An Encounter with Organics: The Feeling of "Comfort"

Yasuhito MiharaMatsuura-san, thank you for joining me today.

Miho MatsuuraThank you for having me.

MiharaTo begin, I'd like to ask about the "organic shampoos" you are currently developing. What inspired you to create them?

MatsuuraI didn't initially set out to create products, but the real catalyst dates back about 15 to 16 years ago, to a trip to New York. That's where I first encountered organic products. I remember thinking the scent was so pleasant, unlike anything I had smelled before.
Since "feeling good" is fundamental to my life, I react to things immediately (laughs).
So, I looked into it right away, bought some, and started using it at my salon.

MiharaI see. You didn't know it was organic at first, but you started using it because of the scent.


I was seeking pleasure through partying, so incorporating herbs and healthy foods into my life felt incredibly fresh and edgy for me.

MiharaDid Neal's Yard products use herbs?

MatsuuraI was told that Neal's Yard's basic principle was to use ingredients that were safe even if ingested, including herbs. Everything from herbal oils and soaps to food items were organic. The shop in London even had a salad bar back then, using organic vegetables.

MiharaSo, rather than through knowledge, you were drawn to organics through a sensory experience of "feeling good." It was more of a "this feels nice" kind of discovery.

MatsuuraExactly. That's how I was in my twenties. I was light, and my steps weren't grounded (laughs). Now, with knowledge, my actions carry more weight.

I tend to think things through before acting now, but back then, if I thought something was good, I'd just go for it. I was curious about everything. It was like my interest shifted from disco to herbs (laughs).

The Pros and Cons of a Rapidly Growing Hair Salon Industry

MiharaWas this trend already present in Japan at that time?

MatsuuraNo, it was still very rare. While there were a few people incorporating organics back then, there were only places like the herb specialty store "Seikatsu no Ki" and the natural food restaurant "Mominoki House" in Omotesando. But even though terms like herbs and Ayurveda were heard, it wasn't a trend that people jumped on. I just intuitively felt that herbs were good. It was later that I realized there were parallels in our world as hairdressers.

MiharaI used hairsprays like Daia Spray a lot too, and you're right, they didn't smell particularly good for you.

MatsuuraIn the past, hairsprays were the main products in salons. Perms also transitioned from electric perms to using perm solutions, but the salon industry rapidly developed alongside Japan's post-war economic growth. In that process, we created and consumed many things that had negative impacts on both people and the planet.
While our impact might be smaller compared to large corporations, given the vast number of salons nationwide, I felt we should feel some guilt about these things.



MiharaHow many hair salons do you think there are in areas like Harajuku and Aoyama now?

MatsuuraIt's said there are over 3,000, so the environmental impact is considerable. In any case, I wanted to change the reality of "salons = chemicals."
Around the time I encountered Neal's Yard, it hadn't fully clicked yet, but I had a sense of "something like this." And without changing my lifestyle, I wouldn't have had these realizations.
It was precisely because of these life experiences that I understood the benefits of the organic shampoos I encountered in New York, and I felt I could change salons that smelled of hairspray and perm solutions.

MiharaI see. From your upbringing and lifestyle changes, you arrived at organic products that consider the health of your clients.

MatsuuraYes. I felt that hair salons were places where clients could become unhealthy. Everyone leaves happy, saying they've become beautiful, but they're actually covered in chemicals, and it's unclear if this is truly healthy. I always had this question: is it right to continue in the beauty industry with this mindset? If there's beauty, there should be wellness. And I vaguely felt that if something could be changed, it should be.