Organic Beauty Starts at The Roots

For most of us who have spent hours at the salon going through color processes and highlights, we know the damage our locks endure for beauty. But a new wave of color is coming to the rescue and it’s organic, vegan friendly and cruelty free.

At the tail end of the organic craze is organic hair color. It’s permanent hair color, just with out the harsh chemicals. Yeah, I know, it’s hard to believe it’ll get the job done. But one Largo salon swears by it.

“Organic hair color deposits color so hair stays stronger and healthy,” said Amber Holland, owner of . “

When Holland opened Midori in 2007, she did it paying tribute to her Japanese roots.

The word Midori means green in Japanese. And green is the concept of her salon.

Holland was born to do hair. She knew she wanted to be a cosmetologist and own her own salon since the fourth grade.

“It has always been a passion of mine,” Holland said.

So has being health conscious. Holland studied business management and worked in the field for years before deciding to follow her heart to cosmetology school.

I wanted to help people feel good about themselves, she said.

She incorporated her Japanese culture into the salon with decorative pieces that exhibit Zen-like qualities— like the orchids found on counter tops, the minimalist design and tranquil color palette both on the walls and in the mixing bowl.

The relaxing floral aroma in the air that immediately de-stressed, almost convinced me that they didn’t color hair or paint nails.

"That’s the idea behind the organic line," Holland said, “It doesn’t harm the client or the service provider.”

The concept behind Midori is it's an organic salon that’ll beautify clients and help save the earth, one head at a time.

Unlike traditional hair dyes that have peroxides, parabens, ammonia, formaldehydes and even plastics— organic dyes are made with certified organic ingredients and are 100 percent vegan friendly & cruelty-free.

Hair dyes burst open the hair cuticle to chemically change the color and texture of the hair. Organic colors deposit color into the cuticle, causing less damage to the hair. 

The most common chemical used to lighten hair is peroxide. Peroxide, an alkaline solution, opens the hair cuticle to allow the chemical to react with the hair’s melanin. Organic hair color uses a different system. It naturally raises the hair’s ph level to open the hair’s cuticle.  Once the hair cuticle is open it deposits color.

After the process is complete the hair’s ph level is brought back to its natural level, which is between 4.5 and 5.5 ph. This process is critical to maintaining the hair’s integrity, without it the hair’s cuticle will be damaged.

Organic Hair Systems, an organic hair coloring, perming and straightening line, use this approach to change the color and texture of the hair. 

“The harsh chemicals used in traditional dyes have highly toxic smells,” Holland said.

Going green with hair color is not a concept easily sold to women who have grown up with the idea that peroxide is the only thing that’ll turn a brunette to a blonde. 

“Our color palette has grown a lot,” Holland said.

Instead of stripping color, organic hair color deposits it, she says.

Going green in the salon has become a way of life for the owner.

“I want people to come here because we do a really good thing for hair,” Holland said.

“You’re getting something better for your body.”