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If you’ve ever looked enviously at the hair of stars like Lucy Hale and Lauren Conrad, chances are you’re admiring the hair mastery of Kristin Ess. The celebrity stylist—who just launched her very own hair-care line at Target—is so in-demand that free weekends are a rare occurrence. Which is why she uses the time she does get to unwind and recharge creatively. Read on to learn her sanity-saving rituals.
What do you do on the weekend?
Hairstylists typically work weekends because that’s when most people want their hair done. When you sign up to be a hairstylist, you sign away your rights to that brunch life.
When you’re not working, what do you usually do?
When I’m at work, I’m talking, listening or entertaining while standing or awkwardly hunched over for 10 to 14 hours. So when I’m lucky enough to have a weekend or even one day off, I need silence. Most days off you can find me in my bedroom, catching up on emails and shows. I don’t want to put a bra on, and I certainly don’t want to leave the house. I feel very lucky to live in LA where you can run the world from home: Postmates, Priv, TaskRabbit, ThumbTack, InstaCart, Amazon… what a time to be alive.
How does your weekend routine differ from your weekday?
When I do get a weekend, my beauty routine changes more than anything else. It’s a little more lazy and luxurious because I’m not so rushed. I take a salt bath, throw on my Strand Strengthening Reconstructive Moisture Mask and exfoliate if I have the time. I’m obsessed with those super-thin body exfoliating towels from Korean beauty supply stores. I pumice the bottom of my feet, I take naps, I air-dry my hair, I cover my body in coconut oil. What more can one want from a weekend?
What is one of your habits that you think is the most important for preparing yourself for the week ahead?
Reorganizing my hair kit and my studio. When you’re doing hair on the go, you have to work very fast sometimes, and if I know that things are where they’re supposed to be, I feel like I can do anything! To save my sanity, I check to see if I missed any emails during the week. I feel such guilt when I realize I didn’t respond to someone.
How do you usually start off your weekend?
I go to my best friend’s house and have dinner—even if I work until 8 or 9pm, I still go. My best friend Miriam and her husband are constantly hosting family-style dinners for our friends. It satisfies that “going home” feeling for me. It’s where I kind of check in (and check out).
What’s your favorite thing to do on your weekend?
I have an
on my rooftop so when I have the time, I love to go lay up there with my dog and leave my phone downstairs and just be.
Do you have any tips or tricks for getting you in a “let’s do this” kind of mindset?
I have a certain thing I watch that revs me up. I’ll keep that to myself because it’s not for everyone, and it’s kind of my secret weapon. I divulge a lot of secrets, but not this one. But whatever gets you going, you should do that, listen to that, or watch that right before you roll into a challenging week.