A chat with Celebrity Hairstylist Ray Christopher

Originally published in January 2022 print. Photography by @tyrenredd

How did you get your start as a celebrity stylist?

Honestly, it’s funny because I never wanted to do hair. My best friend is actually the reason why I started, she needed her hair done for something and she knows she can trust me. So I did it and it came out pretty cute. Then we came up with the idea that I would get into hair. 

What are some hairstyles that are timeless and always work?

Timeless hair is my specialty. Hairstyles like a top knot or bun, middle part and bone straight are always a good choice as well as a bob. 

You have worked with many celebrities. When deciding what type of look to give them, what are some things you consider?

Honestly we don’t really choose hair until we establish a wardrobe. It’s very important to be a cohesive team that works together. Once I see the wardrobe, then my mind gets to racing and creating.

What are some of your favorite styles and why? What are your go-to tools or products?

Anyone that knows me knows I love a top knot. They’re fully functional and there’s so many different versions of it that you could never get bored. Things that I always have to have in my kit are scrunchies and a lot of them, bobby pins in different sizes and hair shapers. Scrunchies are a staple because you’ll always need one to either pull the hair back or pull the hair up. Bobby pins can tuck, hold, tie, reinforce and hide anything you need them to. Hair shaper is always a great finishing tool, it pretty much puts a period on the look.

Do you have any tips or advice for those who want to feel like a celebrity at home?

A lot of tools that I may use are professional but they do have versions for everyday use, those are best for at home use. Effortless hair is always in trend and celebrities tend to love it, always think effortless.

What’s the difference for hairstyles when it comes to Red Carpet, Editorial Photoshoots, and Television?

That’s a good question. Doing hair for different types of events is inevitable. The key is to see it before everybody else sees it. Red carpets might be my favorite because they’re fast paced and quick. Most times you have to make sure it looks good from every angle on the red carpet because you never know where they’re taking the picture. With editorial, it’s literally a picture and effortless tends to work, less is more. Photoshoots tend to have a little bit more leeway as well because it’s a still picture. You can set the look in the front because that’s all we see. Now television is a whole nother beast. You have to think of it as live soooooo it’s the most stressful. You’ve got to make sure there’s not a hair out of place