Hair Care


Brazilian Blowout Controversy: thankfully there are safe alternatives

The Brazilian Blowout controversy has exploded since Women’s Wear Daily published an article on October 8, 2010 detailing the excessive amounts of formaldehyde found in Brazilian Blowout products. When the news broke, many beauty salons began pulling the products from store shelves. Unfortunately the Brazilian Blowout products had been advertised as “formaldehyde-free,” thus sparking the controversy over the large amount of fomaldehyde which was actually found in the products. The controversy sparked Health Canada to issue a firm warning to salons in Canada. Distributors of Brazilian Blowout have stopped shipping their products to Canada as of Wednesday, October 12 2010 in response to Health Canada’s warning.

According to Women’s Wear Daily, the Oregon Health and Science University’s Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology conducted a study and then released the lab results which show that the Brazilian Blowout product contains between 5% and 10% formaldehyde. According to Health Canada, the levels were at 12% in lab tests. There have also been health related problems reported in Canada due to the formaldehyde levels in the Brazilian Blowout products.

Thankfully there are three products on the market for Fashionistas seeking the same sleek, healthy hair and manageable results a Brazilian Blowout provides.

Shu Uemura Art of Hair ShuSu Sleek entered high end salons in September 2010 and provides both an at-home solution and a traditional salon treatment. Clients have the choice of which product they wish to use; salon or at-home.

Kerastase Paris Oleo-Relax Slim has already been on the market for awhile and also offers an at-home treatment as well as the salon option.

blow Ready Set Blow launched in September 2010 in fine salons in New York. Hopefully this line will reach California soon!

All of these products are safe to use and provide fabulous, smooth silky blowout results. the results can last anywhere from three to six months depending on how you care for your hair at home. Happy shopping and hairstyling! And of course, stay fabulous 


Is your Hair Ready for Earth Day?

Earth Day is fast approaching and it seems to get more exciting every year. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, we have been aware of the environment and its’ fragility for several decades. Children in the late 1970’s began taking field trips through school to the local recycling plant. Students were so proud to be handed a recycling bucket to take home to their parents. There was pure excitement at the thought of teaching one’s parents how to recycle cans, bottles and newspapers. Bay Area parents were very proud of their children who made an effort to recycle at home as well as spread the word to extended friends and family. The recycling mentality has expanded throughout the country and world over the past two decades. Bay Area natives cannot help but feel slightly responsible for getting the word out about the importance of recycling and saving our planet. Although recycling dates back to Plato in 400 BC and it was first required in the United States by Woodbury, NJ, the San Francisco Bay Area took the idea by storm and is responsible for much of the marketing that made it hip.

Earth Day was instated by US Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin on April 22, 1970. It is celebrated in roughly 175 countries each year. As Earth Day has become more popular over the years, many cities and towns celebrate the entire week and have dubbed it “Earth Week.”

Every year consumer companies launch so-called “Green” products in the weeks preceding Earth Day in the hope that consumers will purchase these products in an effort to be more Earth friendly. Unfortunately, many so-called “Green” products are not really green. True Green products are made with environmentally friendly ingredients, in environmentally friendly factories and packaged in recycled materials.

Tigi Hair Care is well known for their “Bed Head” line of hair care products. These products are recommended by stylists around the world and found in fine salons as well beauty supply shops. Target, which normally carries more moderately priced products, has also begun to carry Tigi Products in their “Salon Hair Care” isle which boasts the same products found at your local salon with slightly softer price points.

In an effort to go “Green,” Tigi has launched a wonderful line of earth friendly products named “Love, Peace and the Planet.” These fabulous hair care products are not tested on animals and they do not use artificial colors or fragrances. They treat your hair using only organic ingredients that are free from parabens, laurel and laureth sulfates. To top it all off, Tigi packaged the line in 50% post consumer waste containers and all printed materials are printed on recycled paper or FSC paper using soy or water based ink. This makes the packaging 100% recyclable! Love, Peace, Planet also offers two choices for shampoo and conditioner. They offer a moisturizing shampoo named “Eco Awesome” as well as a daily shine shampoo named “Walking on Sunshine.” The line also offers texture, hairspray and a leave-in conditioner.

It is so refreshing to find a hair care line that lives up to the modern label “Green.” What a fabulous way to celebrate Earth Day and care for your hair! Happy Earth Day! Go green and stay fabulous.