March is the month of St Patrick’s Day and so naturally, the color of the month is green. The greening of businesses, home décor, clothing and even hair, is all part of the one day St Paddy’s tradition. However, for one salon owner, the greening of hair takes on a different meaning. The green Janice Skene is concerned with has to do with healthy and green living. In Salon Vedat, it’s green every day.

Skene, the owner of Destin’s Salon Vedat, has a mission. That mission is to educate the public and other salon owners about a hair-coloring system that is better than the traditional ammonia coloring system. Her concern is the negative effects of ammonia for both the client and the hairdresser; ammonia is corrosive to the hair and can have a negative effect on the bronchial system. She is also aware of the damage to the environment.

The danger of ammonia is not a secret, notes Skene. She likes to educate people about the inhalation of lower concentrations in the air or solution that can cause coughing and nose and throat irritation; skin or eye irritation; and further toxicity to the environment. With so many negative aspects of ammonia products, she is frustrated that so many salon owners still use ammonia products in their salons.

“I think it is just entrenched thinking that non-ammonia coloring products are not as effective as ammonia products. Not only do some owners and hairdressers think that ammonia-free color doesn’t offer superior coverage and nourishing effects, but that it doesn’t have as many beautiful shades or glosses,” explains Skene.

Skene has 30 years experience as a hairdresser and is a former educator in barber and cosmetology fields. Her studio offers Organic Color System, a European color system. The products are made in England, where the government is stricter about chemicals used in products available to the public. According to Hilton Bell, the president of International Hair and Beauty Systems, the United States distributor for Organic Color Systems, roughly 1,200 salons carry it, up from 400 in 2008. Skene has seen an uphill battle with hairdressers until 2012, when L’Oréal came on board with their own non-ammonia product line.

“I have been promoting organic coloring for years and now that L’Oréal has their own line, we can finally get serious with educating women who are concerned about their health but still want great coloring results,” she said. “The time is now for women to go into a salon and ask, ‘what color do you use? Does it have ammonia?’ If the answer is yes, they need to make an appointment elsewhere.”

She also carries Kera Green Keratin Smoothing, an organic line of products to straighten hair, and an organic curling system. The products, according to Skene, last longer and leave the hair in a healthy state. “It’s like using a conditioner but with the styling results you want,” she says.

Organic Color System uses heat coupled with an oil base that softens the cuticle rather than “blowing it open” with ammonia. The benefits are that treatments have no ammonia smell or skin staining, better grey coverage, and all natural ingredients that leave the hair in a natural state. Skene like the Organic Color System because it gives the result hairdressers want for their clients. “Our Organic Color System has 65 colors compared with the 49 for L’Oréal’s INOA’s products,” says Skene.

“St Patrick’s Day isn’t the only day for green hair,” says Skene. “Green is the word for healthy, awesome hair.”

Salon Vedat is located at 114-B Benning Drive, Destin. For more information call 850-837-2690 or email [email protected].