To Dye For - A New Breed of Eco-Friendly Salons Offer Indulgent Alternatives

To Dye For - A New Breed of Eco-Friendly Salons Offer Indulgent Alternatives Beauty salons are known for their pungent chemical fumes, but harsh smells and red, irritated eyes no longer need be part of a no-pain-no-gain beauty regimen. Since many of these toxins have been shown to have more sinister effects than temporary eye irritation (see sidebar), it’s worthwhile to seek out ammonia-free, organic salons for a healthy alternative. At the Shades salon in Beverly Hills, for example, the sweet scent of lavender fills the air. A variety of organic hair treatments, including scalp treatments with natural rosemary and tea tree oil, anoint the heads of of patrons, and all of the hair dye used is 100% organic. Many organic color line and eco-friendly salons were created out of necessity, “I had to create an eco-friendly workplace,” explains owner, Susan Henry. She had suffered adverse health effects caused by daily exposure to the ammonia-based hair color products she had been using on her celebrity clientele. Rather than find another profession, Henry was committed to creating a non-toxic color formula that results in less damaged and even healthier hair. Other salons across the US are following the green trend. <a href="http://organiccolorsystems.com/info">Organic Colour Systems</a>. is used at the Green People Salon at the <a href="http://www.bluemedspa.com">Blue Med Spa</a>. in Atlanta. The color system works without ammonia and uses potassium persolphate to lighten hair instead. Senior colorist Julian Huxley is one of only a handful of natural/organic hair stylists in the world. “The quality of these products is unsurpassed. Because the dyes are non-toxic, even expecting ladies can achieve any hair color they want. There are no limitations,” explains Huxley. Thanks to these organic alternatives, we no longer have to sacrifice our health in the name of beauty. Urge your neighborhood salon to take the plunge. Organic Coulour Systems, essential oils, and other non-toxic alternatives are available world-wide. Indulge in Reiki Energy After that initial encounter, I continued to encounter buzz about the benefits of Reiki from a variety of trusted sources, yet it still seemed so strange. It wasn’t until I discovered that my gifted yoga instructor, Ze, is a Reiki specialist that I decided to see what all the unrelenting fuss was about surrounding this peculiar therapy. Since I personally know and trust Ze well, I had faith that if he practiced Reiki, there must be something real and valid in it. There is. The word Reiki (pronounced Ray-key) is made of two Japanese words – Rei which means “God’s Wisdom or the Higher Power” and Ki which is “life force energy”. Reiki is actually spiritually guided life force energy and the Reiki master is able to transfer his or her own energy to help balance the mind, body and spirit. I know, it’s still not sounding terribly scientific, but Reiki energy is actually measured and documented using a SQUID magnetometer, or a Superconducting Quantum Interference Device. In 1970, David Cohen of MIT confirmed that there are biomagnetic fields projected from the human heart by using a SQUID. Since then, science has proven what all of us can feel: there is indeed an energy field around the body. Reiki therapy deals with strengthening and balancing this energy, so the body can function better in every way. To start my session, I went into a dimly lit room with a massage table. The beginning of the process felt very much like preparing for a regular massage, except I kept my clothes on. Ze put a touch of essential oil on his hands that he held above my nose and I was instructed to inhale. The strong scent of sage quickly woke up all of my senses. Ze explained that I might see colors or even hear music during the hour-long session. As I followed his urging to close my eyes and relax, his hands hovered above my body, I could actually feel the sensation of pressure although he was not actually touching me. It felt like a warm radiance flowing through me. The treatment lasted an hour, although Ze typically recommends 1.5 to 3 hours per session. I didn’t see colors or hear music, but I did feel extremely relaxed yet energized. I may still go for a Balinese massage on my next vacation, but I’ll definitely indulge in more Reiki sessions here in Los Angeles to help keep balanced and energized.