My Beauty File: Kristen Shaw

There’s something about Kristen.

I was rushing to meet her in NoHo because of train delay(s) and after arriving at Suite 303—founded by celeb hair stylist April Barton—I was immediately put at ease by Kristen’s poise and glowing skin. Maybe it’s from all the mornings spent riding waves in the Pacific.

Kristen left behind rural Illinois for a fashion career in NYC, which led to styling hair under April at the iconic Suite 303, and to her eventual move out west. “I felt a calling to the sea growing up,” she recalls. “I always wanted to be by the ocean.”

Shortly after moving to LA, Kristen created Cabin 207, which evolved into Cabin, an intimate, appointment-only salon space tucked away off Abbot Kinney. She’s now also a brand ambassador for Playa, the botanical-based hair line with a beloved cult following. And Kristen is business (and surf!) partners with Playa founder Shelby Wild. No big deal!

Kristen credits her approach to work and her personal life as one and the same: “I’m an artist first. And cooking, camping, seeing loved ones—free time—makes me a better stylist.”

As for beauty, Kristen told me, “Beauty is about finding what makes you beautiful on the inside; it’s the choices we make,” while spritzing my damp hair with Playa’s signature Ritual Hair, made with apricot and kukui. (If you haven’t started using this product yet, you absolutely should.) “It’s about simplifying who we are, versus overcompensating.”

And so I thought I’d bring you more lessons to live by from this goddess of a woman who truly walks the walk, and does it with shiny, effortless beachy hair!

You’re welcome.

MORNING SKINCARE:

I use Earth Tu Face’s Face Balm all over, including lips. I also love Monta’s Joshua Tree Desert Mist face spray and Heritage Store Rose Water Spray.

BREAKFAST:

I usually have eggs with a side of organic bacon, plus red cabbage sauerkraut and rosemary sweet potatoes. When I’m in a pinch for time, I like overnight oats with fresh berries.

NIGHT SKINCARE:

I have the same routine at night as in the morning, although sometimes I throw on a mask by Earth Tu Face.

SUPPLEMENTS:

I take probiotics daily: my favorite is Renew Life Ultimate Flora or Moon Juice’s Probiotics powder.

FITNESS:

I train with Home Holistic LA doing Foundation Training. I do yoga in Venice at Love Yoga and of course, surf!

TECH:

For music I love Sonos: I can keep and organize all my favorite music on the app and play it in different rooms.

For work I use Hubdoc, which helps me organize all my receipts so I don’t have to hold onto paper. And I use Square for doing everything in one place—point of sale, booking, payroll, etc.

And for travel, I love Yelp so I can find lots of amazing new places while I’m passing through.

HAIR CARE:

I use Playa products for every day, Veggie Miracle Conditioner by Davines for a treatment, and a Hot Tools 1″ curling iron for when I go out.

DERMATOLOGIST OR FACIALIST:

Neither, but I love Anna Zahn for her lymphatic body treatments and the Olympic Spa in Koreatown: they have the best soaking tubs, sauna, and body scrub.

WELLNESS:

My go-to is Home Holistic LA for all-around health and fitness. I also go to Sacred Circle Healing Center—Bryan Grijalva for energy work and massages, and Andrea Lugo for acupuncture.

BIGGEST BEAUTY MYTH:

“Losing your hair comes from your mother’s side.”

It can come from there, but you may not activate that gene if you don’t trigger your environmental exposure: stress, poor eating, and poor sleep, for example.

MY BEST PIECE OF BEAUTY ADVICE:

Take time to know yourself. You’ll find that this will simplify your beauty routine and ultimately improve what happens on the outside.

MY BEST PIECE OF LIFE ADVICE:

Stay curious about all things in life. This is something that will always keep your heart full.

MY CHARLOTTE:

My mom, Jan. She taught me about love.

My Beauty File is an on-going series where we figure out what the most timeless, put-together and coolest ladies are doing—what their days look like, what they can’t live without—in hopes that we might learn a thing or two. Beauty Files are a quick and easy cheat-sheet on how these incredible ladies are becoming their best selves.

READ THIS NEXT

Kristen’s friend and business partner Shelby Wild told us all about keeping hair healthy, sexy, and beachy in the winter. Plus, take a look at Helena Christensen’s Beauty File.

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