PIECE BY PIECE

Adored globally for his education and balayage skills, Jack Howard is spinning lots of plates in the salon and outside of it. His secret to happy mental health? Working out, therapy, and the frank wisdom of Hayley Jepson on Head Up from L’Oréal Professionnel Paris

What do you wish you’d known about earlier regarding mental health?

Back in the ’80s, mental health wasn’t a conversation. Navigating different personalities is something you need to learn within the industry, and I certainly learnt that. I found it exciting, and I always felt looked after. I wish I’d known that it would be okay to speak up about fears and anxiety. I felt I had to bury that and just get on with it. A red flag doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t do it or you avoid it. It means that you need to change your behaviour for it, and that’s a great skill.

You work with clients, brands and you teach. How does each workspace impact your mental health?

I used to do everything that was asked of me and just not think about it. I’ve learnt I need to be clearer about what I need from the situation to be successful. I love a bullet point! With clients, it’s about thorough consultations, talking before I even book an appointment. It wasn’t like that when I was younger; you had to do what was put in front of you.

I did the French Balayage tour recently, and education in the US. It made me feel anxious, ‘how am I going to do this?’. I had to do it piece by piece – know that there was a bigger picture, but focus on the bits that were happening, rather than worrying about the rest of it. You can’t control all of that.

What do you do to look after your own mental health?

There was a point where I stopped looking after myself, I let my fitness slip, my eating, I drank too much. I’ve been on every kind of detox – alcohol detox, digital detox, Metal Detox! Getting out of that was a lesson in itself. Working out has always worked for me, and when I don’t work out, that’s when it goes wrong. Turn up, that’s an achievement – it doesn’t matter whether it’s a great workout or just okay.

Since the death of my husband, grief has changed me and what I want out of life, from work. I’m a huge therapy junkie. I love to be able to talk about things and look at what’s bothering me. I know it doesn’t help soothing myself with food or chocolate. Figuring out what the real problem is that’s important to me.

How have you been using Head Up?

Head Up is a great initiative. With Hayley Jepson, it’s that northern thing, right? It’s not fluffy; it’s clear, it’s precise. They’re words that you can understand. Any initiative that’s going to talk about your mental health and allow people to examine situations, or the ways in which they feel that can help them do better, is going to be amazing. I love what that campaign is doing, the acknowledgement of how difficult it can be in our industry. Anything that’s people-facing is going to have its challenges.

A successful business and happy work life begins with better mental health. With the four-part Head Up Keys courses, it’s never been easier to begin. Scan the QR code or visit ie.lorealaccess.com