Low-toxicity products used by local hair salons
Lisa Lewis and Jenny Molloy say that since trialling their new hair products they’ll never go back. Photo: Gerard Hindmarsh.
Hair Revolution’s Lisa Lewis and Jenny Molloy are celebrating their move towards low toxicity colouring and styling products, in line with national trends.
“The benefits of using organic ingredients is that they are gentle on the hair and scalp, low toxicity for client and stylist, and in the end put far less chemicals down the drain,” explained Jenny. “We researched several ammonia-free products and found the OCS [Organic Colour Systems] brand ones to be the best for us. They’ve been available for over 25 years.”
Her business partner Lisa says that since trialling their new OCS products they’ll never go back. “They’re streaks [sic]ahead of what’s been available before. The colours don’t fade out to orange and they give a shiny look without using silicon plastics to coat your hair. They’re also no more expensive than conventional products.”
Both research and anecdotal evidence suggests more and more people are developing sensitivities to products that have traditionally used high levels of ammonia, peroxides and paraphenylenediamines (PPDs). These reactions can include anaphylactic shock and all-over body rashes—not only in clients but hairdressers too. Stylists suffer maximum exposure as they mix the products and apply several colours a day. More than a few professionals leave the industry because of symptoms relating to chemical exposure.
Joanna from Golden Bay Hair Design has been a hairdresser for over three decades and says she has seen the trend coming for years.
“L’Oreal bought out a henna-based product back in 1994, but it was too early for the market –there just wasn’t the awareness back then and it didn’t take off. Now I’m using permanent oil-based colours that have no odour, are ammonia-free and give maximum scalp comfort. Even my tone-on-tone semi-permanents haven’t had ammonia in them for nine years. It’s definitely what the market wants now.”
Kathy Page at Finishing Touch agrees, saying that many of her salon’s products have been switching to natural bases in recent years. But she still advises people to know what they’re putting on their hair by reading product ingredients and labels carefully.
“An entirely natural product is pretty hard to find.”
Charlotte Dodson of The Hair Lounge, who has used organic hair products since working with them in Australia, says one problem she has found with stocking a wide range is that they don’t tend to keep as well as products full of chemicals.
“In a small place like Golden Bay, that could be a downside. But there’s no doubting the move within the industry. Our demis now have a vegetable base and our standard bleach is ammonia-free. We’re all going that way, I guess.”
Currently, Golden Bay is well serviced by around 16 working hairdressers—that includes all those employed in the four hair salons in Takaka plus several more who work from home.
Gerard Hindmarsh
