Modern Salon - April 2009 - (Page 54) ASK THE EXPERTS Seeing Green, Embracing Wellness Q: I have used every hair color under the sun and I really want to be greener as I move forward with my salon and the hair color I use on my clients. What are some ingredients and features to look for in hair color products that are more environmentally friendly? A: MODERN asked Joseph Bogart, Pravana’s Artistic Educator for a good solution. dyes. Although henna can offer a natural-looking auburn color, it is not compatible with most other salon chemical services and is difficult to remove. Colors using metallic or progressive dyes are limited, like henna, in the colors they can produce and can cause disastrous results when combined with other salon chemical services. “I use Pravana’s Silk Degrees. The non-permanent color lasts through six to eight shampoos and then fades completely from the hair. It is ideal to introduce new clients to color and ‘green’ color at that,” says Bogart. Q: What can skin care professionals do to better position themselves as wellness and skin health experts when so many skin care brands focus on the appeal of glamor, luxury and pampering? A: Dermalogica Founder and Skin Therapist Jane Wurwand says, “We BOGART “Many of my clients have expressed their concern in finding a green solution for hair color,” says Bogart. His advice: Look for a plant-based hair color treatment comprised of a plant-based dye system and conditioners with pure keratin, silk amino acids and natural wheat protein. The proteins are what help anchor the hair color for greater and longer-lasting color durability. In addition, focus on formulas that do NOT contain ammonia, peroxide and so-called PPDs (paraphenylenediamine). “In searching for my ‘green’ color solution, I explored henna and some socalled natural colors containing metallic 54 APRIL 2009 have to first believe that our work and purpose is rooted in overall health and then take our services and take-home product offerings from there. “Take a long hard look at the service menu and the take-home product offerings. If the menu is overly long, complicated and full of words like ‘luxury, pampering, beauty and indulgence,’ it is dated. If the services and products overpromise and under-deliver, they are dated. If we are still selling some concept of youth, beauty and feminine passivity then it is dated. “It even starts with what we call ourselves and our work. We are not ‘estheticians,’ which is a French term meaning an ‘appreciator of beauty.’ We are professional skin WURWAND therapists, who offer real solutions and authentic advice for skin issues that fall within our scope of work. We offer skin treatments, not facials, and we work in skin health, not beauty. “But first, we need to be honest and ask ourselves if we really have the training and knowledge to really be professional skin therapists. Are we able to get results in the treatment room and by recommending home care programs that work? Or are we really just able to offer a ‘feel good’ relaxation experience through ‘steaming and creaming?’ “Serious clients who are seeking expert advice simply have no faith in the purely pampering approach and would rather go to a dermatologist or an alternate professional who they see as better able to help them. If clients feel this way about our industry, we have brought it on ourselves by constantly seeking the next big thing or ‘signature’ treatments rather than focusing on getting results through our education, ongoing development and products that really work. It is time to change our thinking and focus on what makes us expert, effective and unique. “This is why Dermalogica has earned its reputation as the skin health expert—we have always focused more time, revenue and attention on education, and that is the core foundation of our success.” —Alicia Marantz Liotta www.modernsalon.com http://www.modernsalon.com
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.