Highbrow Hippie Blog

After years of being known as a blonde, right before my summer break I was recently tasked with creating a new hair color for the gorgeous and talented Tori Kelly. The directive from her team was to give her new, deeper brunette some dimension, and a little lift.  When returning to a natural darker color, it’s always important to think of the approach- as going too dark can sometimes dull the hair. The ideal landing place is a happy medium that incorporates lightness and movement, and mimics the nuances that hair would have, if left to its own devices. The goal was to have a mix/blend of Tori’s new and old looks, so she still felt fresh and youthful, and most importantly, like herself.

As you get older, you accumulate new scars, both invisible and obvious, that are reminders of all your life stories. On this trip around the sun, I got a few more stories and scars than bargained for.On the 3rd day of my annual bday vacation, while in Italy I hit a slippery spot and went face down on extremely sharp rocks. My face and entire left side of my body was a MESS. I was in shock when it happened and I’ve been kind of processing it quietly (and dealing with doctors etc) ever since. And though it was/is less than ideal, I’m thankfully, gratefully, fine.

We’ve been talking about awareness lately and what it means to hold presence and incorporate conscious living into our daily lives.  For us, that extends to the choices we make around the brands we choose to support, the products we use, and the rituals we engage with.  Making these choices takes extra time and conscious effort and requires a certain kind of strength to stand strong in protection of our values.  It requires us to ask questions.  Why am I buying this product?  Are the ingredients thoughtful and health conscious? How do I decipher a product’s EWG rating?  Does this brand practice what they preach?  Does this company support the integrity of the planet?

This month, we’re discussing the third pillar of our brand, the one that ties our ethos and values together: conscious living. It’s the lens through which we filter both the world of beauty and wellness and how we, as a brand, remain connected to a greater sense of community.  For us, conscious living is about the choices we make as individuals and the self-awareness that we bring to each of them. It’s about deciding who we are in each moment and living with integrity - in our thoughts, our words, our actions - as best as we can.  

I’m a workaholic to the core. Part nature, part necessity, laziness and doing the bare minimum isn’t in my dna. With a brand currently in a major growth period, I’ve been in grind mode. The downside - my body gets beaten all the way up, and personal time becomes non-existent. As motherhood is the buzzword this week, I may not mother a child, but I sure as hell mother this business, at times sacrificing my physical health.