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New salon offers healthy options

Salon Kula offers the community and surrounding region fully chemical-free, organic salon services, a first in the West Kootenay.
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By Jenn Wilson

Rossland’s new organic hair salon and barbershop, Salon Kula, opened its doors on June 11, offering the community and surrounding region fully chemical-free, organic services, which is a first in the West Kootenay.

Award-winning stylist and owner, Tennille St. John, has nearly 20 years of experience in the business and is passionate about providing her clients with top-notch results using healthy, organic options at down-to-earth prices.

“It’s not more expensive, it’s just a high-quality option that I want to share with my clients,” said St. John.  “I encourage options that are not only healthier for clients, but also for me as their stylist, and just as importantly, the products I use are also better for our environment.”

Salon Kula is the only fully organic salon in the area which uses a variety of carefully selected eco-friendly products, including Organic Colour Systems, Onesta Hair Care, KeraGreen, Kynk Naturals for body, Ecokid organics for children and Hanz de Fuko for men.

All of these products meet the PETA standards, eco-certification and are vegan friendly.  Also, Kynk Naturals are sourced through Fair Trade and Onesta offsets 100 per cent of its energy consumption by wind power and donates 10 per cent of its net income to cancer research.

“Shortly after I opened my own salon, I began to search for alternatives that worked just as well or better than the industry standards, but without the chemicals,” said St. John. “ Fortunately, over time I found those excellent alternatives. The products I now use do the job they’re meant to do, often better than the industry standards, and I can feel really good about what they’re doing behind the scenes too.”

St. John is also committed to giving back to the community and recently volunteered her services at the Mapleloop clothing fashion show and will volunteer for the upcoming Burlesque Extravaganza.

She plans to continue working with other local events throughout the year, including fundraisers for local causes.  She is also exploring creating a scholarship fund to send an area student to Selkirk College’s hairdressing program.

At Salon Kula’s Open House, Thursday, June 20 from 7-9 p.m., prizes will be given to anyone who can bring in a historical photo of the building.

“And I don’t mind if your smiling face is in it,” St. John said.

In past years, the newly renovated space at 2167 Washington St. served as the former Mountain Gypsy Restaurant and Malahoff’s Grocers, for those long enough in the tooth to remember that time.

“When my husband and I chose the name Kula, we felt it best conveyed our thoughts of Rossland and the surrounding area,” said St. John.

Kula in Sanskrit means community of the heart, and when St. John discovered Kula also meant gold or golden in Hawaiian, it solidified the choice for the newest salon in the Golden City.

About Tennille St. John

After graduating high school and completing her hairdressing apprenticeship, St. John went on to compete successfully at an advanced level, winning awards along the way.

She joined the Aveda network, where she began to master her craft, gaining experiences from working back stage at fashion shows to editorial work and the creation of educational videos.

After more than 10 years in the Aveda network, Tennille opened her own salon in Hamilton, Ont. which she successfully operated for over seven years.  Eventually, the call of the mountains and the beautiful Kootenays proved too much, and she and her husband decided to relocate to Rossland after researching and road-tripping to other areas in B.C.

They chose Rossland for its wonderful setting, vibrant close-knit community, the active lifestyle and sustainable mentality of its residents.  When she’s not at work, you’ll find energetic St. John and her husband Kelly enjoying their surroundings on snow, dirt, and water.

Salon Kula is  located at 2167 Washington St., just down from Idgie’s Restaurant, and is also wheelchair, stroller, and mountain bike accessible. You can book your haircut online via www.salonkula.ca or www.schedulicity.com.

Colour services can be booked over the phone, via email or in person.

For more information, please contact Tennille St. John at 250-921-KULA (5852) or visit www.salonkula.ca.