25 Top Hollywood Stylist Hairstyling Tips You Deserve to Know
You see them strut down the runway with an ever-bright smile donning a dress that probably costs at least thousand dollars.
You watch them grace the red carpet with attention-grabbing heeled sandals in a dress that was created by the world’s best.
But aside from the dress they wear and the footwear they walk on, another thing that probably catches your attention is how their hair is styled.
Before every event, a celebrity who is set to attend an event or appear on a show sits before a makeup station for hours on end, and one of the most important things they get done is their hair.
A lot of planning goes into a star’s hair style. There are things to consider too. It’s not something they toss a coin for to see if today’s a day for buns or braids.
And while a celebrity has a say on how their locks should be done that day, there’s someone who plays a bigger part in this—their hair stylist.
To be a stylist to an A-lister requires more than just knowledge about curlers and hair extensions.
You have to know the personality of the person you’re styling, what they are wearing on that day, and then find a way to complement that.
Hair styling, indeed, is a hard job. But it’s not difficult to know the basics of it either. Some Hollywood hair stylists are even generous enough to share some styling tips they believe everybody will find useful.
Here are some hair styling tips from Hollywood stylists you need to keep in mind
1. Use less highlights
Stuffing your locks with countless highlights is an old trend. According to George Papanikolos, stylist to pop star Miley Cyrus, Megan Fox, and Britney Spears, too much highlights is so 2014 and should be ditched.
If you want to use it, take the time to strategically place it; and if possible, go for the more natural-looking ones.
2. Have some blowout hair treatments
Papanikolos adds that if you want to feel like an A-list star, go get a hair blowout treatment.
He quips that it can bring wonders to your hair. If possible, do it weekly.
3. Buy the right products
Sometimes, it’s not about what you do or how you do it; it can be about buying the right hair care products for your hair.
Do not settle for what’s cheap or popular, get to know each product and the best brands.
Neglecting the quality of the hair styling products you use will only damage your hair.
4. Make use of cordless tools
Hollywood hair stylist Nikki Nelms, the woman behind Janelle Monae’s and Solange Knowles’s best hair styles, advises everyone to get cordless tools, especially if you’re one to travel a lot.
Nelms is aware that her clients often have to go from one place, if not state or country, to another in a short period.
To keep up with the demands of the job, she uses tools that are easy to transport but can still do the job. So if you travel a lot too, this is one you should remember.
5. Prep your bangs first
A piece of advice from hair stylist Sarah Potempa is to style your bangs first, if you have one. Potempa has styled Lea Michele, and for the star who’s known for her gorge bangs, Sarah makes sure she preps Michele’s bangs before she touches any part of her hair. You can easily cut your own bangs if you have the right scissors. Consider the scissor steel of the scissors you buy for cutting your own hair. JapanScissors has a useful scissor steel guide to help you decide on scissors.
If possible, Sarah suggests, “do it right out of the shower.”
6. Don’t be afraid to change up the products you use
Just like Papanikolos, Sarah Potempa wants you to pay attention to the type of products you use to style your mane.
For the celebrity hair stylist, who has worked with Jake Gyllenhaal and Kristen Stewart, it’s a common mistake for people to just use whatever’s on the table.
But it shouldn’t be that way. Take the time to know what each product is made of, what it is for, and determine if it is the right one for your hair.
And if the change in season calls for it, never be afraid to change things up.
7. Know that there’s a hair style for those who don’t have much time to work on one
In the same interview with Modern Mom, Saraph Potempa has tips for those who don’t have much time in the morning to style their hair.
For the celeb hair stylist, washing your hair the night before and “experimenting with buns to sleep in overnight” is the best way to go about it.
And then in the morning, a quick touch-up is all you need to do.
8. Carry bobby pins all the time
Potempa reveals that bobby pins are more useful than what they are given credit for.
After a long day, it can’t be helped, our locks will look messier than ever.
As much as we want to go to stop and take care of it, we don’t have all the time for that. So Sarah suggests using bobby pins.
Pin your hair into a bun and you’re good to go.
9. Blow-dry a messy hair
Hair stylist Oscar Blandi has more pieces of advice to add to Sarah’s concerning messy hair.
If you look at the mirror and see your hair is in an insufferable tangles, don’t freak out.
A little dry shampoo and blow-drying will save your mane. If you try to do more than that, you will end up worsening the situation and messing your hair up more.
But if shampoo and blow dry fail you, draw it into a ponytail instead.
10. Take advantage of the cold settings of your blow dryer
According to Oscar Blandi, hair stylist to Emma Stone and Drew Barrymore, there’s a pretty easy way to make your hair lustrous.
Give your locks a little shine by using the cold air setting in your blow dryer. Right after your hair has dried up, “lock in your locks” by blasting it with cold air.
11. Go for clip-in hair extensions
Talking to Beauty Almanac, hair stylist Paul Norton, who has styled Adrien Brody, Taylor Swift, Robin Wright, and Gina Rodriguez, says that if you want longer mane, clip-in hair extensions make a better choice than actually installing one.
For one, they won’t damage your hair. And if you’re always one the move, they’re easier to manage, as they can be removed in a second.
But should you opt to have a more permanent one like a weave or tape-in hair, Paul recommends to have them taken out and redone after every three months.
12. Wrap and twist your hair instead of braiding
Jennifer Lawrence has almost become a staple at award shows, just like how Meryl Streep always gets an invite to every existing award show.
For the 28-year-old actress, how her hair is styled is very important. Thankfully, she has Jenny Cho to take care of that.
Jenny Cho knows the ins and outs of celebrity hair styling. But perhaps more than anything, she makes sure she knows enough to give her clientele the satisfaction they expect to receive.
Among all the tips Cho has shared, she deems it important to know how to wrap and twist your hair.
Those with straight locks but want a wavy mane, braiding hair isn’t always the solution. Tying it into a ponytail and twisting it all the way to the end is how it should be done.
13. Don’t be afraid to try face-framing layers
Jenny Cho adds that to get the best hair style is to know your hair type. This way, you can experiment properly, try whatever fits your hair.
Then you can try something that reflects your personality, use it to make a statement.
But if you don’t want to do that, Cho suggests to try face-framing layers and short.
14. Know the right amount heat to push onto your straight locks
If you have a naturally straight and healthy hair and would love to keep it as thick and shiny as possible but want to try curls for once, you have to know how to do it without stripping your locks of its natural beauty.
According to hair stylist Adir Bergel, you can use a curling iron, but do not go higher than 176 degrees Celsius. This is to prevent your hair from getting damaged.
Putting it under too much heat will result in several hair-related nightmares (read: breakage). And while you do it, tilt your head so you can do the curling better and easier.
Additionally, if you’re drying your hair, do not go over medium heat and your hair to 90 percent. Using too much heat will overstretch your hair, which is in no way good for it.
Set the dryer to cold to medium air.
15. Use hair volumizer before blow drying your mane
Adir Bergel, who has styled A-listers Reese Witherspoon, Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Garner, and Jessica Biel, has another piece of advice for everyone: before a blow-dry, use a volumiser.
16. Know your hair type before getting permed waves
Another tip from Bergel is to reassess your hair type before getting permed waves. If you have pretty thick locks, then it’s probably a good move. But if you do not, it’s better to leave the perm as a thought.
17. Spray your hair before curling it
Hairspray before you curl—this is a crucial rule for stylist Rod Ortega, the brain and hands behind Blake Lively’s best hairdos.
Rod tells Elle that hair-spraying your mane and leaving it to dry before curling it will help hold the curls in.
18. Don’t ditch your dense, wavy locks
If you have dense hair, it might be too tempting to just cut it and free yourself of the weight.
But according to Mara Roszak, the hair stylist of Cara Delevingne, Mila Kunis, and Lily Collins, you don’t have to get rid of it.
Like what she often does with Delevingne’s hair, Roszak only cuts it if she has to create hidden layers.
19. Take advantage of wig tapes
Roszak adds that wig tapes are actually pretty useful. You can use it to hold a piece in place.
If you want to do quick touch-up, wig tapes can be used to secure ribbons and headbands in place. They are hard to spot and are not damaging to the hair.
20. Let your hair speak for itself
We want to make our hair stand out, but at the end of the day, is it really about which style is more eye-catching?
For Renato Campora, it’s not. Having styled several celebrities, including Amanda Seyfried, Jessica Chastain, Margot Robbie, and Naomi Watts, Campora has learned that hair accessories are not really necessary.
As it is with hair extensions, less accessories is more.
21. Style your hair in a way that frames your face
Campora has another tip for everybody: know how to frame your hair. It’s actually very simple: you just have to keep one side of your locks in front of your shoulders, then you keep the other side behind.
22. Brush your hair from bottom up
Mark Townsend has been styling celeb hair for years. He’s worked for the Olsen twins for more than a decade and has styled Dakota Johnson and Natalie Dormer, among others. Still, Townsend’s hair styling tips remain simple: use the right brush.
Most of us work with our hair still wet, fresh from the shower. Now this might be a little tricky. For starters, use the right brush.
Mark says it’s best to use a detangling brush. To go about it, start from the bottom and work all the way up. This takes a little patience, Mark is aware of that, but this is to keep your hair from getting damaged and getting more messed up so you can style it without any problem.
23. Don’t be afraid to mix textures
According to Mark Townsend, mixing textures is a trend that brings wonders. So brave it and do some mixing and matching.
You will be surprised at how stunning the result is.
24. Don’t overdo your hair
Hair stylist Harry Josh has one reminder for everyone when it comes to hair styling: a hair that looks too done is a no-no.
If you want to style your hair, make it look cool but don’t know how, don’t try to style it in ways you’re not too familiar with just so it would look different. Or if your hairdresser is nowhere to be found and you don’t know what to do and you have a big event the day after, just sleep on it.
Josh assures, “The next morning, it’s better.” Let it be wild as you sleep, and for sure, you will find your way around styling it simply and appropriately the morning after.
25. Take your vitamins
Now you don’t have to be an expert to know this. And most hair stylists will agree—it all boils down to how you take care of your hair. So keep it healthy by drinking lots of water, having a balanced diet, and taking vitamins that can help keep your locks strong and healthy.
