Hair Cult Hoboken Offers Natural Hair Care in Hoboken, NJ
When I was 14 years old, my virgin hair was highlighted for the very first time and I was in total heaven. I remember, very vividly, my mother begging me not to go through with it, explaining in her adult wisdom how this was like opening Pandora’s Box to the next seventy years of hair-color upkeep. I obviously disregarded her motherly advice and went on my merry way to sun-kissed locks. Fast forward 17 years and 177 hair dye jobs later, and all I can hear is my wise mother saying, ‘This is fun; isn’t it?”
From highlights to single process color, ombres to glazes, touch-ups to color fixes (ugh), I’ll happily call myself an expert in what works and doesn’t work on my head of hair.
With age comes wisdom though, right? The older I get, the more I realize how important it is to be educated and conscious of what I use on my hair and scalp. Through my years of hair dye applications, I’ve learned that what goes on your head, also goes into your body. So, it’s just as important to your health to use mild, natural hair care products as the kale salad you digested at lunch.
After having a really negative reaction to a keratin hair treatment four months ago, I realized I need to be a better-educated beauty consumer with not only the products I use, but also the salon that administers them. After doing thorough research on natural hair products and treatments, I found Hair Cult Hair Salon in Hoboken, NJ. Hair Cult Hoboken carries only Aveda Products, which are plant-derived with a really positive mission ‘to set an example for environmental leadership and responsibility, not just in the world of beauty, but around the world.’
Aveda’s mission statement:
Our mission at Aveda is to care for the world we live in, from the products we make to the ways in which we give back to society. at Aveda, we strive to set an example for environmental leadership and responsibility, not just in the world of beauty, but around the world.
From the moment I walked into Hair Cult Hoboken Salon, I experienced a truly positive hair and beauty experience. When I sat in the waiting area, I was immediately offered a warm Aveda tea and a magazine to browse through. I got to meet Hait Cult’s owner, Laurie Michelson, a Union City native and Hoboken resident for over 25 years, who would also be doing my hair treatment that day. I could immediately tell how passionate Laurie was about hair care and, even more importantly, how passionate she is about upholding the integrity of her client’s hair. Laurie noted that she’s been using Aveda products in her salon for 25 years and admires Aveda’s environmental IQ, and how they source natural, plant-derived ingredients in their products. She’s taken great pride in building a peaceful, serene salon that makes her clients feel pampered from the moment you sit in her chair (without the overwhelming ‘chemical’ smell a lot of salons have).
During my visit, I let Laurie know about my past blunders with heavy chemical based hair care products. On most of my previous salon visits, I had experienced some type of tiny allergic reaction.
I let her know that I had sought out Hair Cult Hoboken because I knew they carried the Aveda product line and thought this might be the answer I’ve been looking for to a more natural hair care routine. During my visit, Laurie explained Aveda’s culture and sustainable practices in sourcing the ingredients that go into their products. I was excited and nervous to see how this hair experience might be different.
Upon listening to my hair desires, “make me blonde,” Laurie started mixing the product and soon, applying it to my scalp. I immediately felt nothing. No tingling sensation, no tearing, no headache stirring. I was happy and relieved. After sitting with the product on my scalp for the allotted time, I was taken over to have my hair washed and received the most insane head massage ever. Then, with wet hair, I was whisked away into Stephanie’s chair to have my long locks ‘dusted.’
Anyone that has naturally wavy or curly hair will explain the anxiety you feel when sitting in a hairdresser’s chair. Wavy hair needs to be cut in specific way so that you are not left with a huge fro on top and puff everywhere else. I let Stephanie know I had naturally curly hair, and with a smile, she said “I gotcha, I have curly hair myself.’ This was a huge sigh of relief.
She got rid of an angle I was no longer fond of, and gave me a straight cut across the back, which I was very happy with. She applied a conditioning treatment, which helped to seal and protect my locks, and then started with the blow out. With her ninja ‘curly-hair-girl’ blow skills, I had a dried do in no time. I knew she nailed it when my five-year-old niece later told me, “You look really pretty Aunt Tini (out of nowhere).”
Something else I really admired about my visit at Hair Cult was learning a little about Hoboken history. Laurie explained how Hair Cult has been a true staple in Hoboken’s business landscape for over 25 years. She’s seen neighborhoods built, the waterfront change and businesses come and go, and yet Hair Cult has remained strong. I can attest first-hand to knowing what it takes to be a business in Hoboken, and it requires an extremely sustainable business model, uber happy clients who can’t live without your service (or product) and a really strong leader. All of which Hair Cult has.
Although I was just looking for a salon that offered natural, sustainable hair care services, I learned what it takes to also be a sustainable business in Hoboken. I guess those two go hand in hand.
You can visit Hair Cult at 1124 Washington Street in Hoboken, NJ, on their website, or their Facebook page.
About the Author/s
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.
3 comments
Sounds like such a pleasant experience!
Hoboken is fortunate to house Hair Cult! Spontaneous beauty is effortless when exiting their doors! Thanks for the good moods and numerous compliments!
I need to find a place like Hair Cult in LA! I’m also inspired to try some Aveda hair products after reading this. I have such sensitive scalp and always looking for light, all natural products that won’t cause irritation. Do you have any recommendations on the best shampoo and conditioner from the Aveda line?