Here’s an idea. Why not add some green to your hair routine? You don’t need to ditch your gorgeous highlights or put weird herbal mixtures on your face to be planet friendly! All it takes is a few simple tweaks. An organic shampoo here. Recycling a bottle of conditioner there.

Need some advice? Clay Patane is a celebrity colorist/stylist and owner of The Loft Hair Lounge and Green Spa in Los Angeles. This “green getaway” was designed with the planet in mind…everything from the all-natural products used to the recycling of the leftover hair trimmings. (Wait until you hear what happens to them!)

Want to know his favorite eco-friendly products? How will his latest hair technique help “extend” your budget? Check out our exclusive interview with celebrity colorist/stylist Clay Patane.

Why did you decide to open your fab, planet-friendly hair salon? The Celebutante Sisters love the idea behind it.

The Genesis of our planet-friendly salon is my adopted son Braeden. Along with caring for a child whom is given away by his birthmother comes an urge to help take care of the world that he lives in and will inherit. He was 6 months old when the idea came to open up The Loft Hair Lounge as an all green salon,and Braeden was present for much of the development. Needless to say, I wanted to have a safe clean environment for him to hang out in and the rest fell in place after that. I believed this would be something that would be healthy for my son and would it be healthy for pregnant mothers and health conscious people, too.

Your salon offers organic and natural products from head to toe and even to toenail! What are some of your favorites?

Our 100% vegan line for mani/pedi, Spa-ritual is a favorite. It’s just
comforting to know that fewer harmful chemicals are used.

Our skincare line is from Hungary and is created from all vegetables and fruits. Eminence is all natural and organic and is a superior natural alternative to facial chemicals. My favorite in the Eminence line is the stone-crop products.

Stone-crop is an aloe-like plant that evens skin tone and moisturizes. I use the mist daily and my skin has never been better.

We heard the hair color line you use is yogurt based. Can you tell us about it?

The cherry on top is our yogurt based hair color Yo, by Kemora, that has amazing gray coverage and smells delicious. They took out the ammonia and the color develops on the outside of the hair shaft instead of flaring and damaging the hair to get the color inside. Our mothers-to-be can get their color done within the first trimester now. The funny thing is that our clients continue even after baby because why shouldn’t they. Even if baby has nothing to do with it, health/earth conscious people love the product too.

What happens to all those leftover hair clippings on the floor of The Hair Loft?

They are made into oil spill mats. The idea behind it is if you think of where the oil goes to after an oil spill or pollution it is on the hair, feather and fur of the animals around it. These mats of hair, (as we know hair is made to hold oil, that is its purpose, ) do the dirty work and we have an endless supply of it. Brilliant! We sweep up the hair clippings every day and send them to an organization that weaves the hair clippings into mats which are used to mop up the oil spills.(The organization is Matteroftrust.org)

What’s your favorite “green” spa treatment?

I personally love the chocolate and cherry facial treatment! You want to lick your own face.

Your latest hair innovation is highlighting with extensions. It’s even planet-friendly! How does it work?

Putting in highlights with extensions prevents danage and is much healthier for your hair, too. There are no chemicals used and it can even make the hair fuller! The extensions last 4-6 months and can be reused a second time. Great for pregnant women who don’t want to use chemicals, but still want to look good. They are bonded with a protein polymer that doesn’t break, damage, or pull out your hair. You can get beautiful, light highlights, or even do the same method for adding darker pieces too.

How can it help “extend” someone’s budget?

Extensions “extend” your budget because you’ll have beautiful highlights that don’t fade or change color and last two to three times longer than when using foil for highlights (which can damage the hair.) Less expensive conditioning treatments are needed and your hair is built up instead of torn down. What could be better?

We just have to ask. Can you give our readers a sizzling hot hairstyle to try out this season?

Try the beach wave with UNITE BOING Curling Cream.

The whole line is paraben and sulfate free, which means healthier less itchy scalp and hair. Any cut with layers will work with BOING and you can save on electricity with no blow drying.

About Clay Patane

Now recognized as one of the top colorists/stylists in Los Angeles, Patané established his credentials after training for color with Kim Vo at Prive and then with Stuart Gavert at Umberto. In 2007, After five years of television appearances on “Extreme Makeover”, “How do I Look?” and “Before and Afternoon Makeover” while working at Kim Vo’s, B2V Salon, Patané took his burgeoning celebrity clientele and opened his own salon in Eagle Rock, The Loft Hair Lounge, which was quickly awarded the “Greenopia Award” as one of the most eco-friendly businesses in LA. His dedication to saving hair, skin and the planet continues. The Loft Hair Lounge is located at 5112 Townsend Avenue, Eagle Rock, CA. Learn more about The Loft Hair Lounge and Green Spa by clicking here.