Modern Hair Meets Organic At Gilded Fox

There’s something about Portlanders. They’re foodies. They’re in love with Mother Nature. And they’re always effortlessly chic. It’s this Mother Earth meets modern hair aesthetic that Gilded Fox embraces so beautifully, and yes, so effortlessly. We talked with owner Andrea Neal-Thiessen about her Green Circle Salon, her vibe and how to stay foxy wherever you are.

Portland’s Gilded Fox is a Green Circle Salon, repurposing or reusing 85-95% of its waste.

Describe the vibe of Gilded Fox in 5 words: Chic, inviting, bright, friendly, modern.

What’s trending in Portland hair? A couple of juxtaposing trends are happening in Portland…natural-looking hair colour and texture is big, as well as fashion colors.

Everyone wants balayage lately because the grow out is so painless. Portlanders are notorious for wanting low maintenance hair and hand-painted highlights are perfect for this. If a client wants to stay on top of it that’s fantastic or she can wait six months, let it get nice and rooty and it still looks great. Embracing natural texture is essential for our wet climate so natural waves and curls must be embraced here. Amazing for us as curly hair specialists.

“You don’t have to look like a hippie to be green.” Styled by Russell at Gilded Fox.

How would you describe “Gilded Fox Hair?” Natural effortless beauty. We do the work for you in-salon by giving you a well-shaped cut and dimensional color, teaching styling tips and tricks along the way so you can easily replicate the look at home. As stylists we strive to do much of the work for you in-salon so that when you get home you don’t have to fuss with it too much.

Your salon creates organic, modern hair that’s gorgeous at the same time. What’s the secret? You certainly don’t have to look like a hippie to be green. We strive to stay current on our hair education to be an on-trend and relevant salon aside from the fact that we are passionate about taking care of our environment and feel that the two can easily go hand-in-hand with a little effort. Being mindful of the ingredients used in our colour lines and retail products play a major part in that as well as having air purifiers in-salon to greatly reduce the amount of chemicals we are all breathing in.

Natural texture meets modern color at Gilded Fox in Portland.

Gilded Fox is also a member of Green Circle Salons, an amazing program that allows us to repurpose, recycle, or reuse 85-95% of our salon waste. All of the cut hair gets sent out to be turned into hair boons to help soak up oil spills, the used foils and color tubes get turned into clean energy, and they are able to recycle our used developer bottles (many cities typically don’t have the technology to do so).

We feel it’s our responsibility in these crucial environmental times to do what we can to cut down on our salon’s waste and use product lines with values and ingredients we align with and stand behind. While remaining fashionable and fabulous of course.

What’s your favorite “go to” style for a night out? Lately we’ve been loving a sleek high pony with a simple rope braid hanging down from it. Bonus points for a satin bow tied around at the base.

Why is an organic line like Innersense Organic Beauty important to you as a stylist and salon owner? It is so important to have Innersense Organic Beauty in our salon because I personally strive to live as cleanly as possible, choosing to eat organic food, purchasing organic skincare products, and hair products go right along with it. We can’t control everything we come in contact with but hair products are something we each use every day. When I leave something on my skin I want to know that it won’t be doing my body any harm down the line.

This is Portland: Models from Gilded Fox’s recent rebrand party.

I can feel great about selling these products to our clients because they are so pure and they work incredibly well on the hair, it’s a total win-win.

Portlandians can be urban, beach side and mountaintop all in the same day. Any summer hair style or protection tips to share with that varied climate? Conditioner is your friend! Always leave at least a little conditioner in your hair to help protect it from the elements. Braids are fantastic for any activity…if you’re out and about in the city, hiking, or at the coast you can spritz a little extra Sweet Spirit Leave-In Conditioner into your hair, put it up in a braid and your hair looks stylish, stays out of your face, and is protected all at the same time.