A Guru of Grooming—and Productivity, Too
JONATHAN VAN NESS HAIRDRESSER, PODCAST HOST, AND STAR OF NETFLIX’S QUEER EYE
“I START MY DAY BY MEDITATING. IT’S LITERALLY JUST THREE MINUTES.”
When I refer to what is going on in my life, I literally hold up air quotes when I say the word fame. I didn’t think I would find myself in this position. I’m kind of hanging on by the seat of my pants. Being flexible has been key to getting here. I try not to be too rigid about my philosophy of life.
I start my day by meditating. It’s literally just three minutes. The goal is to do it for an amount of time that is attainable. Sometimes, my mind wanders. That’s a part of meditation where you just have to be gentle and patient with yourself. It is a practice.
When I’m burning the candle at both ends, my internal critic comes out a bit. Recently, I was really fighting to stop myself from looking at negative comments on Instagram—you know, really Insta-stalking people.
I said to myself, “Oh my God, girl. What are you going through?” So for the past two weeks in my morning meditations, I have been trying to think of the word gratitude as I inhale. And as I exhale, I think about stress leaving my body.
My executive assistant, Julie, helps me so much. On Instagram, I do Beyoncé remake dances, and we will just study Beyoncé videos for the longest time until we figure out the choreography. It’ll take us four hours to get 16 counts. We’ve got more of a friendship than a professional relationship.
Eating is actually an area where I really need to Queer Eye my life. I am a coffee addict—i don’t mean that lightly—and I think it suppresses my appetite during the day. I find I have to remind myself to drink water and eat food. At 3 or 4, I have a late, big lunch and then a late, big dinner. Then it’s 9 o’clock and it’s me telling myself that I will not, under any terms, get Pop-tarts tonight. I’m not doing it. Time he gets up 7 a.m.
What he does while commuting
“I look at my Instagram Explore feed, which is basically all old figure-skating and gymnastics videos or DIY hair videos.”
Email strategy
“I am still in an evolution around email. Learning how to respond to emails with corporate people is different for me.”
Last thing he does at night
“I square away what I need for the next morning, if I have an early call time or have to pack to leave town. Then it’s just me and The Great British Baking Show, or Killing Eve, or whatever other TV show I’m obsessed with.”
Time he goes to bed 10:30 or 11 p.m.