Turning your hair 'green'

When I ventured into a more alternative path some years ago, changes slowly crept into my lifestyle habits: I stopped eating meat and eventually became vegan, I traded in my European car for the most fuel-efficient car on the market, I bought household products that were biodegradable and environmentally friendly, and bought as much organic produce as I could afford. Dare I say it, but I slowly evolved into a modern-day neo-hippie.

Now, I wouldn’t call myself an authentic hippie, mind you. In my travels, I have met dreadlock-donning, Birkenstock-wearing, granola-crunching hippies who have admitted to enjoying a psychotropic treat once in a while. These are nomads who could probably live happily in their Volkswagen Type 2 camper van, then spawn children and name them “Leaf” or “River.” And while the original hippies were baby boomers who grew up in a time of radical change, the legacy of their lifestyle and beliefs continue to live on in today’s generation.

I sometimes secretly wish that I were like them, liberated from MacBooks and MAC makeup, freely waving the peace sign with polish-free fingers as I expose hairy, deodorant-less armpits.

But alas, even in the quest to become a 21st-century flower child, there are things that I refuse to let go — like pampering myself, for example. Is a day at the salon too much to ask?

I’ve found a happy medium between my life as a model and environmentalist. I use cosmetics that are natural, which are safe for the body and for the earth. Hair-care brand Schwarzkopf recently launched its new line Essensity, with naturally derived ingredients to care for and enhance hair, minus the damage-causing chemicals and bio-engineered ingredients found in ordinary hair products. You won’t find potential carcinogens or chemical-laden ingredients like artificial fragrances, silicones, paraffin, mineral oils and parabens. All their products are simple, natural, organic, but 100-percent effective.

For their shampoo and conditioners, cranberry, aloe vera, goji berry, eucalyptus and calendula are used to boost your hair’s natural defenses through the power of nature-derived antioxidants. Their styling line infuses extracts such as ash tree bark for hold without the residue or stickiness, tapioca as a natural hair thickener for easy sculpting, red vine bud for volume and lift, and sesame for natural shine.

The biggest breakthrough, however, is their Essensity Color line, which introduces the first ammonia-free and fragrance-free hair color system. While many Filipinas love to color their hair, whether to lighten or cover gray areas, studies show that frequent hair dyeing can be harmful as the skin absorbs the harmful chemicals. Essensity Color is more than 90 percent free from artificial colorants and formaldehyde derivatives, and instead uses finely filtered natural beeswax for shiny and supple hair and scalp, as well as fermented ectoin that protects against environmental aggressors.

Not only are their products good for your health, your hair and your scalp, but Essensity is also kind to the environment. All their ingredients are sourced from organic farms that practice renewable and sustainable methods. They also help reduce water pollution with mostly biodegradable formulations as well as land pollution with packaging made from 100-percent-recyclable materials.

Who says that the journey to saving the environment has to be a rough one? Perhaps a new wave of hippies will breed — those who care about Mother Nature but keep up with the modern age. We can keep the earth beautiful and at the same time be beautiful, inside and out.

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From April 22-25, Essensity will be celebrating Earth Day by offering discounts or complimentary gifts for every Essensity Color Service availed of at select salons nationwide.