By Noa Glow | January 2012

New mommies—not to mention all you highly sensitive types (skin, not feelings)—rejoice: luscious locks can be yours without having to use harsh chemicals on your hair. Jen Vanderleij, owner of Clover Earthkind Hair Salon, has gone to great lengths to make sure of it.

Clover, which celebrated its third anniversary last month, works hard to maintain its reputation as one of the first environmentally friendly hair salons in Vancouver. From its construction to daily operations to product selection, the downtown salon tries to be as green as possible – and much of it begins with Vanderleij.

“I’ve been a colour technician for the past 10 years, working in various salons,” she says. “I couldn’t help but notice the amount of waste that was being generated: product waste, water waste…the chemicals that we were putting down the drain. So I started a small recycling program at one of the places I worked at.”

Vanderleij also started researching products that were “better for the environment and healthier for my clients, especially those with allergies, without comprising quality or effect.” After much trial and error, she found colour and hair-care lines that skip the chemicals without skimping on the results.

“You really don’t need…chemicals…to achieve fantastic results,” she says, adding that the aesthetic benefits of all-natural or chemically diminished products often include less cuticle damage, no fumes, lots of shine and longer-lasting colour.

In an ongoing commitment to the Earth, the salon recycles its used highlighting foils and colour tubes, composts its organic waste, uses biodegradable cleaners and has installed allergy-free flooring, energy-efficient light bulbs and appliances and low-VOC paints.

“We even serve clients fresh cups of organic, fair-trade coffee,” Vanderleij says. “We will always be looking for ways to improve our business, environmentally and otherwise.”