Gianna Longo Daily Spa: the story of the director of the Phitofilos Professional Academy, because a 100% green transformation is possible for a successful hairdresser!

The interview with Gianna Longo, Director of the Phitofilos Professional Academy and owner of the Gianna Longo Daily Spa salon, who has made sustainability and shared knowledge with colleagues eager to learn her mission.

Winner of the Phitofilos Professional Contest - Chestnut Tree Category

Gianna Longo, Director of the Phitofilos Professional Italy Academy, together with our Phitofilos Professional Staff, has made the dissemination of high technical know-how for the use of neutral and coloring herbs in Italian hair salons her mission.
It contributes concretely every day to achieving the Academy's main objective, which is to create a new category of eco-professionals specialized in plants and able to use them for the health and beauty of their clientele.

Gianna Longo, in her salon Gianna Longo Daily Spa, puts her skills at the service of her clients every day, taking care of them with exclusively green methods, respecting the planet and the natural characteristics of each type of hair and scalp. We asked her to tell us her story and that of her salon, from her transformation into a plant-based colorist to her role as Director of the Phitofilos Professional Academy.

Tell us about yourself: when did you start? How did your salon come to be?

The Gianna Longo Daily Spa salon was founded in 1998. Over the years, it has continuously evolved thanks to its ability to interpret the market and the needs of its clients.

When did you start your journey to become a plant-based colorist, and what motivated you to take this path?

It was my clients who, increasingly becoming sensitive to hair color, complained of itching, burning, skin problems such as dermatitis and psoriasis, and the impossibility of coloring their hair. All of this, about 9 years ago, led us to seek a solution by starting to think about plants. We studied, experimented with Henna, dyeing plants and new generation products, and so in 2018 we were the first salon in Milan to eliminate chemical color and create colorations obtained exclusively from the use of dyeing herbs and hot water.
Also in 2018, we started using Phitofilos plants and immediately realized their quality. We met Dr. Matteo Pantani, who gave us valuable skills, allowing us to achieve excellence in our services. In the same year, the company invited us to Sana, the International Organic and Natural Products Exhibition in Bologna, where our commitment was officially recognized. At that moment, thanks to a shared desire, we began to think together about the Phitofilos Professional Academy project, which was officially launched in 2019 in Milan with a great dream: to create a new category of hairdressers dedicated to plant-based products and to spread the message that the future is green and sustainable.

Today you hold the position of Director of the Phitofilos Professional Academy, what does that mean to you? What is your relationship with the students and what, in your opinion, are the biggest difficulties they face when approaching plant-based coloring?

I hold the position of Director of the Italian branch of the Phitofilos Professional Academy project, with great ethics and responsibility because today we are training the green hairdressers of the future.
It's fantastic to share our knowledge with colleagues, even though many hairdressers still have doubts and concerns, such as thinking that you can't cover gray hair or create fashion with plants.
Most often we are told that it is difficult to "convert," and this is the biggest difficulty that students encounter when approaching plant-based coloring. I simply say that it is "different," and often people are only afraid of what they don't know. Unfortunately, hairdressers still know too little about plants, and that is why the Phitofilos Professional Academy was created.

Today, several years later, what does it mean to you to work with herbs and organic products every day?

Today, after a few years, working exclusively with plants and eco-bio cosmetics gives me great motivation, makes me proud, and makes me feel part of a change that is taking place, safeguarding the environment and health. It allows many women who, due to problems such as allergies, skin abnormalities, pregnancy, chemotherapy treatments, or simply as a lifestyle choice, cannot or do not want to use chemical products, to not give up on fashion and beauty.

What do your clients say about you?

My clients are initially incredulous, but they trust me, and then seeing how their hair is reborn, strengthened, comes alive, and appears radiant, they recommend us to their friends. My mantra is: "In all things of nature, there is something wonderful."