Jake Thompson

Jake has been a #hairnerd pal for years and a true artist. He and his gang of hair besties are constantly creating and pushing boundaries. Jake’s passion for hair, art and photography make him a NAHA genius.

Since its humble beginnings in 1989, NAHA finalists and industry elite have brought this iconic photographic beauty competition to new heights year after year. NAHA continues to recognize the beauty industry’s most talented artists and advance the careers of stylists around the world. Nothing makes us happier than meeting artists we REALLY want to root for… Good people who love the industry, value education and aren’t afraid to put in the hard work.

What one word describes how you felt when you wrapped your NAHA shoot? 

I felt so much appreciation and love, my team really rocked the 3 day shoot! I also felt creatively exhausted, when you spend about 13 to 15 hour, 3 days in a row, you really go to a weird spot in your head acting loopy funny, almost drunk.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to enter competitions? 

Don’t throw everything into the shoot, meaning when people start shooting they have a tendency to make their work very busy. Your audience needs to understand what their looking at, if the collection has to much going on you will instantly loose their attention. Keep things minimal to the approach and make the winner the hair, everything else is the accessory to the hair.

Biggest worry about the night? Is it what to wear or acceptance speech? 

I’m worried about getting my pieces ready for the runway show I’m doing for Beauty Underground w/Charlie Price and all the other amazing artist involved. Once I get those perfect, I’m just about enjoying the evening with my stunningly beautiful wife Kelsey!

Describe yourself in 5 words. 

Passionate, Loving, Driven, Creative, Hard Working.

If you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing? 

I’m an artist through and through! So it would either be a full time photographer, a DJ/music producer.

Describe the creative journey of your NAHA shoot in emojis.

Real life advice to someone entering the world of cosmetology. 

Surround yourself with artist better than you, and don’t get cocky by having early on success. Also remember know matter how much you know, someone out there knows more than you and is better at it than you, so be careful how you treat people when you meet them.

I knew I was a Hair Nerd when… 

My obsession on discovering icons in our industry was a bit overbearing to all my non hairdressing friends. They would look at me like, bro… slow down… now what are you talking about. It was funny.