If you’re anything like us, you cherish your hair and the time you spend making it as PERFECT as it can be—even though you have an 8am class, a 9-hour work day, or a 10 o’clock appointment with your bed and Hulu. In lieu of Earth Month, here are a few eco-friendly brands to get the look you’re going for, while still keeping the earth in mind.
Pureology
Pureology is a salon-quality hair line—and it’s vegan! No sulfates, high-performance, and even protects color-treated hair. Another pro is that it smells so good. The Pureology line uses essential oils to target damaged hair, which leaves your hair smelling like you just came back from a month-long vacation. Your hair will appreciate you, but so will your bank account! A little goes a long way, stretching your money and getting the job done with little energy required.
Avalon Organics
Avalon Organics is an organic and cruelty-free line of both hair and skin care, certifiably! Their standards are pure, true, kind, safe and grown. Their website claims that they are committed to “organic agriculture and sustainability.” They vouch never to test an ingredient or product on animals, and to be transparent with each formula. They have certifications fitted to the NSF/ANSI 305 Standard, as well as to the USDA National Organic Program Standard.
Raw Hair Organics
Raw Hair Organics are 100% natural and create hair-care products for women, men and pets. Melanie Nickels, the creator of Raw Hair Organics, created this company out of devastation—her husband was diagnosed with cancer in 2004. Probable cause? He spend almost 20 years working in the industrial chemical distribution business, but guess what? They found that all of the hair products that Melanie was using on herself and clients prior to their own business contained toxic chemicals that he had exposure to at work. Melanie, and most of the world, are using chemicals on their scalp and have long been attributed to many illnesses, such as cancer. The couple began sustainable living, created an online hair care shop and organic salon in 2007, and have been cutting chemicals out of their lives ever since.
Intelligent Nutrients
Another certifiably organic hair-care company is Intelligent Nutrients. The products are non-toxic, vegan, cruelty-free, and “made with plants, not petroleum.” This brand also believes in ingredient transparency; they want you to know what you’re buying and putting on your body. In addition to respect for animals, they have a large respect for our oceans! They are committing to clean water and are only using “plant-based exfoliation alternatives” rather than plastic microbeads that can gather in the water, adding to the abundance of pollution that we already have. Though the products are vegan, another important feature is packaging. Intelligent Nutrients uses recycled plastic for the packaging as much as they can, and opts out of preservatives, extending sustainability outside the products that are physically being used and out toward something we often forget is an issue.
John Masters Organics
Last but not least is John Masters Organics. John Masters is a New York native and is geared toward making “premium quality, earth-friendly” products. He created the first toxin-free salon in Manhattan with the intention of reducing the amount of chemicals workers and customers were interacting with during their hair-care experiences. John explains that, “We only get one body and we only get one planet. Why not treat them with the utmost care?” His line uses 100% recyclable packaging and is completely earth-friendly!
Living sustainably can be difficult when you don’t know exactly where to start. Her Campus UGA is focused on giving you a boost, and we hope to have shed some light on sustainable living!