Celebrity hair colourist Louise Galvin and her natural hair products

When Sophie Dahl and Patsy Kensit want red carpet-worthy hair colouring, they call on celebrity hair colourist Louise Galvin. She talked to Greenmystyle about the challenges of making a natural hair care range and becoming the first beauty company to go carbon neutral.

Louise Galvin comes from a large family of hairdressers – her father, Daniel Galvin, owns one of the capital’s hair-hotspots and her brothers are also sought-after names. Haircare for Louise means no sulphates, parabens, petrochemicals, artificial fragrances or phthalates and with carbon neutral approval too. It was time for Yanar Alkayat to find out more.

How difficult is it to develop a natural haircare range?
It’s very difficult. It took two to three years from start to finish. It seems very difficult for products to be stable once you take out the parabens and other chemicals – they would go off, there would be bad smells, ingredients would separate – it took a long time.

What are your chemical no-nos?
The ones that are supposedly carcinogenic, like parabens (she uses grapefruit extract instead) and I hate silicone – face serums make my skin break out and it’s cheap for hair products. Silicone causes build up as it attracts dirt and pollution and eventually it will cause a film over hair that causes dullness. Use my Vitox treatment when that happens, which removes product build-up, hard water minerals and chlorine. It’s great for brightening blondes.

What are your natural favourites?
Fragrant natural oils and the fabulous, nourishing ximenia oil (seaside plum) which African women use to condition their hair and acts like a natural silicone.

How did this natural hair care journey begin?
I’ve always been aware of chemicals and what they do to the body and after being bombarded with chemicals while living in America, I started working with a chemist to develop my own range in 1999 – after two-three years, I launched Sacred Locks. This premium range for fine and curly includes more of the luxurious natural oils than the mass-market range, Natural Locks (launched this year).

Tell us about going carbon neutral…
It took nine months of assessment and at that time (2000) no one even knew what carbon neutral was. We now have no cardboard packaging to reduce paper and cost, I got rid of my car and did less travelling, our bottles are manufactured in the UK and the formulas made on the Isle of Sheppey, in Kent. The projects we have invested in through the offsetting programme include a biomass gassifier in India and hydropower in China.

What’s next for Louise Galvin?
I’m developing a lifestyle range of body lotions, bath oils, hand washes and mother and baby range, which we are obviously very excited about, and I’d like to have more colour in the shampoos but without the chemicals. I won’t do it unless I can do naturally but it’s not easy to work naturally with colour stains, as most colours are synthetic.

And finally what’s it like working with your dad and what do you do when you’re not concocting beauty products?
My dad has such a passion, drive and zest for work and life that I love coming into work with him. I enjoy seeing him everyday and enjoy having time to work on my own products too. I also love literature, film and theatre and I love travelling and relaxing on the beach with good book.

Louise Galvin Sacred Locks, from £22
Louise Galvin Natural Locks, from £9.95, both available at www.louisegalvin.com (please visit the site for more stockists)