Switched over to natural hair care and now afraid of the hairdressers? I know from the times that I’ve been stuck without my favourite Avalon Organics shampoo that going back to the regular stuff really messes with my hair – which leads me to my new favourite find in London: Natural Colour Works!
By changing over to green hair care, the main big things I have cut out are SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) and PPD (paraphenylenediamine). Both of these strip hair of its natural oils, and can cause irritation of the scalp – which I’ve recognised from the few times I’ve been caught out and had to use a regular brand. Every time, my hair has gone back to being quite frizzy and full of fly-aways, especially if I’ve skipped over conditioner (something I’ve got a distrust of… I think shampoo should be able to clean hair without needing another product to replace things it has gotten rid of already. But that’s just me).
So, when I moved from Birmingham to London late last year, I had to say a sad goodbye to my favourite organic hairdressers there – Puro. I’ve actually always been quite nervous visiting new hairdressers, thanks to a childhood full of bowl cuts and horrendous feathering, but I was put at ease when visiting Natural Colour Works.
Firstly, this was because I was meeting with Sara – a friendly face to me, and probably one you know already too. If not, you should check out her wonderful YouTube channel and blog! Sara’s actually going to open a very cool new chapter of her life soon, so if you’d like to see her personally there, I’d recommend booking in quick!
Secondly, I felt at ease because the salon shares the same ethos I do. Its products mirror those that I use, in the fact that they are cruelty-free, and chiefly organic, with its speciality being natural hair dyes. Even though I only went for a wash, cut and blow dry, you can see just how healthy and glossy my hair looks after a good scrub and heat treatments.
The other reason I really enjoyed my time at Natural Colour Works is because of the way I was treated. I’ve been to a good few hairdressers, from low-end independents to high-end high-street names, and there’s always been some form of awkwardness, whether its the fact that I’ve been held back or hurried out of the chair, that I’ve not been consulted before my cut, or in one case, had a dog start slobbering on my leg. The atmosphere in Natural Colour Works lends itself to that of a high-end independent, which it is, but there’s a friendliness and appreciation of you as a client; drinks are served beautifully, you’re asked if you’re comfortable with their product choices before application, and above all, you leave feeling relaxed and like you’ve been pampered, which is exactly what a hair cut should make you feel.
All in all, I’m happy to say that Natural Colour Works is my new salon of choice, and I hope to become a regular there. It’s not often that I feel comfortable in such an intimate treatment situation, but I did there and know I will again!
