Celebrity Beauty Salon Spotlight 2023
From pink lipstick and milk nails to TikTok trends and curtain bangs, it’s been a big year for beauty. THR’s 2023 list of beauty pros — unranked and alphabetized by last name – includes makeup artists, hair stylists and nail technicians who keep Hollywood’s A-list looking flawless.
エステ 千葉
Hung Vanngo’s ability to create glam bombshell looks keeps him in demand with Hollywood’s A-list. He also shares behind-the-scenes photos and tutorials with his 4.1 million Instagram followers.
Adir Abergel
When it comes to iconic beauty moments, few are more memorable than the hairdos that adorn Hollywood’s biggest, generation-spanning stars. But for hairstylist Adir Abergel, the creation of these signature styles is just a part of his bigger mission.
A visual artist at heart, Abergel fuses the boundaries between fashion and celebrity with his inventive approach to beauty. Using hair as his principal medium, he deftly challenges red carpet conventions to exquisite effect, seamlessly integrating beauty and originality. From Rooney Mara’s fiery braided updo to Saoirse Ronan’s gold-twined braids, his work has set a wide range of trends and made him one of Hollywood’s most in-demand stylists.
The ingenuity that characterizes his approach is rooted in the strong interpersonal relationships he develops with his clients, fostering confidence and empowering women to embrace their idiosyncrasies. His greatest gratification, however, comes from the positive impact his work can have on women’s self-esteem.
With his loving energy and multifaceted use of texture, Abergel has established long-term relationships with a loyal celebrity following including Kristen Stewart, Reese Witherspoon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Marion Cotillard and Anne Hathaway. He’s also a frequent collaborator with renowned photographers including Mario Testino, Peter Lindbergh and Jean-Baptiste Mondino. Now, as Virtue’s Creative Director, he’ll bring his unique perspective to the brand’s artistic direction and education initiatives. Ahead, he tells us what it takes to build trust with such an intimate group of stars and why his passion for the craft has made him a true industry icon.
Hung Vanngo
Hung Vanngo has made a name for himself by mastering the modern take on 90s supermodel makeup and creating the perfect smoky elongated eye. His signature modern glam has earned him clients like Selena Gomez, Bella Hadid, and Emily Ratajkowski. He is also the founder of LA Beautycon, an annual convention that aims to redefine beauty standards and create a community that celebrates self-expression.
The beauty pro is a native of Vietnam but has lived most of his life in Calgary, Canada. He began drawing faces when he was young and dreamed of being a fashion makeup artist. He started out by studying fashion design at college and later moved to New York City to pursue his career. He has worked with fashion's top photographers, including Mert & Marcus, Nick Knight, Carter Smith, and Craig McDean. His work has appeared in publications including Allure, ELLE, Vogue, i-D, and Harper's Bazaar.
He has also worked with some of the world's leading fashion and cosmetic brands, including Marc Jacobs, Dsquare, Lancome, L’Oreal, CoverGirl, Estee Lauder, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Victorias Secrets. His talent for combining glamor with an avant garde aesthetic has earned him the attention of Hollywood's elite, including Julianne Moore, Katy Perry, Amy Adams, Rose Byrne, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Bosworth, and Miranda Kerr.
Jenny Cho
Jennifer Lawrence, Amanda Seyfried and ScarJo are just a few of the A-list stars who call Jenny Cho when they need to get ready for their next red carpet appearance. The celebrity hairstylist is known for her effortless style that she helps her clients achieve in and out of the salon, which is why she was a natural fit when it came to partnering with R+Co on a new line of hair products.
In the new line, Cho shares her favorite styling tips and tricks to help clients achieve the same looks at home. She also explains the importance of staying calm in high-pressure situations, which is especially true for when it comes to red carpets and fashion shoots.
A Los Angeles-based stylist, Cho has worked on editorials and advertising campaigns for brands such as J. Brand and Paige Denim. She has also collaborated with photographers including Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. In addition, she has more than 120,000 followers on her jennychohair Instagram account.
When not working with her celeb clientele, Cho is busy hosting a masterclass called form + layer, where she and Ramona Ecshbach teach their trade secrets to students. The class covers everything from improving styling skills to fine-tuning attention to detail to learning how to prep models and celebrities for runway shows and red carpet events. In the process, the duo share their professional advice for building a relationship with the model or celebrity in the chair.
Nina Park
Nikki Park has been in the beauty industry for a little over a decade now and has worked with countless celebrities. Her style is very unique and she is able to make her clients feel confident when they walk down the red carpet. She also teaches yoga, which she is very passionate about.
She first began practicing yoga as a form of relaxation and stress relief, but she soon realized that it was much more than just a workout. Through the practice, she learned more about herself and grew more in touch with her spirituality. She eventually became a teacher, and now enjoys sharing her love for yoga with others.
From pink lipstick and milk nails to curtain bangs and French bobs, 2023 has been a colossal year for beauty. In honor of the trend, THR tapped some of the industry’s most influential hairstylists and makeup artists for their favorite looks of the year.
From Zoe Kravitz’s statement lip to Laura Harrier’s voluminous lashes to Brie Larson’s smoldering lids, these pros dished about their most striking beauty moments of the year—and the products they use to get the look. From a skincare regimen that leaves the complexion dewy to the trick to perfecting winged eyeliner, they’re ready to help you step into the spotlight with your own rockstar beauty look.
Mary Phillips
Mary Phillips is a makeup artist who has worked with celebrities like Kendall Jenner, Hailey Baldwin, Jennifer Lopez, and Camila Morrone. She has a knack for making everyone she works with look beautiful, and she knows how to get the most out of every face. She’s also a TikTok sensation, sharing her favorite makeup techniques with her millions of followers.
Her three-dot concealer trick is one of her most popular tips. She explains that it involves applying cover-up in three places: under the eye, in the outer corner of the eye and next to the nose. Then, she blends it all together with a complexion brush to create a triangular light effect that illuminates the undereye area and minimizes dark circles.
She’s also committed to contemporary music and has performed numerous premieres. Her Met debut came in 2005, singing Mrs. Alexander in their acclaimed production of Philip Glass’ Satyagraha; she has also covered the role of Rossweise and la Principessa in Wagner’s Die Walkure, Sister Helen Prejean in Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking for Austin Lyric Opera, and Eduige in Rodelinda for Dallas Opera.
We asked her to share the makeup products she believes are essential for every kit, and she didn’t hold back. She said her must-haves include foundation, color-correcting concealers, cream contour and blush, loose powders, and a selection of brow pencils, lip liners, and lipsticks.
Chris Appleton
Standing at 6’3” with a head full of white blonde hair, Chris Appleton is impossible to miss in a room. And that’s especially true if he’s shirtless and working on your locks. The celebrity hairstylist is the mastermind behind some of the decade’s most famous style moments, including Ariana Grande’s signature snatched high ponytail and Kim Kardashian’s sleek “glass hair.”
Appleton is also the man behind Kylie Jenner’s epic blond transformation from candy floss pink to dirty blonde to back to brunette, as well as many other major celebrity looks. But it wasn’t easy to get here. After growing up in Leicester, England, and working as a model in Los Angeles, the beauty pro stumbled upon the right hairstyle at the perfect time and began documenting his bold and experimental transformations on Instagram. Those images caught the attention of Jennifer Lopez, who hired him for her Vegas residency, and Appleton found himself in a whole new world.
Since then, he’s gone on to work with stars like Christina Aguilera on The Voice, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande and of course, Kim Kardashian. He’s also a lifestyle contributor on The Drew Barrymore Show and the creative director of haircare brand Color Wow, and millions of followers look to his social pages for his hacks and how-tos.