Jen Atkin reveals the biggest hair mistake she sees people making

For Jen Atkin, healthy hair is always the mane event.

And with fall nearly here, the celebrity hairstylist and Ouai founder predicts we’ll be seeing one trend dominating red carpets like the Emmys and VMAs: “Beautiful, glossy hair.”

“I think that the common denominator will probably just be shiny hair and personality,” she told Page Six Style, while discussing her new Swiffer Hair Magnet partnership.

And if anyone knows shiny hair, it’s Atkin. Her brand’s Hair Oil has been used by stars like Hailey Bieber — and thousands of bottles have sold in the last month alone.

“It’s just a really easy finishing step to add shine and smoothness and make your hair feel a little bit more polished,” she explained.

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Hailey Bieber at the Met Gala wearing a gold bustier and blue draped fabric.
Hailey Bieber used Atkin’s Ouai hair oil for a slicked-back style at the Met Gala this year. Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

But the secret to a glossy look begins well before styling, with Atkin telling us the single biggest mistake she sees people making is not prioritizing their hair health.

“I love telling clients to really focus on a schedule with their hair,” she said. “Like the way that you would about going in to get Botox or taking care of your skin.”

To that end, she recommends incorporating nourishing products like Mane Hydration Hugs Mega Moisturizing Hair Mask (to “revive your hair when it feels dry”) and the “amazing” Ouai Bond Repair Balm (for targeting split ends).

OUAI Bond Repair Balm hair mask in a light pink cylindrical bottle.
Ouai

Mane Hydration Hugs Mega Moisturizing Hair Mask.
Mane

“I think it all starts in the shower,” she told us.

“When I was busy doing all the carpets, I would always tell clients that it’s important what you wash with or what you prep with the day before.”


Woman using a hair dryer brush.
Before founding Ouai and Mane, Atkin worked with some of the biggest names in the business. Jen Atkin/Instagram

All of her formulas are inspired by her days as an A-list stylist, when she realized there was a gap in the market for products that would “make people’s lives easier.”

“I had this really incredible front row seat to what people actually wanted, and what was frustrating to them and what was really missing in the space,” explained Atkin, who’s also the founder of Mane.

A Swiffer Hair Magnet Deluxe mop kit, including the mop with a collapsible pole, dry and wet cleaning pads, and its green and black packaging.
Swiffer

She brought the same philosophy to her partnership with Swiffer, saying she was immediately “really excited” about the cleaning tool.

“I love that you can fold it in half, and it can live in your bathroom — and after you’re either styling your hair or maybe cutting your bangs in an emotional meltdown, you can clean up the hair really fast,” she shared.


Why Trust Page Six Style Shopping

This article was written by Hannah Southwick, Commerce Associate Editor for Page Six. Hannah spies deals on actually affordable celebrity-worn styles, puts celebrities’ brands to the test and finds the beauty products that keep stars red carpet-ready. She consults stylists and industry pros — including celebs themselves — for firsthand product recommendations, trend predictions and more. In addition to writing for Page Six since 2020, her work has been featured in USA Today and Parade.


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