Hairdresser and Clinical Aromatherapist Kathy Narayn-Webb is passionate about challenging preconceptions about women as they age. So much so, she has created a new podcast inspired by conversations with clients, as she explains here
Can you remind people who you are and what you do?
I’m a Hair&Wellbeing Stylist. I offer hair appointments with a range of mini-massages, Aromatherapy & wellbeing options. Your chosen wellbeing option takes place after your hair consultation and before the start of your hair appointment. I offer women a space where they can stop, breathe and catch-up with themselves. As one client described it ‘It’s an experience rather than a production line haircut’.
Along with Hair&Wellbeing appointments, I also offer stand-alone pure hair appointments and stand-alone 1hour complementary therapy appointments including Reflexology, Reiki, Holistic Aromatherapy Back Massage plus treatments that include Facial Cupping and Hot Stones.
More recently, I launched a podcast inspired by the conversations and comments made by clients in my Hair&Wellbeing Space. It’s called ‘Why So Judgy?’. It features the voices of clients (all anonymous), listeners and aims to challenge the preconceptions of women as we age and offer options to help calm that inner critical voice.
How has business (and life in general) been since we last featured you, three years ago?
A rollercoaster. Running and growing a business single-handedly while having to be across and adept at every angle is empowering but it can also feel incredibly overwhelming. You’re always learning – which I love – but I get so busy with clients that some things inevitably fall by the wayside – my socials for one. I would say though, that building the Hair&Wellbeing Space has taught me so much about myself and what I need to be productive. I’m allowing myself to focus-in on the areas I really enjoy doing and have started to properly put personal boundaries in place. In 2021, I was so heavy with ‘have to’s’ and other’s expectations of me: what I should be doing, how I should be developing and where I should be aiming. Over the last couple of years, as I’ve focussed-in on what feels right to me, the business has really taken off and I’m attracting more and more like-minded clients. So, I’d say right here, right now, my business is a much happier, mutually respectful, nurturing and productive space than three years ago. It may be a cliche, but I finally understand that life has the best chance of moving in the right direction when you’re just being yourself.
What are you particularly focusing on offering now, and why?
I’m passionate about encouraging women over 45 – so into their 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond – to feel empowered and excited by all the new possibilities and positives stages of ageing can bring. Offering Hair&Wellbeing appointments and creating the ‘Why So Judgy?’ Podcast are all about encouraging positive mind-sets, community and inspiring people to take control of their general wellbeing: not just physically but mentally and emotionally. Getting older is a privilege.
Having your hair done is about so many things. Yes, it’s a practical need but the emotions connected to a cut and/or colour can run deep. Hair is linked to our identity, our confidence levels, an expression of ourselves to others. The women who come to my space want a calm vibrant experience. They want options depending on their mood that day. I have clients who like to talk, others who want to sit quietly – a couple sit cross legged in the chair and meditate – others read, work, off-load, inhale every aroma they can get their hands on … it’s their personal experience. I also have a few clients who don’t like looking at themselves in the mirror but over time, a few have started to look, accept and slowly embrace their reflections.
I can really relate to this. When I was in my late teens I went to contemporary dance classes at Pineapple in London. The class was full of very fit semi-professional/professional dancers. There were mirrors all over the studio, but I just couldn’t look at myself. Then one day, the teacher shouted across the room, “Hey Kathy. You have the potential to be an incredible dancer but if you don’t look in the mirror at yourself, I can’t have you in here. Get over whatever imaginary hang-ups you have and concentrate on how your body is moving or get out”. I know by today’s standards it sounds harsh, but for me at that time, it’s just what I needed. I realised I was OK but more than that – I learned how my body moved and how to overcome my perceived limits of what it could do. It had such positive knock-on effects across areas of my life. That self-acceptance was so powerful – I love gently trying to encourage it to happen for others. Of course, I also have clients who just want a pure hair appointment and to get in and out. They like how I do their hair but don’t want any of the extra wellbeing side. So, I try hard to create every appointment around a client’s needs, mood and vibe.
A woman this week said she listened to the ‘Why So Judgy?’ podcast and that it was the catalyst for her deciding to finally commit to trying some positive affirmations in the morning. Another comment, that honestly filled my soul, was from a woman who said she loves coming for appointments as she always “leaves feeling more like herself with more perspective about her problems”.
And what else can you offer clients, on the wellbeing side?
Having worked as a clinical aromatherapist for nearly 20 years, I’m obsessed with the benefits of essential oils. All Hair&Wellbeing appointments include some form of aromatherapy to enhance mood – to lift, calm or rebalance. I always check-in and ask clients how they’re feeling. I may dab appropriate mood rebalancing oils on the towel around their shoulders, add restful aromas to warm eye masks or their hair during deep conditioning treatments, or place a little Grounding aromatherapy balm on the inside of their wrists while they are having their hair done. I have crystals for people to hold during appointments or cold stones if someone is prone to overheating or getting hot flushes. I also have warm towels and hot stones. I offer 15-minute, fully-dressed, seated, shoulder, head and face massages; Reiki; hot stone hand and lower arm massages. I also do treatments on my massage table. Either a 30-minute table treatment before your hair appointment or one-hour standalone treatments.
For all my hair clients I’ll usually blend a complementary something to give to them after hair appointments – to help the Hair&Wellbeing vibe continue at home. This month I’m giving clients bespoke aromatherapy pulse point mood rollers. Next month I might blend my Herbal Sleep Bags to put under your pillow – they’re popular and smell incredible. The Chill-Out Aromatherapy Hair Conditioning treatment at the basin is also particularly popular.
Any future hopes and dreams you would like to share?
I’d like to keep training and upping my cutting, colouring and wellbeing skills while growing my podcast. Also to continue connecting with women and encouraging us each to take a few minutes every day to slowly breathe or meditate, say affirmations, manifest a personal goal, stretch or just to stop. My aim is to keep finding ways to encourage women to feel more positive about who they are, to embrace how they look and make the most of whatever stage of life they’re at. If we all felt more positive about ageing and the fresh possibilities it can offer – wouldn’t that be an incredible legacy to leave the younger generation?
For more information, to make an appointment or contribute to the ‘Why So Judgy?’ podcast – visit hairandwellbeingstylist.co.uk. The second episode is on October 10.
Featured images – supplied
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