A beauty industry vet, Kattia Solano has more than two decades of industry experience. Aside from making Allure‘s list of top Manhattan hair stylists, Solano has created hairstyles for runway shows, including Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren and Carolina Herrera, worked on editorials for Vogue, Allure, Harper’s Bazaar, ELLE, as well as InStyle and she was appointed as the head creative atelier by L’Oréal to develop the Shu Uemura Art of Hair collection line. She’s also the owner of Butterfly Studio, a hair and beauty salon she opened in 2001. Given her impressive pedigree, we asked Solano to share with us her five all-time favorite products, along with five she’s currently obsessed with.
Beauty Diary: Celebrity Hair Stylist and Owner of Butterfly Studio Kattia Solano
-
All-Time Fave: Coconut Oil
“I can't live without it! I use it as a deep moisturizer for skin and make natural scrubs with sugar for exfoliating all over. I treat my scalp and hair with it often, and I add some into my daily shakes for nutrition and all of the health benefits. I’m even starting to use it as a mouthwash and teeth whitener. Everyone raves about oil pulling!”
-
All-Time Fave: Joanna Vargas Skincare
"I use the whole regimen religiously, but the rejuvenating serum is a game changer! This amazing oil serum makes skin feel instantly more youthful without ever feeling greasy or heavy on the face. My skin is always soft and never dry. I love knowing the anti-aging ingredients are always working to keep my complexion smooth!"
-
All-Time Fave: The Eyelash Curler by Kevyn Aucoin
“It's a must every day, even when I don't wear mascara. When I curl my lashes, I feel it helps me look more awake and makes my lashes feel longer. It gives the perfect curl every time and has even replaced Shu Uemura’s!"
-
All-Time Fave: Avon Skin So Soft Original Bath Oil Spray
"This leaves my skin soft, silky and moisturized. I swear by it, and it's multi-use. I even use it to help keep mosquitoes away on summer nights and to repel bugs. So, it always comes with me on vacation!"
-
All-Time Fave: Shu Uemura Essence Absolue Oil
“It's a product that I use to help tame and style my hair, and it also works as a nourishing leave-in treatment. It’s versatile, so I love to cocktail it with other hair products to give extra shine and softness. I also love to use it as an oil mask for a treatment day — just leave on a generous amount during a workout or overnight. It contains camellia oil, which is very moisturizing."
-
Current Obsession: Oribe Curl Gloss
"It's brand new, so be on the lookout for it. I just love it! It’s a styling 'gel' that actually controls my curls (my hair texture has become a lot more curly after giving birth), while offering my hair softness, hold and shine. It’s a three-in-one and it’s just wonderful to get it all in a single product, especially for those natural hair days."
-
Current Obsession: The Precision Brow Pencil by Kevyn Aucoin
"I stay on top of grooming my brows, so I don’t go a day without defining them using this tool to help shape, fill in and enhance. It’s a simple way to bring out your features or pull together your makeup (or no makeup) look. It glides on smoothly, and it comes with an attached brush at the opposite end to help blend and soften the effect, creating a more natural, full brow shape."
-
Current Obsession: Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray
"Absolutely love this product because it gives my hair texture and hold as if it was teased without actually going through the trouble of teasing. It’s something you can use every day and helps with targeting and eliminating unwanted hair oil. It makes hair much more moldable and easy to work with, creating the perfect foundation for any up style."
-
Current Obsession: Marc Jacobs Beauty Lip Vinyl
"This is the best lip gloss! I love the packaging, including the great applicator tip, which reminds me of using your pinkie. It smells and tastes good. That’s always a plus because who doesn’t want to be extra kissable? There’s a great selection of shades, from the fun light tones to the rich dark pigments, and they all stay on forever."
-
Current Obsession: Benefit They're Real! Push-Up Liner
"I’m already a big fan of the mascara for bold lashes, but this blend of pencil and liquid liner is a standout product for eyes. It really makes creating that retro cat eye look super easy. And it doesn't move! It’s nice not to worry about smudging or melting eye makeup."