Hi Stephanie! Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with me. I’ve been following you on Instagram @hairandmakeupbysteph for some time now and absolutely love your updo work! It truly is runway chic. How long have you been doing hair and at what age did you know you wanted to be a stylist? 

I’ve been doing hair for 11 years. I knew I wanted to be a hairstylist ever since I was young—12 or 13! 

That is young. It’s great that you had clarity at such a young age, and the discipline to pursue it. What are some of the hair trends you’re asked to do the most and what is your signature hairstyle? 

The style I get asked to do the most is a low, curly updo with a braid, or a textured bun.  My “signature” style is a textured chignon. I am known for my “undone” updos! 

I’ve seen your undone updos on your Instagram page and they’re tre chic! Do you also do cut and color, and do you style all hair types, hair textures and hair lengths? 

Style only, and yes I work with all types of hair. 

That’s really good to know actually. I was also pondering, what type of hair extensions do you use on a regular basis and do you have a favorite brand? 

I only work with clip-ins and my favorite brand is Bombshell.

I think clip-in hair extensions are really versatile and they don’t cause damage like some of the other extensions are known to cause, especially with prolonged use. What are your go-to styling tools? 

I have to have my GHD Platinum Styler, Tool Structure 3-Row Styling Comb and my MetaGrip Bobby Pins. 

I’m glad you mentioned MetaGrip Bobby Pins because it is so worth it to purchase quality bobby pins. Paying one or two dollars more for quality bobby pins means your hair will stay in place without you having to readjust the bobby pins. What other products do you like to use on your clients?

KENRA! I’m in love with Kenra. The Kenra 25 is my favorite hairspray and all I’ve used for 10 years. Their Perfect Medium Spray 13 is my favorite spray wax, and their Platinum Working Wax 15 is THE BEST pomade out there for updos. 

I had no idea there’s a spray wax on the market. How ingenious! So I must ask, do you have your own line of hair or beauty products? 

No, but I would love to one day.

It would be cool if some of these big brands collaborated with talented stylists with a good following, to launch new products or revive products in their current product line. I have to know, what beauty tip are you asked about the most? 

How to create airy and effortless texture in the hair. 

I always think that creating an effortless, airy feel to hairstyles takes the magic touch of a stylist. So which hair-dye brand is your favorite and why?

I love Kenra color as well. It’s very predictable and it doesn’t pull too warm, which is nice.

Which common drugstore hair-dye brand do you recommend for touch-ups at home?

Good question! That’s not something I am asked by my clients very often. I have no idea what to recommend for at home touch-ups because I’ve never recommended that!

Touché, that’s totally fair to say. I’m really curious, what is your number one hair care tip or warning?

Try not to fight your hair too much. Try to learn how to work with its natural texture and it will be so much healthier and grow so much faster.

That’s a really good tip! Embracing your hair texture, whether it’s curly or wavy or even silky-straight can make it so much easier to style your hair while maintaining its natural beauty. It reminds me of a very befitting hair quote by Hubert De Givenchy: “Hair style is the final tip-off whether or not a woman really knows herself.” So tell me, who did you train with? 

I went to Taylor Andrews Academy of Hair Design but most of my updo work is self-taught. 

That’s pretty cool. I’ve noticed that a lot of artists are self-taught. A lot of it has to do with vision and self-expression, two qualities that cannot be duplicated. On Instagram, several of your bridal updos reflect just that—a specific vision translated into a masterpiece perfect for any editorial magazine. I was wondering, do you work out of a salon and are you available for on-location bookings, either locally or out of state? 

I work on-location, and yes I work in Utah where I live and all over the world doing destination weddings. 

Wow, that’s really cool! I can only imagine the incredible countries you’ve been to and all the different types of weddings you’ve observed among a variety of different cultures. So, what can we expect to see in the future from you? 

Hopefully I’ll start working on celebs soon! I’ve started to get my foot in the door and that is my biggest goal for 2019. 

That’s a great goal to have—staying on the up and up! Plus, your work is visionary so I’m confident you’ll get to where you want to go!

LuvlyLongLocks would like to thank Stephanie Brinkerhoff for sharing her insights and tips. For more information about Stephanie Brinkerhoff, visit www.hairandmakeupbysteph.com.

This interview was conducted by Avni Parekh, LuvlyLongLocks CCO. LuvlyLongLocks has affiliate partnerships and may earn a commission if you make a purchase through the link at no extra cost to you. Rest assured, only products that are known to yield high results are recommended.