Green Takes Root: A Salon Chat with Ringlets & Roots

Take an East Coast transplant and move her out West. Take a former Loreal and Schwarzkopf education director and move her to Carmel, then Salinas, California. Throw in gorgeous, rolling green hills, some of the nation’s most verdant farmland and a growing awareness of organics, in farming, in eating and in lifestyle choices. There, you’ll find Kristen King, curl whisperer and owner of Ringlets and Roots, an intimate boutique salon that specializes in curls, color, greener product lines and wow results in the heart of “America’s Salad Bowl.”

Kristen is royalty in the curl-isphere, but also in her picturesque town that inspired John Steinbeck. “I’m on the cutting edge of what’s coming in, people really want cleaner things for their hair and body,” she told us. We couldn’t resist talking more with her!

Innersense: Why are organic products important to you?

Kristen: Living clean and working clean has been an ongoing study. Although, I have been eating and growing organic foods for quite some time, five years ago my body started to break down with rashes, fatigue, brain fog, muscle weakness and a plethora of physical “dis-ease.” I had some testing done and found that chemicals with lead, mercury and cancer causing agents could be the cause.

I began to take a look at the ingredients of products I frequently used for 30 years. Frightened, I began dumping them, discontinued carrying them and began my search. This was not an easy fix or solution, but “green” was important to me. My health and that of my salon clients was primary. I began to get the bigger picture on the work front.

Innersense: How has using organic beauty products and natural ingredients changed your hair, skin and mentality?

Kristen: My health improved. Lessening the breathing or absorbing of toxic chemicals and fumes was a first start. Finding the least toxic professional beauty products was difficult. Through the internet, I found Innersense. Learning about and using products that are truly caring organics to the hair, skin, senses, my clients and the environment has been a huge breakthrough in my life and the industry! I would like to add that there is much to teach future generations of salon professionals about toxic chemistry.

Innersense: How do you apply your values in your work environment and with your clients?

Kristen: I always include my clients in salon industry conversations and the purpose of why I am shifting products out and searching greener. It’s been an ongoing dialogue and I hit pay dirt with Innersense. Now, if Greg and Joanne would create the perfect organic color line with grey coverage, all the bells and whistles, including high lift…

Innersense: What is your favorite Innersense product and why?

Kristen: Sorry to say I haven’t one favorite. I have several. First is I Create Volume for fine, textured hair, albeit curly or straight. Shine, plus lift without any residue makes it a wow product. Next, Harmonic Healing Oil. I cannot keep this oil on the shelf! It truly is outstanding, healing to the skin, the scalp and very hydrating to the hair. Check out the ingredients. Love!