STURBRIDGE - What is the price of beauty?
Thanks to the recent opening of Green Hair Company, the cost has gone down – in more ways than one.
Because Green Hair uses organic and all natural products, getting your hair done no longer has to mean using harsh chemicals that pose risks to health as well as the environment, said proprietor Mimi McGlone.
And the price is right too, she adds.
“A lot of people associate organic with higher price.” Not so, McGlone said. “We’re very competitive if not a little lower.”
As she talks, she works on the hair of Deborah Dunne who lives in Westchester County, New York. Dunne says that when in the area to visit family, she found McGlone and now prefers Green Hair to getting her hair done in New York.
“I just like the fact that she uses all organic and all natural products. And more importantly Mimi’s just a great hair stylist,” Dunne said.
“I try to purchase natural and organic products,” McGlone said, “without all the carcinogens, synthetics, you know, harmful ingredients.”
Beauty products with carcinogens?
“Oh, gosh, yes, in lot’s of brands,” she said.
But not in the Green Hair salon. One product, for example, is the Onesta hair care line.
The Web site onestahaircare.com, makes the suggestion “free yourself from harmful chemicals,” such as parabens, sodium laurel sulfate, as well animal ingredients and animal testing.
Instead, ingredients like coconut oil, sage oil, and organic botanical extracts are blended along with the omega complex of essential fatty acids derived from nuts.
What’s more, they promote themselves as having their energy 100 percent offset by windpower.
“All marketing materials, product displays, and packaging are produced on recycled materials,” as well. And they donate 10 percent of net proceeds to cancer research.
As far as coloring, McGlone said, organic products don’t exist. “You really can’t get an organic color.”
Yet, the dye they use, adds stylist Cheryl Nadaud, is biodegradable.
She said that’s the key when thinking of the effects of a color line. “Are they able to break down once they go down the sink and into the earth? These do, which is different,” Nadaud said.
McGlone said it took a lot of research before she was satisfied she had the best products for an all-natural salon. But having those products will pay off. “People are asking for better quality and more natural products. It’s slow coming, but it’s coming,” she said.
Nadaud has seen the natural economy in full swing having grown up in southern California. “We grew up very organic and natural. I had a lot of food allergies, so that was just kind of our way of life and our mindset. In California, our grocery stores are health food stores and they’re on every other corner. Here, they’re slow starting but it’s here,” she said.
Consequently, when Nadaud heard through a family member about McGlone’s idea, “I thought this is cool. I want to be a part of this.”
McGlone is still striving to improve the sustainability of her products by decreasing the amount of miles they travel. Already she sells locally made jewelry in the salon, and intends to carry other locally produced items such as shampoo.
The atmosphere, like the products, is very gentle, as well. Jazz standards keep the time under cathedral ceiling post and beam natural wood construction. Tea is offered along with educated conversation and a sense of humor.
“You feel good as soon as you walk in,” McGlone said.
And walk-ins are welcome at 538 Main St. behind the Copper Stallion. For more information contact Green Hair at (508) 347-7273.