When Jillian Sherman started her career as a stylist she moved around several times in search of the perfect salon. On her last stop working for others, she landed at an Aveda Salon and she knew she had found her niche. “I finally found a place I could be as creative as I wanted to be with products that were both better for the environment and better for your body,” noted Jillian. “Aveda products are all natural and allow you to customize hair color to no end. No matter the hair type of my clients, I was able to offer customized solutions for their exact needs and desires. And I share Aveda’s vision of taking care of our bodies as well as taking care of the world.”
But despite her satisfaction with Aveda, she knew there was one thing missing from her dream salon. She wanted one to call her own. With that goal in mind, Jillian set out to find the perfect spot. She found it at Zokkoz in Briarcliff Manor. “I wanted to find an established salon that I could personalize exactly how I had envisioned it,” noted Jillian. “It took me six years to find the perfect place and I knew I found it at Zokkoz and in the small town, quaint feel of Briarcliff.”
Now celebrating her fifth year as an Aveda salon, Jillian has fully embraced the “Aveda hair cult” and loves nothing more than helping her clients understand not only the quality but also the safety of using the all-natural, organic and chemical-free products that they offer. “Some beauty product manufacturers green-wash their labels,” Jillian explained. “Just because a product says it’s organic doesn’t mean it fully is. You can have one ingredient that is organic and the rest aren’t and still call your product organic.”
But there’s more to Jillian and Zokkoz than just offering the highest-quality, natural products. She and her team pride themselves on continuing their training to always offer the latest, safest and most effective options for their clients. “I was the first in New York State to be certified for a new smoothing treatment called pura luxe, which is a much safer option than keratin for defrizzing & straightening hair,” noted Jillian. “Even before then, we had a keratin treatment with the lowest amount of toxins and one that, although it didn’t give you all of the benefits, was completely non-toxic. My point of view was that we had the healthiest options that were on the market and we always want to explain the options to clients so they can make an educated choice. Now I can tell customers that we offer the safest treatment available and it’s actually good for your hair. Our number one priority no matter who walks in the door is to offer a safe service that solves their needs not masks them,” emphasized Jillian.
Jillian’s concern for safety extends to her staff. “We work with these products day in and day out and I have a responsibility to make sure my staff is safe as well,” she noted. “We are a family and this is our home-away-from-home. I love what I do and I’ve surrounded myself with like-minded people.”
Jillian knows people have many options when it comes to their hair care. But she also knows that she offers something unique that other salons don’t provide. “People come to an Aveda salon looking for an experience,” noted Jillian passionately. “Whether they come to Zokkoz to have their hair done or for one of our spa services they immediately feel the special vibe we have here. In fact, people often use the word ‘vibe’ to describe our spa-like, relaxing experience. You don’t just get a hair service you get a shampoo service, a scalp massage, aromatherapy and a hot towel. We analyze your scalp and hair for the right products and services we are going to suggest along the way. And soon we’ll be offering nail services as well!”
As a business owner and a mother who’s trying to set a great example for three year old son Robert, Jillian carries her passion for safety, the environment and giving back to the community into everything in her life. Whether that’s hosting a holiday event in her salon and inviting other local businesses to offer their products and services, working with the ASPCA to help find homes for their animals or finding a partner to repurpose beauty products that are otherwise not recyclable, Jillian has made it her mission to help others in any way she can. The fact that her passion is rooted in hair styling is a beautiful thing.
Zokkoz Salon
1250 Pleasantville Road
Briarcliff Manor
914-923-3799
