Green Glamour

These days we seem to get a lot of advice about what’s good and what’s bad for us, products we should and shouldn’t use, ingredients we should and shouldn’t eat. It’s all in the name of making us smarter, more educated consumers – which is a good thing – but sometimes it can be a little overwhelming. Given what we’re learning about all the toxins and chemicals we’re exposed to, it’s a wonder any of us are willing to eat anything other than the food we grow in our own gardens, wear anything other than what we make from the wool of sheep we’ve raised, wash ourselves with anything but the soap we’ve handmade ourselves, or, gosh, even leave the house.

Yes, I’m purposefully going to the extreme here because for most of us, that’s just not a feasible way to live. The reality is that we can’t control every little thing we come into contact with in our lives, so we have to make choices based on what we feel is best for us. For many, that’s eating organic whenever possible and using more natural beauty and household products. And now with the opening of Pure Salon in Bristol, we can add visits to the hair salon to that list.

I first heard about Pure Salon from my friend Tracy, who owns Bristol Yoga Studio. She told me that a salon committed to organic, natural hair products and processes had recently opened up across the street from the yoga studio, and she thought I’d be interested in checking it out. Loving the idea of a harsh-chemical-free salon experience, I vowed to check it out a few weeks down the road, when I’d be needing hair styling help for a special night out.

Before I walked in to the salon to meet its co-owners,  Cheryl Bayuk and Nanci Adams, I briefly worried that they would take one look at my recently non-organically-highlighted roots and point me to the door. But that couldn’t have been further from how it really went down. Cheryl and Nanci graciously welcomed me into their salon, located on Hope Street in the heart of downtown Bristol. I was instantly taken by the warm, earthy atmosphere of soothing colors with rustic wood, whimsical light fixtures and touches of metallic. Nanci told me that their goal was to make the space “Montana-meets-Bristol,” and I don’t think I could give it a more accurate description than that.

Both Cheryl and Nanci had dabbled in hair styling for many years, just for fun, while holding jobs in other fields. But eventually they each decided to follow their passion and become certified stylists, getting their training at Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy. That is where they met and connected right away. When they decided to become business partners, going the natural route was the only option. Cheryl’s allergies and chemical sensitivities made it necessary for her to use only the cleanest, healthiest products, and they both wanted to offer the same to their clientele. Cheryl says that one of the salon’s main goals is to offer their customers “high-quality, effective products that use only the cleanest ingredients – no sulfates, parabens, formaldehydes, or other harmful chemicals.”

The salon’s other goal is to establish a relationship of trust with each client, offering the best possible salon experience. “It our priority to set the standard with quality services and products,” says Nanci. “We want our clients to feel better inside and out.” Pure Salon’s services include cuts, coloring, smoothing and conditioning treatments, wax-free hair removal, and even massage. The salon boasts a diverse clientele of women and men of all ages, looking for styles ranging from classic to trendy to artistic. The common denominator, according to Nanci, is that “they are trying their best to eliminate junk from their lives. They’re looking for products that are natural and pure, but still effective.” That’s exactly what I’m looking for myself, which is why for my next visit to Pure I’m going to be sitting in the styling chair.