How to green your hair routine
For the eco-minded, going green is a very long process because there are just so many areas of our lives where we could be kinder to the environment and make ourselves and our families safer. Hair care is one of the harder areas to master, since doing the best thing for the planet would often leave us with the choice of frizzy poofballs or oily, limp locks.
There are a few easy steps that can help you green your routine. Washing your hair less often is not only recommended by pretty much every stylist ever (except if you have really fine hair) but it also saves water and product, which in turn means less empty bottles headed to landfills.
Speaking of those empty bottles – are you recycling them? That’s right, most hair product bottles have the little recycle symbol on the bottom, just check. You can recycle almost as many bottles and jars you use in this bathroom as you do in the kitchen. If your area doesn’t have a great recycling program or you’re unsure if a bottle or jar is recyclable Origins just launched a program where you can bring any old beauty packaging to their stores and department store counters and they’ll recycle them for you.
When you’re trying to use fewer products and harmful chemicals, blow outs can become even more important – even if using a hair dryer is a bit of an energy drain. To reduce drying time be sure to towel dry thoroughly and let hair air dry at least a bit of the way. If frizz is a problem, be sure to apply anti-frizz product while the hair is still very wet so air doesn’t have time to penetrate the hair shaft. The best hair dryer to use is one with tourmaline, which helps hair dry faster and uses less energy, like the T3 Tourmaline Pro.
Scalp massage can not only thicken hair, but help moisturize or tone down oil. If your scalp is feeling dry, add a few drops of lavender to your fingers, or if hair is feeling greasy use rosemary essential oil. Either do this at night or before shampooing. Side benefits include increased oxygen supply to the brain and improved circulation of cerebrospinal fluid, which stimulates brain development and relaxes nerves and muscles.
Hair dye is one of the biggest offenders when it comes to dangerous chemicals. If you just get highlights, congratulations, as the bleach doesn’t actually touch your scalp. But if you’re getting a full dye job left on your head, be bold and discuss the products used at length with your stylist. Many stylists aren’t aware of the effective alternatives out there, so offer to bring in your own dye – maybe you’ll even get a bit of a discount! Try Tints of Nature, The Henna Company and Eco Colors for hair dyes free of harmful chemicals. At the very least, avoid dyes with p-phenylenediamine (PPD) as it has been linked to allergies and cancer.
A great resource for making your whole beauty routine more eco-friendly is GorgeouslyGreen.com, where I got many of these tips.
Tags: eco-friendly beauty, eco-friendly hair, eco-friendly hair products, green beauty, green hair care, green your hair routine
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