Who Is Chris Appleton? 5 Things to Know About the Celebrity Hairstylist

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Chris Appleton has become one of the most sought-after hairstylists in Hollywood, known for creating sleek, glamorous looks for A-list clients like Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, and Ariana Grande. In his Grazia interview, he looked back on doing his mother’s hair, and what about it transformed his future ambitions. “When she looked in the mirror, her expression would change in her face, and her shoulders would go back,” he told the outlet. “I realized that I had this ability to make people feel really good, like emotional medicine. For me, that is what started this journey for me: making people look good, but really making them feel good. When you can do both is when the magic happens.” With a career that spans runway shows, red carpet events, and viral beauty moments, Appleton has cemented his place as a trendsetter in the hair industry.

In addition to his professional success, Appleton’s personal life has also made headlines—from his whirlwind romance and brief marriage to actor Lukas Gage, to his role as a father.

But what else does Chris do and what’s his background? Find out more about the powerhouse stylist and his personal life below.

1. He started his career young

According to an interview with Grazia Magazine, Chris got an early start on doing what he loved — he secured his first gig at age 13 at a hair salon in 1996. He also touched on doing his own mother’s hair decades ago as a way of pampering her amid a busy work and home life. He’s continued to do the same for the most illustrious clients in the world. “Jen recently called me and said, ‘You always make me feel so great,’ and that means a lot to me because that’s what I used to do for my mom, just to make her feel good,” he told the outlet, obviously referring to Jennifer Lopez. “That never goes out of fashion.”

2. He’s a father of two

Chris is the dad of two adult children—daughter Kitty Blu Appleton and son Billy Appleton—whom he shares with his former partner, Katie Katon.

“Grateful,” he wrote alongside a family snapshot in formalwear with Kitty and Billy in November of 2022. Attending a wedding in September, he captioned a carousel of photos with his kids in part, “My forever plus 1’s.” He also shared a touching observation in another post from September. “When did they get taller than me,” he captioned another photo collection. “Being your Dad is best thing that has ever happened to me.”

3. Chris has a lot of famous friends

And when we say “a lot,” we really mean an entire galaxy of the brightest stars in the entertainment industry. He’s responsible for many of Kim and Khloe Kardashian‘s most stunning and versatile looks, which he regularly shares with his 3.3 million followers via Instagram. Ariana Grande and Dua Lipa have benefitted from his famous talents, as well.

He’s also been known to drop by pal Drew Barrymore‘s show to chat her up. “The gift that keeps giving – absolutely loved shooting the valentine’s Day special @thedrewbarrymoreshow with @drewbarrymore yesterday she is the sweetest human I know,” he wrote alongside a February 2022 selfie with the Wedding Singer actress.

4. His credits are beyond impressive

Ever wonder who did J. Lo’s flawless hair at her lavish Georgia wedding to Ben Affleck? Or her bouncy 2020 Super Bowl performance looks? How about her windblown nude beauty campaign? Kim’s platinum blonde variations, the snake-print hair, or even the mile long braid? You guessed it. Chris was on site and responsible for the hairstyles that have literally helped shape the careers and images of two of the most powerful women in Hollywood.

5. He was briefly married to actor Lukas Gage

Chris made headlines in April 2023 when he married The White Lotus and You actor Lukas Gage in a Las Vegas ceremony officiated by Kim Kardashian. The pair’s whirlwind romance quickly became a hot topic in the entertainment world, but their marriage was short-lived—Appleton filed for divorce in November 2023 after just six months, citing irreconcilable differences.