I was perusing on Instagram nonchalantly when I spotted a really cute haircut from one of the chefs at S+M Vegan (S+M stands for Shane and Marie). Marie had a unique and stylish haircut and she mentioned she got it from a vegan salon called Vavavroom Salon. I thought, the moment I’ve been waiting for has arrived, a vegan salon!
In case you’re wondering what makes a salon vegan, the stylists would use only cruelty-free products that are vegan or free of animal ingredients.
I commented on Vavavroom’s Instagram page and the stylist and owner, Tina, immediately replied with her contact information. I then booked an appointment for a hair trim.
Vavavroom Salon is in Redwood City -although I think she’s also working to transition her business into a mobile salon using a vintage airstream. How cool is that?! She has raised some money from her IndieGoGo campaign and I hope she would keep getting support even now that the campaign is over.
Upon arriving, Tina was friendly, professional, and knowledgeable. She was also kind enough to share her knowledge about haircare. I could tell she’s passionate about her work. I love that she wasn’t trying to sell, sell, sell. Instead, she gave me her top 5 haircare tips.
5 Haircare Tips from a Vegan Salon Owner:
- Don’t shampoo everyday. You could shower everyday and wet your hair completely but do not lather it with shampoo. If you have a lot of product build up, clear it with vinegar. Don’t worry, the vinegar won’t have any after smell after rinsing your hair.
- If you don’t like to use a lot of hair styling products but need to control dry frizzes and fly aways, use a non-scented lotion. Just apply to the areas that need taming. You’ll be surprised that you don’t have to break the bank to style your hair.
- Coconut oil is fantastic as a deep conditioner. Coconut oil is another practical product at home that could work wonders to your hair, especially if your hair is dry.
- For those with finer hair that do not want heavy products weighing down but still need some control, spray your favorite hairspray on to your comb or on your hand to comb through or pat down baby hair that are sticking out.
- If you are blow drying your hair, use a flat-head brush for 80% of the process then finish with a round brush. That would save you 10-15 minutes of blow drying compared to using only a round brush.
I hope you find Tina’s tips helpful. If you have more advice to add to this list, feel free to share and leave a comment. The more tips the better!
If you are in the Bay Area, I encourage you to visit Tina and her salon. I had so much fun even for just a hair trim. You’ll have an amazing time and gain a lot of appreciation and knowledge about hair care.
If you’re not in the Bay Area but would like to support her vegan business, you could follow VaVaVroom on Facebook or Instagram, or better yet ask her how you could donate toward the VaVaVroom mobile salon. The IndieGoGo campaign is over but I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to hear from you.
P.S. Thank you to my best friend, Angelica, for taking these amazing photos as I get my hair trim. I have awesome friends!