America is becoming “greener”. It has been a slow process since the first “Earth Day”, but the change is gaining momentum. You can see it in the organic food trend; in electric or hybrid cars; in the recycling effort, and in many other ways that affect personal and environmental health. How a person deals with their hair can also make a difference. You can help.
Helping customers adapt to a “green” kind of haircare needs a little knowledge in several areas:
1. The skin. The largest organ of the body is our main protection from infections and the harmful things in our environment. Skin does a good job of protecting, but some chemicals can be absorbed through the skin. Most hair products are loaded with cheap, strange sounding chemicals.
2. Chemistry. Chemists do not take a “hippocratic oath” like doctors, but perhaps they should. They can make all kinds of things with their synthetic chemicals. Some things have made life much better, but some do damage–even causing cancer. (Avoid hair products that have benzyl butyl phthalate; butylparaben; DEHP; isoparaben; methylparaben; polyparaben.)
Usually, we do not find out about damaging chemicals until they have been in use for years.
3. Your cutting skills. The basic haircuts I teach can be given all manner of chemicals to change the appearance of hair. On the other hand, these haircuts have been popular for decades mainly because they need nothing more than a shampoo and towel-dry every day or two. Getting a haircut every month or two keeps the hair in good shape all the time without the need for extra products. People like the easy haircare; the environment likes it too.
4. Chemical-free alternatives. There are a number of companies that offer hair products and a range of personal products without synthetic chemicals. Here is a short list of websites for companies that fit into the “green” trend:
a. www.aubrey-organics.com
b. www.aveda.com
c. www.justnaturalskincare.com
d. www.sephora.com
e. www.simplyorganicbeauty.com
You could offer their products in your shop, or have this list on a hand-out for customers who are interested. They can order it from the internet, and your thoughtfulness will be appreciated.
THOSE BANKERS
A banker is a fellow who hands you an umbrella when the sun is shining and wants it back the minute it begins to rain.
Mark Twain