With an A-list clientele including Poppy Delevingne, Suki Waterhouse and Gillian Anderson to name but a few, a bevy of loyal customers frequenting his seat at Paul Edmonds salon and a name synonymous with education and innovation, Jack Howard is the hair colourist regarded as one of the best in the country.
An expert, teacher and hair colour pro, Jack is widely credited as the man who brought the hugely popular sun-kissed technique of Balayage from the US to the UK. His intuition and creative eye go beyond seasonal trends when it comes to developing natural, soft and effortless looks for his clients that stand the test of time, (we were left glowing from the inside out after our appointment!).
Jack also counts his duties as Social Media Ambassador for the National Hairdressing Council and teacher of a hugely popular course for L’Oréal Professionnel as huge aspects of his job, encompassing a number of roles that touch every aspect of the hair industry. As the official colourist to Next Model Management and an incredible reputation that reaches both the runways and beyond, his career makes for amazing inspiration for those looking to follow in his footsteps.
We caught up with Jack to ask him for his top career advice , what it’s like to be one of the main men at the head of the newest hair colour techniques and his tips for becoming a successful colourist.
GTG: Could you describe for us the various aspects of your job? What does a typical day look like for you?
JH: My day always starts at 6.30am with an Americano and some granola while I read the papers - usually the Telegraph, then a quick look at the Guardian and New York Times. After I’ve caught up on current affairs, it’s a shower and shave and then onto walking the dog. Those few hours are my time for me before my day starts.
The day itself is either spent in the salon working on a cross-section of clients, models and actresses, all having different needs but all wanting a little magic. Or if I’m teaching, it’s all about sharing my love of what I do and hopefully inspiring others to shine - I'm usually home between 7 and 8 and then it's chill time during the week.
MORE GLOSS: The best highlighted hairstyles
GTG: Could you tell us a little about your background and how you broke into the industry?
JH: My story is quite interesting: I started hairdressing at an early age as a Saturday boy washing hair, making coffee and sweeping up. At 16 I went to work in the nearest town to start my apprenticeship, by 19 I’d moved to London and started working. It wasn’t until I moved to the USA in 1993 that my career really started to grow. In 1999, I helped set up one of L’Oréal Professionnel’s Academies in DC, which is where my education background started.
In about 1995, I saw the colour industry start to change and Balayage become a salon service. I retrained in it becoming a specialist and educator for this technique. In 2010, we moved back to London and that's when my career took another change with me taking up the challenge to make Balayage a salon successful service in the UK.
MORE GLOSS: How to colour your hair like Beyoncé
GTG: What’s the most challenging project you have worked on?
JH: There have been lots of moments that I have felt challenged, but I think breaking into British hairdressing has been a tough one. There is so much talent here and finding a voice that resonated and stood out with colourists and consumers alike was really interesting.
Initially in 2010, everyone was saying Balayage was a trend; it felt like I was a lone voice, a pioneer, but thankfully most people see it differently now. I had lots of doors closed in my face to begin with and amazingly it was beauty bloggers who were really keen and helpful.