Eugene’s first-ever organic hair salon opened its doors to the public on Friday.
The new hair salon, Bria Downtown Hair Lounge, is located downstairs from the Bria Bodycare Spa on the corner of West 13th Avenue and Willamette Street. 
The owners pride themselves on using only organic products.  
“Eugene is great for this kind of business,” business partner Denise Shipp said.
The salon has organic hair products and mineral makeup for sale, and none of the products are tested on animals. Even the hair coloring system is organic.
“You could eat these products,” Shipp said.
The hair care and color system is free of harmful chemicals such as ammonia, parabens and petro-chemicals, according to Bria’s Web site.
“Eugene needed an organic hair salon,” business partner Wynter Corcoran said.   
Founder and majority shareholder Maria Martin, who founded Bria Bodycare spa in 2007, had been waiting for the right time to expand the spa to include a hair salon. The space, which has been everything from Obama campaign headquarters to a Quinceañera store, finally became available.
On Friday, clients and friends from around the city turned out for the event to show support to the three co-owners. The guests brought cake and flowers to congratulate them.
“It’s wonderful how supportive they are,” Martin said. “People are already booking hair appointments.”
Before Martin worked at Bria, she was required to sell salon products, many of which contain harmful chemicals. Martin said she wanted to have a clear conscience when working with her clients, and did not want any of her hair products to take a toll on their health.
“People respond when you’re honest to them,” she said.
She has been with Bria for almost three years and wanted to set her business apart from the rest.
“It’s about feeling nice, not just selling things,” Martin said.
The inspiration behind using organic products came from the clients, some of whom have health issues, Martin said. Hair is healthier and not as dry when organic products are used, she said.
“Absorption is the biggest deal,” Martin said. “Your body absorbs 30 to 60 percent of what you put on yourself. Your body doesn’t know what to do with chemical products. It either stores it or finds a way to eliminate it.”
With organic products, Martin said, the body does not need to defend itself from harmful chemicals.
Shipp, who has been a hair stylist for more than 13 years, agreed with Martin.
“Ammonia blows the hair follicle apart,” Shipp said. “Look at the products in the market today — many of them have carcinogens.”
Corcoran, whose young son was at the grand opening party, wants her clients and family members to use organic products.
“I don’t want them to put chemicals on their skin,” she said.
The salon currently has a stylist position open. All of the owners said that they have high standards for their employees.
“You want the people you work with to have energy, dedication, a positive feeling,” Martin said. “People need to enjoy what they do and care about people.”
The owners spent hours preparing the salon to open to the public. They had been working right up until the grand opening event, painting, sanding and decorating the salon, evidenced by the Band-Aids covering Martin’s fingers.
“It’s so worth it,” she said.
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