Green-Blonde Haircare

Yesterday, I had my long awaited hair appointment with Caitlyn at Lebel & Crowe on Dundas West. The salon is small and has very cozy vibes – think twinkle lights, mismatched photo frames and worn-out art magazines. The shop dog, a shiba inu, keeps watch from her little bed by the radiator.

I have been dying my hair ever since a questionable decision to tint my hair dark purple from a box in middle school. Since then, I have stayed closer to my natural blonde – save for a brown period one winter. I love the brightening effect that fresh colour has on my face and the feeling of freshly trimmed ends.

When I started getting really interested in green beauty, however, I decided that I would embrace my natural hair colour after reading about all of the potential ill effects of bleach and dye. Because your scalp is very porous, it is an area of your body more prone to absorbing the ingredients used on it. According to EWG’s Skin Deep database, dark permanent hair dyes are some of the worst culprits. Looking back, I cringe a little when I think about everything I’ve put my hair and scalp through over the years.

I only made it about six months into my natural colour experiment before I started really missing some strands of bright blonde around my face. Enter Caitlyn and my blonde-friendly compromise: balayage. This technique involves painting bleach onto the lengths of the hair, but leaving the roots untouched, for a very natural looking ombre effect. Because I only get my hair done a few times a year now, I’m okay with the amount of exposure I get to the fumes.

I also try to take good care of my hair at home in the months between visits. I don’t wash my hair every day, and I don’t heat style. I have also been trying to green up my products, especially when it comes to shampoo and anything in powder or spray form, which can be inhaled. This is my current product lineup:

Desert Essence Organics Red Raspberry Shampoo – This shampoo not only smells amazing, but also lathers nicely and leaves my hair feeling really clean. It’s also made of certified organic ingredients.

L’Oreal EverPure Blonde Brass Banisher Conditioner – This is in no way an eco product, but I’ve had quite a bit of difficulty finding a “green” purple conditioner. I thought I had found one in the “natural” section at Winners, but upon reading the ingredient list I found that it contained mineral oil. No dice!

Phyto Phytokeratine Extreme Crème D’exception – After I towel try my hair, I run some of this through the ends to make it easier to comb through with my Tangle Teezer. It’s a bit pricey, but a little goes a long way.

Lush R&B Hair Moisturizer – This stuff smells absolutely incredible, like jasmine. I run a bit though the ends of dry hair to make it soft, and the girl at the shop told me that it helps to improve your hair’s elasticity so it can bend without breaking.

Andalou Naturals Sunflower & Citrus Hairspray – I often wear my hair up off of my face, and in order to keep my flyaways down I use a little spritz of this light hairspray. As I mentioned earlier, spray products are very easy to inhale, so I think it’s important to go as natural as possible for this one. It smells like grapefruit and offers light everyday hold.

Principessa Beauty Bianco Breeze Dry Shampoo – On days that I can’t (or don’t want to) wash my hair, I use a little sprinkle of this dry shampoo and massage it into the roots. It’s undetectable, smells great, and doesn’t contain any toxic chemicals. Unfortunately this Canadian brand has gone under, but I grabbed a backup tin so I should be set for a little while longer.

Bonus: This Sweetgrass soy-wax candle from Soulflower Herbals smells like an absolute dream! In addition, it’s made in New Brunswick by a family-owned, First Nations company.

As you can see, I keep it pretty simple these days when it comes to hair. I mostly choose hair products that condition and keep it looking shiny and healthy. Ever since I was little, my mom has taught me that hair health is one of the most important aspects of keeping it looking nice. She has long, shiny dark hair into her fifties, so I’ll take her word for it!