MANE CHANGER
Salon offers natural hair care and colouring options
Some women prefer the just out of bed look, while others are partial to a sleek blowout à la Kate Middleton. Whatever your preference, it can be procured at pretty much any salon — or by yourself if you know your way around a flat iron.
But when it comes to colouring hair, chemical-free options are limited. While organic beauty products have been flooding the market for years, natural hair care colouring options have finally entered the fold.
One spot where it’s now available is on 17th Avenue S.W. at Salon True, Calgary’s first full concept organic hair salon. It’s an airy space, well set up for social media savvy beauties. I mean, how many salons do you know of that sport a lush plant wall, plus a ring light to produce better selfies?
A separate client lounge offers organic snacks and is a sublime spot to chill — far better than cowering under a drier while your colour sets.
Besides the en point design and welcoming elements, there’s something else about Salon True that smells different. You won’t find a whiff of heavy fragrance or noxious chemicals that plagues many a salon.
Salon True only uses products from Oway, a fair-trade certified, Italian agricosmetic company. The essential oils used in their products come from certified organic plants farmed on its land. The distillation process used to make the essential oils is chemical-free, too.
But why should anyone care about going a more natural route when colouring their hair? For starters, “fragrance” is considered a trade secret, which allows many chemicals and known carcinogens to be hidden behind this term. Some organic hair care lines have “fragrance” in them, so due diligence is necessary. Free of artificial fragrance and colour, Oway products are also free of parabens.
“We can take out the heavily processed aspect of what we do, not be chemically driven and still get good results. Many lines say they’re organic, but when you look into all the ingredients, there’s still a high chemical component,” notes Rolanda Anderson, owner of Salon True.
While Oway’s colouring products are free of artificial fragrance, colour and parabens, there’s still a small chemical content in their colour line, though 98 per cent is derived from plants and water. Blessedly, my highlights have no trace
Many lines say they’re organic, but when you look into all the ingredients, there’s still a high chemical component.
of ammonia. It actually smelled pretty, thanks to the lavender oil and other essential oil extracts.
Clean beauty is great and all, but for some of us, environmental factors come second to getting proper coverage of greys.
“Oway stood up to the quality of results I was used to getting with brands such as Wella, Joico and Oribe,” avows Anderson.
As someone who has highlighted her hair for over two decades, I can attest to this. My highlights looked just as good, lasted just as long and cost as much as they had before. The quality was there, but I had the added bonus of feeling better about what I was putting onto my scalp.
“When you go this route, it’s not just about getting your hair done, it’s about improving your overall well-being,” Anderson notes.
This process for organic colour or highlights is similar to what you’re used to — except for clients who want to go a lot lighter. According to Anderson, the lighteners used in organic hair care aren’t as aggressive, so you’ll need to budget in a few extra appointments when going from dark to light.
Those who take their commitment to the environment seriously will appreciate the refilling station, where you can score shampoo, conditioner, hairspray and bio rich water (a styling product, makeup primer and room spray) for 15 per cent off when you return with your empty bottles. (Oway’s shampoos and conditioners are 100 per cent natural with no chemicals present.)
Defecting from your regular colourist can be a monumental step. Another way to edge toward greener hair care can be found with Wild Kindness from Canmore’s Rocky Mountain Soap Company. This new line of four shampoos and two conditioners is comprised of 100 per cent all natural ingredients with no chemicals or synthetic ingredients. All are sodium lauryl sulphate, paraben and fragrance free.
Products have been specifically formulated to hair type rather than scent. Hair that’s dry or has been heat styled is best suited for Repair & Replenish. Limp tresses get a boost with Volumize & Clarify, while the rosemary and mint scented Nourish & Protect is recommended for normal hair. There’s an unscented conditioner, but you may be tempted to try Hydrate & Smooth, which smells divine thanks to blood orange blossom essential oils.
Turns out, the grass really is greener on the other side. But remember, whenever switching to a new brand of hair, beauty or body care products, try to stick to with it for at least a month to best gauge the results.