Juju Thoughts & Organics

Ok, liabilities up front: I am not a chemist. Chemistry class remains a vague, distant and confused high-school memory and something I avoided at all costs in college. However, I do know, as we all do, that plastics, polymers, copolymers, epoxy, polystyrene, to name a few… and most important to your hair style - polyvinylpyrrolidone or PVPs are usually synthetically formulated with non-renewable and hazardous petroleum-derived chemicals. Inhaled particles can cause serious problems in our lungs. Plastics, in all their glorious forms - goopy, sticky, stretchy, durable, and bouncy, are found in every conceivable product and/or its packaging - it’s hard to escape them. We all know that recycling these plastics and cutting back on their use is imperative.

Oh, a day without plastic….what would that look like?

Let’s start that day with you - getting yourself ready. PVPs are used in hairsprays, styling gels, nail polishes, mascaras - all the “must-haves” for many of us. And, what about those plastics in your hairspray….how are they going to be recycled? In what recycling bin does one dispose of PVP particles? No need to fret. Read your labels, of course! Rule of thumb: if your scalp or skin feels itchy and flaky, chances are there’s probably some suspicious ingredients in your body products.

Some good suggestions and great products follow: Zoya Nail Polishes! Toulene, phthalate, formaldehyde and acetone free….great long-lasting colors…love them! Miessence’s styling gel…

…conditions and nourishes the hair while providing terrific hold without flakes or build-up. And my personal can’t-live-without, Morrocco Method’s Blood of the Dragon Gel -full of restorative and rare conditioning herbs - provides hold and encourages healthy hair growth -it’s full of hair restorative goodies from the sea including kelp, nori, kombu and fucus! See previous post on hair loss!

Remember the inter-connectiveness of everything - let your grooming rituals be plastic-free!

Who doesn’t love this logo? This one-eyed cutie has been welcoming me to its doors for the last twenty-five years. I love Goodwill. For a million reasons: a stack of books for a dollar; an unlimited supply of black dresses, trench coats, chipped Mason’s stoneware, clocks, belts, evening gloves, old Levi’s, hats, games, baskets….AND, lately, still-tagged last season’s Target wares and even Free People seasonal goodies. If you’re reading this, you undoubtedly already know the infinite choices, the rare scores and the ever-changing possiblities that characterize the Goodwill.

Back to the logo. I’ve always thought the background was a little green. Goodwill remains the original recycle and re-use outpost. As peoples’ sentiments about buying used clothing and necessities ebb and flow between the shores of ‘hip, vintage and retro-chic finds’ and ‘thrifting is for down-and-out losers’, what is a constant is Goodwill’s mission. Of its 5 stated values, the Goodwill’s Stewardship pledge promises to “honor our heritage by being socially, financially, and environmentally responsible.” The other 4 are equally noteworthy: Respect, Ethics, Innovation and Learning. Sounds like good green business practices to me. But let’s remember, Goodwill never claimed to be one. hmmmm.

Yes, the only day on the calendar that you can’t walk backwards…ha ha…I think of this pre-spring riddle throughout the year. Today I thought I’d put forth some recent thougths on “marching forth.” Seems like everyone I met today was consciously making an effort to bring happiness, self-knowledge, positivity and growth into his or her life.

Let’s start with yours truly. I took a much needed day off and urged my 4 year old to play hooky from pre-school. I have been wishing for the past few days to spend a delicious day alone with my daughter - before it’s too late. Not to speak in apocalyptic tones, but really, the past four years have been a blur. So, together we went to my fantastic foot doctor for a holistic podiaic adjustment (god bless this man!). As Franny, said 4 year old, was endlessly questioning the technicians about the accupuncture needles and toe stretchers, I noticed the beautiful woman next to me and the book she was reading, The Gift. She looked up from her book and I realized she was the mommy of one of Franny’s school chums. Bunions, corns and bone spurs aside, we talked only about the book she read and its inspiration and gifts it was bestowing on her - hmmmmmmm. mental note: find used copy of The Gift.

Next we offed to the park with Franny’s favorite pink Hello Kitty Scooter. Wishing we could simply walk to a park in our neighborhood and knowing that unfortunately, our area in the city is park-less, I decided to walk about our neighboring streets. Trash, glass and near-do-wells everywhere! “Up and coming” neighborhood, my foot! Determined not to get down and annoyed - on this - THE day to put the year’s good intentions in motion - March Forth - I threw Franny and the scooter in the Civic and drove to the next-door neighborhood park. Where we met Arden and her two year old twins. Maybe I’ll be like Arden soon and live in a neighborhood with a park - I instantly turned on my law of attraction powers and eyed some over-priced houses for sale. But alas, Arden also lives in a dubious up and coming neighborhood and had to drive to the park too. We were happy to talk and hash out this seemingly common disappointment: buy affordable home in u&c city neighborhood but still can’t walk to anything! Determined once again not to get emotionally bogged down in a situation that is ambivilant at best, I suggested we get a treat at the cafe across from the park (do these neighbors realize how good they have it?)

Settled in with chocolate chip muffin and frothy, yummy latte, I looked at the woman at the table next to ours. Animated, with beautiful skin and red tresses, she poured over a book on Ayurvedic Beauty. She looked up and me and shouted, “juju! I know you from juju!” Yes! I knew her too - she frequents our spa and we recently talked about her idea of studying Holistic Health Counseling in New York. The book she was reading today, she told me, was for a yoga teacher training class she attended. Wow, she was an inspiration in less than 5 sentences! My kind of woman!

I hear Franny downstairs, upset over playdough gone inexplicably dry. As I figure out how to save her day, I’ll draw on all the positive and, though small, delightful gifts that have come forth today - March 4th - to me.

I love to finish a great haircut!  For instance, giving a great look to the haircut…like adding texture to the perfect blowdry.  I’m noticing that we get intimidated and overwhelmed when styling our hair at home.  And that’s where products (organic only!) come into play.  For coarse or color-treated hair, we need to nourish our hair before we blowdry.  The entire Hamadi line and Miessence’s B-5 Hair Repair Leave-In Spray, are perfect for this.   When I’m blowdrying, I determine where to put the volume in and take the volume out, depending on a client’s face shape.  Now we got it, but something is missing - a finishing product to complete the desired look is ESSENTIAL.  For thick curly hair, I love Innersense’s Inner Reflection Finishing Polish (cruelty free of course!) to give shine and a light hold.  For textured, fine hair, Hamadi’s short hair pomade, Simply Organic’s Pomade or MGA’s scalp rescue vegan pomade.  Remember - Great Hair starts with a Great Hair Wash!  Simply Organic makes one for you - fine, dry, whatever!

Even though it’s almost the end of January, this photo reminds me of my New Year’s resolutions. I made three:

1. Subscribe to and read the entire New York Times (only on weekends, because let’s be real);

2. Do some kind of formal exercise at least once a week;

3. Finally get around to joining a CSA.

The lavender in the shop window was purchased at a farmer’s market near the salon, and the person who sold it to me told me it was grown at their farm out in West Chester, PA. The lavendar is so lovely and dried now, but it was first purchased for my Bastille Day window, at the height of summer. There was a whole French theme: we put all the products we sell that contain lavendar in the window, as well as all the ones from France. We put up a Marie Antoinette-style mannequin head, some Being & Nothingness, and Simone de Beauvoir (but no naked pics).

But that was summer, months ago. Back to my resolution.

I equate the CSA with bushels and bushels of kale: stir-fried kale, kale omelettes, pickled kale, peanut butter and jelly kale, kale kale kale. This explains why I’m 41 and still haven’t managed to join a CSA. My gorgeous client Bronwyn poisoned me against the CSA two growing seasons ago, when she would come in for her appointments and complain that, once again, her house was full of kale and collard greens that she couldn’t get rid of.

But I normally shop at Whole Foods, and I can’t help but wonder where all the produce is coming from. I need to start paying more attention to the source of my food. I want to support local growers. Here in the northeast, though, what are they growing in the depth of winter? I’m guessing it’s kale.

Recipes welcome.