John masters manhattan project

When New York hairstylist John Masters started losing many of his friends to Aids in the early 1980s, he decided to improve his diet and become healthier. He took up yoga, started eating organic food, and adopted a more holistic way of life. “I didn’t want to wait until I got sick before I started to live like that,” he says. It made sense to extend this philosophy to his work life too. So, in 1987 he left the salon he was working in and set up from his own Manhattan apartment, determined to find an alternative to using and handling harsh salon chemicals.

Health risks

Since John started in the profession in 1975 little or no thought had been given to the possibility of health risks from the chemicals being used – organics had barely been thought of. So, John started formulating his own, non-toxic haircare products using steam-distilled essential oils and plant extracts. He experimented with his own formulations, and used only ammonia-free herbal and clay-based dyes. He made shampoo without sodium lauryl sulfate – the chemical foaming agent that is used in around 90% of commercial soap shampoos and bubble baths, and which can irritate the skin. His products also don’t include plastics or artificial colours – instead, they use different plant oils. To start with his formulations were trial and error, but John read up on the subject and, with the help of an aromatherapist cousin, the John Masters Organics range was born. By 1994 he moved the hairdressing business into his own salon, still sticking to the same principles that drove him at the beginning – his salon is the first clean-air salon in New York. He doesn’t offer perms or hair straightening, and won’t offer manicures because of the chemicals these treatments use. Right from the start the salon has been booked out, and now, with the rebirth of ‘green’ politics, John Masters is on the cutting-edge of a rising trend that he adopted long before the age of recycling newspapers and drinking organic milk. In 2001 the salon moved into a bigger premises, and a skincare range was launched soon after. Like the UK, the US has been slow to warm to the green theme, particularly in hairdressing. “There aren’t that many US hairdressers who are willing to give up the traditional way of doing things,” John says, although he believes the industry will eventually have to become more environmentally friendly. He firmly rejects the notion that organic shampoos aren’t as good as traditional products. “That was true in the 1970s when organic ingredients were drying to the hair, but now the raw ingredients I use in my shampoos are as good as anyone’s.” He also refutes the idea that organic colours aren’t as effective either.

Booked all day

“I’m booked all day, every day, and I am well-known for my colouring. If you have dark brown hair and you want to go platinum blonde then you will have a problem, but as a stylist I refuse to do colouring that doesn’t have integrity to the hair. “Having integrity is more important than earning another $100. If you are upfront and honest with people, then they appreciate it. Bad colouring can ruin hair. “I feel the industry is going in the green direction, but it’s not only about what you put on the head – it’s about the amount of chemicals hairdressers rinse down the drain every day that eventually go back into the environment.” His salon offers spring water, organic coffee and herbal teas, with an organic fruit bowl. Where possible, he recycles everything – from the colour bottles to the packaging. His brochures and bags are 100% recyclable and most of the salon decor is made of reclaimed furniture. “I don’t like traditional salon furniture. I don’t like cutting stations, so I bought antique mirrors and my desk is an old library desk – everything is reclaimed.” In the early days of the salon, John did everything. “I was the stylist, the receptionist – my clients loved it.” He now has 19 staff, plus 20 reps promoting the product lines. He has 10 stylists in the salon, but deliberately keeps it small and intimate – something appreciated by his many celebrity clients. “I don’t want a staff of 50 and not know what’s going on,” he says. “I’d never open a large salon.” He doesn’t rule out opening a second salon, however, saying he’ll leave it open for debate. “Monthly, weekly, I get calls wanting us to open in various cities.”

Free spirit

John describes himself as a free spirit, and denies being motivated by money alone. “I want to build up the brand –- it has already grown into something much bigger than I expected. I’ve had a lot of help along the way, so I’d love to reward some of the people that have helped me.” His advice to anyone in business is to follow your heart. “It’s very simple. Just do it. You’ll have good days and bad days, ups and downs, but you have to keep moving forward. Having patience has been my biggest lesson. When something bad comes up, step away from it. “Think things through, particularly with staff issues. Instead of reacting immediately, don’t react, think about it, sleep on it and try dealing with it in a positive way, rather than a negative manner.”