5 Things Celebrity Hairstylist Paul Nebres Would Never Do To His Hair

Here at Allure Philippines, we know that good hair can take work. There’s the twisting, turning, curling, and coaxing of every strand into place—not to mention the enemies named frizz, humidity, heat, and product buildup. But sometimes, what matters just as much as what you do to your hair is what you don’t. 

Celebrity hairstylistHairstylistA beauty professional who specializes in cutting, coloring, styling, and caring for hair, combining technical expertise and creativity to enhance individual style, confidence, and self-expression.Go to Hairstylist Glossary Paul Nebres has a few hard rules. While you can skip a deep treatment at the salon or reach for a dry shampoo between washes, just imagine the celebrity hairstylist nagging at your ear as he draws a strict line when it comes to achieving healthy strands from the scalp. Heat-styling wet hair? Never. Going to bed with damp strands? An equal cardinal sin. 

After more than a decade styling top celebrities and creating camera-ready hair, Nebres knows which habits can make—or break—a look. At the Dyson x BETTERHAIR styling masterclass, Allure Philippines asked him about the things he would never do to his own hair—and the techniques he thinks are actually worth keeping.

Kim Santos

1. He Wouldn’t Choose a Heat Tool Based on Price Alone

What’s one heat styling mistake people make?

For Nebres, it starts with the right tool. “Usually, we tend to buy the cheaper alternatives because it’s, well, cheaper, but we can’t really be sure if it would work well.”

At the masterclass, Nebres also spoke about why his partnerships with Dyson and BETTERHAIR align with his approach to styling. “Dyson designs products that avoid heat damage, and with BETTERHAIR, we have ingredients that do the same,” Nebres shares. “So I feel like the core of both brands are the same. That’s why [we’re] a perfect match.

2. He Would Never Flat-Iron Wet Hair

What’s one styling habit you would never do to your own hair?

“I would never iron my hair while it’s wet.”

It’s one of Nebres’s clearest rules—and an easy one to remember. Before reaching for a traditional flat iron, make sure your hair is fully dry.

3. He Wouldn’t Go to Bed With Wet Hair

Would you ever sleep with your hair wet?

“Wet hair is more fragile and prone to friction damage overnight, which can cause damage and breakage in the morning,” Nebres explains to Allure Philippines. So when asked if he would ever sleep with his hair wet, you can already guess what he’s about to say: “NO!”. 

He also explains, “it’s not because you’ll get blind, but because of the friction you’ll get while it’s wet. That can cause damage and breakage.” 

In other words, that old warning about sleeping with wet hair may have gotten the reasoning wrong—but Nebres still wouldn’t make a habit of it.

4. He Wouldn’t Go Overboard With Hairspray

What’s one product people tend to overuse or go overboard with?

“Hairspray.”

Consider this your reminder that more product doesn’t necessarily mean a better—or longer-lasting—style. Start light, then build only where you need extra hold.

5. He Wouldn’t Skip Hair Prep

If you were to give our readers one technique from this masterclass that we can copy at home, what would you recommend?

“I think prepping your hair is really important,” Nebres tells us. And that’s exactly what the idea behind BETTERHAIR is for. “Just like makeup, you need to do skin care before makeup, so the makeup will last. It’s the same with hair—prep your hair.”

The takeaway: Don’t treat styling as the first step. What you do before picking up a brush or hot tool can matter just as much as the finishing touches.