Choosing to Participate:
A Social Justice Service Project on Sustainability

Gaia and I were originally going to just have people trying on organic beauty products for our workshop, but then we realized that would be kind of boring. When we found out we would be able to have a double period, we realized we could have people make their own! We found a website called makeyourowncosmetics.com, and we picked a bunch of recipes off of that. We are really excited.

Due to the fact we can’t really do anything around the salon, and we’ve already interviewed John Masters, Gaia and I have decided to work with other sustainable cosmetic related things. We had the idea of interviewing one of his employees, but we realized this wouldn’t yield any new information. We are both investigating other ideas.

Gaia and I went to the John Masters Organics salon, to interview John Masters. He was very friendly, as was his dog, who sat by us for most of the interview. Gaia took notes and we both asked questions. We didn’t really prepare, and at first it was awkward, but we eventually relaxed. He told us about his beginnings in a normal salon, how he began mixing organic products in his kitchen, and his lab and factory in California. He also told us about how he uses mostly sustainable containers for his products and equipment in his salon. We also found out that a large amount of celebrities come to his salon and use his products.

During activity period on the 15, Sarah took Gaia and I to her salon, John Masters Organics. It is a salon that uses natural products instead of chemicals like most companies. John Masters sells his products in many places. The salon is a very cosy, Greenwich Village-y place, with warm colors and flowers everywhere. There are also many mismatched gold mirrors all over. There is even an outdoor area where customers can get their hair cut in the summer. And unlike most salons, which smell good, albeit kind of fake, this one smelled completely natural, as do all the products. While Sarah chatted with the staff, and John was on the phone, Gaia and I tryed out many of the products. They use interesting ingredients such as lavender and seasalt, blood orange, hibiscus, and pomegranate. There are also a wide variety of products, such as face oil and something to make your hair look like you’ve been at the beach. It all felt good and smelled AMAZING.

Eventually, John came and talked to us. He liked our project and readily agreed to talk to us more in-depth sometime. He told us how he was disgusted by the idea of putting chemicals in his hair, so he began mixing his own soaps and lotions in the basement. He told us that many, more widely-produced products have unhealthy ingredients. For example, Chanel lipstick has lead in it. Also, he gave us several organizations that fight against unnatural ingredients in cosmetics.

- Talia