Meet the woman who sorted my hair out - and brought a little light into my LA life.
Hairstylist turned apothecary artist, Krystal Buttner, on Echo Park, energy cleanses and why you should just "get the damn bob!"
The best hair in the biz!
I read an article recently about the impact of 'trauma dumping' (offloading a traumatic experience onto someone who isn't prepared or qualified). Hairdressers are particularly prone to this, since they spend an average of 2,000 hours per year listening to their clients. They are paid to cut hair but are often expected to be therapists at the same time.
It made me think about my own hairdresser, Krystal, and how much I have confided in her over the last couple of years. Am I...? Is that what...? Uh oh... Etc.
There is, however, a difference between trauma dumping and engaging in a deep conversation about life and death. I think I naturally gravitate towards those subjects because I've experienced significant loss (my father when I was 12, my grandmother when I was 18 and my mum when I was 35). I don't want it to define me but I can't say it hasn't shaped the person I am today.
And so, occasionally I connect deeply with someone else in the same boat or club (for want of a better word.) Often it takes me by surprise. Meeting Krystal definitely did.
I was just looking for someone - in a town of mediocre hairdressers! - who could cut a decent bob. I was expecting a side order of inane discussion topics. The usual 'going anywhere nice for your holiday?' bants that make most people dread getting their hair cut. But what I got was something more extraordinary - actual conversation.
Krystal has experienced profound loss and is one of the most positive people I know. She makes me laugh (and cry, obvs). She radiates warmth and light. She could be carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders but you'd never know - when you're sat in her chair, she makes you feel like the only person in the world who matters.
Born in San Francisco, Krystal moved to LA in 2018 and joined Spoke & Weal, a slick hair salon specialising in dry cuts, a year later. "What happens in their two year training program is very extensive and the standards are high!" she explained, when I asked why the place feels like a cut-above other salons I've been to.
Krystal divides her time between West Hollywood (where she works at Spoke & Weal) and Echo Park (where she runs her own 'ritualistic herbal shop' - more on that later). She has a vintage wardrobe to die for and could probably write me a guidebook on the coolest spots in Silverlake (actually, that’s not a bad idea). Time to pick her brain…
What is your approach (or 'philosophy' to make it LA!) as a hairstylist?
Some clients will ask me whether I think a certain style will work with their face shape. To me, I like to redirect the question… if this looked like this, how would it make you feel? And are you okay with the type of maintenance that will come with this? Who invented the “perfect face shape”? If your jaw/chin is “too round,” but you really love the way a bob feels on you, get the damn bob! Life is too short to abide by beauty standards that are simply an opinion. What about your opinion? You’re the one wearing the hair.
I'm sure you're prone to clients offloading their problems. Does it ever get exhausting?
The only times it’s exhausting is when the person refuses to have a positive outlook or constantly focuses on the negative side of things. I feel obligated to turn things around and have to remind myself I am not a therapist! I can help with giving someone an amazing haircut which will then help them feel amazing. If a conversation ever strays in a direction I’m not comfortable with, I can always bring it back to the hair. Most of the time, I try to keep it there and focus on what we are there to do. Sometimes special ones, like you, slip in and we get to talk about the really important things in life. Those conversations always leave me feeling uplifted.
I'm so glad. We both lost parents when we were children and we've both experienced family bereavements in recent years. I never intended to share so much with a hairdresser, but you are very easy to talk to! You started your own business, Brown Sugar Botanica, in January 2021 - less than a year after losing your sister, which is so inspiring to me. I'd love to talk to you about channelling your grief into a new creative outlet. How did that even come about?
It all started with the decision to finally treat myself with the love and respect that I deserve. Let me rewind a little bit, to the April of 2020, when my younger sister, Celeste, passed away. She was my best friend and the person closest to me and I was experiencing the heaviest grief of my life. How could someone I'd talked to every day have just disappeared? My mind wasn't capable of comprehending it and I was surrounding myself with negativity & self shame. I felt so desperate to communicate with her again.
So what did you do?
I went on a hunt to find a medium and started learning about different religions and beliefs of what happens after you die. I googled things and went down rabbit holes. I eventually found a medium who shared with me tons of information. What she saw, over and over, was: Creativity. Creativity. Creativity. She also told me I could communicate with Celeste - that I didn’t need her to do that.
Wow. What did she tell you?
She told me that first off, I need to love myself. That where Celeste is, she is operating from a place of love. The highest frequency. And when you are surrounding yourself with guilt, self shame, doubt and negativity you are operating on a lower vibration.
That makes a lot of sense.
She taught me about self-healing, energy cleanses, and self love rituals to help me achieve that. If you’re familiar with meditation, mantras, or manifestation, these are similar. With some of these rituals you can involve certain herbs that are meant to help certain physical aspects or invite positive energies in to your life/being. That was enough for me to hear.
Ah, I see where this is going!
It took time, persistence, and patience. You don’t learn to re-love yourself over night. With quarantine in full force, I was hand wrapping smudge sticks to use during an energy cleanse. I made so many of them, I asked people on Instagram if they wanted one. There were so many responders, I decided to start a website to make it easier to get addresses and orders. The site took off. I was inspired with all there was to do: Build the product. Shoot the product. Edit photos. Post images. Design the site. Build an Instagram. Curate a vibe: love yourself.
You make it sound so simple. It's a beautiful website and a lovely idea for a business. And very healing, I imagine.
This was the first thing that brought me joy after Celeste died. So many people supported Brown Sugar Botanica in its first year. I connected with strangers who lost loved ones too. I found a community who felt the loneliness of grief. We helped each other. Brown Sugar Botanica has brought me so much comfort and healing over the past three years. I continue to honour my sister and my love for her, through Brown Sugar Botanica.
What kinds of things can I buy from Brown Sugar Botanica?
Goods for the home and the soul! Bath oils, smudge sticks, floral infused syrups, cocktail kits, dried flower arrangements and modern day rituals.
Do you have plans to open a physical store?
I plan to open a store front. A flowers and espresso bar by day, artisanal cocktails by night. The Brown Sugar Room will be the place you bring your best friend when they visit town. A place you can stop by when you’re feeling lonely and want to pick yourself up. The place you stumble upon on your mid day way and HAVE to take a peek.
I love it. I haven't spent a huge amount of time in Echo Park. Why is it so special?
It's a combination of my favourite areas of San Francisco & New York City. It has hills, street art, grime, walkable streets full of mom & pop shops (independent stores), cafes, restaurants, parks, street food. I love this corner of Los Angeles. It’s close to some really great neighbourhoods like Silverlake, Los Feliz, Atwater, and Downtown. Not to mention, it is not swarming with tourists!
Can you remember your first impression of LA?
Palm trees! Everywhere! Duh! The landscape is breathtaking. If you can get up high enough, you can see all the different layers of land. Rolling hills topped with palm trees, cuddled by mountains & ocean that harbour a city full of people pursuing their dreams.
That sounds beautiful. I really must get out more! What is the most 'LA' thing you do?
Hmmm… Erewhon. I thoroughly enjoy that place. Have you heard their sound system?! It’s a produce party every time you walk in there. I get so inspired by all of the colourful juices and fruits and veggies. I love that they have Fresno chilis and frisée.
Your best celebrity spot?
I sat next to Drake at The Nice Guy once. He was by himself, just staring at his phone, not even scrolling. He had a security guard in every corner of the restaurant.
Of course he did! For the uninitiated, The Nice Guy is a hip eatery in West Hollywood that The Infatuation defines as a 'clubstaurant' frequented by 'well-dressed 25-year-olds whose parents are definitely covering rent.' I bet you have tonnes of other recommendations. Where else do you like to eat?
Lately I’ve been obsessed with this Thai place in Silverlake, called Same Same (after “Same same, but different” which I learnt is a popular phrase in Thailand!) The spicy prawn fried rice is something I can’t miss out on. Also their crying tiger sauce - if you can handle the heat! For date night, I love Pace in Laurel Canyon. It’s right next to Love Street, where Jim Morrison from The Doors lived. It’s this cozy little Italian/Californian fusion at the foot of the canyon. Try the cedar plank salmon & the chocolate lava cake.
What about drinks?
There is a bar called Marco Polo at the Silver Lake Pool & Inn with a new cocktail on the menu that I can not stop thinking about. The bartender says he was inspired by a classic 1990s cocktail called 'Surfer on Acid'. It's mezcal based with suze liqueur, pineapple, citrus, vanilla & coconut. They call it 'Sogno Di Ananas'. I day dream about this cocktail. If I'm going for coffee, I get a lavender latte from Andanté in Echo Park.
What's the best hike (or walk, as Brits like to call it)?
The Escondido Falls Hike in Malibu. You start on a street that leads to a bunch of mansions. Eventually you reach a trail path that takes you over across tonnes of oak trees and river crossings. At the end of the trail, there is a beautiful waterfall.
Where do you go to the beach?
I’m not too fond of the beaches that are swarming with people. Hermosa is mellow and has a plethora of micro breweries & restaurants within walking distance.
If you were taking a road trip, where would you go?
The drive from LA to Los Olivos in the Santa Ynez Valley is gorgeous if you take the route through Santa Barbara. Once you drive through Santa Barbara, you'll reach the foothills of a mountain and you take all these switchbacks to the top of the mountain and then there is a bridge that spills out over the valley. Down below is an expansive meadow that leads to Cachuma Lake.
This area of California is known for its wineries. In los Olivos, you'll find people riding horseback through the dirt roads, and a couple of haunted hotels. If you do this drive during spring, you might be able to catch rain at the top of the mountain and watch the weather change as you to drive down to the coast. Magical.