The Future is Holistic

A simple Google search for “organic hair color” will likely introduce you to countless hair color brands that tout themselves as “organic” or “natural”. And it’s not surprising.

According to market research, the organic and natural personal care market is predicted to explode to $22 billion by 2024. So, it doesn’t come as a shock that many brands are suddenly putting “organic” or “natural” labels on their products to appeal to green salons and health-conscious clients.

But what do these words really mean in the hairdressing industry? Why are organic or naturally derived products the better choice? And more importantly, how do we know which products are truly natural? This month, in American Salon Magazine, our experts weighed in to bring more education and transparency to the organic beauty movement. Here’s what we had to say:

At Simply Organic Beauty, all of our products contain organic or natural ingredients but we didn’t stop there. Our salon products are HOLISTIC – meaning they do not harm the HAIR, HEALTH, or the PLANET. Adopting this No Harm Mantra goes beyond the “organic” label and demands a stricter set of standards for our beauty products.

Ethical and Environmentally Friendly

To be considered a true green brand, a company must not only focus on using organic ingredients in their products – but they must also be committed to reducing their environmental impact. For example, here at Simply Organic Beauty, we offer eco-education, which include Salon Refill Programs and Upcycling Tips for salons – so both hair stylists and their clients are educated on how they can reduce their carbon footprint.

Aside from being eco-conscious, our product lines are all cruelty-free, because we firmly believe that no animal deserves to be killed and tortured in the name of research. There are a few steps you can take to ensure your products cause no harm to animals.

• Look for cruelty-free salon products certified by reputable animal rights organizations, such as PETA and Leaping Bunny.
• Research the parent company of your products, as they could still engage in animal testing. For example, Esteé Lauder tests on animals. They own brands that do not, but your money still goes to support animal testing.
• Make sure your brand does NOT distribute products in countries that require animal testing. China requires animal testing by law, so steer clear of products available in China.

High-Performance Organic Salon Products

When people hear about “organic hair color”, they often equate it with “less effective”, which is a common misconception. Sure, it may not seem as aggressive as chemical-laden hair dyes, but it definitely is a healthier alternative and equally effective in coloring hair.

In the professional beauty industry, “organic” means products formulated with the LEAST amount of synthetic chemicals and the MAXIMUM amount of natural ingredients. For hair color to work, it needs a certain amount of chemicals for color molecules to bind and penetrate the hair shaft.

At Simply Organic Beauty, our mission is to provide safe and professional hair color formulated with pure botanical ingredients that make hair color last, while nourishing and repairing the hair.

One of our product lines – Oway Hcolor – is made up of 98.6% organic, biodynamic, and fair-trade ingredients with only 1.4% chemical ingredients necessary for the hair color to work. This makes Oway the most natural hair color in the professional beauty industry. In fact, Oway has been voted Best Ammonia-Free Hair Color for two years in a row, a testament to its efficacy.

“First of all, it’s super easy to use, and any formula I put together is gorgeous. You don’t have to struggle with gray coverage, either.  There’s no ‘oops’ factor. The organic ingredients that are in these products actually help plump up and repair the hair. You’re healing the cortex and the cuticle, and you’re not just adding silicones to create shine, you’re actually creating shine from the inside out. I think of it as hair repair, not just hair color.” – Rebecca Gregory, Simply Organic Beauty Education and Technical Director

100% Pure, Biodynamic Ingredients

In line with our mission to provide the safest and most natural professional hair color, we make sure that our products are only made with the purest plant-based ingredients obtained through fair trade. The ingredients we use are BIODYNAMIC, a holistic approach to farming that focuses on the overall health of the farm. This means not using chemicals and pesticides that interfere with the harmony and ecological balance among all living creatures.

“At Simply Organic Beauty, we’re using plants that aren’t just organic, they’re biodynamic – which means they’re grown without pesticides or polluting farm machinery. Instead, the plants are picked by real people in accordance with the moon’s lunar cycles.” – Scott Mitchell, Simply Organic Beauty CEO

This process ensures that the ingredients are ethically managed and harvested in their purest form.

Full Ingredient Disclosure

In recent years, many people have become increasingly aware of the toxins present in cosmetics. Health-conscious consumers are no longer just reading the front packaging. The word “organic” at the front doesn’t cut it anymore – they are now scrutinizing the back label for inconspicuous ingredients that may contain harmful chemicals.

Companies have tried hiding (and many still do) the synthetic chemicals they use in “Fragrance or Parfum” which often causes allergic reactions and skin irritations.

Transparency, honesty, and integrity are the core principles that govern all the things we do at Simply Organic Beauty. We fully disclose our ingredients to our clients and we don’t just take product claims at face value. To be labeled as “natural”, a product must have at least 80% organic, natural, or naturally derived ingredients.

We are aware that switching to more natural hair color alternatives is not easy for salons, stylists, and clients alike, but the benefits always outweigh the risk. By choosing to go green, we are not just curbing exposure to toxic ingredients but we are also increasing our POSITIVE impact on the environment.