Growth Beyond the Salon

“An honest being who does not behave absurdly has no chance at all of becoming famous, or even of being noticed, however kind and sensible he may be.” ― G.I. Gurdjieff

Anthony apprenticed for four years at Kenneth's, but when finally offered the chance to take over the color department after Rosemary's departure, he declined! He wondered if he was blowing his big chance, but he'd seen the effects that harsh chemicals and dyes had on hair while at the salon, and he knew there had to be a better solution. He felt that he wasn't finished learning and needed to grow his knowledge. 

After he turned down the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to continue at Kenneth's, Anthony quit the bustling New York scene for a six month sabbatical out west where he worked on a small farm and barely contacted anyone. He spent time reflecting in nature and digging his hands into the earth each day until Anthony realized that he was the one who had to be the change in holistic haircare.

Anthony was tired of following everyone else's rules, so when he returned to New York he didn't return to the salon life. Having such an extensive list of contacts after working at Kenneth's allowed him to deal strictly with private clients, cutting their hair in their homes. As he describes in his book The Big Apple, One Bite at a Time: "I was freelancing and blowing like a leaf in the wind. My motto during that time might have read something like: 'Have scissors, will travel'."

This was also the time where he began to combine all the knowledge he'd amassed from Kenneth's master stylists, colorists, and botanists with the information that he'd learned about the lunar calendar and the elements in Eastern and Ayurvedic medicine. His first formulas over fifty years ago were mixed in his bathtub; a first of its kind, completely natural hair care option only available to his private clients. 

After successfully freelancing for a few years, Anthony decided to continue his "life education"--this time in Europe. He moved to Italy with the intention of seeing more of the world and honing his skills and knowledge. He studied botany and how the tradespeople in small, agrarian areas would use the local plants that grew native in the area; and how these wildcrafted ingredients translated into healthy hair.

Anthony traveled to many remote towns in the countryside during his European adventures to observe how people in different rural areas cut hair and treated scalp issues, learning all he could. What surprised him the most, was that he discovered that once he got away from the cities that all throughout the Mediterranean and the UK that these small communities also used some version of lunar cutting passed down through generational knowledge.

He refined his early recipes into their more modern forms--each shampoo representing each of the elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether. Five elements, five shampoos, five hair goals.

 

Stay tuned for part 4...

 

Shampoo of the Week: 
Sea Essence Shampoo 

Sea Essence Shampoo contains ingredients derived from the sea, such as nori and other marine plants. These ingredients are rich in minerals and nutrients that significantly benefit the hair and scalp.

Some potential benefits include:

• Hydration and nourishment: Nori and other marine plants are rich in minerals and nutrients that can help to moisturize and nourish the hair and scalp.

• Improved hair texture: Sea Essence Shampoo helps to improve the texture of the hair, making it smoother and more manageable.

• Damage repair: The minerals and nutrients found in sea essence shampoo help to repair damaged hair and reduce breakage.

• Volume and shine: Sea Essence Shampoo helps to add volume and shine to the hair.