Like those of us at Style Observer (SO), you have no doubt seen the healthy, radiant hues on the tresses of Hollywood A-Listers Julia Roberts and Gwyneth Paltrow, Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, multi-hyphenate Emma Grede, activist and designer Aurora James, and the list goes on and on. Indeed, you might very well have heard the moniker Highbrow Hippie and might even have the award-winning scalp serum on your bathroom shelf. What you might not know is that the co-founder, Kadi Lee, is Jamaican and one of her favourite chillax spots on The Rock is GoldenEye.

Master colourist and hair health expert Kadi Lee shares with SO that her family roots are in St Ann. She was, however, born in St Andrew and raised in St Catherine before emigrating to Westport, Connecticut, USA, at the age of 11. Distance, however, has never meant disconnection from her beloved island. Upon hearing news of the devastation wreaked on Jamaica last October by Hurricane Melissa, Lee flew in, weeks later, and immediately went into assist mode “I was out in the fields from St Ann to Trelawny handing out care packages giving out hot meals… it was Sunday, including hot meals for the little ones”.

“There was no water, electricity, so [I] was thankful that we packed fans and mosquito repellant… headed to MoBay this week as my friend has lost her school and several others their homes. Bit by bit we do our bit as we must now, more than ever, be our brother’s keepers,” she shared with SO.

And bit by bit SO went in search of more deets on Kadi Lee. Fun Fact: Highbrow Hippie started as a blog. We learnt this as we listened to the podcast: Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan. “Hard work can open up a lot of opportunities… if you stick to your core morals/essence you’re never going to lose,” she informed. Proudly making mention of her Jamaican roots.

Then there was an even more comprehensive reveal via Hannah’s List: The Q&A with Hannah Bronfman where we gleaned more insight.

Kadi Lee, co-founder of Highbrow Hippie, was a colourist for decades. She started her career in New York City at Frédéric Fekkai after graduating from Spelman College in 2000. She credits her time there as being “very formative to the kind of colourist that I became. It was such a seminal and glamorous time to be in New York, and I was assisting the colour director at the time, Constance Hartnett, whose clients ranged from the world’s biggest actresses to NYC’s most glamorous socialites, to female business powerhouses”.

“Because Constance was a chemist before she became a colourist, time spent with her was like getting a PhD in hair painting and hair colour theory, as well as a masterclass in navigating complex and intricate client relations. After assisting Constance, along with some French masters of the balayage, I can confidently say that nothing rattles me or makes me flinch in a salon environment. I have seen every colour correction and scenario done under the sun, and worked with the most discerning personalities with impeccable taste who demanded and expected excellence at every turn.”

Relocating to LA…

After relocating to Los Angeles to the west coast outpost of Fekkai on Rodeo Drive in the early aughts and then getting the incredible opportunity to then work with Serge Normant these skills and experiences only compounded. And I say to this day, Serge is not only the most talented hairstylist I have ever met, he is also the kindest and most elegant. I simply cannot believe my good fortune to have him as my mentor and dear friend.

The Breakthrough

When the opportunity came to do a major colour change for Julia Roberts almost two decades ago, I was ready. I was ready. I was Soooo ready! All that preparation had finally met the right opportunity. But there was no luck involved. People always want to know-what’s the secret? It’s simple. I worked relentlessly up until that moment and still do.

I showed up early. I stayed late. I built my clientele one person at a time, gathering referrals, and never saying no. I sacrificed a ton of personal time to build the career that I have. I really and truly prioritised it. So when that moment with Julia came, I nailed it! I had only a few hours to take her blonde from brunette for a Lancôme campaign, and to this day it’s one of the favourite projects I have ever painted. The finished result, styled by Serge, was dimensional with movement and depth and brightness in the right places. That was, without a doubt, the moment I really knew what I was doing, and that my career was going to be okay.”

On advice to her younger self...

The first thing I would do in this and every lifetime, is travel WAY more without worrying too much about hurrying to the next stage of life. I would savour those younger years when I had energy in spades, to explore the world and live in a few different countries. I would tell her she would be working very hard for many years to come, so try and chill… That life’s a marathon not a sprint. Be diligent about saving money, even if it’s a small amount every month. And take care of your health. Without it, none of this matters. I would tell 21-year-old Kadi, who was starting out as a shampoo assistant on 57th and Madison, on top of the Chanel building, to enjoy the process and soak up those early days, because it’s all going to work out in the end.

On luxury and how it shows up in her formulations and pricing…

For me, luxury has never meant exclusivity for optics. It’s about intention, integrity and care. It shows up in the details — the quality and sourcing of ingredients, the thought behind each formulation, the education that supports the product, and the experience someone has, whether they’re sitting in my chair or using something at home. My clients are also incredibly busy. They want products that work, that integrate into their whole lives, and that don’t require buying five additional steps just to see results — as luxury to me, is also about efficiency and respect for someone’s time. A product should amplify your routine, not complicate it.

Regarding our formula and pricing, from the moment we set out to create our products, we knew we wanted the absolute latest ingredients and science available to us. And that stance by default makes our product firmly prestige.

I can’t state enough how much smoke and mirrors exist in the beauty industry. And as a brand, it’s important to us that our values always shine through. We are also the only prestige brand since Christophe Robin that is formulated and developed from a colourist’s point of view to keep hair colour at its most optimal. That combined with what customers need from an overall wellness lens makes us firmly exist in a league of our own.

Acknowledgement: Confessions of a Female Founder

Hannah’s List

Among Kadi Lee’s clientele are brunettes Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (right), and Alliance of Moms co-founder Kelly McKee Zajfren pictured at The Alliance for Children’s Rights 34th annual Champions for Children event on Thursday, March 19, 2026. (Photo: Instagram/@highbrowhippie)

Highbrow Hippie co-founder Kadi Lee was a guest on the April 22, 2025 episode of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’s podcast Confessions of a Female Founder.(Photo: Instagram/@highbrowhippie)

[GLAMOUR MAGAZINE] USE TOGETHER Glamour Magazine named Highbrow Hippie’s Root Replenish Active Growth Serum the Best Scalp Serum in its 2026 Best Beauty Innovators awards.

Academy Award-winning actress Julia Roberts (right) is among Kadi Lee’s A-List clientele.(Photo: Instagram/@highbrowhippie)

Glamour Magazine named Highbrow Hippie’s Root Replenish Active Growth Serum the Best Scalp Serum in its 2026 Best Beauty Innovators awards.

Highbrow Hippie co-founder Kadie Lee was a guest on the April 22, 2025 episode of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’s podcast Confessions of a Female Founder.

Also under the expert care of Kadi Lee (right) is British multi-hyphenate Emma Grede…(Photo: Instagram/@highbrowhippie)

Highbrow Hippie earned a spot on Modern Luxury magazine’s 2026 Best of Beauty list, securing the accolade for Best Holistic Haircare last March.(Photo: Instagram/@highbrowhippie)

Highbrow Hippie earned a spot on Modern Luxury magazine’s 2026 Best of Beauty list, securing the accolade for Best Holistic Haircare last March.(Photo: Instagram/@highbrowhippie)

Harper’s Bazaar named Highbrow Hippie’s Instant Silk Vitality Mask one of the 55 Best Hair Products of 2026.(Photo: Instagram/@highbrowhippie)

Harper’s Bazaar named Highbrow Hippie’s Instant Silk Vitality Mask one of the 55 Best Hair Products of 2026.(Photo: Instagram/@highbrowhippie)

…who had her hair expertly coloured for the cover of the April/May issue of Harper’s Bazaar Netherlands.(Photo: Instagram/@highbrowhippie)

Celebrity hair colourist Kadi Lee was the master colourist behind Oscar-winner Gwyneth Paltrow’s radiant hues for the 2026 Academy Awards.