Welcome Back To The Salon

Wecome Back To The Salon!

I’m excited to welcome you back to the salon with renewed energy and a loving heart. As always, I’m here to provide you with great hair, technical excellence, and caring services. 

In order for me to feel safe while seeing you, please fill out this health questionnaire before your scheduled service. As you make preparations to visit the salon, please keep in mind that we must both exercise extreme caution when working together. As part of my social circle, you are one of many clients that I will be seeing in the coming months. My risk of exposure increases with each client visit and the amount of time we spend together. Please do your part to protect me, as I do my part to protect you.

Please carefully review the New Covid19 Salon Protocols:

1. Before your appointment, please self-assess for any Covid19 symptoms.
   If you don’t feel well, text me to get rescheduled.

2. Please arrive on time to your appointment, and text me to be let inside.

3. Only customers receiving services will be allowed in the salon.

4. You will be required to WEAR A FACE MASK with ear loops the entire time you are in the salon.

5. Upon arrival, WASH YOUR HANDS and then come into my private room.

6. You must follow all written and verbal instructions while in the salon.

What I will be doing to protect you during your service:

1. I will be wearing a face mask during your entire service.

2. Immediately before touching you, I will wash my hands.

3. The service area and tools are always disinfected between clients.

4. Contactless checkout and online booking are always available.

5. To help keep you safe, I will provide verbal instructions and limit our time together.

Thank you in advance for coming to the salon prepared, heathy, and aware of the CDC Covid19 Prevention Protocols. Together, let’s continue to do our very best to stop the spread of COVID-19 and keep our community safe and healthy. 

Never Give Up, Never Stop Learning

Over the last couple of months, I’ve taken advantage of a once in a lifetime opportunity to study hair cutting and coloring with some of the worlds most inspirational and creative hairdressers including The International Creative Team at Vidal Sassoon. The Sassoon leadership team stepped up during the Covid19 pandemic to offer high quality, live education to a global audience. It was a complete joy to be with my creative cohort and feel a sense of connection each morning as I tuned with my tribe of like-minded hairdressers across the globe.

A special thank you to Mark Hayes, Sassoon International Creative Director, for guiding us through the history of Sassoon, describing how many of the classic shapes came to be, sharing with us his portfolio of work, and demonstrating step-by-step how to achieve both classic and modern looks through a disciplined approach to hair cutting. Thank you for believing in the mission of Vidal Sassoon and authentically executing his vision with your global team. Thank you for demonstrating how classic looks, customized to a client’s bone structure, can have a fresh and modern feel when they are crafted using the principals of good design as codified by Dieter Rams.

A warm thank you to Tracy Sakosits, North American Creative director, for walking us through her approach to creating a signature look with classic hair cutting techniques and careful attention to detail. Traci’s ability to take a magazine image, deconstruct it, and then recreate it on a blank canvas was a complete joy to witness. Traci also demonstrated how cutting with tension on textured hair resulted in strong geometry and a beautifully balanced shape. Her disciplined approach to hair cutting, combined with the narration of her thought process, made for many memorable moments together.

A respectful thank you to Richie Rivera, North American Color Director, for walking us through a variety of creative approaches to hair color over the last two months. One color technique that I’m excited to bring back to the salon with me is the two tone color and color blocking techniques - an approach to hair color that takes it’s inspiration from Piet Mondrian and uses color theory combined with geometry to create intriguing multi-dimensional hair color that strengthens the shape of a cut and enhances the overall style.

I also want to thank Sam Villa and Tippi Shorter for hosting Fabric of Change on June 28th - and unforgettable day of inspiration and education with my Black Hairdresser Community putting themselves out there to fundraise for the National Black Justice Coalition - a civil rights organization focused on empowering Black LGBTQ youth. The day was packed with inspirational moments as Black hairdressers shared their views on some of the changes they’d like to see across the industry.

Being home for over 3 months now to protect public health has certainly had its ups and downs. But I’m forever grateful to have been part of the solution, and to have found my tribe of hairdressers who are working on making the world a better place. I’m grateful for all that I’ve learned, and many beautiful people I’ve met along the way.

One of the reasons I became a hairdresser was because I like to stay behind the scenes and shine the light on those around me. Each one of my clients is a shining star in my life, and has a special place in my heart. To each of them, I’m committed to keeping an open mind, always doing my best, learning, and acting with loving kindness.

The Safest Hair Color To Use During A Pandemic

During the first few weeks of sheltering-in-place, I spent a good amount of time thinking through how to bring truly natural and organic hair color to my clients. I started by providing a small group of clients with 100% natural, herbal hair color kits for home use. The results were fantastic. Three months later, I believe that professionally applied, herbal hair dye may be the safest and healthiest hair color option for anyone staying home or going back to the salon for hair color after the shelter-in-place orders are lifted.

The plant dyes I use (henna, cassia, indigo and amla) do not come in a box. They are ethically sourced, pure, unadulterated, organic plant leaf powders that I custom blend to create bespoke natural hair color that is professionally applied to your hair in about an hour. Because I offer an "application only" service, it will dramatically reduce your time in the salon and eliminate face-to-face time at the shampoo bowl. For these reasons alone, this service may be the safest hair color option available when the Covid-19 SIP orders are lifted. In addition to being safer from a social contact perspective, 100% herbal hair dye is free of toxins, out performs chemical color, and is restorative rather than damaging for fine and textured hair. If you want natural looking and completely non-toxic hair color, I recommend giving herbal dye a try.

Have questions? Want to learn more? Schedule a consultation to see if herbal hair dye is a good option for you.

Day 12 Of The Covid-19 Mandated Non-Essential Business Closure

It is Day 12 of the “Stay Home” mandate, and the closure of all "non-essential” businesses in San Francisco.

Yesterday I broke down and had a good cry - letting my fear and anxiety bubble up to the surface. Practicing social distancing and feeling ‘non-essential’ to my community is sooo hard for me. My life's purpose has always been to create and share beauty with others in an intimate way. This feels impossible right now - as everyone is stressed and de-prioritizing the importance of beauty in our lives.

Social distancing has forced me to feel even more alone at a time when I need to feel like a part of the community and act together with my community to lower the curve of Covid-19 in California and across the United States. As a creative maker/doer, I’ve tried to self-sooth by baking, cooking and sewing, but I have repeatedly failed because I’m stressed, I don’t have the right ingredients or materials, and I don’t want to be doing those things! Failing to produce anything useful or beautiful has sucked me down into a spiral of deep sadness and feelings of despair. When will this end?!

Of course, I am doing all the “right” things to protect myself from becoming a vector for Covid-19. I’ve reduced my shopping trips to once a week, and always wear a mask when leaving my house. My home has become a sanctuary of safety and solitude.

But I miss my life as a hairdresser and confidant. I miss being a productive and creative member of society. I miss bringing a sense of beauty and wellness to my beloved clients. I miss the daily updates and sharing of mutual experiences and perspectives.

My work as a hairdresser is a personal and creative expression of love - for each and every one of you. While it may seem like a “non-essential service”, it is a way for me to express my love and appreciation for and to you. When you come to see me in the salon - I give you a piece of my heart along with your haircut or color.

How are you coping with social distancing and the “stay-home” mandate?

What is the safest way to color your hair?

The Organic Stylist is proud to provide a healthier salon experience for scent-sensitive and health-oriented people. I provide services and use products that are non-toxic, organic, and eco-friendly; and therefore healthier for you, me, and the planet. If you have had a reaction to haircolor in the past or a temporary black henna tattoo, it is imperative that you schedule a hair color predisposition test 48-hrs prior to your next hair color appointment. 

There are a growing number of hair color brands on the market today that claim to be organic and natural. But since the beauty industry is unregulated, these claims are only partially true. Permanent, oxidative, artificial hair color is composed of synthetic and chemical compounds that can create a toxic buildup in the body with over exposure. While oxidative hair color is convenient and fast, it isn’t the safest or healthiest way to color your hair.

Common hair dye chemicals may be problematic, and sensitization to para-phenylenediamine (PPD) is on the rise globally. Based on research compiled by Dr. Catherine Cartwright-Jones, in 2014, 16% of young adults in western industrialized nations (and even more in other parts of the world) are already sensitized to PPD. With repeated PPD exposure (found in artificial hair-color, and “black henna”), anyone can become sensitized to PPD chemicals at any point in their life. Please review the PhD work of Catherine Cartwright-Jones to learn more.

As of today, more than 45% of Cosmetologists are also sensitized to para-phenylenediamine (PPD); they have higher cancer risks than the general population; and many are leaving the industry to protect their health. Because the beauty industry is not regulated, manufacturers around the world can sell products to The United States that contain carcinogens, PPDs and other toxins without having to disclose any health risks.

Over the last year, I’ve done a lot of reading, research and experimentation on how to work with 100% natural plant pigments to create beautiful, translucent, permanent hair dyes that can transform gray hair into highlights and bring warmth and richness to dull and over processed hair. Schedule a consultation to learn more.

All Hair Problems Have Solutions

All hair problems have solutions. Sometimes the solution is internal and sometimes it’s external. Often, the solution includes the elimination of certain ingredients, or changing your hair care routine entirely. If you suffer from itchy, flaky scalp, I can help you analyze and understand how your hair care routine and home care products may be contributing to ongoing hair and scalp issues.

Book an Organic Hair & Scalp Rejuvenation Treatment to give your hair and scalp a fresh start and get some personalized recommendations for home care routines and products designed keep your hair and scalp healthy and vibrant between salon visits.

Take Back Your Power - Buy Healthier Beauty Products

Recently a number of clients have asked me if I’m aware of the Deva Curl Class Action Lawsuit alleging hair loss? The short answer is yes. However, I do not use Deva Curl products (owned by Henkel) because they have never met my personal standards for clean beauty products. Deva Curl has been acquired twice since it launched "No-Poo” in 2002. Every time a company goes through an acquisition the entire product line goes though a systematic and organized cost reduction process that affects ingredients, manufacturing, and distribution. This means that every ingredient is evaluated for its effectiveness against a less expensive alternative, without sacrificing performance. In the beauty world this means substituting cheaper, synthetic, and chemical ingredients (like parabens and silicones) to replace more natural ingredients. It is therefore no wonder that the cheapest beauty products, sold by the largest companies, are the least expensive and most harmful to our health.

Henkel Beauty Brands

Henkel also owns Deva Curl.

So what’s the big deal?
The short term cost savings you might find yourself attracted to in the drug store beauty aisle is most likely being offset by long term costs to your health. Please be aware that almost all drug store brands are masters of deception - they tell you a marketing story while finding every possible way to reduce their manufacturing costs and streamline their ingredients to the cheapest possible sources. Then they mask the stink of their synthetic and chemical ingredients with perfumes, hoping that your nose will override your critical thinking skills.

How can I do better?
Support small businesses who are trying to make the beauty world a safer place. Let me help you make better hair care choices by visiting my Recommended Products page, and use the Think Dirty App to scan your products and learn more about ingredients you don’t understand.

See image below for 7 big brands that own more than 182 global beauty brands.

What's The Best Haircut for my Hair type?

Are you looking for a hair stylist who appreciates your unique hair texture and understands how to design and structure your haircut for a wash and go life style? Do you have tight curls in one area and wavy hair in another? Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered. I bring over 10-years of experience to the art and craft of curly hair cutting with a disciplined attention to how the details of texture and density contribute to the overall shape and style of a haircut. My curly haircuts are designed for easy wash-and-go air dry styles that grow out beautifully.

Why I’m Obsessed With Hair

Our hair makes a first impression when we enter a room and the lasting impression when we exit. Our hair is a living, growing, dynamic accessory that accompanies us wherever we go.

I believe that a haircut is the primary beautification tool that we have to look our very best, regardless of the color, texture, or density or our hair. A great haircut will give you more confidence, enhance your best features and elevate your personal style.

When you come to see me, our time together is 100% focused on you and your hair. It’s a time for you to share with me how you see yourself and how you want to be perceived.

From the moment you walk into my space, our conversation and my observations of you and your hair help me get to know you so that I may provide you with a hair style that reflects who you truly are. When crafting your haircut I also take into consideration your lifestyle and how much time you want to spend on your hair every day.

I love giving my clients versatile and easy-to-style haircuts that work with the natural hair texture. If you are looking for an updated hairstyle that better reflects who you are today, I’d be honored to work with you.