Celebrity Hairstylist Jill Buck Spills the Details on Julianne Hough's Hair and Offers Beauty Tips

Celebrity stylist Jill Buck with television personality Julianne Hough.

Nine Zero One celebrity stylist Jill Buck’s celebrity clientele include Julianne Hough, Nina Dobrev, Jessica Simpson, Selena Gomez, and Lili Reinhart, to name a few. Buck has created some of Hough’s most gorgeous hairstyles seen on Dancing with the Stars and on the red carpet. Recently, Buck gave Hough a color update with Joico’s Defy Damage—a new product line that protects color and revives damaged hair. Buck shares all the details about working with Julianne Hough (aka Jules), favorite products, and top beauty tips:

Hough and Buck at Nine Zero One salon.

What are some of your favorite looks you’ve done on Jules?

The Tinkerbell look that we did for Dancing With The Stars. DWTS has a theme every single week, and it was the Disney theme so we made her Tinkerbell. It was just so fun—a really high topknot, and I used the end of her ponytail to make bangs. She looked exactly like Tinkerbell, it was really cool. She always lets me do super creative things. We’ve done crazy braids, where I’ve added extensions in, and all of her dancing looks when she’s performing, we usually put a lot of clip-in accessories in and things like that. Jules is fun—she lets us do whatever.

How often does Jules maintain the blonde?

It depends on if she’s on camera or not. If she’s working or on camera a lot, then we do it pretty often because with all of the close-up shots and interviews, it needs to be fresh. We’ll see her at least every five weeks in the salon.

In between that time, are there certain things she does at home to maintain the blonde?

She just started using the Defy Damage home care series (especially the Leave-in Protective Shield ($21.50) and the Protective Masque ($21.50)) for the protection aspect and full damage prevention. That way, when she comes in we’re able to take her blonder each time. And then she also uses the Color Balance Purple Shampoo ($16.99) to tone and keep her blonde color brass-free. She also switches back and forth with Blonde Life Shampoo ($17.99).

What makes Defy different from other products that you’ve used?

This is truly the next generation of bond building for the hair. The difference with Defy Damage is that it’s something we do before we even color the hair. So it all starts at the salon with the service, then your client can take the products home for full benefits and protection from all types of damage they do on their own (heat, UV rays, pollution, etc).

Using the Pro Series Step 1 instantly gives it the strength and protection for the hair bonds before I ever put the potentially damaging chemicals on, which is huge—nobody’s doing that. Second, it takes maybe one minute to spray in the hair, and then Step 2 the Pro Series Masque takes only 2- 5 minutes in the bowl. It’s so fast in comparison to other ones, which I have to wait 10 to 20 minutes for, then put under heat for another 30. I have to change all of my timing and formulas, and all of that adds up as a stylist. Time is money, so it’s nice to be able to add this in without there being any additional wait time.

Do you think any hair products are overrated or overused?

I would say the science behind them are, sometimes even protein itself. When a product is pushing too much protein in your hair—it can actually snap. That’s where I would say a lot of people get confused.

 Do you have any drugstore go-tos for makeup?

I’m not a big makeup person honestly, but I like L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Feline Mascara because it’s like a comb, so my lashes won’t stick together when I use it. That’s probably my favorite makeup—my go-to is mascara.

What are some beauty products that keep your skin and hair fresh while traveling?

I’m so bad at drinking water, but obviously water. Second to that, eye masks. I love to get on the plane, especially when it’s a late night or I’m going overseas, and put the eye mask on my face, then I put my little sleep thing on the top and I pass out. For my hair, I love the leave-in Defy Damage Protective Shield ($21.50). It gives me protection, shine, and a beautiful feel to my hair.

What has been your favorite color that you’ve done on Jules? Do you think it has the power to change your mood?

I feel like whatever you’re feeling inside is what inspires wanting a change for your hair, which helps you express that in a way. I’ve never done a crazy, fun fashion color in all the years that I’ve done hair. I haven’t really been blonde per say, I’ve been shades of it. We had to lighten this completely because I’m not a natural blonde. I’ve been using Joico’s Color Intensity, the peach and the rose mixed together to get my shade, and it’s by far my favorite. I tried the lilac because I always thought I wanted purple hair, and then I had it and thought, “No it’s not me, I’m the coral kind of shade,” so it’s been fun to play around.  

What are your makeup bag essentials?

The Giorgio Armani foundation serum, concealer—whatever it is, it makes me feel a million times better. As someone who doesn’t do makeup, this I can literally apply like lotion, and I’m like, “I look good! This is great”.

Top 3 beauty tips you’ve gotten through the years?

Let’s start with skin: I’ve learned it’s not always about the different creams you’re putting on. You still need to exercise the different muscles in your face, so that’s where I’ve learned that things like micro currents are sometimes more powerful than any of the creams you put on, cause they exercise your muscles and retighten your skin.

For hair, a big one I tell people is to brush your hair in the shower while it’s wet and while you have your conditioner in, so then you can make sure it’s getting all the strands of your hair, and not just going through your hands. Then it’s distributing the product better and you don’t have to use quite as much.

And just being active is huge. I think people forget that you don’t have to go to a gym to be active. Sometimes it’s just running with your dog, your kids, or even at work. My FitBit tracks me at work, and I walk six miles usually every time I’m in the salon.

Day-to-day hair routine?

I’m pretty lazy with my hair. I do the conditioner trick in the shower and wash it through, then I air-dry completely because I have a little bit of a wave and a little bit of a curl. A lot of people will blow out their hair straight and then curl it on day one—I do the opposite. I wear my natural air-dry day one because it’s the bounciest and not weighed down by a ton of product. Then into day three, I will curl it with a curling iron and use dry shampoo, so I do it a little bit backwards.  

[Images: Getty Images courtesy of Joico]

Lizzy Sherman is an award-winning digital content writer/editor. She has been a featured guest speaker at Cal State University Northridge, Digital LA and The National Association of Audience Marketing Professionals. When she's not writing, Lizzy enjoys yoga and playing guitar. Follow her on Instagram: @zillizy