About ZENZ - Beauty without compromise
It all began with a hairdresser who refused to choose between her profession and her health. Today, ZENZ is a certified green salon chain with a complete universe of professional treatments and beauty products free from unwanted chemicals. All created with care for your health and the planet, because beauty should be without compromise.
From allergy to big ambitions
The story of ZENZ
As a young hairdresser, Anne-Sophie Skjødt Villumsen developed an allergy to the harmful chemicals used in the hairdressing industry. For ten years she struggled with the symptoms and searched for alternatives, but in an industry built on strong chemicals, the options were few. Instead of accepting this, she decided to do something about it. In 1999, she opened the first ZENZ salon at Rosenborggade 8 with one clear goal: a healthier environment for both clients and hairdressers. That was the beginning of it all.
"I wanted to create a salon where no one had to choose between quality and health. A salon that took responsibility for the clients, the hairdressers, and the environment. That principle still holds true – both in the salons and in every single product we put our name on."
Anne-Sophie Skjødt Villumsen
The partnership that changed everything
After opening several salons, Anne-Sophie reached a turning point in 2007. Her ambitions were greater than ever, and ZENZ needed new energy to keep growing. That was when Jørgen Skjødt entered the picture. He joined ZENZ as a business partner, but they shared far more than an ambition for growth. They shared the same vision of a healthier and more sustainable beauty industry – a mutual conviction that the industry both could and should do things differently. And at the same time, Jørgen became not just Anne-Sophie's partner in business, but also in life.
Premium hair care without compromise
The gentle and effective products that Anne-Sophie and Jørgen were looking for simply didn't exist. So they developed them themselves. Together, they launched the first professional Swan-labelled hair care range with natural and organic ingredients in 2010. Today, the hair care range carries not only the Swan label, but also other recognised certifications such as AllergyCertified, Ecocert, COSMOS Organic, and Vegan Society. The vision was simple: products of the absolute highest quality, suitable for professional use in the salon as well as on the bathroom shelf at home.
Bigger ambitions, same philosophy
In 2017, Jørgen and Anne-Sophie decided to take ZENZ to the next level. This marked the launch of ZENZ Version 2.0 – a full relaunch of the entire company, now built on the foundation of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
Certifications increased and standards were raised. For Anne-Sophie and Jørgen, it remains a matter close to their hearts to document every step, so you don't simply have to believe that ZENZ is a healthier choice – you can see it in black and white.
In 2021, Anne-Sophie and Jørgen received the Honorary Award as Passionate Entrepreneur of the Year at the Danish Beauty Award, and since then things have really picked up pace. Today, the ZENZ concept is used by over 1,000 hairdressers for more than 400,000 treatments per year. What started in one small salon in Copenhagen is now present in over 20 countries. In 2025, the universe was expanded further with ZENZ skincare and our own gentle hair colour, NORDIC SHADES.
Timeline of ZENZ
