Celebrity Hairstylist to Stars Like Charli XCX and Kim Kardashian Talks About the Challenges of Awards Season
Matt Benns; Charli XCX.
Credit:
Matt Benns (2)
NEED TO KNOW
- Matt Benns is a celebrity hairstylist whose clients include Charli XCX and Kim Kardashian.
- The stylist shares his wide-ranging sources of inspiration, from everyday life to art.
- “I have albums of references. I take photos of people on the street, photo books, art, sculptures, films, flowers, and plants,” Benns reveals.
As the holiday season winds down, many find solace in relaxation. However, for celebrity hairstylist Matt Benns, the new year typically signals a busy awards season filled with high-profile engagements.
Benns has styled hair for an array of celebrities including Charli XCX, Kim Kardashian, Pamela Anderson, and Elliot Page. He recently opened up about the challenges and intricacies of his day-to-day routine while creating fresh yet enduring looks for his clients.
To kick off his mornings, Benns prioritizes wellness, stating, “Morning stretches, walking my dog, and coffee is a must.” He further elaborates, “A few calls in the morning to navigate the week. If I’m on set or traveling, the day starts much earlier, and it’s a quick espresso at home, straight to the airport and usually from the airport it’s straight to set.”
Matt Benns, Charli XCX.
Matt Benns
During the awards season, which peaks from November to March but intensifies in January, Benns faces a surge of demand for his services. He identifies unpredictable weather as one of the most stressful factors in his work. “Generally, the red carpet is outdoors, so we are thinking of ways to combat humidity and rain — we know that moisture is generally a hairstylist’s worst enemy,” he explained.
Weather challenges sometimes necessitate quick adjustments to planned looks. Despite these hurdles, Benns emphasizes the rewarding aspects of his job: “From the inception of ideas to the moment she steps onto the carpet. Watching the reactions, hearing the gasps, and knowing that she feels confident and beautiful. There’s something so ceremonial about doing glam before a red carpet event, ritualistic even.”
To develop the ideal look, Benns draws inspiration from diverse sources. “I have albums of references. I take photos of people on the street, photo books, art, sculptures, films, flowers, and plants,” he noted. For instance, he referenced an old Cher music video for Charli XCX’s Golden Globe appearance. “Her hair was beautifully blown out, a bouncy, beautiful wave. We toned it down ever so slightly, so it felt a little current,” he remarked.
Benns notes that hairstyle trends, like fashion, tend to circle back, observing that “the blowout is back.” He lists current hair trends as “healthy hair, shine, movement, bounce, and really long hair.”
Matt Benns’ materials.
Matt Benns
As for achieving red-carpet-ready looks at home, Benns stresses the importance of investing in quality treatments, smoothing creams, and heat protectants. “For a really fab blowout, I use a little combo,” he advised. “In damp hair, I comb through the Tresemme A-List Collection Smoothing Cream and a pump of the bonding oil, and blow-dry that through for perfected smoothness and an easy blowout.”
