Photographed by: Heather Hazzan
How Kendall Jenner's Go-To Hairstylist Built Her Own Beauty Empire
You can, too!
By Sue Williamson
It's no accident that Jen Atkin is one of the most followed hairstylists on social media. In her 10-plus years in the biz, the Los Angeles-based pro has tended the manes of stars like Gigi Hadid, Cara Delevingne, Kendall Jenner, and the Kardashians; launched the instantly cult-followed line, Ouai Haircare; collaborated with Chloe + Isabel and Barbie (yes, that Barbie); and nurtured newbie stylists with her platform maneaddicts.com and its IRL educational seminars, Mane University.
Though Jen's trademark look is often described as "effortless," her on-the-job approach is anything but. The mogul rarely takes a day off and never hesitates to speak her mind — something she learned on her ascent in the male-dominated field. "You have to stand up for yourself and let people know you mean business," Jen says. "I feel like girls are taught to be deprecating and not to be tough. I'm all about having a balance of being nice but tough when you need to be."
Jen may stand her ground, but she has a soft spot when it comes to her fellow stylists. "Our industry can be very competitive, and I've just never really been about that," she admits. "I used to have a Serge Normant quote on my locker at the salon that said, 'Don't be jealous of your peers — be inspired by them.' With Mane Addicts, I wanted to expose the friendly nature of hairstyling and just spread the message that we're all so much more powerful when we work together." Speaking of teamwork, the "Jen Atkin army" is growing by the second. But in true Jen style, she says it's still not big enough. "We're getting up there, but we still need help!" she says. "If anybody's out there — we are hiring!" Obviously, slackers need not apply.
Related: Kylie Jenner's Hairstylist Just Gave Barbie a Major Hair Makeover
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