
How to Build a Sustainable Beauty Career Without Burning Out
LifeSpa leader Ali Yanez explains why strong mentorship, predictable income, meaningful recognition and the right work environment help beauty professionals build careers that last.
Chris McMillan was the hairdresser for the Kim Kardashian wedding. Get the HOW TO here.






It was all quite "hush hush" but MODERN had a feeling celebrity stylist Chris McMillan was going to be part of the Kim Kardashian wedding in some way. Afterall, according to his Instagram, he was recently in Paris then Florence...come on! You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure it out.
It's all confirmed now that the public relations agency for Living Proof (McMillan is it's celebrity spokesperson) has shared the lunch/rehearsal dinner/ceremony/reception look 1/reception look 2 HOW TO's. MODERN has followed up with several questions to McMillan, but until we hear back, we wanted to get the steps to you while they are still hot on the press:
HAIR BY: Chris McMillian, Living Proof Celebrity Hairstylist
LOOK #1: LUNCH AT CHATEAU DE WIDEVILLE, HOSTED BY VALENTINO GARAVANI
TIPS/TECHNIQUE:
“I first applied Living Proof Perfect Hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Treatment to Kim’s damp hair, starting mid-shaft to the ends. This made her hair smooth, healthy, and shiny but her hair still had movement. I also used Full Mousse near the crown to give her extra body.
I gave her a classic blow dry with a round brush (I like the ones from Ibiza) with a center part. At the very end, I used a small pump of Satin at the ends of her hair to give it shine – it makes the hair so silky.
I sectioned off the front of Kim’s hair from the ear forward and pulled the rest into a ponytail at the nape of her neck. I braided the ponytail and used one of the new Skinnies from Emi-Jay in black so that it camouflaged into her hair.
I then took the front two pieces of hair and pulled those back, covering her ears and wrapping them around the ponytail holder so there was some nice, overlapping texture at the nape of her neck. Covering the ears feels very chic right now. It lends itself to a retro, 70s-inspired look – and Valentino has a 70s vibe going at the moment with a really modern take.
I finished off the look with Control Hairspray to keep everything in place.”
PRODUCTS: PERFECT HAIR DAY (PHD) 5-IN-1 STYLING TREATMENT, FULL MOUSSE, SATIN HAIR SERUM, CONTROL HAIRSPRAY, EMI-JAY SKINNIES
LOOK #2: REHEARSAL DINNER
TIPS/TECHNIQUE:
“That afternoon, Kim came back and we got her ready for her rehearsal dinner. I took out the braid and brushed through her hair.
I added some Flex throughout her roots and around her face to give her that great lift off her forehead.
Then I sprayed Texture onto my hands, rubbed them together, and ran them through her hair. Texture isn’t even on the market yet, but I just love it. It’s like no other. It adds thickness and texture to the hair and it gives lived-in looking hair on fresh hair. It just makes my job easier.
I then pulled Kim’s hair back into a low, slightly-off-center ponytail and braided it before putting it into a bun. So Kim had a braided bun in the back, then I held it in place with a long, gold barrette at the nape of her neck. Hair accessories are big, and this was decorative but it also held everything in place. I finished the look off with a little more Flex.”
PRODUCTS: FLEX HAIRSPRAY, INSTANT TEXTURE MIST
LOOK #3: CEREMONY
TIPS/TECHNIQUE:
“I started again with Perfect hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Treatment, applying the product on damp hair, along with a little bit of Full Mousse at the crown. Then I gave Kim a classic blowdry with a round brush.
We did a center part, which is very fashionable, very chic, and very modern. It reminded me of Ali MacGraw in Love Story – it was modern but with this retro nod. Then I added a small pump of Satin at the ends of Kim’s hair to make it look shiny and healthy. I really wanted her hair to look as healthy, pretty, and youthful as possible.
Kim’s Givenchy dress was so elegant and beautiful. Because of the veil, I tucked her hair behind her ears and kept the look simple and elegant. It all worked well together. The whole look was very modern, chic, and different.
I finished off the look with Control Hairspray around the hairline – it’s a stronger hairspray and I wanted to make sure that even with the veil, everything stayed in place.”
PRODUCTS: PERFECT HAIR DAY (PHD) 5-IN-1 STYLING TREATMENT, FULL MOUSSE, SATIN HAIR SERUM, CONTROL HAIRSPRAY
LOOK #4: RECEPTION
TIPS/TECHNIQUE:
After Kim took her veil off, I pulled the two front pieces of hair back. I used another Emi-Jay ponytail holder to make a tiny little ponytail in the back – it was very 70s. It started at her temples and went to the back of her head.
I then took a little spray of baby’s breath from her bouquet and put it in the middle of the ponytail. I always like to put flowers in the hair, especially at a wedding – but not in a big way. I like to do it in a simple, small way. That’s a go-to-thing. Riccardo Tisci was like, “Let’s do this! Let’s put a tiny bit in her hair.” Collaborating with the designer of Givenchy was just amazing.”
LOOK #5: RECEPTION DRESS CHANGE
TIPS/TECHNIQUE:
“About two-thirds into the reception, Kim changed into another dress. All I did this time was take her hair down, brush it out, and re-blow dried the front a bit. After she changed into her Balmain dress I sprayed some Texture on my hands and added that throughout her hair.
I also used a little bit of Satin at her ends for shine and Flex Hairspray throughout for extra hold.”

LifeSpa leader Ali Yanez explains why strong mentorship, predictable income, meaningful recognition and the right work environment help beauty professionals build careers that last.

Whether a beauty professional chooses a commission salon, booth rental, salon suite or salon ownership, the common thread is having more choices than ever before.

Sport Clips Haircuts will host its inaugural "Level Up Live," a first-of-its-kind virtual event that combines live haircutting education, career inspiration, product knowledge, and employment opportunities for licensed stylists and cosmetology students nationwide.

Orthopedic PT reveals three daily exercises plus ergonomic advice that can help salon professionals avoid the aches and injuries caused by standing, bending and repetitive overhead work.

Four publications for beauty industry professionals to enhance their leadership skills, financial awareness, professional growth, and joy!

Salon suite pioneer Karen Kaminski argues that the next evolution of independent beauty businesses won't be defined by beautiful spaces alone, it will be driven by smarter systems that help professionals spend less time on administrative work and more time serving clients.

At a time when many LGBTQ+ people felt compelled to hide parts of themselves, Carlos Valenzuela found a career in beauty and a community that offered opportunity based on what you could do and how well you could do it.

Whether it's social media, fashion, film, art, or culture, Chaz Dean advises stylists to stay aware of what's inspiring people. Take the elements that make sense for you in these five lessons learned through a life in beauty.

For Jessica Domoney, building a successful career isn't about saying yes to every opportunity, it's about protecting your time, investing in yourself and creating an experience clients won't forget.

MODERN SALON sat down with Samuels to discuss the book, beauty education, mentorship and the habits that help beauty professionals thrive.

"The mistake people make is treating AI like a vending machine instead of a personal assistant." Digital marketing expert Scott Moon shares how beauty professionals can use AI while staying authentic

Real-world advice on creativity, consultations, color, burnout, business, boundaries, inclusivity, client care, and career growth from educators and industry experts.

Real-world advice on creativity, consultations, color, burnout, business, boundaries, inclusivity, client care, and career growth from educators and industry experts.

Today's clients are hearing more about longevity, biohacking, inflammation, and healthy aging than ever before. This article explores the science and language behind the skin longevity movement, and what it could mean for client consultations, treatment recommendations, and professional credibility.

Licensed to Thrive, Anna Manukyan's all-in-one beauty career and financial masterclass, is being gifted to professionals who enroll in L'Oreal LEVEL Rewards for a limited time.

From breaking free of external validation to creating joy-based goals, discover a more sustainable and fulfilling path to success.

A full day of education for hairstylists and salon pros focused on pricing, personal branding, client experience, social media, and long-term career growth.