BRITTNEY RYAN | LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
#BrittneyRyan knows everything there is about great hair, and she’s got the women of Hollywood to show for it. A Hair Stylist with 16 years of experience, Business Women, and a Mother, how does Brittney manages all?
1. What influenced you to become a hairstylist?
I decided to become a hairstylist mainly because my mother is a hairstylist and growing up watching her work, I saw the freedom she had to make her own schedule and balance her work schedule with raising children. Also growing up In a hair salon I learned a ton about the industry and all of the different opportunities it has within it.
As a working mom I’ve learned the hard way that it is so important to carve out time for yourself to re-energize and nourish yourself.
Brittney Ryan
2. Where do you come from & how did you direct where to go ?
So I’ve been doing hair for 16 years and even though I started behind the chair in a salon, I always knew the end goal would be to work more in the entertainment/fashion industry. After I graduated from beauty school I assisted a few different hairstylists for about 4 years. I wanted to get the most education possible. Then fast forward 6 years, I had a client who was a producer on a tv show invite me to work on her show doing hair makeovers. After that my career took off and snowballed. I was offered more incredible opportunities, including doing celebrity clients.
3. Where do you find your inspiration for creativity ?
I find my inspiration from old movies and photos, Pinterest, runway shows, and also honestly my peers. There are so many insanely talented artists and hairstylists and makeup artists and I love learning from them and finding inspiration from them.
4. What would you tell the young generation aspiring to be a freelance hairstylist?
I would like them to be patient, it takes a lot of hard work and time to build your name and clientele. I would also say take every job, big or small, paid or free, because you never know where it can lead or who you can meet. Clients can feel when you have a big ego so always stay humble and kind.
5. Given that you are a mother to two kids & a freelance business, how do you find ways to relax yourself in between?
As a working mom, I’ve learned the hard way that it is so important to carve out time for yourself to re-energize and nourish yourself. I know it sounds crazy but I have made it a priority to get up early at 4 am to work out and meditate before my schedule starts and my kids wake up. It sets me up for the rest of my day. I also make a point of finding a day here or there to get my nails done, have a massage, or facial, just to take care of myself. I used to feel guilty taking any time for myself but I’ve learned that you need to feel your best in order to give to everyone else.
6. How did you go through difficult times & how did you learn to deal with the pressure?
Pressure and tough moments happen all the time while working on photoshoot sets and filming. For me keeping my energy the same has helped me through these moments. If you freak out, the client freaks out. I will always make sure to keep it professional and calm. The client feels and reads your energy and they don’t need to know if you are freaking out.
7. What does a usual workday look like for you?
A usual workday for me is extremely long because I work in Los Angeles but live about 90min away in Orange County. I wake up at 4 to meditate and work out so that I can carry the right energy throughout my day. Once getting to work (which is always at least 30min before my client) I will set up my work area and make sure all of my brushes and tools are organized and clean. Then we go over the mood board and start hair and makeup on the client. Once finished with glam we go to set with the client and do touch-ups throughout the shoot. Depending on what we are doing, we will either stay onset or move from location to location and make sure to be there for touch-ups.
8. Which is your favorite client you have worked with & why?
I have been extremely blessed to work with some incredible women and clients. I would have to say one of my favorite clients I have worked with is Jessica Alba. She is an ultimate boss woman and I learn from her every time I’m with her even after 3 years. She has also opened up so many incredible opportunities for me.
9. What are your goals for the future?
My goals for the future would be to start doing more tutorials and make more content to share. I love teaching and sharing but hate being filmed to I’m definitely working up the nerve to start doing that. Some more goals would be to just keep growing my clientele, my film and television resume, and some more magazine covers. I also have a non-profit I am starting so it’s a huge goal of mine to get that off the ground.
10. One thing which you believe in the most.
Obviously, I believe the most in being kind to Everyone but other than that I believe in the most positive thinking. I believe that we create our lives through positive thinking and manifesting.
11. Lastly, Give us a few tricks & tips for hair care.
One of my favorite hair tricks is to play with your natural textures. I love to air dry my hair and once it dries wavy I take a small 1/2in curling iron and wrap it around some pieces throughout. After that, I will break it all up with a texturizing spray or dry shampoo to give it some volume and texture. This brings me to my next favorite trick tip which is to find your favorite dry shampoo and use it. I use it to absorb any oils but also I use it to give me more of a cool texture when I wear my hair wavy. Lastly, this is something I tell all my clients, and it is that your hair often reflects what is happening inside your body. Take care of your diet, eat healthy fats, take Collagen or biotin, and even though we can’t always control it, try to know that when you are stressed it can mess with your hair.
Interviewer : Nidhi Mehta
Interviewee: Brittney Ryan | Professional Hollywood Hair Stylist
You can follow Brittney on Instagram here
We’re proud to have Britteny Ryan as one of our featured cover stories for @eclecticbrainsmagazine Edition 04 | Issue October-November 2021. All the good luck for your future endeavors.
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