Jen Atkin reveals the one hairstyle that suits everyone

If there’s one hairstylist taking the world by storm at the moment, it’s Jen Atkin. Not only has she founded her own coveted hair care range, OUAI (which is stocked exclusively in Sephora), she also looks after the hair of Hollywood’s top celebs like the Kardashian clan, Emily Ratajkowski, Chrissy Teigen, Shay Mitchell, Bella Hadid and Lily Collins, along with many, many more. So, when we were given the opportunity to interview the hairstylist on her recent trip to Australia as Kevin Murphy's guest for the Australian Hair Fashion Awards, it’s fair to say we had a lot of burning questions.

Here’s what Jen had to say about how she got her start in the industry, the hairstyle that suits everyone and the three OUAI products every woman should own.

On how she got her start in the industry…

“I’ve always loved doing hair and was obsessed with Natalie Imbruglia’s short haircut in her ‘Torn’ music video when I was a teenager in Utah. No one could give me the cut I wanted, so I went to the store, bought a pack of shaving razors, and starting cutting my own hair. Soon I was cutting all my friends’ hair in my parent’s garage.

After high school, I drove to California with literally only $300 and my Honda Civic hatchback. I called all the salons in Allure’s beauty directory until finally someone returned my call and I started working as a receptionist at Estilo Salon in Beverly Hills. I remember running out to feed parking meters for Bette Midler and I was so excited. After a while I met Andy Lecompte and started assisting him right before he went on tour with Madonna, so I ended up styling all the dancer’s hair and travelled the world!”

On the hairstyle that suits everyone…

“I’m loving bangs with a short, shaggy cut. Pretty much anyone can pull off this cut because there are so many different versions of it. If you want to try it for yourself, tell your stylist you want a lot of movement and texture, especially towards the ends and in the fringe. To maintain the modern-ness of this look, define the layers with a texturising paste like OUAI Matte Pomade.” Side note: If you're looking for an alternative, we recommend Shu Uemura Art of Hair Clay Definer.

On how to achieve a chic hairstyle when you’ve only got five minutes…

“One of my favourite tricks for styling hair is ‘the clip trick.’ This is an easy no-fuss way to get incredible natural-looking waves. Spray damp hair generously with OUAI Wave Spray [we also love Kevin.Murphy Hair.Resort.Spray], then use duckbill clips to create a dent in the hair, pushing the hair up at the root, then clipping into place. Continue until the entire head has been clipped and the hair is in an S-pattern. Let your hair air dry or blow-dry over then remove the clips, scrunch and you’ve got beach waves!”

On the top hair trends set to emerge in 2018…

“Short bobs, short bobs with fringes and lots of natural textures (curls and waves).”

On how to change up your hair without having a chop…

“If you don’t want to commit to a fringe or feel like your hair’s too thin for added layers, use extensions! It’s 2018: if you’re not born with the hair you want, buy it.” 

On the weird hair hack she swears by…

“I use a toothbrush to tame fly-aways! All you need to do is spray a small amount of hairspray on the toothbrush and brush down any stray hairs along the part and hairline.”

On the three hair products every woman should own…

“OUAI Dry Texture Foam, OUAI Wave Spray and OUAI Clean Shampoo.”

Want more hair tips from Jen Atkin? This is her insider trick to nailing a high, voluminous ponytail.

Have you tried any OUAI products before? Share your thoughts and experiences with us in the comments below.

Main image credit: Getty