The Hair Products Jennifer Aniston Swears By, According to Her Longtime Pros (2024)

It’s not an exaggeration to say that Jennifer Aniston’s hair is the stuff of legend. Over the course of her three-decades long career, the actress has set off a hair craze with a career-making chop, experimented with different cuts in all lengths and styles, and ultimately, cultivated a signature California cool hair code oft coveted (and copied!).

Of course, it all began on the TV show Friends, where “The Rachel” cut—her shaggy, honeyed bob—cemented her as the hair icon she is today. That ’90s crop was crafted by none other than her longtime hairstylist Chris McMillan, who sought to help Aniston grow out her bangs with a transformative, editorial-worthy cut. Inspired by a combination of male surfers from his hometown of Manhattan beach, supermodel Beri Smithers and her chin-grazing bob, and the curvy blowouts Garren was giving Amber Valletta at the time, he landed on the style that would put Rachel Green on the map.

From there, McMillan, alongside Aniston's colorist Michael Canalé, helped the star whip through a number of styles characterized by face-framing layers, lush, yet imperfect waves, and sun-kissed golden highlights. At present, that famed Jennifer Aniston mane is as shiny, silky-smooth, and healthy as ever, thanks in no small part to the launch of her beauty line LolaVie. In honor of her 54th birthday today, her go-to pros are helping to break down the secrets behind her famous lengths.

Go Bronde, Then Brighter

Aniston's signature beachy golden blonde may look effortless, but there's a lot of meticulous, time-honored work that's gone into achieving and maintaining it. For nearly 30 years, colorist Michael Canalé has been tending to her tresses, weaving eye-brightening highlights into honey-brown waves for that California girl feel. "Jen's the original bronde," says Canalé, who slowly brought Aniston from her natural brunette to a golden blonde before adding those back-from-the-beach highlights. "Over time, you can see that I sanded out her hairline, making it brighter to bring out her eyes and warm complexion," he explains. To recreate a similar look with your colorist, he recommends steadily going bronde, which typically suits honey-toned hair and warm skin tones, before going full-throttle blonde. Once you've achieved a solid base, use "color bathe" (as Canalé calls it) to create dimension. "As you add highlights, you deepen the root," he explains of the technique. "It’s not so much shadowing, as it is adding a 'glisten' look at the root that goes into the bright ends." To preserve color and give the blonde tones a boost, a gloss treatment, like Aniston's go-to Canalé Midnight Blue Signature Gloss, is essential. "It keeps the hair really shiny and seals the color, while keeping the pieces around the face light and vibrant," he explains.

Cleanse and Condition Thoroughly

Under McMillan's watch, Aniston takes hair-washing very seriously. When she cleanses her hair with her choice shampoo—alternating between Living Proof No Frizz Shampoo and Drunk Elephant Cocomino Glossing Shampoo based on the day's needs—she lathers, rinses, and repeats. A "really good" double cleanse ensures a proper cleansing and keeps the scalp cleaner longer, says McMillan. Next up, it's all about an all-encompassing, roots-to-ends conditioning session with Cocomino Marula Cream Conditioner or Canalé Soften Conditioner and a wide-tooth comb. "We don’t just condition the ends," explains McMillan. "A lot of people worry it'll make the hair flat, but it doesn't!" To encourage his clients to do so, he likens conditioner to facial moisturizer. "Would you moisture just your jawline or forehead?" he poses. "No! You're going to moisturize your entire face. Conditioner is moisturizer for your hair! You should be doing the same thing to your hair as you do your skin."

Detangle With TLC

Of course, this is where the debut product from Aniston's LolaVie comes into play. “I use detanglers all the time when I get out of the shower because of the condition of my hair; it’s hard to get through,” she told Vogue last year, revealing the backstory of how her Glossing Dentangler was born. Aniston said she set out to create the “the Swiss Army knife of products: It’s a heat protector, it brings nutrients and health back to the hair follicle, it creates shine.” Thanks to its mix of natural, plant-based ingredients that protect and repair, such as chia seeds and bamboo essence, it does all of the above.