LaDonna
Roye, a hairstylist specializing in hair color, uses Organic Color Systems on cli- ents who ask for it. “My Natural Awak- enings clients expect organic color, which
LaDonna Roye Melanie Nickels with client Hair, Skin and Nails,
the Natural Way Local Pros Specialize in Safe and Healthy Beauty
by Linda Sechrist I
n the world of beauty, where women spend between $471 and $3,500 an- nually on personal care and groom- ing—for everything from cosmetics and facials to eyebrow shaping, hair color and straightening—who would imagine that turning heads and boosting self- esteem could include hidden health costs? Natural Awakenings checked with several Southwest Florida hair stylists, estheticians and salon own- ers dedicated to natural products and services to learn how they avoid health challenges while helping clients safely look and feel their best. Melanie Nickels, a hair stylist for 14 years, woke up to the potential hazards of her profession in 2004 when her husband was diagnosed with cancer. Nickels, owner of Raw Hair by Mela- nie, saw the light when she learned that her husband’s cancer was partly caused by exposure to chemicals he
40 Collier/Lee Counties
used in his business. “When I realized that the chemical side effects of staying beautiful included health threats for me and my clients, I began investigating organic hair color and perms in order to offer healthier options,” says Nickels. Many hair-coloring products com- bine hydrogen peroxide with ammo- nia to create a chemical reaction that opens hair cuticles, decolors existing melanin and allows the dye to pen- etrate and develop. By the time Nickels fully understood that the fumes from the ammonia could take her breath away in more ways than one, she had developed asthma.
Melanie Nickels
I was a healthy athlete and un- fortunately, didn’t realize that my asthma was the result of the chemicals I breathed in daily,” notes Nickels, who created her own line of Raw Hair Organics. “Most products were a combination of synthetic and organic, so I developed my own totally organic line,” says Nickels. “All my clients have converted and love how their hair feels and looks.”
swfl.naturalawakeningsmag.com
lasts as long as conventional and covers the grey very well,” says Roye, who experienced a health challenge with one of the ingredients in conventional color products. “I dropped a canister of powdered bleach on the floor and care- fully swept it up,” explains Roye. “The following day, I felt like I had a serious respiratory infection and discovered that inhaling the powder had burned my lungs.” She adds that within the last 20 years, many stylists have given up their profession due to skin rashes, headaches and respiratory problems. Julie Chandler attributes her increased salon business to a more health-conscious public. “Despite the soft economy, we have tripled our business since opening in 2009,” says the owner of Salon Shangri La. The salon’s services now include organic airbrush tanning as well as an organic nail spa and a new, formaldehyde-free hair straightening process, which lasts up to three months.
Women who want to enjoy natural curl, rather than fighting frizz, are turning to a new straightening process, which softens, shines, and makes hair healthier. As temporary as its conven- tional competitor, the new process no longer uses formaldehyde, which can cause irritation of the eyes and mucous membranes in the nose, headaches, a burning sensation in the throat and difficulty breathing. It can also trigger or aggravate asthma symptoms. Mida Ademi, stylist at Salon Zenergy, offers salon products such as Pravana Natur- ceutical Perfection SmoothOut Solution to transform frizzy, coarse or curly hair into soft, smooth locks. She also uses ammonia- and fragrance-free hair color.
Certified Brazil- ian Keratin Tech-
Betty Ann Mighell
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