If you don’t think of Instagram as a networking tool…think again. Celebrity hair stylist Justine Marjan is an IG guru, using it to not only score gigs but also build a wildly-beautiful portfolio. We partnered with ghd to hear how she makes the most of social media—plus ask for all her beauty secrets and beyond.

Q: Working with celebrities sounds incredible, but also scary! What’s been the biggest challenge and the biggest reward in having a famous roster of clients?

A: The biggest challenge has been putting my personal life on the backburner to meet crazy call times and travel schedules. I love traveling so it’s been an amazing experience, but when I moved to LA I dived head first in to my career that I didn’t have much time to socialize. The biggest reward is getting to be creative, share a vision with fellow artists, and see your work come together on a carpet or editorial. I love making women feel good about themselves and it’s great to be a part of that transformation.

Q: You attribute your career to social media. Tell us a little about how you built your career thanks to Instagram?

A: Instagram is the greatest marketing tool, and it’s free! As an artist, it is less essential to have a traditional portfolio or website now as most people find and look for your work on Instagram. I love using the platform to educate my peers, share my work with my followers, and connect with potential and future clients.

Q: Any tips you can share with others who look at how you built your career and say, “I want to leverage social media in that way?”

A: I would suggest being consistent, only posting quality content, using hashtags, and engaging with other artists and people you want to work with! In a meeting with Instagram, they told me “engagement is a two way street,” meaning if you are only a voyeur on the app, you can’t expect people to comment and like your content. If you want engagement on your page, you need to engage with other pages and be active on the app.

Q: What are some of your best tips for working women who want to get out the door quickly but want to look put together for work?

A: I love the new ghd glide hot brush! It is my life saver for busy mornings where I need to fix my hair but don’t want to spend a ton of time on it. It’s a heated brush that tames frizz, adds shine, and smooths the hair. If I wake up with a crease or frizz I can trust that it will quickly fix it.

Q:  You’ve said before that the most underrated hairstyle is the ponytail, and as busy women, we agree! What’s the secret to a great ponytail?

A: The secret is placement! We are so used to seeing our hair from the front, but a ponytail is all about the profile. Notice where it sits on your head and how that compliments your facial features from the side. I love a ponytail that falls right in like with the cheekbone for a super flattering finish.

Q: What are some of your favorite tools or products for on-the-go women?

A: If I could only have one tool in my kit, it would definitely be the ghd platinum plus styler. I love that the rounded edges make it easy to create waves, curls, and sleek looks. The new festival collection styler also comes in a cute holographic color. Another must have for women on the go is a great silk pillowcase. Sleeping on silk reduces frizz, bedhead, sleek crease, and extends the life of your blowout. My favorite brand is The Hollywood Silk Solutions.

Q: If you weren’t a stylist, what would you be doing?

A: I would probably be a photographer, creative director, or social media manager. I love taking photos, coming up with a concept, behind behind the camera and engaging on social media. Anything creative and hands on gets me excited.

Q: What’s something we might not know about you?

A: I’m a certified yoga teacher.

Q: What’s next for you?

A: My hair accessory collection with Kitsch has really inspired me to keep creating new pieces! I’m working on my next two launches with them and can’t wait to share what we’re working on. I just finished filming Project Runway on Bravo and loved working on TV. That is definitely something I would love to do more of. And I hope to get more into education and sharing my knowledge and story to inspire others.

This post is sponsored by ghd.

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