Kim K’s Hairstylist On the Single Biggest Hair Mistake Women Make

Photo: Courtesy of Jen Atkin.

Super stylist Jen Atkin has made name for herself tending to the hair of A-listers like Gwen Stefani, Kim Kardashian, Chrissy Teigen, and more. Despite her high wattage customers, the Utah native believes in creating no fuss hair for even her most well-pruned celeb clients. In fact, she is so adamant that regular ladies can achieve that perfect looking hair out of their own bathrooms that she launched a website called Mane Addicts with tutorials on everything from blow-outs to buns. The stylist’s newest innovation is a line of hair care products called Ouai, which launched February 1 and will be sold in Sephora stores starting March 1. The idea is to help you get Kardashian-level locks at home. We recently spoke with Atkin about what to do (and not to do) with your hair.

Yahoo Style: Whose hair do people ask how to do most often?

Jen Atkin: Lately it’s been Khloe Kardashian’s haircut. Everyone’s been going short so I feel like I’ve had a lot of requests for short hair tutorials. But I get a wide variety of requests. It’s about being effortless.

YS: Which client has taught you the most over the years?

JA: A lot of people have taught me little tips and tricks. Jennifer Lopez was really great about showing little tips she’s learned throughout the years. And Kim Kardashian does her hair really well herself and so she’s got a few tips. But it’s always a collaborative effort with clients so I feel like we’re both always bringing things to the table.

YS: What’s the biggest mistake women make when it comes to their hair?

JA: The biggest mistake is that they don’t take the time to treat it. The hero product of my line is the treatment mask because I spent a long time really perfecting that. The clients and women who have really good hair take the time to treat it once a week. That’s something American women have really forgotten about, taking the time to do a treatment. So our masks are in individuals packets so you can take it with you to the gym or the spa. It’s a no-brainer.

YS: Is it true you said you want to make mousse cool again with Ouai?

JA: Yeah! And we are. It sold out on our site. Mousse is going to have a major comeback. Not ‘80s mousse, but I feel like with that effortless look mousse can sometimes help bring wave and curl out of your hair. Diffusers and mousse go hand-in-hand – and it’s not as challenging as we think it is.

Jen Atkin with her clients Kylie Jenner, Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian. Photo: Ouai.

YS: Is there an inexpensive drugstore hair product you swear by?

JA: Yes! My biggest love right now is Gorilla Snot. It’s the weirdest product. It’s so amazing for getting rid of stubborn hairs or dealing with major frizz. It’s actually marketed toward little kids. I am obsessed with it. It’s great for finishing.

YS: Which celebrities have the most enviable hair right now?

JA: The top girls who are on our mood boards right now would be Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, of course. Lily Aldridge. Gigi Hadid has amazing hair. And then Lily Collins, I think, has a really cute short look. Emma Stone has a cute short hair cut. Those are the girls we look at a lot.

YS: What do you think of Sarah Paulson’s Marcia Clark hair on The People Vs. O.J. Simpson?

JA: I haven’t watched the show, but I’m not mad at a perm. I wish they were still relevant. I feel like it’s fun to mix up texture, you know? I wish perms would come back. I think we’re too health-conscious for perms now. I think everyone is like, “Millennials are way too health-conscious.” It’s good that they are, but perms would never really make a comeback because of that. But listen, whoever spent the time doing Sarah’s hair, bravo!