Jacquelyn Rodriguez - Crafting a Holistic Beauty Haven with Enlightened Styles and the Holistic Salon Academy
May 16, 2024
Alimond Studio
Ever wondered how a brush with fate could lead you to create a sanctuary that marries beauty with wellness? This magical transformation is precisely what our guest, Jacquelyn Rodriguez, details as she recounts her journey to establishing Enlightened Styles and the Holistic Salon Academy. With a passionate focus on non-toxic, sustainable practices, Jacquelyn opens our eyes to the unseen hazards in everyday chemicals and reveals how she carved out a haven of holistic beauty. Our conversation spans from the awakening that propelled her to eliminate toxins from her salon to the introduction of organic products and a waste-reducing refill system. It’s an insightful look into the evolution of beauty care, where health no longer needs to be sacrificed for the sake of vanity.
Strap in for an inspirational tale of an entrepreneur who defied the odds and built a flourishing eco-friendly salon enterprise. Jacquelyn shares the vital role her family played in supporting her 'crazy' ideas, transforming them into the thriving business that Enlightened Styles is today. We also get a sneak peek at the salon's forward-thinking developments, like the Japanese-inspired head spa, and a tantalizing vision for an all-encompassing space that blends hair services with energy healing and meditation. In this episode, we confront the myth of perfect sustainability, embracing the notion that our collective small steps are monumental strides in the grand scheme of our planet’s health. Join us for this heartening discussion that may just inspire you to join the movement towards a more conscious and beautiful lifestyle.
Ever wondered how a brush with fate could lead you to create a sanctuary that marries beauty with wellness? This magical transformation is precisely what our guest, Jacquelyn Rodriguez, details as she recounts her journey to establishing Enlightened Styles and the Holistic Salon Academy. With a passionate focus on non-toxic, sustainable practices, Jacquelyn opens our eyes to the unseen hazards in everyday chemicals and reveals how she carved out a haven of holistic beauty. Our conversation spans from the awakening that propelled her to eliminate toxins from her salon to the introduction of organic products and a waste-reducing refill system. It’s an insightful look into the evolution of beauty care, where health no longer needs to be sacrificed for the sake of vanity.
Strap in for an inspirational tale of an entrepreneur who defied the odds and built a flourishing eco-friendly salon enterprise. Jacquelyn shares the vital role her family played in supporting her 'crazy' ideas, transforming them into the thriving business that Enlightened Styles is today. We also get a sneak peek at the salon's forward-thinking developments, like the Japanese-inspired head spa, and a tantalizing vision for an all-encompassing space that blends hair services with energy healing and meditation. In this episode, we confront the myth of perfect sustainability, embracing the notion that our collective small steps are monumental strides in the grand scheme of our planet’s health. Join us for this heartening discussion that may just inspire you to join the movement towards a more conscious and beautiful lifestyle.
Speaker 1:
My name is Jacqueline Rodriguez and I am the owner of Enlightened Styles and the Holistic Salon Academy, and I serve everyone who is really interested in holistic, clean and sustainable beauty in Warrington, and then I also help salon owners start getting their business to be holistic and sustainable.
Speaker 2:
And describe to me exactly what a holistic salon is.
Speaker 1:
Yes, because that word can be tricky, but for us it is really focusing on wellness and beauty together, but we really focus on just eliminating the toxins, like we shouldn't be trading our health for our beauty. So we focus on non-toxic colors, organic clean products, wellness services, where we're focusing on your mental health and your scalp health and all sorts of things like that.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, how did you get into this?
Speaker 1:
did you get into this?
Speaker 1:
Actually, the first time I even started thinking about clean or non-toxic was when my kids were little and I was cleaning my bathroom and there were little toddlers running around and they kept wanting to come into the bathroom and I'm like no, I don't want you in here smelling this or breathing in the fumes.
Speaker 1:
And in that moment I just had this light bulb moment of, well, if I don't want my kids in here, maybe I shouldn't be breathing this in either. And I literally went down the rabbit hole of what are in our chemicals that we're cleaning with and then the products that we're putting on our skin, and I started making changes in my home products that we're putting on our skin. And I started making changes in my home and then I realized like, after I had cleaned up my home, I'm going into this really toxic salon that's mine, and I noticed the difference of how I felt, like minor headaches, not being able to breathe as well after a full day in the salon. So I started making changes there too, and that was about 13 years ago and it just wasn't anything that nobody talked about and I had to, like, find my own way and fast forward this many years, and you know, I, just I'm so passionate.
Speaker 2:
It's something I haven't heard of a lot, so you're definitely in a niche market for sure. Tell me how you. How do you make your salon green? How do you make it holistic, like? What switches did you make?
Speaker 1:
Well, first it was the products you know, and 13 years ago there was not a lot of products for me to choose from. So I did massive research, testing and trying and just working with companies to see if it was going to work as well as our professional products. So that's the first thing is our products Clean, sustainable? We use a brand from Italy that is on a biodynamic farm, so every ingredient is used throughout the life cycle and it's all organic. Is that what? Bio? Say it again bio Biodynamic.
Speaker 1:
Okay, yes, so that means that no chemicals has been on that farm, for I think it's either, I think, 50 years, like it has to be, where there's no runoff or anything like that in the soil. Yes, correct, yep, so it's true, organic. And then the other part of it is reducing waste. So one of the ways that we do that in the salon is we have a full refillery where you can bring in a bottle or you can grab one of ours, and then, when you use your product, you just bring the bottle back in and you refill it instead of throwing it away in, you know, the recycle or in the landfill, and it's a great way to, you know, just make those tiny little steps Changes. Yeah.
Speaker 2:
And I haven't heard of anybody doing that either. It's amazing. I would love to bring my bottle in and just refill my shampoo and conditioner when I'm out. Yeah, I.
Speaker 1:
It's been so amazing and our clients really love it. And then we're starting to bring on other products as well, like laundry detergent and natural deodorant and all of the products that I have researched I personally use. I'm starting to bring little by little just to educate and raise awareness that it is possible to have non-chemical. How is that part of your business going Amazing? Yeah, we have done the refill on shampoo and conditioner for probably five, six years and that has always gone really well. This year we expanded our products, so now we're bringing on the other stuff and just raising awareness around that. So people are starting to see that we have other options, not just the shampoo and conditioner.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, yeah. Tell me a little bit about the benefits of being holistic in your hair care, your skincare and the products that you're using at home, such as laundry detergent, and how that affects your body.
Speaker 1:
Oh well, do we have a few hours? Yes, so the long and short of it is really like there are a lot of chemicals in our products that are not good for our health. They're, you know, hormone disruptors. They are made from things like oil, like emissions and all of these different things. That alone you would never, ever, ever put on your body or in your body alone. You would never, ever, ever put on your body or in your body. But there's such small amounts that it's passed as okay. But I was talking earlier with you about how, when we take one product like that, it's okay. It's not that big of a deal. It is a small enough amount that's not going to harm you. But the average human uses anywhere from like 10 to 20 products a day where we're either putting it on our skin, our hair, our makeup, our clothing has forever chemicals in it.
Speaker 2:
So there's for sure, and deodorant and everything, yeah, yeah, body wash shampoo condition.
Speaker 1:
Toothpaste, mouthwash, like all of these things play a role, and that's where the true concern comes in is it's more than one product and you're putting all of these on and there's a compound effect and it can cause actual hormone disruption in your body.
Speaker 1:
It can cause allergies and other types of sicknesses, and that's why it's important, right, and the beauty of it is 15 years ago we didn't have as many options that were cleaner. We were kind of stuck with whatever we were being marketed to. Now we have so many more options because there are brands out there every day popping up and truly looking at the ingredients that are in their products and providing safer alternatives for us, but we don't hear about them because they're not the big brands. So that's kind of my mission is to showcase that we can have all the things that we are used to, right, like I color my hair, I wear makeup, I do all of those and I have a safer option. And then just knowing that most of my stuff is a safer option, like if I go and I, you know, put something else on that maybe it's my favorite lipstick that is not super clean, it's still 80-20 rule, right.
Speaker 2:
We're doing more, that's healthier, kind of like an eating habit too. Yeah, yeah, exactly. I never thought about that compound effect either. I'm like, oh, this one thing isn't that bad, but yeah, when I'm using 10 to 20 products a morning, which I am, yeah, I, everybody, me too, it can add up. Um, what would you say are your top five? Like ingredients for people to stay away from and something that you stay away from in your salon, like what's like a hard like. We definitely don't have these five things in our products.
Speaker 1:
We don't have formaldehyde, which is going to be in those really popular like straightening treatments. So we actually don't do any type of straightening or perms or anything like that, because they're just extremely harmful.
Speaker 2:
Are you talking about like the keratin?
Speaker 1:
treatments, okay. Keratin, brazilian blowouts Okay, all of those we just I chose not to offer them in the salon. So that's one big one, because it does have formaldehyde and I know there's a lot of also marketing saying formaldehyde free, great. And there's other aldehydes that the second you put heat to it turns into formaldehyde.
Speaker 2:
Oh, interesting.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, yeah. So it's one of those tricky things. Um, so we just decided not to offer that service.
Speaker 2:
Um, the other thing, parabens you know you hear a lot about parabens exactly.
Speaker 1:
Parabens, sulfates these are the type of things that's either going to like coat your hair and it's causing more harm than good, but it gives you that silky feel that everybody wants. Right, there's other options to be able to get that. So, getting rid of sulfates, parabens, the formaldehydes, ammonias that's another one in the color line. So when you're getting your hair color and you know you walk into a salon and it's like take your breath away, smell. Yeah, that's that smell and it is just really harmful to for your body. Now you go in and get your hair done once every six weeks maybe, or longer. Right, I do, yes, so that is not super horrible because you're not in it every single day, breathing it in and out. Where the real harm comes in is for other hairstylists, like the people who are there. Like I'm there all day. I can see that eight hours a day, six days a week or four days, whatever you're there, and that really does make such a big difference. So we have just decided to do ammonia free hair colors as well.
Speaker 2:
And when someone comes in, when a client comes in, you you will do an assessment on them, and how do you kind of determine what's best for that client?
Speaker 1:
Yes. So we have a full consultation and the consultation does go deeper than just what color and cut do you want. We talk about lifestyle what's going to be best for you going forward, like how are you going to maintain it. But we also look at your scalp care. So we look with a Trico analyzer right at your scalp and see what the health of your scalp is. Do you have dry skin, dandruff, oily skin? All of those things we take into account and we put a full six month plan together for you, whether that is scalp care or you're looking for color or a cut. So wherever you want to go in the next six months, we put a full plan together, that's great.
Speaker 2:
It's almost like a fitness plan or a diet plan, like a detox plan for your hair?
Speaker 1:
Yep, exactly. So we detox the skin, the hair, and then we support you in finding products that are going to help you in the meantime.
Speaker 2:
That's wonderful. So you've been busy growing your business, but you've also been doing some things on the side, right? Yes, tell me about that.
Speaker 1:
Well, there's always a lot. I am a true entrepreneur at heart and, after having the salon for so long, I noticed that there just wasn't enough other salons offering this service and really taking a look at what their values are, what's important to them and how it's affecting their staff, their clients and the planet. So I decided to start coaching. I went and got certified in neurocoaching and I have a bunch of other types of coaching modalities that I use, and I started sharing my process with other salon owners so that we can make this more of a normal thing where you go to the salon and you know that you're in a safe space, you know that the products that are being used are clean and healthy for you.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, yeah, that's great and, like you said earlier, one little change can lead to big impact down the road right.
Speaker 1:
Oh yeah, that compound effect. Like the products, it has a negative compound effect. But one change for everyone, right? But one change for everyone, right. Whether you're a salon owner or you're a consumer, one little change will have that huge compound effect, for the positive too. So it goes both ways and it's really really simple. It can be a simple shift it can be.
Speaker 2:
yeah, yeah, yeah, I was telling you earlier. We try we lean into being holistic and we try to make switches when we can, and sometimes it's hard to keep up with. But small things do make a big difference and you know switching a body lotion here or there, you know getting rid of fabric softener and kind of some stuff that you don't need and it makes you think a little bit differently.
Speaker 1:
Yes, and we have seen a huge change in consumerism since COVID. Right, we've got so many more options and people are coming forth and saying like, look, I really want this type of service, this type of product, whatever it is, because we're more conscious. We have so many more tools now. To see like this is not really great for us. I know that we've been marketed, that this is safe and okay, but a lot of people just are starting to hear more and it's not just a buzzword. So being able to take that and change one little thing at a time is really the easiest way to go about it and be able to not be overwhelmed.
Speaker 2:
How do you guide clients on not being overwhelmed and like knowing actually what products to look for, because there are a lot of things being slapped on labels these days and a lot of people oh, it's organic or paraben free, but then it has a whole bunch of other junk in it that you're not supposed to have. How do you help guide clients to know what really is going to work?
Speaker 1:
That is going to be in our consultations. We are huge on education. We want to educate you to be just knowledge knowledgeable on what is going to be good and what's not, because we're every single day, we're busy, we have a lot of things, so we will share what we use, because I do the research, I do all of that, but then I also have a full education piece. So I have this portal where you, as a client, can come in and I have like videos, and I have this portal where you as a client can come in and I have like videos, and I have the podcast where I talk a lot about it as well. So all of those tools and resources are there for our clients and for the salon owners. But when you're in the salon, in that plan, we talk all about that, like what is your lifestyle and what would be the most beneficial for you to change now, you know later and in a few years.
Speaker 2:
Right, so good little step-by-step program, exactly, yeah, yeah. What do you find most rewarding about what you do? You're clearly very passionate, I am.
Speaker 1:
I think the most rewarding for me is I'm showing my kids that against all odds, right when I started this business and when I started going clean, so many people told me that it wasn't going to work. Nobody would pay this kind of money. Nobody cared. They wanted the you know tried and true and they thought I was crazy. Being able to not only do it prove that it is viable, it works people want it but that I can do it no matter what, even with my kids being small and they see that if you believe in something that you can really truly accomplish anything no matter what anybody says, that's like the most rewarding for me, yeah.
Speaker 2:
Did you have somebody in your life that was pushed you kind of in this direction or that was your biggest cheerleader when you were opening up your salon? A mentor or family member?
Speaker 1:
In the clean and sustainable world? No, but I have a wonderful support system. My husband has. I mean, no matter how crazy I seem, or Because you sound busy. Yes, yes, I am super busy, it's just that's the speed I go. My friend always tells me I'm either like the Energizer Bunny or or I'm off. That's me, that's it, there's not a lot in between, yeah there's no in between for me Body in motion stays in motion and body rest stays in rest, Exactly.
Speaker 1:
So he supports all of my crazy ideas. I mean, we've actually been together for 26 years. We're celebrating next week our 20th wedding anniversary. Congratulations, Thank you. And when we started like I didn't know any of this stuff, I wasn't, you know, living that type of lifestyle. So when I went and had that light bulb moment and then brought it to my husband and he's like, okay, whatever you say, like let's just do it. But between my husband, my kids, my mom, my aunt, my dad, they're so incredibly supportive so they've always like cheerleaded me on and I also just am really passionate about it. So I did a lot of inner healing for me to let go of, you know, all of the judgment and caring what other people thought, because, as an entrepreneur and someone who I want to trailblaze, I want to lead in a different way of thinking. I had to do that hard work to be able to like yourself before you could.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, yeah, I did, yeah, and it sounds like you're giving back and you know. It sounds like you didn't have someone that maybe guided you through this, that you're trying to help other people get through this and kind of give them a leg up, because you learned the lessons Exactly.
Speaker 1:
I learned the lessons. I put the game plan together. Like let me support you because I I love the research, Like I'm going to continue to change and evolve, so I just want to like pave a little bit of a path for others who are interested in this type of business.
Speaker 2:
How? Um? Let's talk about your marketing and advertising. What are you doing these days for marketing?
Speaker 1:
So a lot rides on my podcast, um, being able to educate on that. So we're talking on there all the time. Um, who do you have on your podcast? I have other salon owners who are creating, you know, safe, unique spaces. Um, I have anything from like refillery people to um, uh, oh, what did she call herself? Oh, what did she call herself? Shoot Doctors? No, no, I've had a masseuse on there as well. So, anyone who can really help you move the needle to creating a safer space. So there's all sorts of people that we have on the podcast that will give insight and look at it from a different perspective, either in the industry or not. And then with the salon, we do a lot of word of mouth and we're getting ready to have a full, sustainable event at the salon where we're going to do a clothing swap and purse swap and then talk about.
Speaker 2:
That's a great idea. Yeah, and when is that date and can I come?
Speaker 1:
yes, please do come. And it is June 23rd, it's on a Sunday, oh fun, yeah. So we're gonna be out there and do a full clothing swap. We're gonna. I'm looking for people to partner up and come out and educate so I can, you can hear, like, where do your clothing go? Like, where does like what can you do with recycling and how do you make smaller changes that make a bigger impact? So more details to come on that, but I would love for you to come and everyone else.
Speaker 2:
And all of our listeners will come have a party.
Speaker 1:
Yes, it's going to be so fun, so save your clothing that you're going to get rid of and bring it to the swap.
Speaker 2:
That's awesome, and you can swap it out for other things.
Speaker 1:
Exactly yeah.
Speaker 2:
And keep it sustainable. I love it, yes. So it sounds like you've grown quite a lot since you've opened your business and I've had a lot of changes, switching from the products you're using before to going more holistic. Where do you see yourself going in the next five, 10 years? Where do you see your and you're doing some mentoring on the side, yeah, where do you? What's your next step?
Speaker 1:
So my next step, I would say, is I'm just going bigger. Um, I would love exactly that's exactly what was going through my head is I would love to have more of a larger location so that I can have a truly sustainable refill store along with the salon, have more stylists there, but also focus like we focus a lot on energy healing and meditation and we even have, like, ceremonial haircuts and we do head spas. So all of those pieces I would just like to expand on.
Speaker 2:
And you just added a whole bunch of new treatments, correct? Yes, yeah Do you want to talk about that?
Speaker 1:
Yes, so the Japanese inspired head spa was one of the biggest things that we brought on this year and I don't know if you've seen that on TikTok.
Speaker 2:
The rain with the water comes around your head. It looks amazing.
Speaker 1:
Oh, it is the most relaxing, it is so phenomenal. But we also pair that with organic treatments and, you know, sound healing we also do like. During your private session, you get the crystal bowl sound healing, which is a really amazing, just like energy cleanse for you. Yeah, yep, and so that's one of the services we brought the whole new refillery this year. Uh, ceremonial haircuts, which this is something new and not a lot of people have heard of, but it is a very ceremonial way of cutting your hair and what that means is we're just being very intentional. So, especially if you're going through life changes, you have things happening, possibly sick or sick, or, you know, grieving or celebrating, or even postpartum, like you know, you, you're so excited, you have this brand new baby and you have a lot of emotions. Yeah, so, being very intentional, and we do like energy healing around that and we cut in a very intentional way and allow you to process your thoughts, because your hair holds a lot of energy, a lot of energy.
Speaker 2:
Yes.
Speaker 1:
So we just do it in a way to allow you to let go of what's not serving you, but also, at that same point, bring in the things that will help you heal, move forward, or just you want to manifest something else good in your life, that's amazing, I like.
Speaker 2:
what a special experience for those people.
Speaker 1:
It's so expensive, like I love. Love it because every day we get to go into work and this is what we do, like support people in this way. I just pinched me.
Speaker 2:
Are there any last parting words you'd like to leave us with in regards to business or life?
Speaker 1:
Yeah, I I truly believe that when we just start being aware, right, this is not a perfect thing. I have been doing this, being clean and sustainable, for 13 years and I still am not a hundred percent perfect. It's not meant to be perfect. We live in a very busy world and I'm busy. I have a teenager well, two 16 and 18 year old Like they keep me very busy and I'm two businesses. There are days that I just can't simply do everything. But knowing that most of the time that 80-20 rule, I am conscious, I'm buying better products, I am recycling.
Speaker 2:
Yes.
Speaker 1:
And that goes for everyone. Like you do not have to be perfect, Don't beat yourself up. Just take one small step so that you can see that greater compound effect.
Speaker 2:
Yes, one small step in the right direction makes a big difference, exactly Well, thank you so much for being here today. I loved hearing your story. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Speaker 1:
Thank you so much for having me. I've so enjoyed it.
