Influencer Interview: Sunnie Brook, Celebrity Hairdresser

Nazy Rafaeil
Follow me

Last updated 4 months ago.

Continuing our Influencer & Expert series, we discuss hair and beauty with celebrity hairdresser Sunnie Brook. With a career spanning over 15 years in the beauty industry, Sunnie’s extensive knowledge means she has plenty of golden nugget beauty secrets – and we can’t wait to steal just a few for ourselves.

 

Sunnie has worked with some of Hollywood’s brightest stars, including Lana Del Rey, Chrissy Teigen, Hailey Baldwin, Carly Rae Jepsen, and many more. Her own personal style beautifully reflects her own name – sun-drenched natural beauty, classic makeup, and the perfect Cali-inspired beach wave hair.

 

We ask Sunnie to spill some of her all-time favorite beauty products, hair styling tips, and the beauty rituals she swears by. She also shares some formal hair tips for special occasions and reveals the basic everyday haircare steps to follow for long-term beautiful hair.

 

JOVANI: Tell us a little about how you started working in the beauty industry. 

 

At a young age, my parents inspired me to go to beauty school because of my passion for beauty, being creative, and my love for helping others.

 

JOVANI: You’ve worked with some amazing celebrity clients over the years – can you share a particularly memorable experience with us? 

 

There have been so many! One that was a long-time dream was to work with Alanis Morrisette. Growing up, I used to admire her long, long hair and listened to her music non-stop. I started working with her a couple of years ago, and the day she sang with Taylor Swift “You Outta Know” was incredibly memorable. Another one of my favorite experiences was doing the “Summertime Sadness” music video with Lana Del Rey and Jamie King.

 

JOVANI: What’s your advice for everyday hair care – what should we all be doing to look after and maintain our hair? 

 

These are my three tips for long-term beautiful hair:

 

  • Brush your hair before you get in the shower. Your hair stretches more when wet, which can lead to breakage.
  •  Use a shampoo and conditioner that protects your scalp. In the same way that you protect the skin on your face, the scalp on your head is essential to have beautiful, healthy, and long hair. I like to use Head and Shoulders Damage Rescue Shampoo and Conditioner.
  • Don’t over-use your dry shampoo; it can dehydrate your scalp and cause brittle strands, which lead to breakage (a major cause of those “baby hairs” around the face. )

 

JOVANI: Do you have a favorite formal hairstyle for a big event such as a wedding or prom?
It depends on the dress, the makeup, the client, and the event. If the dress is the hero of the look, I try to collaborate with the makeup artist to create a finished look that celebrates, rather than competes, with the dress. If the dress is very simple and elegant and the jewelry is simple, then we can play up the drama on the eyes or the volume and shape of the hair. It’s all about creating balance in the finished look.

 

JOVANI: We’re all a little bit obsessed with how to get beautiful eyebrows for a special event. What’s the best way to perfect them?

 

I love Dior Universal Brow as it gives you maximum control over your shape AND works with brow color. But the key is to visit a brow specialist who can create the ideal brow shape for you and get a regular touch-up. I truly believe that the brows are the frame of the face.

 

JOVANI: We love your long, beachy waves and think they can also work well for special events with a formal dress. Do you have any styling tips for making the best beach wave hair?

My Youtube videos! They are simple, and you’ll learn how to create everyday beach waves in just a few minutes.

play video

 

JOVANI: What are the beauty and hair styling products that you always find returning to use repeatedly?

 

  • Head & Shoulders Classic Clean – creates the perfect clean canvas for any look.
  • Reverie Milk – anti-frizz serum – works on ALL hair types
  • Mason Pearson Brush – it gets better and better with time and is a must-have in my kit

 

JOVANI: What’s your go-to makeup look and hairstyle for every day? 

 

Because my life is so busy, I like clean, fresh, and hydrated skin with a strong brow and sometimes contoured eyes with liquid eyeliner or kohl. My hair usually starts out on day 1, blown out straight with a bend or beachy wave, then on day 2, goes into a high ponytail, and on day 3, it’s usually a sleek low chignon.

 

JOVANI: What are your favorite and least favorite beauty trends right now? 

 

I’m not much of a fan of overdone hair or makeup, which there seems to be a lot of on the internet and in social media these days. I love timeless hair and makeup. Looks that enhance your true beauty and create a sense of “AHA” (inspiration) with the trend.

 

JOVANI: Do you have any other tips, tricks, or stylist secrets for healthy hair and skin that you’ve discovered over your career?

 

I’m a big fan of weekly face masks, drinking a bit of apple cider vinegar each morning to balance your PH, and using Vintners Daughter Serum (the best – you will thank me later. )
bridal updo by sunniebrook

A post shared by Sunnie Brook (@sunniebrook) on

JOVANI: Thank you, Sunnie, for taking part in our interview – and don’t forget to follow her on Instagram for a closer look at her work. Her Youtube channel features some amazing and easy-to-follow hair tutorials, and her blog has even more gorgeous beauty inspiration.

This interview is part of our ‘Influencer & Expert’ series, which includes many other industry insiders and specialists sharing their wealth of beauty and fashion knowledge. We previously spoke to natural skincare expert Dr. Neda, who shared how to achieve naturally gorgeous skin. We also had the chance to catch up with bridal makeup trends as makeup artist Christina Chen revealed the ultimate bridal beauty look that almost all of her clients request. Style expert Melanie Kluger of the Confident Closet shared her top tips for creating a unique personal style, including some amazing plus-size styling tips and formal event dress ideas.

Stay tuned for more Jovani experts shortly! And don’t forget to let us know – are there any tips, tricks, and secrets you are particularly interested in learning more about? We want to do our best to bring you what you want – don’t be shy to share!

You may also like