Tracey Cunningham is no stranger to a packed schedule. On a typical day, the celebrity-favorite colorist—and Mèche Salon founder and Omi chief innovation officer—sees 25 to 30 clients for her signature dye jobs. Add awards season, with celebrities clamoring to look their absolute best for the red carpet, and her calendar goes into overdrive.
In the lead-up to the 2026 Golden Globes, Cunningham squeezed in house calls for Dakota Johnson, Kris Jenner, and Best Actress nominee Emma Stone, seeing 17 stars in total before the big night. Below, she shares a glimpse into her busy week—and how she keeps herself going when time is tight.
Dear ITG,
Award season is incredibly busy. I wake up at 5:30AM to get ready. Skincare is non-negotiable for me, especially on long days. I start with Dr. Barbara Sturm’s body wash in the shower, followed by her anti-aging body cream. On clean, dry skin, I apply Dr. Diamond’s Instafacial plasma, then layer U Beauty’s Smooth serum, Return eye cream, and Super Hydrator moisturizer. I always finish with Dr. Sturm’s SPF 50 drops before heading out the door. And at the end of each night, no matter how late it is, I wash my face with the Monika Blunder Meltdown cleansing balm.
I keep things simple in the makeup department. Monika Blunder’s foundation helps me look like I have my life together. When I turned 40, Jennifer Lopez gave me the best advice: Switch to cream blush; it makes you look younger. So I wear a really good dusty rose called Wien from Monika Blunder.
I believe in supporting hair daily so it stays strong, even during demanding periods. I use the Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector as a strengthening treatment after shampooing, and I take Omi hair growth peptides to support my hair follicles from within. I also take Naomi Whittel’s Gentle GI Creatine to help maintain muscle strength—I love that it doesn’t cause bloating, which matters when you’re on your feet all day.
My week leading up to the Golden Globes started at Dakota Johnson’s house, where we refreshed her darker, cool-toned color to create rich depth without heaviness. From there, I headed to the salon to work with Amy Poehler and Sofia Boutella—two blonde clients who require very different approaches. Amy loves being super blonde, so we focus on dimensional highlights to keep her color bright and luminous. Sofia is a full bleach-and-tone, finished with a refined, ashy gloss.
While every client receives a custom color formula, tone, and finish, there are a few baseline products that I use across the board for everyone. When it comes to color, consistency and performance are all that matter, so I rely on Schwarzkopf Professional’s incredibly intentional dyes that protect hair integrity, which is just as important as achieving the final look. I add Olaplex No. 1, the Bond Multiplier [Editor's note: salon use only], directly to the color bowl and always follow with the Olaplex No. 2 Bond Perfector [also just for salons] as a treatment to reinforce strength and maintain the health of the hair.
After Sofia and Amy, I met with Kathy Hilton and Maria Sharapova at the same time. Kathy gets a base color, while Maria receives highlights and glossing. Beyond the technical work, we’re constantly making plans, coordinating schedules, and adjusting looks in real time based on fittings, lighting, and last-minute changes.
For the rest of the week, my schedule included Michelle Monaghan, Abigail Spencer, Kiernan Shipka, Lana Del Rey and her sister Chuck, Jennifer Lopez, Kris Jenner, Melanie Griffith, Jennifer Grey, Kate Hudson, and Priyanka Chopra. Zoey Deutch typically gets a base color and gloss for a polished, natural finish. I also worked with Emma Stone, who loves being a redhead even though she’s naturally blonde. I finished her look with a gloss to keep the color vibrant and healthy.
When you’re managing this many clients, preparation and a strong team are what keep everything running seamlessly. I couldn’t do it without my assistants, Burke, Elle, and Jenn, who know me so well they can anticipate my next steps. They know my favorite bottled water is Icelandic—I’m a big believer in hydration and drinking water constantly—and that I keep snacks like nuts and dates with me throughout the day. When I have a moment, we’ll order Goop Kitchen—my go-to is the teriyaki salmon bowl.
With love,
Tracey Cunningham
—as told to Daise Bedolla
Photos courtesy of Tracey Cunningham and Nina Park