Swing Hair Salon
Even before he opened the door to his green (and pink) business in August of 2006, Luis Alfonso intended for Swing Hair Salon to be an entirely organic operation. He started out only with loyal customers he had acquired over his 15 years of working in the beauty industry, but quickly attracted new clientele relieved to finally have found eco-friendly hair services. Everything at Swing lives up to its green gold standard from its plant root derived hair color to drinking cups made of biodegradable corn plastic.
For Alfonso, the hardest part of running an organic salon has been finding products that satisfy more than just sustainable standards. “It not only has to be organic but perform good for the customer,” said Alfonso. Because all-natural hair products are relatively new on the market, there are still a few knots to be untangled. Vegetable color-wear doesn’t adhere to hair follicles as well as chemically based dyes, nor does it cover all grays. Regardless, Alfonso has found that some customers are so much more concerned that green products are being used that “they don’t care if it doesn’t perform 100%.” One of his favorite discoveries so far has been a color extracted from plant roots. The product is heat-activated and “based on the ancient technique of dying fabric.” He is also proud that Swing offers an ammonium-free lightener he describes as “the best in the market.”
Women’s haircuts start at $55, and there are special combination packages for color services. “The Full Swing” is not for the faint of fabulous-ness (or of wallet). It includes single process color, full highlights, deep conditioning treatment, and blow-dry starting at $235.
Swing's hours vary throughout the week, so check their website, www.swingsalon.com, before making an appointment.
