This Hairdresser Is The Creator of Hollywood’s Hottest Hairstyles

You’ve seen his work at the Oscars, Golden Globes, the Met Gala and pages of magazines likeVogue, W, and Harper’s Bazaar. His roster of A-list clients is crazy long (including Kristen Stewart, Rooney Mara, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Garner and Kirsten Dunst) and he collaborates with famed photographers like Mario Testino and Annie Leibovitz. He’s Adir Abergel, celebrity hairstylist and Virtue Creative Director, and BTC secured an exclusive interview with the most in-demand stylist in Hollywood. Check it out below and scroll through the slideshow to see how he created three of his hottest celeb looks.

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BTC: You’re known for establishing strong relationships with your celeb clients and work with them for years. What’s your advice for really connecting with clients?

Adir: “Being able to listen is a crucial skill in life in general, and to truly be present and to feel the energy of the room—when someone is stressed, when there’s a moment for you to give your advice or not. That’s a big skill. So is being a great communicator. There’s a descriptive way to talk about your vision to make a client comfortable. Trust is one of the biggest and most important things—make sure not to repeat what you hear in life. When people tell you something, it’s between you two. My relationship is with the individual and it’s not for me to repeat those things to other people.”

BTC: What are your consultation tips that stylists behind the chair can use?

Adir: “For me, the secret is not homogenizing everyone to be the same and to celebrate individuality and that essence of the client in front of you. There’s a lot you can see from the way people move, the way people answer questions—like the way someone closes up if you say you’re doing a bob and you see she’s uncomfortable.  Do some research beforehand—look on her social media, see how she lives her life. Is she a beach person every day? Is she someone who lives on the Upper East Side and likes to blow-dry her hair twice a week? Is it a girl who knows how to style your haircut, or is she a wash-and-go girl? It’s important for me to bring out their highest individuality. The way I do Kristen Stewart is not the way I do Jen Garner or Elizabeth Banks. I want to celebrate them.”

BTC: What’s your biggest celeb client pet peeve?

Adir: “Well, I wouldn’t say it’s a pet peeve, but I do hope people try to get over their fears of doing what they are used to, and can be open to creativity and exploring other parts of themselves. It’s something I hope for every individual in this lifetime. Hair is the most wonderful accessory in the world and that should be celebrated and you should never put yourself into a box, you should explore parts of yourself. This is a regenerative part of your body. You’re seeing people wearing wigs again, doing brighter colors—I want everyone to feel open and explorative.”

BTC: You’re the Creative Director of Virtue, a new brand that uses real human keratin to repair hair (find out more about Virtue here). What’s your go-to combo to use on celebs? 

Adir: “I love to use the Recovery Shampoo, the Smooth Conditioner, the Split Ends Serum on the ends and the Six-In-One Styler before blow-drying. I love the Six-In-One—it does it all. It’s perfect for a pre-blowout, a post-blowout, it helps with frizz and it gives great polish without weighing down the hair.”

BTC: What other go-to products are in your kit?

Adir: “I’ve been using the Sally Hershberger 24K Pomade, I really like it. Virtue Finale Shaping Spray, Kusco-Murphy Setting Lotion, L’ANZA Healing Haircare hairsprays and finally, Ibiza Hair round brushes—I cannot live without them. I would die.”

BTC: Where do you go to find inspiration for the gorgeous looks you create editorially and on celebrities?

Adir: “I’ll spend time at the library and pull old magazines, like old National Geographic magazines. I pull a ton from Pinterest. I share all of my inspiration on Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram—@hairbyadir.”

BTC: Your roster of celebrity clients is huge, and you know so many of the biggest names in art and fashion. What one person would make you totally starstruck?

Adir: “Someone like Maya Angelou or Albert Einstein. I’d love to sit down and pick their brains. I’d give Einstein some cool curls.”

BTC: Hairdressers are super hard-working—as someone who is always working, how do you find balance and avoid burnout?

Adir: “It is not easy. I am a human being and there are times I feel burnt out. I have an incredible, supportive husband and an incredible team of agents who love and support me and try to make this process as seamless as possible. I have assistants who help and support me. I’m not a huge assistant person in general because I like to be in it and work myself which has probably not been the greatest for me. It’s about having a beautiful relationship at home so when you get home you can shut off that part of your life. I walk my dog before I leave in the morning so I have a connection to my life and family. It’s a journey and a balance, something that I’ve tried to find within myself my whole life.”