Get on board with the sustainable and natural hair market

As consumers become more aware of what they are putting into and onto their bodies (50% of beauty consumers today look for products with natural ingredients), brand's are also savvying up to the change that is needed to keep clients on side. From colour to sustainable packaging here's how the hair world is deepening it's natural awareness.

Natural Hair Colour

According to recent findings 50% of beauty consumers today look for products with natural ingredients in them proving that clients are more conscious than ever with regards to the products they are applying to their skin and hair*. Something that consumers are hyper-aware of are the chemicals that make their hair colour which is why L'Oréal Professionel's innovation, Botanēa has been such a hit with the salon's that have rolled the service out this summer. "I helped introduce henna into the UK in the Sixties, and have offered herbal colour in my salons for the past 40 years. But like anything in fashion, colour does go through cycles," says Hari Salem, owner and founder of HARI’s salon group. "It was trendy to have henna in the Seventies, and now it’s making a comeback, especially with the trend in organic lifestyle choices. Older women also appear to be increasingly prone to allergic reactions with conventional colour or PPD when they hit menopause, so L’Oréal Professionnel Botanēa, which is 100% herbal allows them to continue colouring their hair safely." https://www.instagram.com/p/BlOAkpXh_vC/?taken-by=lorealpro Daniel Galvin OBE also has similar sentiments about the range; "The natural aspect of Botanēa is great because it means that not only can you mix the different colours together to make the shade you want, it is also good for the condition of the hair. Clients who are particularly interested in natural or naturally derived products love having Botanēa as a colour option as they don’t feel like they are putting harsh chemicals on their hair."

Greener Packaging

It can be a minefield sorting out the truly sustainable products from the greenwashed chaff. The Hair Shack’s Carol takes matters into her own hands. “I research the ingredients that we don't want to use. I ask suppliers questions and choose companies with a transparent production process. Before we decided to stock Organic Colour Systems for example we went on a tour of their factory.” During the tour Carol discovered Organic Colour Systems is manufactured in Hampshire so it has a low carbon footprint. Plus, she explains it is company policy to re-use the ingredients packaging that is delivered to the factory. According to the Plastic Oceans Foundation, approximately eight million tons of plastic enter the world’s oceans as waste. Brands like ColorProof are making steps to improve those figures. It recently set up an initiative to produce plastic bottles using 10% ocean-bound, upcycled plastic in a bid to transform ordinary waste.

Our aim is to play a part in preserving the earth, while raising awareness of the damage plastic can cause. Samantha Sweet, co-founder of ColorProof’s UK distributor Sweet Squared.

Italian brand Insight is also making waves with its sustainable packaging. “Insight uses PET (polyethylene terephthalate) for its packaging, which is environmentally-friendly. This means the packaging is fully recyclable and lightweight,” explains Chris Nicholas, Insight’s managing director. Aveda is famous for delivering botanically-based products, but it also partners with local communities around the world to protect ecosystems and cultures. The brand has raised over $56m (£40m) to support environmental change organisations and protect clean water through its Earth Month Campaign, which takes place every April. “We’re also exploring bio-resins that won’t contaminate existing recycling streams,” says Deb Darling, Aveda’s director for packaging materials and innovations initiatives. https://www.instagram.com/p/BmLpG30Ds9g/?taken-by=aveda L’Oréal Professionnel is investing time and money into sustainability too. Look out for L’Oréal Professionnel’s new Source Essentielle range, which launched in May this year. "The packaging is square-shaped to hold the maximum amount of product in the minimum amount of recycled plastic,” explains Laurent Gilbert, L’Oréal Professionnel’s international director of sustainable innovation. “The shape also means the products stack together perfectly for ease of transportation with space being optimised and the need for packaging reduced." Clever stuff. Are you tempted to join the green party? Whether you are a junior, a freelancer or a salon owner, it is worth asking questions about the products you stock or wish to stock in future as your consumers will increasingly want to know the answers. Quiz brands on the ingredients, manufacturing process in the factory, the packaging and the transportation used to get the products to your salon. *According to Kantar World Usage Panel