Appleton exclusively revealed to PEOPLE how he works out the look for Kim Kardashian’s Christmas Eve hair.
Chris Appleton is sharing the secrets behind Kim Kardashian’s festive hairstyles.
The world-renowned celebrity hairstylist, 40, exclusively spoke up to PEOPLE about how it “always starts with the outfit” when he styles the hair of his friend and longtime client, Kardashian, 43, on Christmas Eve.
“You know I think with any glam session it always starts with the outfit and then working back on that and seeing what’s going to work,” Appleton tells PEOPLE at the Revive Collagen x Chris Appleton event in West Hollywood on Thursday.
The hairstylist, who is the U.S. ambᴀssador for the brand, says he usually does the reality star’s hair for her family’s star-studded annual Christmas Eve party, and adds that “it’s always fun to do a look” at Christmas.
Recalling last year’s festive hairstyle for the SKKN by Kim founder, Appleton explains that he transformed Kardashian’s blonde locks to dark, bringing back “OG Kim.”
“We loved it,” he adds. “We always kind of do a look for Christmas. It’s a fun time to play around.” And having attended the Kardashian’s Christmas Eve bash himself, Appleton says that “it’s always a fun one to go to.”
The celebrity hairstylist was also the hand behind Kardashian’s glamorous updo for the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards in New York City on Monday. Wearing an open-back, black Chrome Hearts halter gown, The Kardashians star channeled a ’90s supermodel look with her locks styled in a messy updo inspired by Pamela Anderson’s ’90s face-framing tendrils.
“It was a real vibe,” Appleton says. “And she had this leather dress and it was just like very Pammy vibes.” He adds that he and the SKIMS founder had “played with this Pammy look before” and so wanted “to evolve it and keep it interesting and exciting and not make it too generically what we’ve done. We always like to keep it exciting.”
“We went for this more bangy, like bangs kind of Piecer finish, and I think it just elevated the whole thing and made it feel a little bit fresher and a bit cooler,” Appleton explains. “Whereas before when we’ve done it, it’s had more of a curl to it.”
He adds that her CFDA hairstyle, “was actually quite undone for Kim, and I think it was just really fresh and nice to see. It kind of almost looked like she actually pinned it up herself.”
Earlier this year in June, Appleton celebrated his 40th birthday with a luxurious boat trip in Turks and Caicos. Arranged by his husband, actor Lukas Gage, Appleton was surprised with a party on a 40-foot Van Dutch private yacht.
The hairstylist and Gage, 28, announced they had tied the knot in April. The ceremony, which was in Las Vegas, was even officiated by Kardashian.
“Ring finger where the rock is,” Gage captioned a series of pH๏τos on Instagram on April 26. The sweet snaps showed the couple exchanging vows in front of Kardashian, as well as posing with the reality star during their special day.
