Gorgeous in Green
Green Screen
‘‘Businesses that show a genuine commitment to social responsibility and sustainability are eaing the respect, loyalty and spending dollars of consumers. Those that greenwash their offerings [a deceptive marketing ploy that spins a product or service as being environmentally friendly] will soon suffer in consumer loyalty. It’s important to only tout products and services that are truly green and make every effort to incorporate green practices in your salons.”
Green Intel: Eufora products contain no petrolatums, artificial dyes or fragrances. Recyclable packaging is used wheneverpossible; non-recyclable materials,such as PVC, are avoided.
Critical Care
Wash away buildup—including metal ions found in chlorine—reduce free-radical generation and even neutralize peroxide residue with Eufora Urgent Repair Shampoo, a non-irri-tating, chelating cleanser with heat-protection benefits. Replenishing Treatment—with certified organic, pharma-ceutical-grade aloe vera gel, and soy, wheat and keratin proteins for added strength and shine—is the natural antidote for chemically or environ-mentally stressed strands. Bonus! Soothes dry, itchy scalp; contains essential oils in lieu of artificial fragrances. (Eufora.net)
Wet Your (Hair) Whistle
Looking for a natural product alteative that moisturizes and detangles parched strands? Consider Onesta Quench Leave In Conditioner, enriched with certified organic omega 3 and 6 EFAs, milk thistle, green tea and rhatany root for hydration and environmental protection. Results: Shiny, tangle-free locks without style-breaking frizz.
Green Intel: All Onesta products are plant-based formulations and are free of SLS, DEA, TEA, propylene glycol and artificial dyes. (OnestaHairCare.com)
SURFACE
Hair • Health • Art
When eco-champ and third-generation stylist Wayne Grund became a green advocate 10 years ago, he couldn’t help but envision a sea of chemically laden salons wrapped around the globe. His greatest fear: “If something isn’t done about this, what will happen to us, our children and our grandchildren?” Committed to working toward a greener future for the pro-beauty industry, Grund labored alongside green scientists and did hands-on testing for many years before finally launching his prized eco-brand, Surface. The biggest ca-veat with all of his trial-and-error formulations: Surface products must make a tiny carbon footprint on Mother Earth and perform as well or better than traditionally formulated salon products. (Note: Surface has been recognized and rewarded by the Canadian govement for its research and advancements in green beauty science.)
Green Intel: Surface products are free of animal or wheat proteins; contain natural sugars and costarch for styling purposes; organic oils are used in lieu of mineral oil; rose ether takes the place of parabens; more! (SurfaceHair.com)
Trinity Strengthening—one of five Surface systems—repairs, strengthens and protect strands, while imparting posh conditioning benefits and oodles of shine.
Stand Up and Rectify!
It’s no secret that many beauty pros are tromping through our ecosystem with hobnail boots. If you’ve been living the life of an eco-outlaw and are hankering to reform, you could start by minimizing your water consumption when doing services and being mindful of what you pour down the drain.
Think Green: The water that you use to rinse-out color or sham-poo has been around since the inception of our planet about 4.5 billion years ago. Earth never receives new water; it only recycles its available supply. Dumping chemicals and overusing water severely impacts the entire globe.
Example: The Environmental Working Group (EWG) assembled the results of 20-million drinking-water tests in 2009, which revealed 316 contaminants in water that was supplied to 256-million Americans. The chemical-laden water you wash down the sink today, could be in your drinking water tomorrow!
Act Green: Choose to use green products wherever possible. Only dispense the amount of shampoo that you truly need to cleanse the hair; never mix more color or bleach than you need to do a service…never. Acting eco-chic not only limits the amount of chemicals being dumped into our water supply, but it could also reduce your water consumption by up to 400-hundred gallons per day.
Sea-worthy Styles!
Redken has joined the green gang with Nature’s Rescue, a four-product line that’s chockfull of plant and marine extracts. Included: Refreshing Detox Shampoo to delete daily stress caused by pollution and buildup; Refining Sea Polish to smooth crumpled cuticles and create radiant shine; Cooling Deep Conditioner to rebalance moisture; and Radiant Sea Spray for beach-y texture. Nature’s Rescue is sulfate-, paraben- and silicone-free. Scented with a signature, sea-fresh fragrance! (Redken.com)
Heavenly Bamboo
Get your green on with these eco-friendly styling tools!
Restoration Hair-ware
Fashioned with bamboo, the most rapidly renewable re-source on the planet, Surface Bamboo Paddle Brush is lightweight, durable and features natural, porous bristles that absorb the company’s proprietary Bassu Gold oil—or any lightweight oil for that matter—and evenly distrib-utes it from root to end. Results: Aside from creating a glowing-green conscience, hair is left shiny and naturally conditioned, with a smooth cuticle surface. (SurfaceHair.com)
Do YouBamboo?
If your eco-conscience has you shopping for bamboo tools and flooring, welcome to the beauty jungle! Bamboo grows so quickly (up to nine inches a day), that a few plantings can yield enough building material for a modest, low-cost home in just six to eight years. From a beauty standpoint, this tough-as-nails grass is quickly becoming the green material of choice for styling stations, brush handles, combs, strengthening haircare formulations and product packaging.
Be Naturally Inspiring
While it’s impossible to make a real bamboo iron or dryer, you can share your natural message with Paul Mitchell Nature Inspired Express Ion Dry and Ion Smooth limited edition tool set. Both tools are infused with proprietary Express Ion Complex, a veritable factory of negative ions for positive styling results, and cushioned ceramic plates for an effortless glide. Bonus: Purchase both tools and receive a Bamboo Round Brush free! (PaulMitchell.com)
Steelgrass Stylers
Be eco-chic while adding punch to your styling services with Spoette Zhu, a five-piece brush line that’s made ofnon-heated bamboo for extra strength and durability.The paddle brush features ball tips with tourmaline/nylon bristles; aerated rounders (2.25” and 2.50”) embody ceramic barrels with tourmaline/nylon bristles; and boar- and-ball-tipped bristle rounders (2.0” and 2.50”) tenaciously grip hair to make short work of ruffled locks. Also available: Zhu II brush line with sustainable cork grips! (Spoette.com)