Chris Appleton on His Most Memorable Celeb Hair Moments From Kim Kardashian at the Met Gala to J.Lo's Wedding

Whether he’s styling a celebrity for the Met Gala or his own mother at home, hairstylist Chris Appleton says his goal is to not only give the person in his chair gorgeous hair but also make them feel good about themselves. “It’s something money can’t buy” says the pro, 40, who started honing his craft at age 9 in Leicester. England. 

He also has a talent for creating looks that become part of pop culture history. A video of him brushing Jennifer Lopez’s hair seconds before she performed at the 2020 Super Bowl racked up nearly 2 million views. And while he says the response to those moments is “really fun and flattering,” it’s not without immense effort. “I don’t do anything on a whim,” he says. “People see the end result, but there’s a lot of work and a lot of research that goes into everything I do.” 

We caught up with the newly appointed Global Color Ambassador for Schwarzkopf and asked him to reflect on some of the moments that defined his career. 

Kim Kardashian’s Wet Style

Appleton has styled Kardashian’s hair for seven Met Galas, including 2019 when the star wanted to look like she was coming out of water. Appleton used approximately six different styling products to achieve a wet effect, then added beads to mimic water droplets. “It was a risk because it was so different for her,” he says of the sculpted finger waves. “Everyone is waiting for that moment at the Met Gala, and I think they really got it that year.” 

Jennifer Lopez’s Super Bowl Curls

After testing several styles for the star’s 2020 Super Bowl performance (which featured several hair flips and a wind machine), they landed on voluminous curls “I did her hair at 11a.m, and she didn’t go onstage until 7 p.m,” he savs of the waves, which required “so much preparation and preparation” and withstood rehearsals. interviews and even a quick nap. Appleton also styled Lopez’s hair for her surprise Vegas nuptials in 2022. “We were like two kids getting ready for prom,” he recalls of the moment. “It was literally me and her in her bathroom.”

Katy Perry’s Blonde Waves

While working with the pop star on a music video in 2019, Appleton swapped Perry’s signature pixie cut for a golden wig. Two and a half million Instagram like later, Appleton still can’t believe the response. “It was one of those moments that really shows you the power of hair,” he says. “She didn’t post that thinking that was going to happen, but it just was huge.”

Sofia Vergara’s Lighter Look 

Appleton and Vergara collaborated on this year’s Schwarzkopf campaign (they’re both brand ambassadors) where he gave her “pops” of caramel highlights. “She was everything I wanted her to be and more,” he says of working with the actress for the first time.