Whether or not you know Ryan Pearl’s name, chances are good you know his work. Pearl is responsible for some of the most stunning, vibrant salon hair colors to grace celebrity Instagram selfies and award show red carpet appearances. If your favorite singer, actor, or influencer is itching for a hot pink hue, Pearl is the colorist to call. You don’t have to be a celebrity to have the honor of Pearl blessing your strands, however. When the colorist and Redken brand ambassador isn’t apart of an award show glam squad, he can be found traveling back and forth from New York City to Miami, creating dazzling blonde strands for his clients at IGK.
We recently caught up with the colorist and challenged him to our 25 question quiz. Keep reading to find out his favorite hair tricks and tips, and the one thing you’d never guess about him.
Hair.com: Did you always want to be a hairstylist?
Ryan Pearl: “I wanted to be a barber at first but was horrible at it!”
HDC: If you could trade lives with any stylist, who would it be?
Ryan: “Jen Atkin, hands down.”
HDC: What’s your salon nickname?
Ryan: “Romeo.”
HDC: Worst hair habit?
Ryan: “I’m not sure if I have any.”
HDC: The weirdest hair hack I know is __
Ryan: “Using Redken Crystal Clear with no processing solution on dry hair, under heat to pull out fashion colors like pink and purple.”
HDC: My favorite part of styling hair is__
Ryan: “Making people feel good when they leave.”
HDC: If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only bring one hair tool, which would it be?
Ryan: “Anything to keep my hair less frizzy.”
HDC: The hair product I couldn’t live without is __
Ryan: “Redken Shades EQ.”
HDC: Everyone should__at least once in their life
Ryan: “Highlight their hair.”
HDC: What’s the hair color you’ve always wanted to try but never had the guts?
Ryan: “For me, I would want to try double-process blonde. For others, I feel like I’ve done everything in the book.”
HDC: Favorite shampoo?
Ryan: “Redken Extreme Bleach Recovery Shampoo.”
HDC: Favorite conditioner?
Ryan: “Redken Frizz Dimiss Conditioner.”
HDC: Favorite styling cream?
Ryan: “Redken Rebel Tame.”
HDC: What’s one hair secret you think everyone should know?
Ryan: “What you eat, and your stress levels really play a big part in your hair health.”
HDC: What’s the key to healthy hair?
Ryan: “Little heat styling as possible and getting glazes.”
HDC: Favorite hair trend?
Ryan: “I don’t like trends. I give my clients what’s suitable for their own look.”
HDC: Least favorite hair trend?
Ryan: “Above.”
HDC: What is your favorite thing to do that client’s request?
Ryan: “I feel like most of my clients are blonde, so I would say highlighting.”
HDC: Before you were a pro, what is the biggest misconception you had about being a stylist/working in the hair industry?
Ryan: “I really didn’t know what to really expect, like when started 15 years ago when I was 17 there weren’t many straight males doing women’s hair or at least of what I knew about, but now there are tons which is pretty cool to see.”
HDC: What was your first job?
Ryan: “Metro Salon in New Jersey.”
HDC: What’s one thing people don’t know about you?
Ryan: “I played soccer my whole life on travel and state teams in NJ.”
HDC: Do you prefer day one or day two hair?
Ryan: “Day 1.”
HDC: How would you define your career in three words?
Ryan: “Hustle + blessed = success.”
HDC: Favorite song to play while working?
Ryan: “Anything Pop smoke or Future.”
HDC: What's the biggest hair myth you've heard?
Ryan: “Come in with your hair dirty, clean hair always takes better to color.”
Interested in booking an appointment with Pearl? Follow him on Instagram @ryanpearl23. Head over to @TheSalonProject to book an appointment.
Extreme Bleach Recovery Shampoo
A recovery shampoo for damaged, ultra-sensitive bleached hair
Frizz Dismiss Rebel Tame Leave-In Hair Treatment
A multi-benefit smoothing cream for controlling frizz.
