Salon goes keratin free

Newton — There's been a lot of talk lately about the dangers of some popular hair straightening products used by salons. While women desire the sleek look, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently issued an alert that these products pose a danger to salon workers and to customers. Most commonly known is the Brazilian Blowout. A story in the Nov. 3 issue of this paper told how the government is moving to curb this toxic salon service, as formaldehyde, a common ingredient in many of the treatments, can cause nose and lung irritation and increases the risk of cancer. In Newton, Salon Di'Panache has gone keratin free. The salon says it uses products by Bumble and Bumble and Aveda, two companies that have came out with keratin-free and formaldehyde-free straighten and smoothing treatments. "We always stayed with keratin treatments that had claimed to be formaldehyde free," said Kimberly Eben, owner and manager of operations at Salon Di'Panache. "For the safety of our clients and our team, we have taken it one step further and have removed all keratin treatments completely. Instead we are now offering keratin- and formaldehyde-free treatments." Eben said the salon is "now offering three new treatments to the industry that only Bumble and Bumble and Aveda salons can offer." She describes them as breakthrough technology, comparable to the keratin, Brazilian, Japanese straightness, but are gentle, safe and formaldehyde-free. Prices start at $150, depending on the service. Salon DiPanache is located at 51 Trinity St., Newton, and can be reached by phone at 973-940-8886. The Web site is www.salondipanache.com.