Health scare behind eco salon
IT TOOK a health scare 15 years ago for Amanda Thompson to take the leap from the auto industry and into the healthy hair trade.
The founder of Eco Salon Supplies was diagnosed with Graves disease – a chronic immune system disorder – looked for ways to help manage it by removing toxic chemicals from her life.
That meant she had to change her diet, the type of perfume and deodorants she used and more.
However, she found her major problem was hair products.
“I’m not a very girly girl, but my hair was very important particularly in corporate type roles,” Ms Thompson said.
“I was able to remove a lot of the preservatives in food and change my diet, but the one thing I couldn’t change was hair colour and I didn’t want to go grey.
“I went to the hairdressers and they struggled to give me the answers.
“So I thought I needed to go and do something I was passionate about and this was something that I was passionate about and I bought my first salon at Toombul Shopping Centre.”
Ms Thompson used what she learned in the auto business as Sci Fleet group HR and marketing manager and within six years she had five Naturally Organic Hair Salons.
However, after searching for sustainable healthy options for her salons, it was a trip to Bologna in Italy that saw the birth of Eco Salon Supplies – Australia and New Zealand’s largest niche sustainable hair care distributor.
Ms Thompson’s husband Simon, who she met at school in Ballarat, left the auto trade and they now both steer the cleaner, greener and organic hair and beauty product company which is forecasting $3.7m revenue in 2023-24.
From importing and distributing natural non-toxic hair products from Italy, the Thompsons later founded Sophic, a premium hair care range they manufacture in South East Queensland.
“Everything we use is about sustainably and in the ingredient side of things we had to make sure that none of the toxic ingredients were in the products,” Ms Thompson said.
“We started with a colour range and in the last four months we’ve released a hair care range – shampoo, conditioner and treatment.”
The grandmother of four said she was looking forward to the release of a new brand in the next couple of months.
“We have a great team, and it’s all about managing family and business,” Ms Thompson said.
“It’s about creating your own environment, enjoying what you do and making good products.”