BEAUTY Organic from root to tip

TO DYE FOR?Organic hair dyes are now widely available.

Organic from root to tip


Beauty
Maggie Gibbons

After I had researched and written about organic skincare recently, I made a decision to go the whole hog and have my highlights done organically. I discovered ‘organic’ is everywhere, and that organic hair dyes, unlike chemical dyes, don’t harm the hair. For most of us, the long-term effects of using chemicals can be just as worrying as the cost of hair maintenance.
I took the bull by the horns and booked myself into the Hair and Beauty Parlour on Bridge Street in Westport, where Stylist Lynda McNally did a great job on a head that was badly in need of a lift. Lynda is passionate about her organic range and uses Organic Colour Systems, which she says is the only colour in Ireland that has its ingredients certified by the EU.
This range contains neither ammonia nor any other harmful ingredients. What struck me most was the lack of that ammonia smell – you know the kind that makes your eyes water! Its unique soya oil-delivery system softens the cuticle, allowing gentle heat to open it, working the colour into the hair shaft, creating a permanent result.
Isn’t it time all salons offered this method? It has to be one of the healthiest choices you can make. I loved the finished product, the highlights were just as I like them, and my hair shone. Now it just remains to be seen how long they will last!
NaYo, is a gentle permanent organic colour that can lift as well as covering grey. The ‘Na’ part comes from the word ‘nature’, and ‘yo’ part is taken from the word ‘yogurt’ – sounds good. This ammonia-free product is made with certified flax and calendula to soothe and calm scalp and hair and was in over 1,000 Italian salons within three months of its release. Check your local salon for availability.
For those of you who favour doing the job at home, enter Simply Natural (simplynatural.ie), an Irish-owned company that sells Naturigin, an organic-based permanent hair colour for the DIY hair colourist. All 19 shades – from deep black to light blonde – are free from controversial chemicals like parabens and ammonia, and it’s stocked in many chemists.
Since we’ve all become more aware of organic ranges in food, vegetables and clothing, it seems only natural that we should apply the same level of awareness to caring for our hair. I know I’m happy to have chosen the healthy option.

Maggie Gibbons is an Image/Style Consultant based in Louisburgh. She can be contacted at living@mayonews.ie.