Going Green Tampa

I have been in the hair industry for close to 30 years. I have worked with almost every professional color line imaginable.  After being exposed to the toxic chemicals for so many years, I found myself almost having to give up my career due to failing health issues. I really was blind to the effects of working around harsh toxic chemicals. Then one day I woke up and could barely move my body. Over the years I had experienced chronic chest and lung infections, migraine headaches, which then developed into immune issues. It got to the point where my body was running a constant low grade fever and even to take a bath hurt when the water touched my skin. I was always mindful of how to eat healthy with whole "real" foods, freshly made fruit and veggie juices. So when my health began to fail this bad, at first I could not figure it all out. No one ever warned me of the dangers of working with hair color. Here in America the FDA doesn't put too much effort into this fact. It is very common, for instance, that when a stylist develops pneumonia, sinus infections or bronchitis, we would just chalk it up to a client coming in with the virus, or something that's just "going around" so to speak. It wasn't until my health was failing to the degree of where the issues became chronic that I began to question the chemicals I was working with.

A lot of us just blindly trust the word of our authority, especially when we are young or "green" if you will, around the gills. For instance I spent a portion of my career believing that peroxide was more of a harsh chemical than the color line I was using.  Wrong.

I would like to take some time to help you see the dangers of toxic chemical color lines vs the safe alternatives which would be considered organic or ammonia free products. Without throwing a bunch of words at you that neither you nor I can comfortably pronounce, I will do my best to share insights on the options that we have now as both hairstylists and clients.

Looking at what makes up peroxide, you have to wonder what about it makes it harmful to hair? For instance, all 20 Volume peroxide contains is 20 oxygen and 1oz water.

It is common to see stylists recoil in fear when we talk about using 50 and 60 volume peroxide. They have been taught that peroxide is damaging to the hair. The information that was taught to them left out at least one important detail.

Peroxide when mixed with Ammonia is what you have to worry about. 

So if there is ZERO AMMONIA, it opens up a whole new tool set for what we can do as hairstylists. So where in the past I avoided using higher peroxide and opted for unknowingly harsh bleaches, I had it all backwards. The reason why I am sharing this with you, is because a lot of people (clients) get scared when I tell them that even though I use organic color, I use peroxide lotion as well as a developer. Some people refuse even though I try and help them understand that they are running away from something that is so gentle they can rinse their mouth with it. Perhaps not at 20 % but nevertheless, it is not the peroxide they, or we, for that matter, need to fear.

Whether you are coloring your hair or using products such as shampoos and conditioners, below is a list of ingredients to consider avoiding as a preventative measure. Depending on the situation, read your labels or ask your hairstylist if the color line they are using contains these chemicals:

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate

DEA Lauryl Sulfate

Alpha Olefin Sulfonate

Animal Protein and Animal by-products

Ammonia

What makes a color organic is that it is free from the harsh chemicals that are linked to carcinogens and skin/body irritants. No color is completely chemical free. After all even peroxide is a chemical. The difference between using an ammonia free/organic color vs conventional color is simply the safety of it. Organic or Ammonia free color lines are beautiful choice in terms of quality as well. The harsh chemicals that are typically used in conventional color are replaced by plants, oils, vitamins and minerals. Another point I need to share with you is to be mindful that if you are thinking of doing your own hair at home, and you buy a product that claims to be Ammonia free, it's not necessarily safe. Ammonia can be replaced with a chemical just as toxic only under a different name.  in other words, its the same level of toxicity, only it’s under another "unpronounceable" name. Similar to salt that would be replaced by MSG. It's not good news. So please be mindful of this fact.

Organic color covers perfectly even on 100 % grey hair. It has been my experience that the colors leave the hair shiny, healthy and almost virgin looking and feeling like when you were a child. I hope the information in this article helped open your mind to at least trying organic color. Your body, and hair will thank you when you do. So go "green" and I don't mean the actually color of your hair. Unless, of course, you are adventurous. Either way, organic color saved my life and my career and I trust it can make a difference in yours as well.

Jules - Organic Hairstylist (image credit to Organic Color Systems)

Visit my blog, Jules Organic Living for tips on healthy living.