Charity begins in the salon...

If there is one thing that hairdressing really excels at, it is doing its - and everyone else's - bit for charity.

We have a constant stream of press releases coming in to the office about charity events and shows that salons have thrown or fun runs and fetes that they have taken part in and I think it's easy to forget that it's a lot easier to say no to charity initiatives than throw yourselves into them.

This weekend, I had the chance to interview John Paul Dejoria, co-founder of Paul Mitchell, and charity work is something he knows all about.

He and the company first developed a social conscience back in 1981, when they could afford to pay off their bills each month, and they've been doing it ever since.

It's easy to be cynical when companies talk about their charity work, but John Paul's passion when he talks about everything from saving whales, to feeding the children of AIDS victims in Africa to setting up safe-homes to stop Thai women being sent to prostitution is there for all to see.

John Paul openly admits that they have to turn down multiple good causes every month but says they always try to help the charity initiatives that he thinks hairdressers would support.

Another initiative that made me smile was Kent Brushes moustache combs for Movember.  Movember is such a clever and fun charity idea and it's good to see people getting involved.

I hope that the combs help to make plenty of money for the very worthy cause.