Can you get high on haircare? If you’re a professional stylist who also loves the cannabis community, the answer is yes! In this case, we’re talking about the sense of bliss and triumph that comes from following your passions – and from using your expertise to help others...
Who Is Master Colorist Lindsay Loo?
Meet Lindsay Loo, a New York-based hairstylist and master colorist who merges plant-based advocacy with wellness education and artistic flair. With 20 years in the field, the multihyphenate creative has done hair for New York Fashion Week and numerous films, served as a Color Department Director for award-winning salons, and is a certified Wella Master Color Expert, among her many achievements. Her work and industry expertise has been featured in outlets such as Oprah Magazine, Bustle, NBC News, and Birchbox. Team Honeysuckle is thrilled to introduce you to Lindsay, one of our longtime collaborators, in a new series as she tackles all issues surrounding hair, beauty, cannabis culture, and more.
So if you’ve ever wondered about the links between cannabis and the hair and beauty industries, or how to care for your luscious locks in ways that keep you healthy, or if your stylist might be into an elevated experience, the answers to your questions are here! Read on for the mane attraction.
A Honey Of A Deal: Get 15 Percent Off Hair Services With Lindsay Loo
If you’re in the New York area, you can get 15 percent off any service with Lindsay Loo by using the discount code HONEY15 when you book. Visit jlbyrd.com for details.
An Interview With Master Colorist Lindsay Loo On Cannabis, The Hair and Beauty Industry, And Breaking Stigmas
HONEYSUCKLE MAGAZINE: When and how did you first become interested in the hair and beauty industry? How long have you been doing hair?
LINDSAY LOO: I first became interested in the hair and beauty industry as an art school kid who found a passion that helped elevate others. Being bullied growing up, along with experimenting with different looks, it turned into something I could see doing on a daily basis that brought joy to myself and those who sit in my chair. Going 20 years strong now!
You are known as a master colorist. What was the process (pun intended!) to get to that level?
To become a master colorist took dedication, passion, growth, and failure. Along with looking up to my mentors, I wanted to be the best colorist I could (with the color line I love). I’ll never forget when getting my certification (4 weeks of in-person classes plus homework over three months), I had to take time off in one of our busiest seasons, during the winter holiday times. I took the time off, unpaid, and completed my certification without looking back.
What are some of the biggest challenges you face as a woman in the hair and beauty industry?
Some of the biggest challenges in the hair industry is that it can be pretty ugly when it comes to growth, support, and “breaking the glass ceiling.” Speaking from experience, when you are a strong driven woman, that can be seen as a threat.
How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect your practice?
Ugh, what didn’t Covid affect? Covid changed the beauty and hair industry, especially in NYC. Going from fully booked days, to not being allowed to work for 3-4 months, then returning to a limited schedule, [was a rollercoaster]. During this rollercoaster ride, so many left NYC and didn’t come back. Yes, we have an influx of new arrivals, but we are nowhere near what the hustle and bustle used to look like. On top of that, Covid really pushed the at-home, longer-between-services and DIY rituals to an extreme. I don’t want to discourage these ideas if they fit your lifestyle, but this does not grow and build a community. We as service providers were deemed nonessential, and it saddens me to see so many places closed due to the outcome and reopening [in limited ways] post-Covid. I’m grateful to still be in business, but it has not been easy or the same.
(C) Lindsay Loo @iamlindsayloo
When did you first consume cannabis and how did you feel about the experience?
Ha! A long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… Okay, not that far, but far enough away in the sunny land of Florida. Can’t say much about how I felt, except that it’s been in my life since. Through the good and the bad, cannabis has been there.
How is your business 420-friendly?
My business is 420-friendly as CBD and other cannabis products are constantly incorporated to add and elevate the experience in my chair.
How are you incorporating more cannabinoid products into your practice, like hemp-based shampoos or CBD skincare?
At the moment, it’s research and trying new things on the market. The beauty industry needs a boost in more opportunities for quality products that help with both hair and skin. For me, it’s been mostly starting off with scalp health and scalp massages to encourage a healing approach using hemp-based, cannabinoid and CBD products.
What are the stigmas toward cannabis use in the hair and beauty industry?
The stigma in general is that it makes you stupid and not qualified. The beauty industry is rife with alcohol and illegal drug use, yet somehow these habits are seen as more “normalized” than consuming cannabis, even when they’re harmful. Cannabis and cannabinoids can actually help with anxiety, if used appropriately, and mitigate the use of other substances. We stylists and colorists do more than just work behind the chair; we are “unlicensed“ therapists. Some of us want a more natural way to handle our mental health without resorting to hard drugs or alcohol.
(C) Lindsay Loo @iamlindsayloo
New York is the world's cannabis consumption capital. What are your clients' attitudes toward the plant?
My clients come from all walks of life. Most are open to the concept. Some are still discouraged or on the fence but for the most part, welcome the industry into the mainstream.
How would you like to see cannabis become more intertwined with the hair industry?
I would like it to be seen as healthy and helpful without the use of more harsh chemicals. We can achieve an organic healing approach if the stigma is removed.
Stay tuned for more thoughts on cannabis, hair, and beauty from Lindsay Loo! For more about Lindsay and to book an appointment, visit jlbyrd.com or follow @iamlindsayloo on Instagram. Get 15 percent off any service when you book by using discount code HONEY15.
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Featured image: (C) Lindsay Loo @iamlindsayloo
