TWO friends have created and launched a range of salon-quality vegan, handmade and plastic-free shampoo and conditioning bars.

Jane Wilkinson, who first opened a hair salon in Fulford, York in the early 1990s, has joined forces with school mum friend, Caroline Foley, on their venture.

Their brand, Dolores and Rose - taken from their daughters’ middle names -produces luxury handmade bars that are environmentally friendly.

The products are handmade by the business partners at Jane’s home in Selby.

York Press:

Jane decided she was ready for a new challenge, after building a successful business over a 20-year period, which included two salons in York and one in Selby with a team of more than 25 members of staff.

“2019 was a turning point for me,” she said. “I climbed Kilimanjaro in the January after being encouraged by friends and we raised money for a local charity.

“What came as a shock during the trek was seeing the catastrophic amount of waste and rubbish that littered this remote and beautiful mountain.

“I was so horrified, I returned home with a new mission in life - to make a difference by creating amazing shampoo in solid form to help eliminate plastic waste. So I developed a salon quality shampoo and conditioner that is kind to the skin as well as our planet.”

Jane added: “During my time in the hair industry I knew that a lot of staff members had allergies to certain products in shampoo and conditioners so I wanted to create something that was as natural as possible.”

Just one bar will last for about the same as two bottles of shampoo.

Jane and Caroline have spent more than a year perfecting the products, using ethically-sourced, sustainable and natural ingredients.

The ingredients are derived from plants or fruits so are free from Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS), chemicals, perfume, and parabens typically found in other hair care products which means they are gentle on the skin.

The bars come in plastic-free recyclable and biodegradable packaging. The shampoo bars are ergonomically shaped to fit into your hand, and produce a lather.

The soap-free shampoo bars contain pH balancing ingredients equal to the pH of hair, meaning they reduce the loss of moisture and don’t strip the hair of natural oils, protecting them against dryness and damage. They also contain phytokeratin – the plant-based protein that penetrates hair easily, restores health and protects against drying, breakage and split ends – and provitamin B5 – that strengthens and increases elasticity.

Products include a Soothe and Shine shampoo bar, for all hair types, which includes turmeric, lemon and lemongrass - known for their antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Other products are for coloured, treated or damaged hair, hair which is dull and dry, or oily.

Stockists include Noun, Bishopthorpe Road; I Love Zero, Pocklington; Refill-it, Selby; Tom Loves, Howden; and Earth Unwrapped, Northallerton.