Ask A: Celebrity Hair Stylist

Hey: what's up, everybody welcome to Aska, where you the audience, get to ask questions of someone you may not be able to interact with on a day-to-day basis. It'S a place to grow, learn understand for everyone. That'S the glue of the show, I'm one of the hosts big Irish Jay Hollingsworth, and I am Kevin stage, and this is ask a celebrity hairstylist with Lena Jay clapping. So Lena is a friend of mine. She is the girlfriend of my boy, Brandon Lewis, and so it was funny how I found out. You were celebrity hairstylist. He was just he always pretty. Was my girl and then like randomly after annoying him for a long time, you'd be doing hair hair? Actually I was asking I was mentioning somebody else. My wife needs braids. I knew I owe you know my wife, oh my girl. I don't want to be density like if you're not ready. However, you what the Lord is working in your life, but these are not like Tasha and keloid. This is like Becky, Beyonce Kim Kardashian. You haven't done their hair, so thing I so people got mad at Kim Kardashian for the bo, Derek braids, and you did it. You did that she's staring in the camera she's like me and who I was assisting for this to work with her as well, but they found me and every like some girls, like your black card, has been revoked, but my bills need to be paid. First of all, before the revoke Asian can happen, I'm sitting here with you today and I have green hair. My hair is not green. I didn't come out. I was I didn't want to say anything. I just thought it looks great. I'M just saying, like I'm, a professional, I'm a hair stylist. If you come to me and you want your hair down, it's my job to make it happy right. It'S my slogan, have your style and wear too. So if you want to get braids, I don't think. There'S anything wrong because I like to straighten my hair, I like to color my hair, I like to do all type of things: remove expression right and no one. I don't think anybody was actually mad that she had like at the job like the job was well done. It was like you cannot have our stuff, the Kardashians appropriating black culture and blah blah blah. You know it's just interesting to sit with a person who made the black Twitter upset way. This kind of usually works as me and Jay asked questions that we find interesting. Then we also, you know, incorporate the audience's questions. Okay, my kind of question is like, what's it like to do regular person regular in as in not celebrity and then have to do someone like Beyonce's hair and then have to go back to regular person like girl, you're just Tasha, and I want to do that And a part B to that, when those regular person are harder to work with then Rozier, whoever right it's a little challenging it's more. So I just like the balance I like the balance of working in salon and also working on sad or different photo shoot or whatever is because I get to learn how to work on in different environments yeah. I think so. It'S not boring when I come to my regular Tasha's and stuff because they're cool, like you know like oh, can I bring you some coffee this morning or, like hang, are we talking with Chen or whatever, and I like that and I like to be in a Professional environment as well like because it can be that as well, so I thought about that. I guess you know anybody's job who, like I'm a stand-up comedian, but that's not the only thing I like to do. I like to do this. I like to act and they all are interesting in their own ways I like being on set sometimes - and I might all want to be an actor or I am an actor and you have that same thing. I know you were working on the coachella thing and, what's crazy is like y'all were working on that for a minute before Coachella, so like most hairstyles or hairstylist, it's a one day thing girl. Let me see this picture on Instagram. Do me like this like? What'S it like kidding, you know, what's it like, you know, most hairstyles have to work on a day to day thing like you do, somebody's hair. They show you picture you do it and then you work on a project which is like weeks at a time like I don't think most stylists work on that. So what is that process like it's? It'S it's just another thing, that's challenging because I'm balancing still working in the salon and working on a project. So I'm by doing two things and what you don't know sleep. I'Ve definitely been. I'Ve definitely been in a situation during your wife's hair. That'S a lot and we're also working on a project like other people are working on, so you know you never know what it's always something going on. It'S always something going on. I I imagine that would keep you interested yeah. You know like man. Let me just man, that's that's super crazy, so yeah, probably the most question we got more than any other was like. Do you have celebrity pricing and non-celebrity pricing? Everybody wanted to know me, okay. So me, as far as like my cost and like what I feel I'm worth, it's not based on me doing a celebrity. It'S me based on me. Investing in myself. Like I travel, I go to classes like I teach all right. I do all type of things to enhance my education on hair and everything surrounding Beauty. So me doing a celebrity. That'S a great thing, it's big, of course, but that's like the cherry on top. You know that's not giving me my checkmark on Instagram, which I don't have. We asked celebrity stylists. You know I'm going okay without saying the name. You don't say the name is they're celebrities. You'Ve worked with that their hair. Maybe they maybe they stunk or again, don't have say a name. You know, and you can only you can give, but she works with women or hygiene. They better care their hygiene. So was so your first. What was the process of like your first big client? Was the first person that was a black, oh snap, this is, how did you get them? Okay, so my question bro think of your. I want it. I want it to be my credit. I love your question. She looks Mingus. That'S a great question Jane, OH so, of course Beyonce is BAE. Like period yeah, okay, like I'm talking about, I would put posters on my wall shower. I was, I couldn't be Beyonce because my cousin, she was older than us, and she always took the leader and me and my other cousin had to fight over like the the person they like. It was yes, so yeah, because it's like has been a dream. I never even thought I would ever doing here and right years. How did that even happen? You know it's like the law of attraction is a real thing. You know what I mean. It went for me just doing like pro bono work for this producer and, and she just kind of like put me in my place like what are you gon na, do with your life like what are you doing like, so you went who's the person you want To do like who surprised I was like yeah, I love her and she's just like well, what are you doing who's doing her hair like? How are you trying to find like you know, and I wasn't even doing the research or whatever it was just like? She spoke that into me and it just it woke me up. What am I trying to do here like doing here, and so I was introduced to Kim Kimble through a great friend of mine. We have a mutual friend and from then on, I just started working with Kim and and Kim has been doing, Beyonce's hair for years. I was in Destiny's Child. So that's a really big client of hers, and so I love Kim for just even trust me with her and, like I love Beyonce cause she likes me so so what was it like? The first time you're, like all right girl tilt your head back like cuz, you still have to do your job and the hairstyle is in control. Just like a barber. You know, Jay gets his hair cut by black barbers eat all things black um, but you know what the Barbera the hair size is doing, your hair, they got ta, you know, do this and that so like, were you able to be like alright, with all your Celerity clients are you able to be like alright fan girl off? Ok, so about that. That is a good question. That'S great question because me as a stylist right when I'm in the salon, that's my zone, but my slogan is like have your style of where to start I'm more of a customizing type of stylist, I'm not that demanding like. I want to give you what you want, so I've definitely been in situations where I'm dealing with a client and like they're doing other things like getting their makeup there. So me and me, and the makeup artist have to be here because we're sharing her. I have to know when she's doing that liner, I'm probably gon na, be like cleaning my comb because we have to work together. You know, especially when we're like under pressure and it's just like. Okay, we have to yeah you're in my way and I don't want to be in your way so a friend of Mines, a celebrity barber and he actually says some. That was really interesting and I wonder if you had you kind of said something similar. He said I want to cut celebrities, so I had to learn how to cut people who were always on their phone because usually the shot they like y'all put your phone away, because you know so I can cut your hair, but he realized he cuts. Nba players swab up like the rams, all the you know: Clippers Lakers. He used to cut my hair before the Lord took my hair line rest in peace to my hairline, but he but I be on my phone - I'm not even those guys but I'd be like emailing or whatever. So I was like that is so smart because if you weren't a person of that caliber you're, not gon na put your phone down, so you and they're used to people working around them, so you figure out how to do it. So did you have that down your hand like man, this is or I guess the better question is. Is it different doing somebody's hair like that, then just a matter who's just like that's all you're doing yeah it's because when I'm work on a client and they're just sitting sitting there letting me be the stylist, it's so much easier. But then I like, I said I've been in situations where I had to do: somebody's hair and I'm there sitting on the couch like feeding their baby and I'm trying to like go around. You know and it's a at first meet. The old me would be annoying, but me being in those type of situations. Now I'm able to face any circumstance. Like you know, I'm able to work under I've been in all type of what's the weirdest position you've had to do somebody's, I mean, I guess a couch with a baby is pretty easy yeah. I think that's probably like the most yeah. It'S what it's not the case, okay, because I was gon na say I have you seen my Barbara. They have capes that have a or they're just like. No, no, I mean that's usually to like protect your phone from like chemicals if you're gon na color, anything like that, oh yeah or water, or whatever, if you're, probably getting a haircut and your hair's wet, and you don't want to get your phone. But you know we spend like thousands of dollars on these phones, so they should be able to do whatever proof. How long were you in beauty school, my buddy's, a barb? Why call him a Barbara? He always gets pissed me he's like I'm, not a barber cut. My hair, like you, still a barber uh, but how long? How long from the your first day until you got your license and is that kind of one of those deals where it's gon na be two years for everybody? There'S no way to like speed that up or is hours you have to do a certain amount of hours like 1600 hours, not including YouTube with me so side note I was a stylist before I got to school, because my brother has a barber shop, and so I would work in the unlicensed unlicensed. You know I mean you have to just watch hair, you know, so I'm not I'm not saying that I was washing hair and nobody ever seen me watching here, but I was sweeping floors and answering phones, and then I decided to take my career to the next Level and that's when I decided to go to school and then I would have those clients, I would come to see me I'm like look I'm at school. I need some clients and then how how it works is you get hours in operations and operations are like points that you get towards services, cutting colouring and stuff. So that's how I have my clients come up there and I would do this so you license in like okay she's a nice color person the license, or is it a certain amount hours in each like discipline, so to speak? You know it's just a general across the board, it's 1,600 hours to be a cosmetologist and ask for hair skin and nails. Now, if you want to be a barber, you have to add additional, like 4 to 500 hours, to be a barber, because we can't use like the straight blade and did you go to school here in California? Yes, I went to trace 8 College downtown. Is there like the only analogy I can give us comedy like comedy, they say it's, it's really tough. If you start stand-up in LA, is there is it easier or harder, would you say doing it in California versus if you went to school in Portland Oregon? Let'S say I mean so so far, I don't think I think it's, I think it's the best here. I think everything is the best here, but besides that, I think schooling in like Paris, they require you to go to school for like 4 or 5 years. I think it's a it's a long time, a longer time in Paris to get your license, yeah Wow! So my question: how many, how many years two questions, how many years from the end of your beauty, school, cosmetology school to your first, like a list client? How long did it take you, maybe like four years or something I wasn't like like okay, so when I like, I said I was doing here before that process even longer so yeah I would. I went to school for it. I was just like I'm just here to get my license. I already know what I'm doing. That'S, how most clearly didn't know what I would do like there's so many things. I really yes, oh my gosh, so many things I learned in school. It'S usually people be like I know nothing, I mean I knew everything you know with the school. I didn't learn nothing your life. Actually, I learned a lot and I wish I would have taken more advantage, but my mind. Wasn'T there you know and when I went some when I started school I went right after high school and then I found I was pregnant. So has there been a celebrity you've you've worked on that. What'S that white killer Mike wait, did you say something really racist? That we know is that new offensive thing worked on? Oh God has there ever been an artiste that you've worked with that, for whatever the reason may be, and maybe it's not even your fault, but you got done and they were like, I don't like it and then so, how did and if that happened, how did You, what did you do? How did you deal with that? Yes, and I'm here dedicate my time to you, you had to start over. That'S what makes a great stylist you know. If you don't like it, I have you have to like it. How long did it take once we got to the new style that was originally in mind from the beginning, because it was just an experiment, so I'm experimenting for, like you know over an hour, and then they don't like it, and I'm like could've been something you Don'T like it okay, I hate it yeah. Is it ever whether it's a celebrity or non celebrity? I'M sure you get this if somebody's like you know what you just do, what you think will look good and how do you cuz, I'm thinking if somebody said that, like part of me, you know, I'm sure you would have confidence as a stylist you're like I Know what I'm doing, but then also part of me, like you, never know, you may get done like what yeah when I'm, when I'm able to be creative, I pay attention to that person as a person like you know their their activities like what they like to Do and like what styles that they, they usually wear like somebody who wears different colored hair all the time and they are switching it up. I can be, I feel, super confident cuz, I'm like okay. I have the goal to do anything, but when I'm dealing with people who are pretty safe and everything is like okay, so if you wear your hair down, where did you party so, however, they party their hair when they're wearing it down, then I will probably braid It similar to that, so they can get that same. You know shake in my head as if I understand you lost me, if I'm part of it, oh here's a great one. Is it easier or harder to work on white people versus black people's hair? Is one easier than the other, because I know my buddy? That'S he's a barber, but he respects him. I am okay. I love him. He would when he hated cutting my hair cuz, like with clippers, he would always say like white people here would always like. I don't not sting him, but would like stab him yeah. I mean it's not even just white people, it's just everyone, has different textures of hair doesn't really work the other way. I mean, if I can say, of course, it's easier to work with straighter hair, but I came with this hair this world is, I know how to do with this hair. So of course, it's easier to deal with the hair that straightened their mind yeah. You know so you've done Beyonce Kim Kardashian Ciara Kelly Rowland Nicki Minaj. Am I missing anybody hears that you haven't done that you would still like to, or is that I mean you've done like a lot of people. I um. I would love to work Orianna. We are Pisces, you have a high probability of it. You I'll also put out there. I would like to work with Rihanna yeah, not necessarily with her hair. This one, you don't know this one's coming keV, I imagine both um keV and I both have full heads of hair, okay and we're like we both have full head of hair. Let'S say you've longed for whatever you. What would you and we said? Okay, what do you think is the good look for us? What would you what would it be? I'M thinking about getting a man we've by the way, a unit I just saw dreadlocks. Where do you? How much is it you can rein it if you want to. If you connect me what I wanted, Renton Duke starting five, you know the hair like Balu yourself, please go and watch when this happens. Let'S go, I would do it to make a video, I'm definitely gon na tell her, but I just rock it for a weekend. Yeah, you feel, like you want braids one day you can get bravery, you have natural, you got green hair one day. Was it hard to like to set those up for men like you, you probably just wouldn't be in the standard sizes like the one size fits on, be more of a less knock so yeah. So if you have a guess, a clean state, where we do where we have just a bunch of hair, how would you what would you say is a look just off the? I know we're putting you on the spot. What would you be like alright? This is what you should go with. Kevin is what you should go with Jay okay, so I think I seen that when you had hair that you were like regular, like you know somewhere like that, I mean you there's not much. You could do with that. I'M saying imagine: it was long and you just wanted a cop hair. You'Ve got to be the cop. Why couldn't it be like how come you're high, no see you with the man braid at the top? If you have a man, bun yeah the man bun, but you can braid the bun, oh yeah, you should get that. Let me grow out until yeah. I mean it, especially if I get it out in the Sun. My beard definitely isn't my hair. Oh lighten up. Ladies, would you say a lot of people are interested in how you built your clientele to get to a level where you could do people's hair like that. So what was your process? I imagine, being good was the first most important thing. Yes, just always being professional. No matter where I am you always see me, I'm gon na look professional, I'm gon na be professional and having great patience having great customer service. The best the best way to get clients is referral, because once you get that one good client they gon na tell the whole family I mean well, there are some clients is just like. I don't want to tell nobody about you, because then you won't have time to do me, but just always stay professional having great customer service like those are. Those are pluses like when your client comes. Are you thirsty what you like? We don't have anything, but would you like some water? I actually be one of the water when you can beat him in that. First, I didn't. I was like you know what up to this point in your career. What did you, what would you say? You are most proud of that's a good question. You did and I was blowing that phrase. You really got it now. I'M thinking I mean I am proud of myself for just making it this far where I am today, which you know things that are going on in my life currently or just in the past, keeps me huh. That'S what really keeps me humble, I'm like yeah, I'm not really, you know out of it yeah, you know so that keeps me I'm voting grounded, but I'm just proud of myself to just get through certain situations and just keep my composure and, like I said, staying Professional that helps cuz how'd. I like snap then, and I would never have the next opportunity, like the industry, is so small man when you're at that level of those clients like Beyonce, says you're trash like Keri Hilson Beyonce, didn't even do it, the others. Fans were like going so hard yeah, but you know anyway. I can't imagine that that a negative referral from her is like well regular. I'M curious to be to understand like what's your like. What'S your dream like it seems like what you're doing now can be a dream. So do you have dreams further than this so yeah? My dream was to like just happen so fast. My might so now, where I'm not even old yeah, I'm just like what now did you ever take the time, I'm sorry to stop you. I want you to answer that. But did you ever take the time to lately really recognize that, like that's something you put out in the universe as a goal yeah and then were you just like? I want to win a billion dollars like at one point: did you ever stop and be like, like I don't know in a trailer or something like just like? Oh my god, this has happened. I did do that. I never told her. It was probably like three days after I worked for it cuz we were working on lemonade and that was my first encounter with her, and then it was probably like three days or something afterwards cuz, I'm like I'm like. I have to be professional. It was over. I was cool yeah yeah, what you're gon na trailer those here, the screaming starstruck person. So that's I'm, just like you can't be and a bad level. I mean you, don't I mean yeah are most of those way. We must answer your questions. Oh yes, my dream. Um I want to have my own business, like that's the dream of mine. Of course, me being a stylist is a business. You know we have to have our own. We have to have a business license to even be a stylist, but, aside from that, like I would like to have some type of creative space and I'm still brainstorming. I don't know exactly what that would be, because I don't want it to just be like a salon. Ya know I'm like outside of the box type of person, especially with this new generation, and how everything is just so different right right. You could just be super creative, like I want something like that that that says me like it describes me. So a lot of women asked what are your. I don't want to call them hacks, but like tips, what are your favorite tips for maintaining good hair for the average woman like hair is hair. It is you know, there's not like celebrity hair. Like you said, it's just a hair that grows out of your hand. You just are a celebrity yeah. My advice is to take care of your real hair, really mmm under these nice right. You have to take it. You have to condition your hair. You have to trim your ends. You have to do all of those things drink. Your water yep drink, your water, take your body Tunes, not wigs, but um wieszczyk, and it can stress your edges. It definitely can I mean you have to do more and then it's like a self-fulfilling prophecy, you're, hiding edges in your wigs. It'S just a whole thing. Yeah, my wife's into hearing her friends are hair stylist, like I know more than hear more than the average man about here. Even though I have not go ahead J I see what's chomping at the bit. Sorry, you were saying L that wasn't for me, so I just kind of tuned out because he told me to what what's been the most hectic event that you've ever worked on and what's been the most rewarding event. We have this thing. We try to try and get our guests to be. Like that's a great question, at least once we have like a running tally, Jay's been killing me. The most hectic hectic for me is like something that's challenging. Yet exciting right doesn't mean that's my hectic and anything with, because it has been that way, always something different. It'S always something and like it's always something challenging. It'S always something fun. It'S always all of that mixed together. So we did the first big thing with lemonade. That was huge that I wouldn't offer really. I was like a year project like everyone was coming out before people did you just knew you were working on some music or hair for a project B Wars VMAs Coachella, the Superbowl was real. That was, I can take that one who was really touching and I'm not even a sports man. I'M sorry, I don't. Will you flown to? I don't everywhere was that year, but were you flown there, Santa Clara yeah, yeah yeah? We got that we were bused out there you're the bus tour bus yeah. Did you on snacks. We had lots of snacks, music drinks, snacks. I went in waiting for wind, snow Beyonce, that's what did you have like a writer person acts or nothing? What'S that what was what's been your most rewarding thing that you've worked on since penis hairstyles, I would say, eliminate, was yes because, because it just really made an impact on the culture, because everywhere I go now, I see like those little black girls, they have their Hair just makes me proud, like your did, you do the two braids with the hat yeah. I was actually the first time I wear like tripping out when you saw the video and you were like. I did her hair for that yeah I was. I was tripping out, it was because she she started. It was so hard, though yeah, like the whole thing, was signup, so crazy, amazing. What yeah she's super creative, it's all like she's, she's she's, a director of everything like you know, so she coordinates with her interesting. I have a question, so you know J myself. We we have a persona when you're making videos when you're on stage right, but we're just chilling. You aren't that person like you're, not in celebrity mode or comic mode, or you know, performance mode or whatever have you found that people who we recognize the celebrities and they're just getting their hair? Do they have a certain performance mode on or they just like? Every other client you ever have as far as how they act towards you, yeah. I mean like just like anybody, if they're getting ready for something you kind of zone out. So like you want the vibe to be right, you want the environment to be right. You know some people like candles lead or some people like starting saying or some people just want to feel comfortable. You know so interesting. I want. I want Melissa to be like Michelle Obama. Okay, like big famous author Melissa's, going on station, it's gon na. Be me, I'm gon na be Melissa's assistant. Whatever time stand up, I'm just gon na be your assistant that she wants. Yellow is my goal retire from stand-up and just be Melissa's assist, oh my god make sure she has room-temperature water she's speaking at Madison Square Garden. All she wants is Fiji water, there's, no room temperature water really hard to work with you like this question, keV for all of our beautiful black women out there. What'S a hair products, you recommend so because I work for Kimble Hair Studio. We own line, and not just because I work there, but I work with all of the products and they're amazing. I use them on. My hair are using on my kids, hair and my clients here, so it must expect something like color. I, like you, know if y'all want some product lines. I like Wella and you know sworn off and things like that. You guys probably don't know about that. I do but I hate doing my hair. I want to be a client, but I'm a horrible client. That'S like us watching a comic where, if you like make you learn, probably because I'm like too much in the mirror like yeah, that doesn't feel like the center right there, I'm probably the one on my phone man. I need my like I'm on the phone, because I need to distract myself that they they just see you textin. This person sucks like I couldn't see it you're right in front of me, and I was traumatized once our latest hours do my hair. He, yes, I was they colored by hair and as they were putting it on. I was just right. So what technique you know like I'm just like! Oh, what are you doing that to me and I, like they ruin my hair like old hair. So, what's a misconception about like what would you people think it's like working with celebrities, and what does it really like? I think people think he's just are like? Oh, this is fun. Let'S get some pictures. This is this, is this is hard work like really working like we don't have time to play. Games like you, don't have no pictures with other people. You just have pictures of the work. Are you ever tempted to be like girl, please, my grand will go on. I know you have you ever wanted to, or you know that's just getting right yeah. I feel like just where I've been placed like the people that I work with weird we're. The a-list ask for a picture they're just like you'll. Never work in this town, not a problem. I mean when I'm when I'm in the salon is, is differently a different vibe. So, like you know, yeah I got pictures, but I've decided my wife got her hair done there. Now. It just feels good cuz. I they always make me feel good in their presence like it's always good. Energy. Alright, so just make me feel good to be a part of that was he working Beyonce yeah once he worked with beyoncé. Like I mean that's cool, there's no she's the biggest artists in the world, probably less for it. She I mean no one's even been in her stratosphere for at least yeah. I spot here and she's just started rapping. Maybe if you did Jesus's, then maybe I could see like I just singing a buzz cut. Maybe so you can get a buzz cut. Black dudes get both cuts. Okay, you don't suffer YouTube us go. We don't call it that cause. I'M saying it kind of shook me there for a minute: oh well, you didn't you kind, but this is another one that people were asking. Do you charge regular people more because of your clientele? Well, you just charge your price yeah. We have a say pray. So we have prices at the salon and then it also depends on like what you want, like they tip crazy, though not crazy, but thank you good. Thank you. Great you've got a tip of your life, Wow yeah, I'm happy. I got to live off of my tips, so the tips are good. If you were the able to live off of them yeah I mean good enough. You know, y'all, do a good job on Beyonce's hair cuz, her hair got caught in a fan and the hair was like. We still standing on a fan and she kept singing and there were like it was just like she was unfazed by it. Oh that's good yeah! Well, that has been an amazing interview with Lena before we let you go. Is there anything you want to tell people at least where to find you um? You can follow me on instagram, because keV said I didn't have enough father, it's lima, je le na je a ye underscore yes Lina, je with why you want to get a dope hair. Lina is your person. She doesn't my wife's hair, especially when she wants braids, but she don't know other times as well. So now you know a person and you could be like. Can you do my hair girl? What you think about this picture? Don'T ask for a hookup, though nah bro the rise in the price right? Is it ready? Yes, feel me, thank you guys for watching. We'Ll see you next time.