Green your hairdo, and look forward to healthier, shinier hair — while saving money, time, and the environment to boot. Just 3 steps’ll eco-transform your mane:

1. Go for the sexy morning after look. Ditch the daily shampoo and just wash your hair once every couple days. If you remain unconvinced by the enviro and financial and time benefits, perhaps I can appeal to your vanity: Your hair’ll looks cuter on the no-wash days. Try it for a couple weeks and collect the compliments —

2. Get clean, naturally. Opt for enviro-friendly products, easier now with Skin Deep, an eco-friendly site that ranks personal care products for safety. Both you and your hair’ll be healthier — and you won’t be inadvertently putting petroleum products in your hair.

I’m using JASON shampoo and conditioner right now, which is decent, but I plan to switch to even greener products once I finish my stash. Callie recommends the ultra-eco Korres shampoos and conditioners — a bit expensive at $17 a bottle, but if you combine this with tip 1, your wallet won’t feel the difference..

Or if you’re brave, opt for the hardcore method: Jasmin of The Worsted Witch says “I don’t even use conditioner any more. I either rinse my hair with apple cider vinegar or add a wee bit of olive oil with my shampoo (sometimes with an egg.)” Make that an organic, free-range egg?

3. Dare to get dreadlocks. Okay just kidding. Unless you really do have dreadlocks, then I’m not kidding. Once, I gave myself faux dreadlocks.

For the rest of you: Dare to faux-dry. Don’t be afraid to try out a new, more au naturale style, foregoing the blowdryer once in a while. Summer of BTC Elements shows you 3 to try, complete with photo documentation. Not only will you save energy, your hair’ll appreciate the break, and you can try on a new, breezy persona to go with your new do.

[images top to bottom from gordon comstock, Skin Deep, and BTC Elements; crossposted on BlogHer]

Tags: hair, environment, blowdry, shampoo, conditioner

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