11 Hair Experts Taking Beauty To New Heights

There’s a reason so many people reach for the kitchen scissors after a breakup: Hair is one of the most personal ways to change how you look — and how you feel. But it’s also a space for some of beauty’s most exciting experimentation, from gravity-defying updos and intricate braiding designs to colorists challenging our ideas about aging.

The pros behind those transformations don’t all work the same way. Some create the celebrity looks that take over your FYP; others are rethinking the products, techniques, and traditions that shape how we wear our hair. From wigmakers to scalp specialists, lash and brow artists, and entrepreneurs, the honorees of Bustle’s 2026 Beauty Icon Awards are pushing their respective crafts forward.

Ahead, meet the 11 experts helping shape the future of hair and beyond.

The Internet’s Trichologist: Abbey Yung

Follow: @abbeyyung

Followers: 3.2 million

Dealing with dry ends, an oily scalp, or hair that just won’t grow? Abbey Yung has a routine for that. The certified trichologist and social-media star, who’s amassed nearly 5 million followers across TikTok and Instagram, shares tips and product recommendations for just about every hair concern. (And many of her favorites are drugstore finds.) Her recommendations come with something more useful than hype: an explanation of the science behind them.

The Celebrity Lash Queen: Alanah Sahaba

Follow: @323lash

Followers: 39,100

The hair on your head isn’t the only thing worth thinking about — at least, according to Los Angeles-based lash artist Alanah Sahaba. After leaving college in 2020, she started doing lashes full time, quickly building a celebrity clientele that includes Kehlani, Quen Blackwell, and Megan Thee Stallion. From barely-there fox eye sets to colorful, anime-inspired designs, her work is about more than just adding length and volume. She treats lashes like another form of self-expression, creating looks that feel like an extension of each client’s personal style.

The Red-Carpet Trendsetter: Coree Moreno

Follow: @coree.moreno

Followers: 73,400

If you’ve found yourself obsessing over Zendaya’s hair lately, Coree Moreno may be the reason. The goddess braid that sparked countless TikTok tutorials? He was behind it. He also created her piecey pixie cut. But Zendaya isn’t the only star who trusts him with her hair: His client list includes Hollywood names like Chase Infiniti and Madison Bailey. With a knack for working with natural texture, Moreno isn’t just following trends — he’s helping set them.

The Ayurveda Advocate: Diipa Buller-Khosla

Follow: @diipakhosla

Followers: 3.1 million

Most people pick up a beauty trick or two from their mom, but Diipa Büller-Khosla got a whole brand’s worth. Raised by an ayurvedic doctor and dermatologist, she grew up surrounded by traditional Indian beauty rituals — and in 2021, turned those childhood lessons into Indē Wild, a hair and skin care brand that combines ancient wisdom with modern science. Five years later, it’s landed on Sephora shelves, introducing those 5,000-year-old traditions to a whole new audience.

The Editorial Architect: Guido Palau

Follow: @guidopalau

Followers: 453,000

Cher, Madonna, Beyoncé — some people are so iconic they don't need a last name, and in the fashion world, hairstylist Guido Palau is one of them. He got his start at London’s legendary Vidal Sassoon salon in the early ’80s, before a gig with George Michael put him on the map. Since then, he’s become a defining force in editorial and runway hair, creating everything from architectural updos for Schiaparelli to old Hollywood waves for Lana Del Rey’s W Magazine cover. With bombshell blowouts among his recent credits, Palau continues to shape the looks that define beauty's biggest moments.

The Gray Hair Guru: Jack Martin

Follow: @jackmartincolorist

Followers: 948,000

Gray hair isn’t something to hide — just ask Jack Martin. The Arizona-based colorist has built a career out of helping women embrace their silver strands, counting Andie MacDowell and Sharon Osbourne among his celebrity clients. Using his signature French blending technique, he weaves together shades of silver, gray, and white for results that look every bit as dimensional as any good blond or brunette dye job. In an industry that often treats aging as something to disguise, Martin offers a different vision — one that doesn’t begin with covering up.

The A-List Brow Artist: Kelley Baker

Follow: @kelleybakerbrows

Followers: 553,000

Even if you don’t know Kelley Baker by name, you’ve almost certainly seen her work. Based in Beverly Hills, she got her start as a makeup artist before finding her niche in brows. Now, she’s responsible for some of Hollywood’s most recognizable arches, working with everyone from Kim Kardashian and Megan Fox to Drake. Whether she’s carving out a bold brow or a softer, more natural frame, her work is proof that a few strategically plucked hairs can do a lot of heavy lifting.

The Hollywood Hairstylist: Mara Roszak

Follow: @mararoszak

Followers: 127,000

For hairstylist Mara Roszak, inspiration has always been close to home. Growing up in L.A.’s Laurel Canyon, hairstylist Mara Roszak developed an appreciation for the laid-back, California-cool aesthetic that’s since become her signature. Her clients include Emma Stone, Zoe Saldaña, and Sandra Bullock, but there’s more to her perfectly undone looks than meets the eye. Roszak has been honing her craft since her teens, landing her first celebrity client, Sarah Michelle Gellar, before she even got her license. More than two decades later, she’s channeled that experience into her own hair care brand, Roz, with a simple premise: Effortless hair should actually be effortless.

The Wig Whisperer: Noah Scott

Follow: @whatwigs

Followers: 208,000

The Internet loves a wig allegation — but when Noah Scott is behind the hair, good luck spotting the lace front. After teaching himself how to make wigs through YouTube tutorials at just 8 years old, he got his big break creating Ariana Grande’s signature extra-long ponytail for her 2019 Coachella performance. Since then, his celebrity clientele has grown to include everyone from Lindsay Lohan to Zara Larsson, all turning to him for custom hairpieces. But you don’t need to be an A-lister to get in on the fun. Through his online store, WhatWigs, he’s making red-carpet-worthy hair transformations available to anyone who feels like switching up their style.

The Braid Specialist: Tashana Miles

Follow: @tasha_worldofstyles

Followers: 115,000

Tashana Miles isn’t just a stylist — she’s an artist whose medium is braiding. Whether she’s creating sculptural Bantu knots or geometric cornrows, she approaches each style as an opportunity to experiment with shape and design. That creativity, paired with meticulous technique, has made her a favorite of A$AP Rocky and Beyoncé. For anyone looking for inspiration for their next protective style, Miles offers a reminder that braids can be as individual as the person wearing them.

The Extension Innovator: Tendai Moyo

Follow: @vtmoyo

Followers: 8,238

Tendai Moyo thinks synthetic braiding hair is overdue for an upgrade. As co-founder and CEO of Ruka Hair, she’s challenging the industry’s reliance on conventional plastic-based fibers with Synths 2, a collagen-based alternative designed to look and feel like human hair. The patent-pending material is also designed to be biodegradable and withstand heat styling. With Ruka expanding its retail presence, Moyo is pushing the conversation beyond how braiding hair looks to how it’s made.