Bustle's 2025 Beauty Icon Awards: The Hair Whisperers

For most people, hair is as much a part of their identity as their face. It’s a form of stylistic expression: braiding, blowouts, and barrettes can convey as much as lipstick or a piece of jewelry. It’s a component of self-care — from wash day to brushing, giving TLC to your strands is its own kind of wellness ritual. It’s also a marker of health, one that requires nourishment, maintenance, and expert attention.

Hair is a big deal — and, as such, encompasses a wide range of specialties under its umbrella. Whether it’s the very technical task of transforming blonde strands into a coppery red, chopping the perfect shaggy layers of a butterfly cut, analyzing the scalp for missing nutrients, or mastering the ’90s claw clip updo, the hair pros of Bustle’s 2025 Beauty Icon Awards have their respective crafts down to a science. Beyond technique, these experts are pushing the conversation forward in a beauty category that holds deep cultural meaning.

From celebrity stylists to trichologists and body-hair founders, this month’s winners reflect how multifaceted the world of hair truly is. Ahead, meet the 10 pros behind the industry’s most notable locks — from the head and down below.

The Hair Trendsetter: Dimitris Giannetos

Follow: @dimitrishair

Followers: 952K

There’s a high chance your favorite celebrity has Dimitris Giannetos to thank for their always-on-point hair. The A-list stylist — who counts names like Demi Moore, Kim Kardashian, and Gigi Hadid as clients — is the mastermind behind the perfectly coiffed/waved/curled strands you see on the red carpet, as well as so many hair trends that flood your FYP (think the “bubble blowout” or “Ariel waves”). His passion is evident in his craft — a craft Giannetos has spent decades honing after falling in love with styling his mother and sister’s hair growing up on a small island of Greece. Whether you prefer sleek ponies or old Hollywood ringlets, he offers an endless source of hair inspo.

The A-List Extensionist: Priscilla Valles

Follow: @priscillavalles

Followers: 234K

Something most A-listers have in common? Hair extensions — often by Priscilla Valles, the extensionist to the stars (including Hailey Bieber, Dua Lipa, Kylie Jenner, and so many more). With decades of experience — plus Perlino Hair, her own newly launched luxury extensions brand — Valles’ name is practically synonymous with the kind of luscious, flowing locks your mood board dreams are made of. Her mastery lies in making extensions look completely seamless, blending artistry and precision so perfectly that you’d never guess they weren’t natural. It’s that eye for detail that’s cemented her as a fixture on countless red carpets and editorial shoots alike.

The Hair Artist: Mustafa Yanaz

Follow: @mustafayanaz

Followers: 58.4K

Mustafa Yanaz isn’t just a stylist — he transforms hair into masterful works of art. Whether it’s sculptural, brooch-adorned braids, gravity-defying twirls that jut high above the head, or literal hair hats (yes, it’s what it sounds like), he’s constantly redefining what hairstyling can look like. His technical, strand-sculpting expertise is what makes Yanaz a highly sought-after artist during fashion week and for magazine covers (including Rihanna’s unforgettable updo on Perfect in 2024) — especially because you never know what he will dream up next. And that’s exactly why he’s so inspiring to watch: He’s a sculptor who uses hair as his medium.

The Loc Doctor: Dr. Kari Williams

Follow: @dr.kariwill

Followers: 20.9K

Imagine having a hairstylist who doesn’t just make your hair look great, but also helps treat your overall scalp health. Meet Dr. Kari Williams, the trichologist-slash-celebrity hairstylist on a mission to make the salon a place that takes a more holistic approach to making sure each client’s strands are as healthy — and gorgeous — as possible. After styling natural hair (including on stars like Brandy, Jennifer Hudson, and Ciara) for over 18 years, not to mention creating the famous Goddess loc method, Williams decided to share her scientific expertise with the industry through her trichology course — a program that’s helping make hairstylists true masters of their craft. She’s also been entrusted by none other than Beyoncé to serve as director of education for her brand, Cécred — further proof Williams is the ultimate authority.

The Lash Guru: Dionne Phillips

Follow: @dlashes

Followers: 67.6K

Lashes are just as important in a beauty routine as the strands on your head — something Dionne Phillips knows very well. The Beverly Hills-based esthetician and eyelash expert has set the industry standard in luxury lash extensions through her meticulous, bespoke technique — one that she pioneered long before lash extensions were the wildly popular treatment they are today. She’s the pro behind the fluttery, perfectly curled lashes on celebs like Cynthia Erivo, Christina Aguilera, and Serena Williams (and many more), and has been even more passionate about her craft since surviving breast cancer in 2022. In such a saturated industry, Phillips is the kind of dedicated power player the beauty world needs.

The Celebrity Colorist: Jacob Schwartz

Follow: @jacobschwartzhair

Followers: 42.4K

Jacob Schwartz is the colorist whiz behind the hair of it girls like Bella Hadid, Margot Robbie, Sydney Sweeney, and Miley Cyrus. Remember Robbie’s iconic Barbie blonde locks? Yeah, that was all him. After training under Tracey Cunningham, one of Hollywood’s most renowned colorists, Schwartz gained the impressive expertise that’s catapulted him to becoming a household name in the hair industry — one that’s quickly earned him a clientele of pop culture’s buzziest names, all recipients of his jaw-dropping dye jobs. To witness his work is to see true mastery.

The Hollywood Groomer: Kindra Mann

Follow: @kmannmakeup

Followers: 26.1K

It may seem like men simply throw on a suit before hitting the red carpet, but (thankfully) that isn’t the case. The magic’s in the details, and those details come courtesy of Kindra Mann — a celebrity makeup artist and groomer to the stars. It’s that latter title that does small but important zhuzhes — think gliding a microcurrent device over a star’s jawline and cheekbones, trimming beard hair, or applying moisturizer for a healthy glow. Mann has worked her intricate skills on Jeremy Allen White, Dave Franco, and Glen Powell, to name a few — proving that the most “effortless” red carpet looks often take the most meticulous care.

The Curl Queen: Nai’vasha Grace

Follow: @naivashaintl

Followers: 39.5K

Nai’vasha Grace is behind some of the most notable natural hair looks in pop culture. Whether she’s sculpting sleek braids for Alicia Keys, defining curls for Tracee Ellis Ross, or shaping Lupita Nyong’o’s red-carpet crown, Grace treats texture as her superpower. Her approach is equal parts artistry and advocacy: celebrating the beauty of natural hair while pushing the industry to keep up. Beyond beautifying the strands of A-listers, she runs Curl Queen — her line of African-inspired, botanical-powered hair care products meant for tender textures.

The Body Hair Experts: Laura Schubert & Lillian Tung

Follow: @fur_you

Followers: 107K

Long before Kim Kardashian launched the SKIMS “Ultimate Bush” panty and the “full bush in a bikini” lore swept TikTok, Laura Schubert and Lillian Tung introduced the beauty shelves to a first-of-its-kind pubic hair oil. Their brand Fur, which launched in 2015, shook up the skin care world with its focus on an area of the body that had previously been left out of the personal care conversation — the ones happening in public, at least. With their niche product and ads that showcased real body hair, the co-founders not only filled a hole in the market, but also helped further their mission of destigmatizing pubic hair talk. Because of them, no one blinks when a merkin thong sells out.

The Hair Bestie: Matt Newman

Follow: @mattloveshair

Followers: 1.7M

There are hairstylists — and then there’s Matt Newman. The social media phenom, who’s amassed a following of over 4 million across Instagram and TikTok, has become the internet’s go-to source for genius hair hacks and styling tutorials. His radiant personality and genuine love for beauty make every video feel equal parts educational and joyful — turning complex techniques into moments of self-expression. Simply put, Newman is the internet’s bestie, helping people feel more confident one hairstyle at a time.