Hidden Impact – Babette Porcelijn
In the pursuit of more sustainable entrepreneurship, an important basic principle is: knowing where your impact lies.
A few years ago, I unsuspectingly made a big mistake as hairdresser (
www.hairvisit.nl): I chose to start using ammonia-free dyes….
I was a bit fed up with the smell of ammonia and was convinced that I was making the right choice. And for months I stood by my choice. The smell was more pleasant and my customers noticed this too. Yet people continued to suffer from scalp irritation, hair breakage and even hair loss. I myself continued to suffer from eczema on my hands and respiratory irritation.
After doing some research, I discovered that we are seriously being fooled with ‘ammonia-free dyes’! In those products, the ammonia has been replaced by MEA (mono ethanol amine).
The treacherous thing is that this substance is virtually odorless and therefore gives us the impression that it would not be harmful. The opposite is true: it turns out to damage your hair more than ammonia does, irritates the skin, causes more hair loss, is dangerous when inhaled and pollutes surface waters in the long term.
Effects of ethanolamine – Info source: Google Search
An acquaintance made me aware of the existence of the brand Rodolphe & Co. A French brand that works with Plant Colours (totally non-chemical) and Mineral Colours (very lightly chemical).
The Plant Colours are great. No chemicals and a particularly wide range of colours. The covering power on grey hair is surprising and the hair not only looks healthier…, it ís healthier. A side effect is that it becomes less necessary to use all kinds of conditioners and masks, which are currently still largely full of silicones/microplastics (just look at the packaging and look for e.g. ‘dimeticone’). When rinsing out Plant Colours, you only rinse away plant powder. No shampoo is used when rinsing. Perfect for the environment.
Plant Colours Rodolphe & Co
The Mineral Colours by Rodolphe & Co are intended for those for whom the Plant Colours are just not powerful enough. By using smart and mostly plant-based ingredients, the positive effect on skin and hair is also clearly noticeable.
It is quite difficult for each of us to make the right choices in our quest for a better balance on our planet. It helps if you know what alternatives there are and if you know the effect of those alternatives.
Blindly assuming (as I did before) is therefore not an option.
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Finally, a reading tip to learn more about your Hidden Impact: the book by Industrial Designer and Author
Babette Porcelijn – “Hidden Impact”. (The link is to the Dutch version of the book but you might be able to find it in English). The book makes it easier to understand where you can reduce your impact and it will surprise you in several ways.
