Greenest Salons In Boston
To reduce your exposure to possibly hazardous materials when getting your hair or nails done, it is a good idea to choose one of these Boston salons that have committed to reducing their use of toxic chemicals. Many of these businesses have not only decided to use natural, non-carcinogenic ingredients, but have also committed to reducing their energy use and curbing their carbon footprint. By going to these health-minded salons, you are also supporting the "green economy" and creating a demand for healthy and sustainable businesses in Boston. The following four salons have enacted environmentally preferable practices.
Roffi Salon & Day Spa
134 Newbury St.
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 536-9600
michaelroffi.com
Roffi is one of Boston's best salons in many ways, but at the core of its mission, it is trying to "reflect individual beauty while being respectful to the earth and leading the way as a 'green salon.'" The salon has a whole portion of its website dedicated to explaining all of its greening efforts and goals. Some of Roffi's more impressive green attributes include that it operates on 100 percent green energy, it uses energy star-rated appliances, it serves only fair trade coffee, it has an all encompassing recycling program and it does not serve bottled water.
G2O Salon
278 Newbury St.
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 262-2220
g2ospasalon.com
Boston's first "green" spa, G2O opened its U.S. Green Building Council LEED certified facility in 2010. This salon even got an endorsement from Mayor Thomas Menino, who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony and praised the salon for leading the way for green-minded businesses in Boston. In addition to being housed in a super-efficient building, G2O also provides many eco-friendly beauty treatments including the Organic Clarifying Facial. The entire facial treatment is performed with products made by Suki. Suki is a brand of high-end skincare products made with organic ingredients. Though Suki products are not USDA certified organic, they are all rated between 0-3 on the Environmental Working Group SkinDeep Database (this is a fantastic rating meaning that all of the ingredients in each product are completely safe).
OMBE Center
551 Boyleston St., 4th Floor
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 447-2222
ombecenter.com
Ombe is a holistic healing center committed to using a combination of spa treatments, yoga, pilates and naturopathy to create a beautiful body inside and out. OMBE is a recipient of Mayor Thomas Menino's Green Business Award because of its recycling initiatives, eco-friendly offerings and community service. In 2012, OMBE launched its "Eco-Beauty Bar" in which it sells beauty products that meet a high set of environmental standards. The salon also supports our local economy by offering locally made beauty products from companies including LEAP Organics from Cambridge, MA, Farmaesthetics from Newport, RI, and Badger from Gilsum, NH.
Giacomo and Rondi Salon
539 Commonwealth Ave.
Boston, MA 02215
(617) 437-1313
giacomoandrondi.com
Giacomo and Rondi have committed to uses only cruelty-free products at their salon. The salon uses Aveda's nontoxic skin and hair lines. Aveda is one of the first salon-grade haircare companies to commit to net zero energy carbon emissions. In addition to using healthier product alternatives, the salon also continues to raise money for the victims of the Boston Marathon Bombings.
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Cameron Bruns is the founder of BostonGreenBlog.com and co-author of Just Us Gals Boston. She lives in Boston's North End, where her goal is to promote ethical, stylish, and sustainable lifestyle choices to all Boston residents. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.
