and handled all three with the same consistency. Beauty education is not just her job; it is genuinely where her confidence lives.
Future Plans and Long-Term Goals
Toriah has signaled interest in growing The Curl Bar Boston — potentially adding new locations or expanding her team. Her educational work is also likely to develop further, with more structured curl-education courses aimed at stylists worldwide.
A hair-care product line has been discussed as a future direction — shampoos, conditioners, and curl creams formulated for different curl types. Whether that materializes soon or later, it fits naturally into the brand she has already built. Her long-term goal has always been control: over her schedule, her business, her income, and her name.
Conclusion
Toriah Lachell’s story carries real weight because it is not shaped by a famous partner — it is shaped by what she did when that relationship ended. She became a mother at 17, enrolled in cosmetology school two weeks after giving birth, and built The Curl Bar Boston into a recognized name in the natural hair community. Her entrepreneurial mindset, commitment to curl education, and quiet strength have made her a respected figure in the beauty industry well beyond her connection to Jayson Tatum. The work speaks for itself.
FAQs
Who is Toriah Lachell?
Toriah Lachell is an American cosmetologist, curly-hair specialist, and the owner of The Curl Bar Boston. She is also known as the mother of Jayson Deuce Tatum Jr., son of NBA player Jayson Tatum. She has built her professional reputation independently through her salon and curl education work.
How did Toriah Lachell become publicly known?
Most people first heard her name through her high school relationship with Jayson Tatum. A 2015 Sports Illustrated article briefly mentioned her. As Tatum’s NBA career grew, public curiosity about his son Deuce brought renewed attention to her. Today, her salon success adds a separate layer to her public profile.
How old is Toriah Lachell?
She was born on February 20 or 21, 2000, in St. Louis, Missouri. As of 2025, she is 25 years old.
What is The Curl Bar Boston?
The Curl Bar Boston is a curl-exclusive salon in Boston, Massachusetts, owned and operated by Toriah Lachell. It offers curl-specific haircuts, treatments, and client education focused on natural texture care.
How did Toriah become a curly hair specialist?
She started by learning to care for her own natural hair after years of using relaxers. She studied YouTube tutorials, practiced on friends, then enrolled in cosmetology school. She later earned certifications in DevaCurl, Rezo Cut, and Cut It Kinky to deepen her expertise.
Are Toriah Lachell and Jayson Tatum still together?
No. They separated shortly after Deuce was born in 2017. They were never married. Both have moved forward independently while maintaining a co-parenting relationship focused on their son’s well-being.
What is Toriah Lachell’s net worth?
Her estimated net worth as of 2025 is approximately $2 million, built through salon revenue, online curl courses, and brand partnerships.
What are Toriah Lachell’s future career plans?
She plans to expand The Curl Bar Boston, develop more curl-education programs for stylists, and potentially launch her own hair-care product line, including shampoos, conditioners, and curl creams.



