For millennia, women have been coloring or tinting their hair to hold onto youth or to present a different side of their personalities. Now, more than ever, people are much more conscious about hair dyes; in my 25-year career as a Master Colorist, I have noticed more media reports expressing concerns consumers have about how hair color will affect their health. Consumers are questioning the ingredients found in a variety of hair colors.
Years ago, I had lung cancer and had to temporarily quit my profession, as I knew the chemicals I was being exposed to were bad for my health. After an absence from the profession I loved and missed terribly, I became aware of a new and exciting development. There was a move toward natural hair color. I searched various hair color systems on the market and made the staunch decision to only work with color systems that were as natural—and effective—as possible.
Typical coloring systems contain parabens, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, propylene glycol, pentasodium pentetate, hexylene glycol, alcohol and more chemicals that are known irritants, and some are known carcinogens. For women—and men—who are sensitive or who have allergies, this combination can result in discomfort, with rashes, facial swelling.
One of the biggest culprits is PPD (P-Phenylenediamine). The most common allergic reactions to PPD and related compounds are dermatitis of the eyes, ears, scalp and face, which may include a rash, extreme swelling and a severe burning sensation on the scalp. At this time, PPD is still necessary for stable, true color; however, natural hair color uses it in much smaller amounts than found in mainstream colors. By utilizing the synergy between the herbal color and the chemical ingredients well, it is possible to minimize the chemical ingredients and get salon quality results. Often, consumers who typically react to mainstream hair colors are able to use natural herbal colors with no problems. So it appears it is not just the ingredient, but also the amount of that ingredient that is causes problems.
Additionally, many mainstream hair colors damage the hair itself. Here’s how: ammonia-based colors are very alkaline, so they open the cuticles wide enough for the artificial color pigments to get into the cortex of the hair. Such a high pH is particularly damaging to the hair’s natural protein structure. The treated hair can become very dry and coarse because the cuticle has been forced so far open it cannot completely reclose. Manufacturers also add silicones that coat the outside of hair shaft, initially making it feel soft and adding shine as well as trapping the pigments. But with subsequent shampooing, the silicones are removed, leaving the cuticle partially open, allowing pigment to escape and resulting in deterioration of the hair. Natural plant-based colors avoid this problem by carefully balancing the synergy between herbal color and chemical ingredients, allowing for the best possible result with the smallest amount of chemicals.