Tune In: Hair Colorist Jenna Perry's Celebrity-Worthy Tips & Trend Insights

There is no colorist more of the moment than Jenna Perry, whose brush has painted the hair of a roster of all-star It Girls like Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Chloë Sevigny, and Jennifer Lawrence. 

The New York City–based celebrity colorist and owner of Jenna Perry Hair Studio has made a name for herself for ushering in the wave of natural-looking color hues. Think easy, cool blondes that look slightly sun-kissed and lived-in. A reddish-brunette auburn that's subtle but still eye-catching. A soft brunette that has dimension. 

"I remember a manager of mine before I went out on my own, she was like 'You're never going to be successful because all your clients look so natural when they leave—it looks like you didn't even do anything.' I was just like, sorry, this is just what I do!" she told me during our conversation on mindbodygreen's beauty podcast Clean Beauty School. 

Everyone loves a full transformation, but in reality, transitioning hair color gracefully helps you avoid damage. This is especially true if you're going back to something more like your natural color—which Perry notes she's getting a lot of requests for lately. 

"It takes patience. And there are all these different ways to do it slowly and gradually. For example, while the line of demarcation is growing out, you can add highlights around your face and sprinkle throughout to add dimension," she says. 

Here's the good news: Once you get to a base color you're happy with, it's pretty minimal upkeep.

For a natural-looking color that avoids too much damage, balayage is the best technique. "It's open-air painting, so you're using this hair as your canvas and brushing on the color. It's a creative way to paint," she says. "And I find it grows out a little better."

Of course, coloring your hair at all will incur some damage—that's ultimately unavoidable. "I still apply heat to it, and it's still bleach. But the fact that you're not packing your hair into foil helps. It's just lifting the hair to a natural-looking highlight," she says. "You can still get the look you want; it's just less aggressive." 

Whereas with foil, the technique is used specifically because it traps heat within the material. This makes the bleach stronger but also more damaging. 

Hair damage happens because the bonds in the hair break down, due to things like heat, color, UV exposure, and more. 

That's why bond builders have become so popular—they reactivate the bonds in the hair cortex, healing the hair from the inside out. 

"When you're putting hair color on your hair, it's breaking down those bonds, and these types of products are relinking them. So if you're being aggressive with your hair in any way—color, styling—this can help keep the hair healthy," she says. "I like to keep it simple and say that bond builders are like hair insurance."

Perry uses Olaplex in her salon and at home, as the brand was the first to introduce the technology and is credited with spearheading the trend.