Something the city of Los Angeles is best known for is its high standard for beauty. From makeup and hair to botox and fillers, the City of Angels has it all. Finding and fine-tuning your beauty routine can be challenging, and one of the most important components is finding the right hairstylist. One rising star in the LA beauty scene is making his mark and winning over clients every day.

Hairstylist Jason Hermiz began his career with apprenticeships in New York City, Detroit, Chicago and Toronto, and is now making waves in Los Angeles. Hermiz has over 17 years of experience and is now one of the lead stylists at Martinez-Samuel Salon in West Hollywood. Despite his elite clientele consisting of celebrities and entertainers, part of Hermiz’s charm is his ability to stay grounded, hardworking and gracious.

Hermiz was unsure of the career path he wanted to take in his early twenties, but he realized how much he loved the energy of a hair salon. So, he decided to pursue an apprenticeship to learn the craft. Now, his specialty is doing women’s blonde, Balayage, highlights and men’s haircuts. “Blondes and men’s haircuts are my favorites,” he said.

One of Hermiz’s top hair tips is to not shampoo your hair everyday — especially if you are a man. “It’s good to have a little bit of build up because it will give you that next-day look. So, I tell a lot of my male clients to shampoo their hair every other day and even if they get it wet, they don’t need to shampoo it,” he said.

Creativity is one of Hermiz’s favorite parts about being a hairstylist. “I can honestly say it’s my passion,” he explained. Some of his goals are to expand his clientele and business. He dreams of owning his own salon one day so that he can create a relaxing, inviting environment for his clients. In the meantime, some of his best career advice is to never give up. He remembers feeling discouraged in the early days of his apprenticeships. “But then as I really put my heart into it, I really developed a passion for it,” he said. “You have to really want it and hustle for it.”