Consumers in the beauty world are now more eco-friendly & educated than ever! We have discovered that our skin is a mirror, ultimately reflecting what is going on inside of our bodies. With this in mind we find it logical that the best way to take care of our skin is to rid it of impurities! Pure and natural beauty will shine through when you “green” up your skincare routine. Research shows customers who are motivated to shop for natural, organic beauty care products also consider the ethics of the salons and companies they purchase those items from. Beauty lovers who have a genuine concern and support for the environment are generally drawn to salons and spas that take steps to use natural products and reduce their carbon footprint.
Going Green in your spa can be costly initially but in the long run it will help you bring in the $GREEN$. Spas who invest in turning their space Green generally earn their money back within the first 1-2 years they are in business. So, you are ready to start going green, but what makes your spa “green”? Green spas use therapies that conserve energy and water. They recycle materials whenever possible and actively seek ways to reduce waste. The use of natural and organic skin, hair and nail care products in green spas is a huge focus point as well. In general, the mission of a green spa is to show a responsibility to their guests and to the environment by reducing exposure to toxic chemicals, minimize generation of hazardous waste and to conserve energy. Going Green at home can be a challenge in your daily life. But imagine how tough it must be for green-minded salons. All day energy use and mountains of old hair are just the beginning of the obstacles these salons face. Below are some easy ways salons can take steps to flip the green switch…
Lighting
Make lighting in the salon more efficient and effective. Update lighting systems by installing LED and Halide lights which will create the right balance of light for stylists. These lights are 3 times more powerful, but use only a fraction of the energy and heat as halogen bulbs and will drastically reduce electricity bills.
Appliances
Improve the efficiency of your appliances. Hair salons obviously can’t let their clients hair dry naturally, but choosing to install energy-efficient hair dryers can cut costs and reduce electricity consumption.
Recycling
Recycle all product packaging and reclaim your customers packages for recycling purposes as well. Many salons offer clients 10% more in product refills if they bring back their old bottles, which reduces waste. Also, start to use unbleached paper products in the salon.
Hair Clippings
If possible, reuse old hair clippings. Salons can enroll in programs that recycle old hair clippings for various uses. Matter of Trust, is a company that takes donations of hair clippings and recycles them to make mats used to clean up oil spills around the country.
*Find out how to participate in this program or donate to Matter of Trust.
Water Consumption
Use low flow faucet aerators and low flow showerheads to reduce water consumption.
Other ways
Green spas may also provide robes made of natural fibers, provide recycling containers through the salon, use natural sources of lighting where ever possible, maintain a Zen-like atmosphere and an emphasis on nature in the décor. Going green not only benefits your salon and spa business but your clients and your planet as well. Check out the local programs in your area that can help fund your Green business and give you the tools and ideas you need to make it happen! For example, in New York visit the website for NYSERDA whose aim is to help businesses in New York meet energy goals by reducing energy consumption, promoting the use of renewable energy sources, and protecting the environment. With the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day swiftly approaching on April 22, 2010 what a perfect time to start taking these steps to be more GREEN at home and in the spa! We take hours every day to make ourselves look and feel beautiful, let’s start beautifying the environment at the same time!
