Be salon savvy

Flickr / deanwissing

With so much information at our fingertips, it’s easy to be salon savvy

There’s no excuse not to know what we are putting in our hair and on our bodies anymore. Sure, your hairdresser could be a colour guru, but it’s important you’re both aware of the chemicals that exist in the products that are going on your head.

Follow these simple rules to get the richest colour, smoothest texture, healthiest hair and cleanest lungs from your salon.
 

Ask questions

When hunting for a new hair salon, ask the hairdresser what dye they use. Does it have little or no ammonia? Is the salon staff educated about the chemicals that exist in the beauty products they use and sell?

Ask for the names of the products used at the salon and check for toxicity by comparing the ingredients against the Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetics Database.

And don’t be shy to visit the salon yourself. Does it pass the smell test?
 

Buy smart

For your at-home hair care routine, Vancouver has a ton of products available that are as organic as possible and sold at environmentally aware salons like Coup Salon and Seventh Heaven, as well as local grocers around town.

Brands that pass the test include John Masters Organics, Hugo Naturals, Aubrey Organics and locally manufactured Organix Hair Care.
 

Don’t bother

Sean Gray tells people not to dye their hair at all, and Coup Salon’s Missy Clarkson agrees, “If you want to be good to yourself and the environment, don’t colour your hair,” she says.

But if you can’t stand those salt and pepper roots, she says to “balance out your little sin by knowing where your colour comes from.” Then, again, checking the Cosmetics Database for health hazards.
 

Empower yourself

There’s no such thing as non-toxic hair colour, but you can come close. With only a handful of toxins addressed in this article, it’s very important to know about what hazardous chemicals are lurking in your salon or hair care at home.

Use the Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetics Database to find out if your beauty routine is endangering your health.