Melanie Nickels’ life began to change the moment a doctor diagnosed the cause of her husband’s illness—exposure to industrial strength pool chemicals. It didn’t take long for the trickledown to spark positive effects for clients receiving care in her Raw Hair salon chair inside Suzanne’s Images, a full-service spa in Naples.

“The advent of the diagnosis got us to look at changes we could make in our immediate environment, in how we live our everyday home life,” says Nickels. “Then, I started focusing on the chemicals that I was regularly exposing myself to at work.”

This American Board of Certified Haircolorists pro reflected on her options and began doing Internet research to find eco-friendly, organic products. Occasionally, a client would ask Nickels to use a product they had purchased at the health food store. Quips Nickels, “When they brought those retail products in, I would think, ‘This is crazy. There has to be a professional line of organic products out there somewhere.’”

The professional product line that she found, Organic Salon Systems, gave her the peace of mind she was looking for. With it, she could offer at least a few of her clients the possibility of renewed hope and decreased health risk.

“The new line gave me a whole new excitement about what I could offer women who had illnesses that kept them from being able to color their hair,” she says. For example, one client hadn’t been able to color her hair because of a bout with cancer. “When I told her about the new, safe and non-toxic organic hair color I carried, she was ecstatic,” says Nickels. “These products are also great for pregnant women and those who have psoriasis, lupus and other serious health problems.”

The best thing about Organic Salon Systems’ products for permanent curling, coloring, hair care and control is what they leave out. No ammonia, parabens, sulfates, plastics or animal products show up as ingredients, and no products are tested on animals. The curl system neutralizer, made with plant amino acids and certified organic extracts of aloe vera, chamomile and comfrey, even smells good. 

“The natural hair color and perms are not only more gentle, they last longer and actually leave the hair in better condition,” advises Nickels. That adds up to a lot of benefits.

For more information call Melanie Nickels at 239-206-0939. Raw Hair by Melanie is located at 4156 Tamiami Trail N., in Suzanne’s Images. For information about organic hair products, visit www.OrganicColorSystems.com.