While the salon industry is known for contributing to earth pollution, change is on the rise with more brands, stylists and clients making sustainable and eco-friendly choices. For example, minimizing the amount of water you use, to investing in eco-conscious and vegan products to recycling your empty bottles, there are plenty of simple ways to make your beauty regimen kinder to the environment we live in. Here are a few small, yet significant changes you can make now for a greener beauty routine. While, I’m still learning how I can improve both as a stylist and a consumer, here are a few I’ve found.

COULD SHAMPOO BARS BE THE FUTURE OF AT HOME HAIR CARE?

I’m recently researching shampoo bars. I’m not totally sold on them but definitely worth looking into. I want to test them out soon. The plus of the bars is… Many shampoo bars are biodegradable and don’t come in plastic packaging. Additionally, most are made using all-natural ingredients and are typically free of toxic chemicals that could enter waterways and harm animals. I have found a few bars that are color-safe. Which is huge for my guests. I cannot ever guarantee my colors to last the proper amount of time, unless my clients are using products that I am heavily educated in. With that being said, the one I have my eye on to test is by Unwrapped Life: The fixer shampoo bar. This is what it claims: 100% essential oil. Vegan + cruelty-free (A MUST FOR ME). Lasts approximately 50-75 washes. Equivalent to 2-3 16 oz bottles of liquid product. Color-safe, can be used with extensions. Again, there are several others on the market and I have not officially made the trial jump. Let me know if you do & we can learn together. I sure like the idea of it.

READ THOSE LABELS, BABES.

I’m going to be honest, I didn’t used to do this. I used to just trust the marketing when things say “cruelty free” or paraben free, etc. A lot of these claims aren’t regulated. Kind like how vitamins aren’t. Crazy, right? That anyone can just claim something and call it a day. That’s why us as consumers have to research and not just trust. Be sure to read the labels thoroughly, avoiding any products that contain phthalates, mercury, toluene, lead, formaldehyde, petroleum distillates, parabens (hormone-disrupting preservatives), or BHA. While some labels can be long and intimidating with more than 20 ingredients listed, the most important information about a product lives here on the back of the bottle. Each ingredient will affect your hair in some way, so it’s a good idea to know exactly what you are using and how it will impact your health and the environment as a whole.

UP-CYCLING/RE-USING YOUR BOTTLES.

Need a cute new plant holder or makeup brush holder? Maybe keep a small bottle for travel re-fills or homemade essential oil sprays. There’s so many ways on Pinterest on creativity when it comes to up cycling. You could also create a shower caddy out of used shampoo bottles or make a soap holder to take with you to the gym. (Not that we can go to the gym right now, but you get the picture) The possibilities are truly endless. There’s a place near me in our little town of Encinitas, that you can go fill up soaps and things. I’m super interested in it and can’t wait until the shop opens again to go check it out. How cute is that? Just take your little glass bottles in for a refill. Brilliant, really.

USE LESS WATER/ RINSE YOUR HAIR OUT FASTER.

Okay, so I’ve been trying recently to shave before entering the shower. I get my legs/ body parts wet and apply shaving cream and shave outside the bath. I rinse the razor off under the faucet and continue. Then, I jump in the shower and rinse off the excess product. It’s hard when it’s cold out honestly. But, summertime it really works great. Do you know how much water this saves? A lot. Changing the way you wash your hair can seriously help reduce your overall carbon footprint. I have also been trying to rinse off my conditioner faster. Usually, if we’re being frank… I take long showers. It’s warm, It’s delightful, the whole thing. But, is it worth all the water we waste? Absolutely not. Let’s all be more conscious.

HEATLESS HAIRSTYLES.

WE GOT SOME PRACTICE WITH THIS DURING THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN.

The less heat, the less energy used and wasted. There are so many fun video tutorials out there (especially right now since so many stylists and bloggers created them during the quarantine). Try some out! Another tip, that’s generally just great for your hair, is: if you can, let your hair dry like 50-70% before going in with your dryer. Now, this is easy for us strait-haired girls to say. I know it’s harder with curly haired babes. But, if you can manage the frizz with a great leave-in spray and wait it out, that will encourage more moisture. Curly hair types and frizz CRAVE moisture and naturally lack it. So, voila! Win-win.

SEEK OUT ECO-FRIENDLY PRODUCTS.

One of the best ways you can reduce your hair routine’s carbon footprint is by investing in organic products made with earth-conscious ingredients. Look for packaging made from recycled plastic or the USDA Organic certification, which indicates that products are held to a high standard of sustainability. There are a lot of great vegan-friendly beauty and hair-care lines around that are also worth incorporating into your routine. Check with your stylist and ask what they recommend. A lot of stylists have preferences regarding what they would pair best with your color. Ask your stylist what they are doing for the planet. Are they recycling? Using clean products? Minimizing foil trash? Ask away, if they aren't yet practicing eco-friendly guidelines… you just may be the one to put the idea in their mind. Baby steps can help.

CLEAN OUT YOUR DRAWERS, CLEAN OUT YOUR LIFE.

Doesn’t a big spring cleaning feel so nice? Throw away all those old products that you never use, k? I promise you won’t miss them. Check your expiration dates, too. The expired product can sometimes be harmful to the absorption of products to your skin. Treat your scalp and hair like skin care. It matters.

TAKE COOLER SHOWERS.

Not only is this better for your hair and skin, but it’s also amazing for creating brown fat. Ever heard of it? Me neither until my fiancé introduced me to the knowledge from Wim Hof. From google: Brown fat, also called brown adipose tissue, is a special type of body fat that is turned on (activated) when you get cold. Brown fat produces heat to help maintain your body temperature in cold conditions. Brown fat contains many more mitochondria than does white fat. So, why does it matter? Brown fat breaks down blood sugar (glucose) and fat molecules to create heat and help maintain body temperature. Cold temperatures activate brown fat, which leads to various metabolic changes in the body. Most of our fat, however, is white fat, which stores extra energy. Too much white fat builds up in obesity. Anyways, use your best judgment of what works for you. But, this is the reason that cryo therapy has gotten so popular. You know, those freezing cold tank people immerse themselves into? It helps aid in inflammation as well. Cooler water aids in closing your skin pores after a nice cleanse and same goes with hair. Cool water closes the hair cuticle which helps gain shine and also makes your color last longer. Full disclosure: I also need to do this more. It’s hard. But refreshing!

Feeling motivated to save the planet? Your hair routine is a simple and easy place to start. From choosing organic products and recycled packaging, to reducing your water and energy use, there are so many eco-friendly changes you can make to your hair care routine that will have a positive impact on the earth and your hair. Maybe try challenging yourself by experimenting with one of these above. If you have some other great suggestions, please share!

As I have begun learning about this recently in the past few years, so I am all open ears!

Let’s work together! xx, CAR

All photos were taken by Jay Wick , @2twnty2 / @two.and.twentytwo

Outfits: @jaydenPboutique

Hair routines + Reducing our carbon footprints