CHRIS APPLETON
Color Wow creative director
JLo’s bouncy blow out. Ariana’s ponytail. Kim’s glossy mane. Looks that are all so iconic, little description is required. Meet the mastermind behind Hollywood’s hottest hairstyles. HAS THERE BEEN A PINCH-ME MOMENT?
I’m proud of everything
I’ve done. People will often come up to me and mention the JLo Super Bowl or Kim’s Met Gala or an Oscars look. Loads of different moments have culminated in me feeling grateful.
The fact I survived some of the really challenging experiences is rewarding. I recently did a live masterclass in Times Square, New York, which was special. YOU WORK WITH KIM KARDASHIAN. HOW IS THAT RELATIONSHIP?
Obviously Kim has become a good friend of mine. She’s my hair muse and it was so fun to be able to create different looks with Mario [Dedivanovic, Kim’s regular makeup artist]. Kim’s always been such an inspiration to me. She’s a great person, a great mum, a hard worker and a good friend. There’s lots of things that inspire me about her and how she works. ARE THERE ANY STYLES YOU LOVE RIGHT NOW?
The wet look is one of my favourites. It’s perfect for summer and can be great for the beach but it can also look really elegant. A lot of people opt for a gel or oil formula [to create it], which can get greasy. I like to use Color Wow Pop & Lock High Gloss Serum to master the faux wet look. DO YOU HAVE AN ULTIMATE HAIR HACK?
Waterproof technology. It’s a game changer but a lot of people don’t use it properly. You need to really saturate hair with the product. I use Color Wow Dream Coat because it is light like water, not heavy. Waterproofing technology allows you to blow-dry the product into hair so it can act like a base that will keep your style from dropping [from humidity]. IS THERE ANYTHING WE SHOULDN’T BE DOING TO OUR HAIR?
Cutting bangs. Most people cut bangs, enjoy them for a week, and then spend the next six months growing them out. There are so many fun clipon options you can play with, or easier styles like curtain bangs to frame the face and add texture. I’d also remind people that you only get one head of hair and once it’s fried or cut, it’s gone.
“I can’t go into work thinking ‘Oh my fucking God, I’m doing Kim Kardashian’s hair today.’ No. It’s your job to make someone look and feel their absolute best”