I’m guessing there are probably a lot of people out there who want to find better alternatives to traditional hair dyes, which are usually full of ammonia and other harsh chemicals.
I spent years dying my hair, and even though I’m only 25 and have TONS of grey hair, I’ve stopped dying my hair completely. Partly because of all of the chemicals involved in hair dye but also because I’ve just come to really love my grey. (You can see it pretty well here.)
I know how hard it is for some people to give up their regular dye jobs though, and Ideal Bite recently did a tip about more eco-friendly alternatives to traditional dyes, so I thought I’d mention a few.
Susan Henry Natural Color Process – Susan Henry is one of the top colorists in Hollywood who began researching and developing her all-natural, 100% ammonia free, permanent color process after she started to suffer from symptoms of ammonia poisoning while being exposed to traditional hair dyes on a daily basis. Her natural hair color line is wheat-germ based, and the application process is pretty similar to any other at-home dye kit. A kit will run you about $20, includes a cap and gloves, and is currently available in colors ranging from light blonde to black. All of the Susan Henry color treatments are guaranteed to cover grey hair.
Naturtint also makes permanent hair coloring that is made with vegetable ingredients (it’s enriched with soya, corn, coconut and wheat extracts) and is free of ammonia and parabens. There’s no animal testing involved and they use a biodegradable packaging for their products. There’s a full range of natural hair color products designed for both men and women.
There’s also a plant-based coloring kit for deepening your natural shade by Advanced Cosmetic Technologies, or use the natural vinegar and herb based John Masters Organics Herbal Cider Hair Clarifier & Color Sealer to seal in color.
You can also go old-school and use henna dyes, which people have been using to color hair naturally for thousands of years. Just be careful not to use henna on hair that has still has other color residue on it. Ideal Bite recommends Morocco Method henna, but Lush also makes some great natural henna products as well.
For more natural hair care and body product alternatives, there are many products you can create at home with all-natural ingredients. There are a variety of highly-rated books with step-by-step recipes and tutorials, including these:
Earthly Bodies & Heavenly Hair: Natural and Healthy Bodycare for Every Body
Natural Beauty at Home: More Than 250 Easy-to-Use Recipes for Body, Bath, and Hair
Organic Body Care Recipes: 175 Homeade Herbal Formulas for Glowing Skin & a Vibrant Self
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This is really cool. I have allergic reactions to various hair dyes and some of them even make it difficult for me to breathe while they’re on my head. Definitely looking into the Susan Henry ones.
For red and auburn shades natural henna is ideal – not necessarily the Lush brand mixed with nut butters – very hard to wash out, but natural “body art quality” pure powdered henna. It produces beautiful shades of red and auburn with very little fading.
I do my henna for 4-5 hours and I would have to say my color doesn’t change from month to month – the ends are just as red as they were after the second application.
Now I just do a root application and the color always blends seamlessly with the previous application. Unlike commercial color there is never a line of demarcation and I don’t have to worry about overlap either.
The only consideration is if you have large amounts of grey or areas of large patches, those sections will be brighter red. For scattered grey it is the ideal color as the translucent properties of henna will turn the greys into sparkling highlights.
Note: Henna is very permanent, so don’t try it if you change color often, but you can color over it with regular color. It can be quite hard to lighten though.