In the bag – Ria Kulik – Creative HEAD Magazine

What products and tools does this colour queen swear by? Working on campaigns, collections and in the salon requires a versatile kit to cover all bases! Take a look inside…

As a busy stylist and owner of The HairBank, Ria Kulik needs products and tools she can rely on! Working from her busy Manchester salon, Ria not only runs the salon but has a regular column of clients. She is also a Matrix artist ambassador and session stylist, working on shoots and shows. We asked Ria for a sneak peek inside her kit bag, revealing the essential items she cannot live without…

Clip box
“I used to have a massive box of grips but now I’ve minimised it and take what I need to each job. I found this mini box which is the perfect size, it’s compact but can holds a variety of clips and bobbles.”

Texture builder
“This is a product that I can use all day long on a fine head of hair, but it’s also great on all textures. It’s not sticky and is a great product when you want to to be more flexible with the hair. I always use this in the salon and on editorial work.”

Black elastic
“I take this everywhere I go and use it all the time! It’s great if you need to create a ponytail, or tie anything in the hair. I use it for hair ups so I’m not relying on bobbles. It’s nice and light and goes on forever!”

Brushes
“I always have my Vidal Sassoon backcombing brush with me. I absolutely love that brush – it is one of the first I bought myself when I started training. It’s boar bristle and is great for all textures of hair, it’s slim and lightweight so slips into any kitbag I have.”

ghd contour crimper
“I always have these with me because sometimes if you’re on a shoot or a show and the hair is quite flat, this is perfect for helping give the roots a natural lift. In fact they come in handy for lots of things, so I always have these in my bag.”

Temporary root spray
“These are great as they have the power to make hair fuller at the hairlines if it’s a bit sparse, and a root shadow if hair is a bit awkward under the lights. It does go everywhere though, so I always spray on a piece of paper before I work on the head to work out the distance I need to be. I have these in black, medium brown, dark brown and light brown.”

Barbers velcro pad
“I use these when applying extensions as it keeps wispy hair out the way. They’re great to use on a shoot if the hair isn’t behaving. . Nice and easy to pack and they take up no room at all!”

Bits and bobs bag
“I use the clear bags to compartmentalise everything, so I can see what I have in there and can quickly to take out of my bag. One thing I always take with me is craft scissors – you’d be surprised how often you need them on jobs, cutting elastic, or labels off wigs, things you don’t think of and don’t want to use your hair scissors for.”