Edward Jimenez for Hair

arly on, I pushed myself by entering student competitions. I wasn’t competing with others as much as I was forcing myself to grow. I became a true student of the craft—hungry to learn every technique I could, from hair cutting to coloring, chemical services, and, most importantly, how to keep clients coming back. I realized early that clients stay when you put their needs first, not just chase the latest trends. One of the turning points in my career came when I met Charles Le Clerc, a world-renowned colorist known for working with Hollywood icons. He taught me advanced foil techniques and introduced me to the science behind professional products like Fermodyl. After learning from him, I returned to the salon with a new level of skill—and clients who wanted that soft, blended, “movie star” color. I refined my craft further while working at Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. Eventually, I went independent and rented a booth at Betty Pearson’s salon on Camden. That’s when I got the call to do a makeover segment on Good Day LA with Regis Philbin. I did half-head transformations, and the response was overwhelming—over 200 calls in a single day. That moment opened the door to talk shows, magazines, and more opportunities to share my work. Regis later flew me to New York to appear on his national show and introduced me as one of his discoveries. That recognition gave me a new platform—and a new mission to educate and inspire others in the beauty world. I became Dean of Education for Fermodyl, teaching across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. I worked with Pantene on their relaunch of the Pro-Vitamin B5 line and was invited by Clairol in New York to share color techniques with fellow professionals. Teaching helped me grow even more as a stylist and educator. Eventually, I opened my own salon—Edward Jimenez on Sunset—and received a Latin Image Award, honoring my work with actress and comedian Diana Ortiz. I became “The Hair Guy” on Home & Family, doing on-air makeovers and demonstrating styling techniques to a national audience. My work expanded into music tours and television production. I was invited to join Madonna’s Drowned World Tour as a hair and wig stylist, then joined Paul McCartney’s Driving USA Tour across Mexico and Japan. I also styled for artists like Ricky Martin, Shakira, Celine Dion, Britney Spears, and KISS. On TV, I worked behind the scenes on Performing As... and Magicians’ Secrets Revealed with Carrie Ann Inaba. Today, I’m a freelance hair and makeup artist for TV, tours, and productions—and I still serve loyal clients in the salon. Whether I’m helping create a brand-new image or enhancing the beauty that’s already there, I love what I do. After all these years, I’m still here. Still working. Still learning. Still in love with hairstyling.