If you’ve never heard the term “Celebrity Groomer” before, it’s essentially a hair and makeup artist for celebrity men. They work on photo shoots, red carpet events, music videos, and more. Their work usually requires more emphasis on hair and facial hair grooming, hence the name groomers, but men wear makeup, too. I mean, Green Day’s groomer has to know all about eyeliner, right?
Top celebrity groomers make excellent money and get to travel around the world with their clients. Best of all, they need to keep up with the best products, so their product recommendations are like gold. We spoke to three amazing celebrity groomers about their favorite personal care products for men.
Sienree
Sienree has been a Los Angeles-based hair stylist and men’s groomer for fourteen years. Her client list includes: Sam Smith, Beck, Coldplay, Labrinth, Cyndi Lauper, Niall Horan, Bellamy Young, and many more. Her work has been published in Vogue, Elle, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and Esquire, as well as in ad campaigns for Uniqlo, Target, Benefit Cosmetics, and Sephora.
She told us, “I started out sweeping hair at my family’s salon as a kid after school, which lit the fire under me to get in the beauty industry. I was fascinated by all of the colors, shapes, and textures.” She went on to study at the Paul Mitchell Academy in Los Angeles, and now she’s beloved by A-list celebs because of her attention to detail, versatile taste, gentle touch with textures, and eye for shapes and silhouettes.
When asked about her men’s grooming philosophy, she says, “Less is more. Grooming is about making men look like men but just, upgraded. I like to elevate and enhance.” And what’s it like working so closely (literally, you are in their face for hours) with major celebs? “I don’t think I see them as a ‘celebrity’ or anything like that anymore. I see them as another creative that I get to collaborate and create something cool with.”
Sienree’s Favorite Grooming Products
Patchology FlashPatch Eye Gels
“These feel so good on and help cool and comfort the under eyes before any grooming begins.”
Face to Face Super Matte Antishine
“I love this product to help control any unwanted shine throughout the day without any buildup and use of powder.”
Leonor’s Greyl’s Baume Bois De Rose Sculpting Balm
“I love this hair balm because its super matte and with a small amount it can be very weightless. I use this on all hair types to sculpt and to create matte texture.”
Giovanni Delgado
“My philosophy, whether I’m working with male or female clients, is a sense of effortlessness,” says Giovanni Delgado, a Nashville-based hairstylist. His star-studded client list includes includes Kacey Musgraves, The Band Perry, and Dave Mathews Band. “One of my strengths is to really feel out the energy of my clients and provide them with a hairstyle that truly fits them — this is why I love to do big hair changes. Find a hairstylist you can vibe with, and when you do, stick to them.”
Giovanni got his start in a barber-style salon in Nashville and made his way into makeup and grooming. his keen aesthetic eye and can-do-it-all work ethic has landed him some major projects, including styling celebrities for red carpet appearances at The Grammys, Billboard Music Awards, and the American Music Awards, and his styling work can be found in Billboard Magazine, Rolling Stone, and V Magazine. Simply put, he’s a hair genius, but he’d also make an amazing art director.
Delgado’s Favorite Grooming Products
Larry King Velvet Texture Clay
“The name says it all. For all hair types, this hair clay adds moisture to the hair with a workable hold. Awesome to finish hair with, apply to dry hair.”
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF30
“I’ve been using this moisturizer on clients since I started. It’s just a good moisturizer, and with SPF! Protect yourself against the sun, your skin texture will thank you for it.”
Davines Energizing Shampoo
“I love this shampoo. It’ll make any morning a good morning. It promotes healthy hair growth and just smells like you’re at the spa. If you like a good scalp tingle, this has mint and eucalyptus and is awesome!”
Melissa DeZarate
Melissa DeZarate is bicoastal men’s groomer whose work has been featured on the cover of Allure, GQ, Esquire, and Vanity Fair. Her clients include: KJ Apa, Dylan Sprouse, Billy Porter, Henry Golding, Leon Bridges, John Mayer, and more.
She says her grooming philosophy is “The upgraded man … The first time I worked with one of my long-term clients, I was super nervous because he’s a high profile musician … As soon as I was working on him, he looked in the mirror while I was doing some spot concealer and he immediately said, ‘Oh wow, you do makeup so different. It’s like you’re actually just Photoshopping out the spots I don’t like. You’re like my real life Photoshop.’ I was just taken aback, and thanked him, because I had never realized that’s what I was doing. We’ve been working together ever since that day.”
DeZarte’s favorite grooming products
Kevin Murphy Anti-Gravity Spray
“This hair spray might be the one thing I can’t go to work without. There’s something really magical about how you can spray this into someone’s hair and it just enhances the texture in all the best ways. I can make thin hair look much thicker, I can control curly and wavy hair using this as a wet set, and during the day I can spray a small amount on my hands to get rid of flyways without having to use hairspray that can get crispy if you keep layering it.”
Clarins Eye Contour Gel
“If you don’t have an eye mask handy, keep this in your fridge and do a nice thick layer while you’re blow drying and styling your hair. Boom, puffiness is gone.”
Kiehls Fuel Lip Balm
“I normally keep at least 10 of these lip balms on me at all times. I pass them out the same way that people hand out candy on Halloween. There’s no shine, so lips don’t look glossy, but they still have the optimal amount of hydration.”
