Great hair shouldn’t cost the earth
Heat, foils, towels, and all those products full of phthalates: there’s no doubt about it, conventional hairdressing takes its toll on the planet (not to mention on your hair).
Do-Lalli is an eco-friendly, ethical salon, committed to sustainability and on a mission to make the world better. Our aim is to minimise our environmental impact while ensuring your hair is luxuriously gorgeous. All our products come from companies that care, meaning they’re cruelty free, often organic, often vegan. But we’re not just incorporating green products into our practice. We’re actively trialling new techniques and re-thinking the default. What does that mean for you? Here are three differences you might notice when you pay us a visit:
Towels
Hairdressing salons have high turnover of towels requiring a fast turnaround of laundry. At Do-Lalli, your freshly washed hair is dried off using a disposable, bio-degradable towel, reducing our reliance on washing machines and those notorious energy-guzzlers, tumble dryers. On top of that, Lalli is evangelical about the dry cut, especially for curly hair, so there’s no need for wasteful pre-cut washes if your hair’s already clean.
Questioning colour
We love colour whether it’s charcoal lowlights to blend in the greys, a full-on bright blue or a peachy tint to add interest to blonde. But colour doesn’t always mean reaching for the dye. Hair that’s lost its shape, gone frizzy, or needs a little TLC might seem to be crying out for a new hue but a good cut and condition could be all that’s needed. It’s amazing how bringing light and movement back into hair can reveal tones and textures as radically refreshing as a regular colourant.
Foils
Did you know, it takes 80-200 years for aluminium foil to biodegrade? And yet 99% of UK salons simply bin their foils after use. At Do-Lalli, we want that to change. We hand wash and flatten our foils so they can be re-used in the salon. When they get too tired, we take them to be recycled. We’re also experimenting with alternatives such as biodegradable foil and fungal textiles. Check us out on social media where we’re encouraging other salons to get on board with our campaign to #fighthefoil.
Three ways you can you reduce your haircare footprint
We all have a part to play in the fight against climate breakdown. Making more sustainable choices in our day-to-day life is often easier than it seems and doesn’t have to mean compromising on hair health. In fact, the opposite can be true. Switching from harsh chemicals to natural products can do wonders for your hair and scalp.
Try homemade haircare
Avoid synthetic chemicals by mixing up some haircare the old-fashioned way. Avocados, bananas and eggs are all excellent for revitalising dry, damaged hair. Mash the fruits or give the eggs a quick whisk, slather onto wet hair, pop on a shower cap, and relax for 15 minutes to let the richness sink in. You can add shine and strength with a rice water rinse. Retain the water from cooked, drained rice, pour over freshly washed hair and massage in. Leave on for up to 20 minutes and rinse.
If you want to give your hair a summery boost, check out our tips for DIY hair highlights.
So many haircare ingredients are readily available in your local grocers or supermarkets, making it easy to indulge in a guilt-free treatment while saving yourself a few quid to boot.
Reduce your plastic use
It’s not just what’s inside a product that counts; it’s what’s on the outside too: the packaging. Most hair care products are sold in plastic containers, and we all know about the devastating impact that plastic is wreaking on our planet. Scientists estimate that 79% of plastic ends up in landfill or in the natural environment while only 9% of all the plastic ever created – yes, ever created — has been recycled to date. Unfortunately, plastic isn’t easy to recycle and knowing which types can be recycled and where is a total minefield. Brighton and Hove Council, for example, recycle bottles but not pots, tubs and trays.
Is it any wonder, then, that many of us are guilty of wishcycling, tossing items into the recycling with our fingers crossed? It’s a practice that can lead to contaminated batches, and when that happens an entire load of recyclables can end up incinerated or at landfill. But even if we squint at those tiny packaging symbols and get it right, recycling plastics is energy intensive and so still not ideal.
Bar shampoo
Plumping for plastic-free alternatives is a much simpler, more planet friendly option. Consider replacing your liquid shampoo with solid bars which typically have the added bonus of being free from sulphates (the stuff that makes the suds) and are less drying than detergent cleansers. You might experience a feeling of build up when you first switch to bars, especially if you’re in a hard water area such as Brighton. But stick with it, or try an apple cider rinse, and you’ll soon be past that transition stage. You’ll find plenty of stockists online, often with sound ethical and environmental principles such as the award-winning Bean and Boy. If you’re in Brighton, check out Hisbe, Wastenot or Infinity. FRoG, another Brighton-based company sell shampoo bars online and also deliver free in the local area. Many people find they no longer need conditioner when they ditch the bottles but if you want that extra nourishment, you’ll find plenty of bar options too. And if you miss the foaminess of regular shampoo, try bars from Lush which do contain sulphates but smell divine and are from a company who’ve long been champions of low-waste packaging.
Refills and recyclables
Alternatively, refill your own containers with shampoo and conditioner from organic bulk buy stores. If you’re looking for variety in a product range to address your specific hair needs, try companies who use glass or 100% recycled plastic in their packaging such as Neal’s Yard or Aveda.
Take it easy
Reducing your use of water, heat styling and products is kinder to both your hair and the planet. Consider washing your hair less often, especially if you usually shampoo every day. If you have time, air dry your hair rather than grabbing the drier. Getting a cut that works with, not against, your hair should mean less need to tame and de-frizz, or volumise and add shine. Our curly-haired clients in particular are often amazed that they can go product-free once Lalli has worked her magic with her scissors! Check out our reviews to see what they say.
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What about you?
Do you have any eco-friendly haircare recommendations of your own? Let us know on Instagram or Facebook so we can add to our knowledge and help tackle the climate crisis. We’d love to hear from you. We’re in this together and many people making small, simple changes can make a huge difference to our world.