top 10 celebrity hairstylists to know in 2019

Top 10 Celebrity Hairstylists you need to Know in 2019

The Stylist Behind the Hair

We are always looking at everything a celeb does, and their hair is no exception. We notice every color change, cut and curl but never really think about who is behind these changes.

Here are ten celebrity hairstylist that you should know and how they worked up to styling our fave celebs.

Salon Hair

John Frieda

John Frieda is the OG celeb hairstylist, and if you haven’t heard of him, you must live under a bush.

Nowadays he is most known for his John Frieda hair care line which is always in the magazines. He comes from a line of what I call “hair people” his father was a salon owner, and his grandfather was a barber. He began his career as a hairstylist in an unconventional way. After failing all of his exams, he asked his father for a job in his salon.

When he concluded that John was determined to become a hairdresser, he found him an apprenticeship at one of London's major salons: the House of Leonard, headed by Vidal Sassoon protégé Leonard Lewis.

After a month Frieda became Lewis's top assistant, a position that suddenly put him onto the stage of London's fashion and celebrity world during the late 60s. He soon found himself working for supermodels and celebrities. Soon he began to do some styling on his own, taking on clients such as singer Diana Ross and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

He almost considered quitting at the age of 25 because he started to become bored with being a hairdresser but later changed his mind. Instead, he decided to open up his salon in 1976, a move he had earlier resisted, fearful that taking on managerial responsibilities might hamper his creativity.

He joined forces with another Leonard stylist, Nicky Clarke, to open a salon in London. It was here that Frieda made a name for himself by creating the "Purdey" cut, a bowl-shaped bob that was worn by actress Joanna Lumley, who is best known today for her role in the "Absolutely Fabulous" television comedy. The Purdey cut was much imitated and helped Frieda to open the first salon that featured his name.

In 1980 he got a phone call from someone at British Vogue inviting him to Lord Snowdon's home. Here he met a 19-year-old girl, Lady Diana Spencer, who would soon become known to the world simply as Lady Di. She was to become his most famous client.

Jumping ahead a few years Frieda launched his hair care which he first sold in drug stores which people thought was an extremely risky move for a high-end stylist.

John Frieda hairsylist

Kim Kimble

Kim Kimble is one of the few well-known celebrity hairstylists.

She is the star of WE tv’s show LA Hair. Kim K paid her $2500 so she could teach her to braid North hairs. She is also the hairstylist of one of our faves Queen Bey. Her other clients include Zendaya, Brandy, Mary J.Blige, Kelly Rowland, Shakira, Halle Berry, Oprah, and a few other celebs.

She attended hair school as a way to pay for fashion school but quickly found herself falling in love with the hair shows and everything that came with it. She got her first major gig doing Halle Berry's hair for the film B.A.P.S.

After this, she was selected to work n a Tv movie which where she first meets Beyonce. At this time her mom was still doing her hair, but as the movie progressed Kim was able to work with her more and more.

After this, she was asked to work with Queen Bey again on the movie Austin Powers: Goldmember. Around this time Bey was beginning her solo career and asked Kim to style her for her “Crazy in Love video” and has been working with her ever since. Kimble is also the mastermind behind all of Beyonce's hair changes in her music videos for lemonade.

Kimble also has her hair care line called Kim Kimble Hair Care and sells bundles on her website as well. She also offers classes that are hands-o and teach people how to perfect certain skills.

Each class is designed around learning how to execute a specific technique.

Kim Kimble

Tokyo Stylez

Tokyo Stylez is Kylie Jenner’s go-to wig guy. His other clients include Rihanna, Naomi Campbell, Nicki Minaj, and the wonderful Cardi B.

Tokyo began experimenting with hair at a young age. After his mother's incarceration when he just was a kid, Tokyo was left with the task to do his sister's hair.

By the age of 11 his already working with hair extensions. Tokyo knew he was getting good when people from his neighborhood started paying him for his work. He first started making wigs when a friend asked him to help create wigs for cancer patients. He first became noticed on social media by modeling wigs he made and began working with Kylie after she saw a silver wig he had made for Karrueche.

Kylie called him and flew him out to LA to create a baby blue wig. Tokyo is also the maker of the wigs from the iconic YEEZY SEASON 6 promotion. If you do not follow him on social media, you should do so immediately because he has a ton of posts where he was rocking several super cute wigs.

Before he tries on all the wigs, he makes to make sure that they look good on a human head. His hair is always slayed too!

tokyo stylez

Jen Atkin

She was called “the most influential hairstylist in the world” by New York times so she's most def one of the stylists you need to know!

She is a stylist to the Kardashian, Katy Perry, Jessica Alba, and JLO. Not only does she do these celebs hair but is also one of their close friends. She also has a haircare line called Ouai Haircare.

She got her start as a hairstylist back in 200 and began looking through the Allure magazine salon directory and began calling salons for a job. After a year of doing this, she got a callback and began working as a receptionist and then worked her way up to manager which is where she learned the money side of doing hair.

One of the most influential people in her career is the jeweler Lorraine Schwartz. She began assisting Schwartz in fashion week shows and helped connect her with other famous people. She even met Kim K through her.

At first, they met a few times socially. Then, Kim asked Jen to do her hair for the cover of Cosmo. She even worked for well-known celebrity stylist Andy LeCompte who did Madonna’s hair.

She explains in an interview with People magazine, “We got to travel the world for about eight months, and then I came back and started working on my own at Chris McMillan and started building my celebrity clientele. I started doing extensions for Mischa Barton, Lindsay Lohan, and Nicole Richie."

Jen Atkin

Ursula Stephen

Ursula is a hairstylist you should get to know.

She is the creator of Rihanna’s iconic bob. Her celebrity clients include Rihanna, Kerry Washington, Naomie Harris, Iggy Azalea, Rita Ora, Mary J. Blige, and Laverne Cox. And let’s be honest they all have killer hairstyles. Ursula always knew that she wanted to do hair.

At a very young age began doing hair at a very young age. She started out doing her friend's hair. In high school, she attended Sarah J. Hale a vocational school where students could learn to do hair.

One of her first kind of “famous” clients was Khadejia Bass, who sang the hook to Jay-Z’s song, “Ain’t No Nigga (Like the One I Got).” Then she began working on a Keyshia Cole project, but at that time she didn’t know what to charge anybody or how to handle fees or anything related to the computer.

Then she got Rihanna as a client. She had a video for “Unfaithful,” and she wanted something different. Doing her hair was a breeze. Then Rih was getting ready to put out Good Girl Gone Bad. She liked Ursula crazy hair at the time which was two inches long, then 20 inches long, then streaked. Rihanna told Ursula, “I want a new look for my new album…and I want it to come from you.” And that is how Rih’s iconic bob was born.

Ursula

Neal Farinah

He threw social media into a frenzy when he revealed that Beyonce’s hair was 100% natural at the sports illustrated awards.

Neal emigrated from his native country Trinidad to The United States not knowing what the future had in store for him. He left determined to become the stylist that he is today. And worked to become one of the most respected and sought after hairstylists in the game.

He came to the states with the dream of becoming a big hairstylist. Before coming to the states, he gained experience through extensive hands-on training. He worked in a few salons and gathered an extensive list of clients, and the word goes out that he was a phenomenal hairstylist.

Farinah quickly gained notice in the industry when he styled Kelly Rowland, Keri Hilson, Mya, Danity Kane, Solange, Michelle Williams, and Beyonce. Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable” video, Giorgio Armani’s “Diamonds” fragrance advertisement, American Express commercial, and more.

He is currently developing a line of hair care products and runs a salon in New York. Until recently Farinah shied away from the public eye but is now using his platform to promote his work and to demand respect for a black hairstylist.

Neal Farinah

Neal Farinah

Chris Appleton

You may not have heard his name, but there is no doubt that you have seen his work.

He is the genius behind Ariana Grande's signature ponytail and Kim K’s sleek straight hair. His interest in hair started at the age of five or six. He gave his first haircut to his sister at the age of 12. Which is wild because I can barely trim my hair evenly at the age I am at currently.

Then at age 13, I got my first job at a salon. His mom was the one who suggested it because he had been doing her hair. Life in the salon led to working backstage during Fashion Weeks across Europe.

Chris then entered a TV show contest in London called Hairdresser of the Year, which is basically like America’s Next Top Model, but for hair, and He won! The same year he also won Eastern Hairdresser of the Year, and Most Wanted IT Boy. And suddenly it was like everyone was watching him. After becoming a big success in London, he moved to Southern California.

And was named a “Hair Star” by Vogue UK, Christopher’s work has been showcased on covers and major features for the top-tier magazines across the globe, including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Marie Claire, Grazia, L’Officiel Paris, and Singapore.

Some of the largest and most iconic fashion houses were enlisting his talents for their seasonal shows, including Chanel, Vivienne Westwood, Fendi, Moschino, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Saint Laurent, Tom Ford, Burberry.

Christopher’s red carpet clients include Christina Aguilera, Demi Lovato, Rita Ora, Kate Moss, Katy Perry, Cara Delevingne, Gwen Stefani, and Kendall Jenner.

Fun fact: One of his favorite drugstore products is gorilla- snot glue!

Chris Appleton

Ted Gibson

I know I have been saying you need to know all the stylists, but Ted Gibson is a name you need to know.

He is an influential style maker, and a regular stylist on “The Today Show” and “Good Morning America” and has also appeared on “Oprah.” Other shows include “The Insider,” “Inside Edition,” “Entertainment Tonight,” “The Early Show,” “FOX News,” “CNN American Morning,” “The Rachael Ray Show,“ “Dr. Oz” and “ABC.”

Ted Gibson is one of the most in-demand celebrity hairstylists in the business. Which is crazy? His work has appeared in basically all the magazines.

Ted Gibson moved from one place to another living in several places across the globe. From living in all these different places, he learned to appreciate the beauty of different cultures. When he returned to Texas, he followed his passion and pursued his dream career in hair.

Ted has a successful Flatiron salon which is frequently visited by models, actresses, fashion and beauty insiders, and influential women who love its modern vibe and its discreet, down-to-earth flavor of chic. Ted was also the hairstylist on TLC’s “What Not to Wear” and was responsible for the participant's life-changing makeovers.

To top it all off, he owns a product line that offers unique, products that have accumulated a large following. His products include shampoos, conditioners, and styling products. Each of these products was an immediate success and sold out within hours on QVC.

The Ted Gibson Hair Sheets have become a beauty closet staple amongst celebrities, editors, and salon clients all over the world.

Ted Gibson

Adir Abergel

Adir’s rise to become a celebrity hairstylist is nothing short of wild. He came to America from Israel at just the age of 8 to live with his aunt.

At the age of 15, he began doing hair after he was forced to stop dancing because of an injury. Immediately after this, he met Arthur John. Who was one of the most well-known hairstylists in Los Angeles at the time? Arthur John was doing everyone’s hair from Olivia Newton-John to Chaka Khan.

Adir began assisting him after going to his salon and demanding a position which was a super crazy move that paid of in the end. He ended up assisting him for almost seven years. In the salon, he got to see celebs such as Nancy Reagan, Tina Turner, Betsy Bloomingdale, and Zsa Zsa Gabor. He says “ They taught me everything about my craft and about making women feel beautiful and honoring them.” And now he does the hair of.

He knows a haircare line named Virtue. And last year he debuted an accessory line with designer Sara Bieler Sasson called Adir x Lelet NY. These accessories are mixed-metal headbands, barrettes, combs, and hairpins. Every piece is handmade by an artist in New York City using hammering techniques to create.

People know him for working with Sandra Bullock, Reese Witherspoon, and Gwyneth Paltrow, Rooney Mara, and Kristen Stewart, whom he’s been working with since she was only 13.

Adir Abergel

Andy LeCompte

Madonna, Penelope Cruz, Nicole Richie, and more celebrities are just a few of the celebs Andy LeCompte are slaying on the daily.

He first got his taste of the celebrity hairstylist life at the age of 10, when he worked at his sister's salon for a week in Santa Cruz, California. This experience is where he instantly fell in love with doing hair and knew that this was his passion.

When he turned 18, his sister hired him to play the role of her assistant/salon receptionist/housekeeper at her salon. Once he turned 16, he followed in his sister's footsteps and started the Regional Occupational Program in his high school, and then attended beauty school. He describes his favorite part of beauty school was working on the clientele who were all little old ladies.

Andy's big break was when he was 18 and went to Los Angeles to interview at Privé Salon. His good friend was working there and had him come up to check it out, and he got the job. That friend was a real one.

The job gave Andy the chance to work with celebrities like Britney Spears, Jenny McCarthy, and Courteney Cox. This moment is where he became a celebrity hair cutter and began his journey to becoming a celebrity hairstylist.

There, he also started working with studio head executives and a bunch of celebrity clients including Lindsay Lohan, Mischa Barton, Nicole Richie, and Sam Ronson. When their girls' careers blew up, so did hide. They booked him for the biggest covers, and his looks were in all their paparazzi shots. Word got out. Madonna saw his portfolio with his work on Rebecca Romijn, and they started working together and have been ever since.

It was around 2003 or 2004 when he started to become the fashion and editorial hairstylist he is today.

Adir Abergel

Who’s your Favorite?

Now that you know the people behind some of the most iconic celebrity hairstyles who’s your favorite hairstyle? Is there any hairstylist that we missed? Which celeb do you think has the best hair? Leave a comment down below.
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