Jay Small
This handsome and charismatic glow boy works out of his beachy Venice home providing clients with one-on-one hair treatments in the most comfortable setting. Jay Small worked extensively under Paul Mitchell for years, traveling the world and teaching thousands of people how to cut/style hair properly. He opened numerous successful salons, but recently decided to take clients in the comfort of his beautiful Venice home. Jay's aesthetic is totally our vibe--an easy, not trying too hard, yet still polished look. He understands and respects his client's wishes, which isn't always easy to come by with every hairdresser! We can't speak highly enough about this guy, and his hair balm either....
Jay Small is super specific about his art and technique of the craft which he loves: Hair. He's almost like a zen jedi master who's got the intricacies of hair down to a science. His purposefulness in his expertise really makes him a super special talent that we're grateful to have discovered.
HOW THEY GLOW QUESTIONNAIRE
NAME: Jason Small
NICKNAME: Jay
WHERE DID YOU GROW UP: New Jersey
WHEN YOU ARE EATING HEALTHY, WHAT IS A TYPICAL…
BREAKFAST: Green Smoothie with Bananas, Almond Milk, Green Juice, Protein Powder and Ice.
LUNCH: Quinoa, Vegetables, Chicken or Turkey
DINNER: Turkey Bolognese with Gluten free Pasta
SNACK: Almonds, Peanut Butter and Apples
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SPOTS/RESTAURANTS TO EAT HEALTHY? Whole Foods is the best way for me to eat healthy. I find it easier to prepare things for myself, and I typically lack self control when there are tasty things on the menu.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE INDULGENCE? Pizza, or a Taylor Ham Egg and Cheese sandwich…a favorite staple from growing up in New Jersey.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SPOTS/RESTAURANTS TO INDULGE? Tower Bar at the Sunset Tower Hotel, Baby Blues BBQ in Venice, GTA (Gjelina Take Away) in Venice
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR LAST MEAL ON EARTH? My grandmother's chicken cutlets. Nothing else needed.
WHAT IS THE BEST DISH YOU COOK/ YOUR FAVORITE RECIPE? Thanksgiving Dinner. I love to cook for lots of people and turkey is my specialty. It's all in the preparation; fresh herbs, garlic, great olive oil and fresh citrus.
WHERE DO YOU GROCERY SHOP IN LA? Whole Foods
WHAT IS YOUR FITNESS REGIME? (HOW OFTEN & WHAT DO YOU GO) I love riding my bike because it's great exercise without really having to think about it, but I try to go to the gym to lift weights and do light cardio a few times a week.
WHAT IS YOUR SKINCARE ROUTINE? (PRODUCTS, FACIALS, ETC.) My friend Katrina who works out of the Beauty Bungalows in Venice traded me a facial for a haircut once and now I try to go back every few months. For products, I stick to Dermalogica daily cleanser. It's simple and does the job without drying out my skin.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE NATURAL MAKEUP/ BEAUTY PRODUCTS? When I groom men on shoots I love to use w3ll people make up. Their products are all natural and completely organic, and it works great.
IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT 3 PRODUCTS WOULD YOU TAKE WITH YOU?
1. Kiehl's Super Fluid Sunscreen
2. Nature's Plus Natural Beauty Cleansing Bar
3. My hair balm
WHAT PROFESSIONAL BEAUTY/FITNESS/HEALTH GURUS DO YOU SWEAR BY? My Girlfriend. On any given day she's either spinning, doing yoga and Pilates or running…it's dizzying but inspires me to get off my butt.
TOP 3 FAVORITE SONGS?
1. Rolling Stones "Sympathy for the Devil"
2. Ram Jam "Black Betty"
3. James Taylor "Steamroller"
MOST LIFE-CHANGING BOOK? Wonderland Avenue by Danny Sugerman
WHAT IS THE BEST GIFT YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED? The Black BMX Bicycle my Grandfather gave me for Christmas when I was 7.
DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT DAY. A day off when we get to wake up with no alarm, have coffee and read the paper in bed, water the plants in the yard and plot a home improvement project.
WHAT IS YOUR MOST VALUABLE BEAUTY TIP/SECRET? A lot of my clients are surprised when I tell them not to wash their hair as often as they think they should. Two to three times per week is plenty. It helps retain the natural oils in your hair, which eliminates the need to continuously add more and more product to make it feel more healthy when your body is already doing that for you!
On days that you do wash, I recommend adding a bit of conditioner to dry hair before getting into the shower. This is the reason I created my own hair balm. I wanted something to give my clients that would help nourish their hair before getting into the shower, because pre-conditioning is the best way to maintain the natural oils in the ends of your hair.
WHAT MAKES YOU GLOW? Making people feel beautiful.
Photography by: Jessica Chanen