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HAIR STUDIO Hilda Villaverde is a hairstylist, author, business owner, public speaker and minister. "I think the most important thing a woman can have
-- next to her talent of course -- is her hairdresser" |
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When I began my career in hairdressing almost forty years ago, I never thought that I would have to interview clients about their eating habits, exercise programs, unhealthy habits, and attitudes toward life. Nor did I ever think that clients would interrogate me concerning the same issues. Beginning in the early 1970s with frosting caps, roller sets, high ammonia hair color, and stinky perms, I never considered that the client’s lifestyle and mind-set would affect the outcome of their hairstyle. Chemical processing and hairdressing were uncomplicated back in the days of "Get them in, roll them up, dry them out, and lacquer them down for the week!" No one knew, nor did anyone care, about the ingredients in shampoos, conditioners, and styling products. No one ever talked about global warming and how the simple aerosol hairspray could affect the ozone of the planet, which might endanger the polar bears in Alaska or dry up the vegetation in Colorado. Never did anyone call to make an appointment and ask if the salon used an air-filtering system to eradicate toxic smells and lethal gasses produced by nail polish remover. And absolutely no one questioned if I understood the responsibility of having a positive attitude while touching a client’s head…something to do with the energetic union between two consenting people involved in a harmonic transformation in a beauty salon. Flash forward to the present. The beauty industry has gone "Green," and it’s not just the equipment, tools, and products being used in the salon. Clients are wondering not only about what is being applied to their hair, but also about who is touching their head. Concurrently, stylists are paying attention to who occupies their revolving chair! Let me explain. Technologically, stylists are now armed with state-of-the-art Ionic, Turbo Charged, Tourmaline-Crystal hair dryers and brushes, ceramic flat irons, high-tech steamers, shampoo robots (used now in Japan), and other equipment advanced enough to require a master’s degree in hair electronics. Not only has hair color been reformulated to more natural, brighter, and longer lasting formulas, but color is now safer with less ammonia for less damage and with coconut oil replacing risky mineral oil. Hairsprays are now made with tree sap instead of tiny plastic chips, making them easier on the lungs of both the stylist and client, and styling gels and mousse contain aloe vera, chamomile, and passionflower extracts--you could almost drink them! Organic products have become the new standard, as clients demand safer, user-friendly goods that are less damaging to the hair, as well as to their internal organs. They’ve heard the rumors that what is applied on the scalp will eventually make its way through the blood stream to the liver, kidneys, and other filtering organs. The research is still ongoing, but if you think about the medications that are currently being used topically on the skin, it’s certainly something to consider. As stylists learn more about the business of healthy beauty products and techniques, it becomes increasingly obvious that the entire body affects a client’s head of hair. It is now confirmed that diet, exercise, and clean living will produce healthier, faster growing hair. For instance, a person who exercises regularly and sweats on a regular basis will have faster growing hair! As a person exercises, warming up the body, the sweat glands set in motion the process of cooling down the body. This activity stimulates the glands to produce moisture which empties into the upper part of the hair follicle and, simultaneously, vibrates the hair follicle to grow faster than in a non-perspiring, sedentary person. Exercise and sweat are good for growing hair. Hair is protein. There is no question that people who eat protein rich diets have stronger hair than those who don’t. My favorite story is about two sisters, clients of mine since childhood. While in high school, they tried to grow their hair long. Unfortunately, no matter how much they tried, their hair would break off at about six inches, which is the length hair grows in a year. Although they exercised regularly, their diets were weak in nutrients, especially protein. Neither ate fruits or vegetables or protein but instead admitted to a regular diet of soda and candy bars. Soda and sugar…equal weak hair, not to mention what they are doing to teeth and the rest of the body. After agreeing to eat a regular diet of fruits, vegetables, and protein while eliminating soda and sugar for three months, the difference was significant. Both girls, to their surprise, grew hair that was stronger, shinier, longer, and thicker--with no breakage. And now a few words about those unhealthy habits. There is no doubt that smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol on a daily basis damages hair. No matter what doctors say about drinking that daily glass of wine for healthy blood circulation, hair doesn’t lie. Eventually, hair becomes dry, brittle, and very difficult to work with, or worse yet, the hair becomes so dry that it breaks off. And for those thinking that perhaps marijuana has less impact on the hair or body . . . Not! My forty years of personal research as a stylist in beauty salons lead me to say without hesitation that putting substances that are drying and toxic inside the body will naturally result in some outward sign of dryness in the hair and skin--it’s the universal law of cause and effect. The "Green Theme" has been on the horizon for many years. Initially, I considered the movement to be a "tree-hugger" fad that would someday fade away with the hippies of the seventies, but as you can see, it’s here to stay, and I think it’s a good thing. Consciously creating a healthier individual, environment, community, country, and world can only lead to beneficial rewards for all of us sharing this planet. And considering that we are living longer, why not live healthier and keep your hair on your head? Finally, what does having a positive attitude have to do with good hair? As a stylist, there is no question that positive clients are more attractive, likeable, and easier to be with than those who are not. People who are optimistic thinkers and take care of themselves will have bodies that respond in a positive way. In turn, when an optimistic client brings a positive body and healthy hair to a stylist, the experience goes beyond the hair--it’s a celebration! I’ve often said that there are only two types of people--those who love their hair and those who don’t. The interesting thing about this statement is that it’s usually not about hair at all--it’s about their attitude toward life. Hair is just the excuse they use to like or dislike themselves. Believe me, I much prefer the clients who like who they are rather than those who don‘t. Furthermore, the obvious achievement here is that having a good attitude works for both the client and the stylist. Not long ago, a new client came in for his first haircut appointment. After settling in my chair, he admitted that the reason he had decided to change from his last stylist was because he had heard that I lead a healthy life, am an optimistic person, and try to be caring and careful with my clients. He went on to explain that his haircut was somewhat important, but that his relationship with the person touching him was what mattered to him the most. I had been feeling much the same way about those who sat in my chair. Although I had not been able to express myself as he did that day, I knew that touching and caring for someone’s hair was much more than just a service. Going "Green" in the beauty industry is more than just the physical, environmental, and visual future of our planet, and it’s more than just healthy hair; it’s understanding that beauty begins from the inside out! The next time you make an appointment at your favorite hair salon, let them know you’re coming in for a celebration! Previous Article:
Need a Boost?
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Pluma Designs Inc.
hildavillaverde@cox.net |
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