From cutting down on single use plastics to thinking more about which companies we choose to spend our money with, we’re all being encouraged to make greener choices in our everyday lives as the climate crisis feels ever more urgent.

When Jonathan opened Shine back in 2007, he knew he wanted to put eco-inititaves at the heart of the business-from the products we chose to use, to how we ran the salon day to day. Of course, we’re not perfect, and there’s always more that can be done. But making the greener choice where we can will continue to be central to Shine’s ethos. And aside from all that, with a certain local Green MP as a long-standing client, we couldn’t get away with anything less!

Here are just some of the ways we try to be as sustainable a salon as possible:

1. We work with the team at Paper Round to ensure none of the waste we produce ends up in landfill. During 2018 we recycled 2,140 kg- saving 23 trees and 3,020 kg of carbon dioxide!

2. The towels we use when we wash your hair here are disposable and single use, but not in the throw away sense of the word. They’re 100% biodegradable and compostable, decomposing in a matter of weeks. And because we’re not putting on the washing machine every day, we’re saving huge amounts of water too (trust us, we get through a LOT of towels!)

3. We choose to use products which reflect our green ethos, which is why we’re proud to be an Aveda salon. Not only do we know their products deliver brilliant results, Aveda is a company that takes its environmental responsibilities seriously. Their products are naturally derived and they are the first beauty company to use 100% post consumer recycled materials in the majority of their packaging, and to manufacture products with 100% wind power.

And then there’s our Shine Bars, the solid vegan shampoo bars developed by Jonathan and recently named Best Plastic-Free Shampoo by Hair Magazine in their Hair Awards 2019. We now also sell refill bars, sold in a recyclable cardboard sleeve so you can just reuse your original tin again and again!

4. When you order products on our website, including our Shine Shampoo Bars, we pack them up here in the salon using a clever product called Eco Flo. It looks just like standard polystyrene loose fill, but it’s made from gm free starch which means it's 100% biodegradable and fully compostable.

5. Many of you have commented on the hanging plants dotted about the salon (installed by the lovely team at Market Florist Brighton). Not only do they look great, the oxygen they produce help to balance out carbon dioxide emissions.

New product alert!

We’re loving the new Nutriplenish range from Aveda. Containing organic pomegranate oil, mango butter and organic coconut oil, it’s perfect if your hair needs a hydration boost. And with both Light and Deep Moisture formulas available, there’s something to suit every hair type. The super lightweight Leave-in Conditioning Spray, £27.50, is proving a real favourite, instantly detangling and hydrating the hair, and providing heat styling protection. Available to buy in the salon now (read on to see how you can save when you buy Aveda products this month).

Special Offers!

We know, this time of year can feel a bit grim. So here are a couple of special offers we are running in the salon during February to help brighten things up a bit. Just mention them when you book.

£10 off a toner or gloss treatment when booked with a blow dry.
£10 off when you book any Aveda colour service along with an Aveda conditioning treatment and cut and blow dry.
15% off all products when purchased at the same time as any of the above treatment combinations.
Refer a friend. Whenever you refer a friend who’s new to Shine you will both receive £10 off if they mention your name when booking (this offer applies all year round). During January and February this increases to £20 when booking with some members of the team! Please just ask for details on booking.

What we’re loving this month…

At this time of year, it’s ALL about the night in. Here’s all you need to make the most of hibernation season…

WATCH

The magnificent Sex Education (Netflix) is back for series 2! Expect plenty of the brash, bold and in your face, along with some brilliant acting and deeper, more sensitive storylines. And the ever-fabulous Gillian Anderson, of course. The ultimate duvet day binge watch (please, please be as good as we want it to be).

LISTEN

A great podcast to discover while we’re still being bombarded by promises of a new year and a new, more improved you, How to Fail celebrates the times in life when things haven’t gone quite to plan. Author and journalist Elizabeth Day interviews a different guest in each episode, including Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Andrew Scott (aka The Hot Priest), Jess Phillips, Tom Kerridge and Jamie Laing. Really funny, interesting and lots of food for thought.

READ

While not quite the blood-fest the title suggests, My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite is a brilliantly dark, sharp and satirical read about the relationship between two sisters living in Lagos. Completely unique.

COOK

Whether you’re sticking with Veganuary for a bit longer, or are just trying to reduce your meat intake (scientists say that it will be more of us doing this, above everything else, that will make the single biggest impact on the future of the planet), you can find some mouth-watering plant-based inspiration in the pages of Bosh!, by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby. The spicy red Rogan Bosh curry is perfect for warming up the long chilly nights.

That’s all for this month, we hope to see you soon!
You can book your next appointment with us online, by email or over the phone.

Imagery: Igor Son on Unsplash, Pawel Czerwiński on Unsplash