Many of us have reached the point in the program where we are becoming more aware of the negative effects some products on beauty shelves could be having on our bodies. And we’re much more interested in beauty products that have fewer potentially hazardous ingredients and harmful toxins than what has been traditionally found on the market — including hair color and dyes.
[SEE ALSO: 5 Nontoxic Black-Owned Nail Polish Brands To Rock This Summer]
The American Cancer Society has called out traditional permanent and semi-permanent hair dyes as potentially being carcinogenic. And, because of how hair dyes work (there have to be some active chemical ingredients to activate the color process), one might be hard pressed to find a dye product that is completely free of harsh chemicals or toxins.
There are a few products out there you can try that are at least less toxic for your hair and scalp. The key is to find hair color and dyes that have more plant-based ingredients that are free of alcohol (less drying), ammonia (less potential damage to the cuticle), and/or p-phenylenediamine (PPD) (less likely to cause allergic reactions or serious side effects). We also recommend looking for more temporary and semi-permanent hair options.
Of course, there are some more natural items that you can find around your house or on grocery store shelves that can be used to initiate a more natural hair tint. If keeping it 100% clean is your goal, you might want to try options like henna, carrot juice, lemon juice, beet juice, coffee, or chamomile tea.
But, if you’re not ready to become your own kitchen chemist, we’ve pulled together a few options to help you achieve your ideal hair color with less risk and maximum color.
