Ribbet Salon Review

I was contacted last month to write a review on a eco-friendly kid salon in Wilmington, NC. I jumped on the offer because I love visiting Wilmington and OMG- a eco-friendly kids salon!!!! This is something I've been thinking about since E's hair was down to her butt. I really didn't want to take her to a salon where they used harsh chemicals. So this was excellent timing! I decided to take E the week of her birthday. Yes, E turned 4 on Wednesday!! She had never really had her hair cut, so I wanted to make this a big event. Plus they offer non-toxic manicures and pedicures, so I thought her and her BFF would have a blast doing it together.

We got to Ribbet Salon and I was wowed! The tree house/play house is beyond amazing. They have 2 tree house/doll houses that are fully functional. They have Sprig and Green Toys on the floor that the kids can play with. The top of the tree house has a working telescope that E loved. They also have books, PlanToys musical instruments, and some quiet toys next to the party room. (Too bad we don't live in Wilmington. Ribbet Salon would have been a fabulous place to have a eco-friendly party!!)So if you have to wait for your appointment or if you are a walk-in waiting to get fit in, your child will have a blast playing! We had the perfect wait time before our appointment. E was able to get comfortable with her surroundings and was even able to look over the side of the tree house to see a little boy getting his hair cut. So, she knew it wasn't going to hurt and what to expect. She was a bit hesitant about getting her hair washed. But, our stylist was very friendly and put her at ease. I love the Original Sprout shampoo and conditioner! It is all natural and smells amazing. E was able to watch Nick Jr. on a flat screen while she got her hair cut. This gave her something else to focus on. After the cut, she had her hair blow dried and then styled. And I couldn't resist buying the Giddy Giddy Headband! E didn't want much length taken off. Though, if she does decide to have it cut and donate to Locks of Love, Ribbet Salon will do the haircut for free. Then it was time for manicures and pedicures! The girls had a blast getting their toenails painted. They chose 2 Priti NYC nailpolish colors.
And then after the paint dried they got mini massages with Sparklehearts sparkly lotion. Yes, they were totally spoiled. As they were getting pampered, I was able to browse around and check out all of Ribbet Salon's eco-friendly products available for purchase. I fell in love with some of the brands they carry! I could have spent a fortune in there. But, luckily if you are just going in for just a haircut or manicure/pedicure- you won't spend a fortune! They have great prices, especially for the quality of care you receive. I did a Q&A with Delyn, the owner and thought you'd be interested:

1. How did you come up with the idea for Ribbet Salon? I was looking into purchasing a children's salon franchise when i decided I wanted to do my own thing. The whole concept for Ribbet came to me in pieces over a long period of planning. It started with the idea to sell organic hair products for kids and just grew from there!

2. Where did the name come from? That might have been the hardest part! It was important to find something unique and something memorable for children so after a lot of brain-storming, Ribbet came out & it just stuck.

3. Why is eco-friendly personal care so important for children? It's important for everyone but so much more for children because their little bodies absorb so much of the common chemicals and fillers in the non-organic products.We're using so many more products on our kids these days and trends say they will use much more when they get to be pre-teens and adults, making their life-time exposure well beyond any amounts that have been tested or proven safe. In my mind, its not a matter of keeping my daughter safe from what effects those products would have on her in the near-future, but rather protecting her from what years of chemical build-up could do in her body later in her life.

4. What inspired the design of the store? I found that many of the children's salons I had visited before we opened were "plastic" and "cartoon" looking and it didn't seem to fit my vision so I knew I wanted a more natural feel. I had the idea of a tree in the center of the shop with a tree house for the kids to play on and that the reception desk would be in the center of the "tree" but I can't take credit for any more than that. I worked with a great architect who really translated the concept so well.

5. How long have you been open? We opened at the end of September 2009 so almost 16 months.

6. Tell me about your birthday parties and other events? we added the birthday party room off of the salon last April. It was important to be able to host both boy & girls parties so we were looking to offer something beyond just a salon party. We decided to have Wii parties and have four 50" TV's on the wall in the party room with over 40 games to choose from and all the popular accessories like Band Hero instrument, karaoke microphones & Dance Dance Revolution pads. It has really been a hit for both the boys & girls birthday parties and is a good co-ed party option too.

7. How did you select the products that you carry? Lots of research! I searched through adult, all-natural lines to find those who carried products for kids, I looked through the Environmental Working Group's Cosmetic Database looking for brands that tested well and I've since kept up with several good organic blogs that will do reviews of children's products or toys occasionally that will interest me.

Go to Mkokopelli on Facebook to see more pictures!

If you are in Wilmington, NC stop by Ribbet Salon! They are truly awesome :) The staff is extremely friendly. The store is clean and they have safe, non-toxic toys for the kiddos to play with. Not to mention the design is beyond amazing! They even have organic coffee for the parents waiting. I know we will make the 3 hour drive the next time E needs her hair cut!