Recently I spotted that Organic Italian Hairdressing hair has relocated from Dalkey to Dun Laoghaire. And that’s good news for locals. At a time when we’re being more thoughtful about our beauty practices, Francesco Piccolo and Ivana Margarini’s plant-based approach and sustainable, plastic-free salon is certainly one worth searching out. They use entirely natural, vegan and organic ingredients for haircare and colour; hair dyes are made entirely with Colore Vegetale – pigments derived from plants and herbs – while haircare is the certified organic Conlemany range.

“We opened our new plant-based hair spa, plus a zero-waste organic retail shop, one month ago,” OIH’s Carlotta Daperno tells us. “We have introduced unpacked organic and vegan food, slow fashion clothes and jewellery, unpacked cosmetics where you can mix your own face/hair mask, alternative coffees (ginger, turmeric, ginseng) to drink in an edible cup and lots of other sustainable gifts.”

We asked Margarini about caring for grey hair in a natural way. “Grey and white hair can be beautiful if well-kept, healthy and shiny. In our salon we treat white/grey hair with a bespoke treatment based on flowers such as hibiscus and blue malva. This gives a wonderful clear pure white colour, leaving the hair in great condition.”

If you’re putting off a salon visit until nearer Christmas, Margarini recommends an at-home natural detoxifying scalp treatment that’s easy to make, with accessible ingredients: “In a bowl, mix two teaspoons of brown sugar, squeeze half a lemon for a oily scalp, or coconut/olive oil for dry scalp, and two spoons of honey. Massage the mud onto the scalp. Leave it on for half an hour, then rinse and shampoo. This treatment is good for detoxifying and rebalancing the hydrolipidic coat, which is good for our natural skin protection.”

For a hydrating hair treatment: “Smash an avocado or two, four teaspoons of honey and some camomile tea, and mix it all in a bowl until you get a mud-like consistency. Apply on the hair, leave it on for up to 40 minutes, rinse and shampoo with organic products. It will make your scalp feel fresh and your hair feel shiny, healthy and ultra hydrated.”

It’s a lovely friendly salon, too, with a welcoming neighbourhood feel. Blowdrys from €35.

64A George’s Street Upper, Dun Laoghaire; www.organicitalianhair.bio

ALSO…. Aveda at the Brown Thomas Beauty Lounge now offers a full range of cut and colour services. As well as blowdrys (from €30), you can book in for balayage through to highlights, plus a range of treatments (such as Scalp Detox, €12). Cut and finish starts from €79, and it’s all using Aveda’s conditioning, gentle – and gorgeous-smelling – range. The Botanical Repair collection is 100 per cent vegan; try the Strengthening Leave-In Treatment at home (€34.50) if your hair is prone to breakage, and to protect against heat styling. Aspiring Anna Wintours will book the Breakfast Express Package (from €120), where you get six early morning blowdrys (available Monday to Friday, 7-11am) – a glamorous way to start the day.

Brown Thomas Beauty Lounge, 48/49 Clarendon St, Dublin 2

Main featured image: Arizona Muse for Aveda