'Honey! Are we going to have a gorgeous interview?' Jonathan Van Ness is welcoming me to his London studio in the idiosyncratic exuberant fashion that's come to define the Queer Eye star, hair care founder and LGBTQIA+ advocate. Instantly recognisable with his glossy long hair and groomed-to-perfection beard combo, if I wasn't sure I'd arrived in the right place, the instant atmosphere of friendliness (and the fabulous dress), would be a few clues.
Fresh off the back of the UK leg of his wrily-named tour 'Fun & Slutty', today Van Ness is slipping out of stand up mode and donning his hair brand hat. Here to discuss the latest additions to his namesake JVN Hair line and his widely admired fluid approach to beauty, it's no coincidence that our conversation lands in the middle of Pride month. With a brand mantra of 'You Belong', Van Ness is pouring his inclusivity mission into his hair care, a line that champions individual, authentic beauty and aims to enhance rather than change it. 'We've been told since we were children that there's one way to look, one possibility model, and that's just not true.'
Prepped and ready for his gorgeous interview, ELLE UK caught up with JVN to chat all things queer beauty, Bobby's 'Meg Ryan' hair and why he's dying to shave Prince Harry's head...
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Where did your journey with beauty and self expression start?
'For me, it started really young. As a small child I was really taken with the hair and make-up of figure skaters and gymnasts and beauty pageants. But I also just had a real appreciation for especially female beauty. I just thought hair was amazing; make-up was amazing. I always wanted to be all up in there.'
How has your definition of beauty changed as your sense of identity has evolved?
'Until my mid to late 20s I thought beauty was how people responded to me - I was beautiful if people responded to me in a certain way. Then it transformed into I feel beautiful when I present authentically, when I express myself for me. It was around then that my gender journey started. That was when I first started to buck the masc idea. I started wearing tights and crop tops and just feeling more comfortable in my femininity.'
You’re known for your amazing hair (and hairstyling skills), what's the significance of it for you?
'Growing up I was always wanting to change my hair colour or do something different, often for validation of other people, wanting them to be like, "Oh that looks cute". Then I got into hair school and did every single thing you can imagine to my hair.
'I always kind of looked like hell because I was running into the salon, late from yoga, trying to be on time for my first client. My hair was always in a messy top not, kind of how it looks in the morning when I'm on Instagram...
'Hair was my livelihood, then Queer Eye happened and that all changed. I went from working day in, day out in the salon full time, to not really styling hair much at all unless it was for the show or my friends. After about a year I was really missing hair, missing being in the salon, missing my old clients and that was when I started my YouTube channel and started thinking about JVN Hair. It like felt exciting to come back to the joy of it.'
What one beauty product you were obsessed with as a teenager?
'I loved the different flavour chapsticks of course! At the moment, I'm really into Caroline Hirons' new line Skin Rocks. I also really like Trinny London and I love Tatcha for skincare. For body care I really like Necessaire - they do really beautiful stuff. I'm also always into Lush, I will never not be in love with Lush.
'Haircare wise right now, obviously my JVN products are great. For summer time when I want to blowdry my hair smooth and have a polished look , the Complete Blowout Styling Milk is just such an incredible one-stop-shop for any thermal style.
'I've actually recently started mixing the Complete Air Dry Cream with a little bit of the Blowout Milk when I'm wearing my natural curls. I love that combo for summer waves and texture.'
Describe your fellow Queer Eye team members' hair personalities...
'Karamo is very Beyoncé on the Renaissance tour - gorgeous wind in the hair long layers. When we did the Lip Sync Battle with the other boys we performed 'Telephone'; I was Gaga and Karamo was Beyoncé. When he had his Beyoncé wig on, it is honestly the most embodied and happy I've ever seen him. It just brings out his inner beautiful dancer.
'Anthony's hairstyle name is like Tousled Musk Canadian! Tan has his own gorgeous polished hairstyle so he just has the 'Tan France' - so attractive, so gorgeous. Then Bobby is giving Meg Ryan, like a Meg Ryan shag.'
If you could give a Queer Eye makeover to anyone, who would it be?
'I am dying to buzz Prince Harry's hair! Harry, come on, Just buzz your hair off it's hot, it's much better. Darling this hair? You must buzz! Actually [Rafael] Nadal as well - I'm so attracted to him and it's just devastating. Just buzz the head!'
Why do you think beauty holds so much power for the LGBTQIA+ community?
'The illusion of beauty, is really powerful for everyone - no matter how you identify or where you're from. I always hope that people are wielding their idea of beauty in healthy and uplifting ways. But it's not always the case.
'I think some people can feel very threatened by queer people and the way that queer people express their beauty. I think when some cis gender people see people in the LGBTQIA+ community who are comfortable in their own skin and embracing who they are and don't abide by constraints of the gender binary, that can feel threatening. It can be very discombobulating when you assign your personality and your identity to this thing that you thought wasn't a choice then you see other people being themselves unapologetically, not conforming or compromising and there's a little bit of jealousy there.
'You might see people that look courageous and fearless, and even though we're not, in fact a lot of us are really afraid, we look at that fear and we realise it's more important to be authentic to ourselves than it is to conform to what someone thinks beautiful is supposed to be.'
Jonathan Van Ness' Beauty Edit
JVN Hair Embody Volumizing Foam
Skin Rocks The Moisturiser
JVN Hair Complete Blowout Styling Milk
JVN Hair Complete Air Dry Cream
George Driver was the former Senior Beauty Editor - Digital at ELLE UK.
