Milk + Blush Meets... Rikke Gajda
Here at the M+B office, we’re always scrolling through Instagram looking for the next big thing in the hair world and when we found Rikke Gajda we knew we were onto something. After assisting the biggest name in hair right now Chris Appleton, she’s really started carving a name for herself and making some big waves.
You only have to scroll through her feed to know that she’s on the rise, with snaps of Kim Kardashian, Met Gala looks including Cara Delevigne’s and binge-worthy hair extension tutorials. She’s got insane hair talent and we were so excited when she agreed to spill some of her tips for our Milk + Blush Meets… series.
M+B: How did you get your start in the industry? Did you always want to be a stylist?
RG: Yes I always wanted to be a stylist, ever since I can remember! I started working in a salon when I was 14 and I did that every weekend alongside school until I got licensed.
M+B: Chris Appleton is so influential now, what were the best lessons you learnt assisting him?
RG: That everything is possible. You can always make something work even if it seems impossible. There’s a way and you just gotta make it work, quick.
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M+B: We love the Met Gala looks you created for Lily Collins and Cara Delevingne, what was the process like to create a look for the biggest event of the year?
RG: These two pieces were so much fun! But of course, the pressure was there when you know your work will be on the red carpet of the most influential event of the year. The piece for Lilly was made with 400g of hair, I used wefts, glue and a sewing machine to get it together. It’s a similar process with the Pony for Cara, but her piece was made with 300g of hair. Beauty is pain because these pieces are so heavy and can get quite uncomfortable. A normal pony isn’t usually that heavy so it’s a lot more comfortable to wear. I think everyone should have a pony in their drawer ready to go for a quick pick-me-up. Everyone gets a little pony power when they’re swinging it around!
M+B: Are there any pro tools in your kit that we could incorporate into our daily hair routines?
RG: A Mason Pearson brush is my go for everything, from snatching a pony to detangling hair and the metal bristle brush from Ibiza Brushes is the only one I use for extensions and wigs. When it comes to hot tools I think the Babyliss Deep Waver is so good and that look is very in this summer!
M+B: Kanye’s Sunday Service at Coachella was amazing, what was the inspiration for the hair?
RG: We had a designer from Brazil that created all the looks for Coachella, the theme was medieval/angelic but also tribe-like and it was so much fun to create. We pre-made all the wigs and pieces for the 85 choir me
mbers and it was so powerful when it all came together on the stage. We’ve continued to do the same hair for the regular Sunday Service the past few months.
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M+B: What are your top tips for using clip-in hair extensions?
RG: Make sure that you actually have enough hair! Clip-ins can look amazing and it’s such a quick fix but it’s the worst thing when people walk around with 2 clips in their hair. It shows and it’s so bad. My best advice would be to ask your stylist to put them in for you the first time. They’ll show you where to place them and they can cut them to blend into your hair so you get a more natural finish. It will look so much more natural and you’ll know where to put each clip so it’s easier for you at home.
M+B: What do you think is the biggest mistake people make with their hair?
RG: Washing their hair too often and not using hot tools properly. I cringe when people tell me they wash and blow-dry their hair every day. It strips all that moisture that your hair needs to stay healthy and shiny. I always recommend stocking up on dry shampoo instead and going a few days longer, it’ll give you way more volume!
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M+B: What do you think the biggest hair trends will be for the summer?
RG: The bob is definitely a trend this summer, cut very short and blunt like Kim Kardashian or Hailey Bieber. On the bridal side there’s a lot of side swept, old Hollywood style waves going on which suits pretty much everyone.
If you loved this one then make sure to check out our chat with
Alex Brown, a celebrity stylist who assisted OUAI’s Jen Atkin and
Jake Gallagher who has the best clip-in extension tips.
