Looking for Safer,
More Natural Hair Color?

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Have you been on a search for a more natural hair color product? Perhaps you have developed sensitivities or maybe your are trying to find a product with safer ingredients. Either way this can be a challenge.

For me finding a more natural hair color product began when I started developing allergic reactions to the hair color I was using. In the past when I have chosen hair color, I have to admit that my only thought was about how I would look with beautiful blond hair like the model on the box. In fact, I usually didn't take the time to do a patch test.

I had to stop using my hair color product when I started developing itching and burning with each application. At the time there weren't many satisfactory alternatives so for years very little was done to color my hair. I was never very happy with this since I was prematurely grey and a very unattractive grey at that.

Health food stores in my area began carrying natural hair color. Henna was one of these products but I was hesitant to try it. It's certainly natural but I didn't think I would like the colors I could get with my greying blonde hair.

Since I am not certain what I am allergic to in permanent hair color, I started looking at what ingredients could be the possible culprits, ingredients like PPD (p-Phenylenediamine), ammonia or peroxide. It seemed like the easiest one to eliminate was ammonia so I started there.

You may already know that many hair color products have now been using ammonia free formulas and these are available from any number of big name companies. It was also important to me that whatever product I used there was no animal testing. That eliminated the big name companies.

I chose a more natural hair care product called Naturtint with active vegetable ingredients. It is a permanent hair color without animal testing or ammonia.

I say natural loosely. While some more natural ingredients are used and the choice of chemicals used is safer than many of the brands currently available it is hardly a completely safe, natural product.

The results were great for a while but then the burning and itching started again.

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Possible Allergens and Their Safety.

I had been learning more and more about chemicals in our products but for some reason I had not really thought about my hair color and the chemicals.

While Naturtint has a moderate safety rating, it does contain PPD, a possible allergen, occupational and environmental hazard and Cocamide DEA another chemical causing concerns as an allergen and carcinogen.

Skin Deep, a database that rates thousands of different ingredients and products used in our personal care products for safety, gives PPD their highest and worst rating, a 10, and DEA, ammonia and hydrogen peroxide a moderate rating.


While you are on the Skin Deep site, if you are using hair color products from some of the big name companies check out their safety ratings. At the very least we all need to know what we are using so we can make the best choice for own health and needs.

What Are Other Choices?

If I want a permanent hair color, I will have to use something with hydrogen peroxide as this is a necessary ingredient in permanent hair color. It's what lifts the color and gets the hair ready to accept the new color. And it seems that PPD will also be necessary. It adds color to the hair and helps it last.

For me permanent color is out if I'm allergic to either one of these but I'm not willing to give up my permanent hair color just yet. I want to eliminate chemicals as much as I can but there's also the cost and the convenience to consider. It's just not possible to find a totally natural hair color that's also permanent.

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Possible Natural Hair Color Choices

I found a brand called EcoColors, a permanent hair color made with a very low level of chemicals that says it has been used safely by people who have been allergic to other products. I like that they offer a test kit with enough product to try it out with a patch test.

They have signed the campaign for Safe Cosmetics and work to use the least toxic, environmentally friendly ingredients and they don't do animal testing. They do use lanolin so if your vegan you might want to see the products below. Check their website site for more information and articles about their products.

Check out my review of EcoColors Hair Color.

Also consider Herbatint, a permanent natural hair color using extracts of plants and herbs for color and conditioning. They too use a minimum levels of chemicals that can still do the job of lifting the color up to two shades and then giving great color that fades slowly over time. No animal testing here and it's vegan.

Vegetal is a semi permanent natural hair color from Herbatint. It won't lift the color - no hydrogen peroxide or PPD's and washes out after 6-8 shampoos.

Aubrey Organics Color Me Natural offers a permanent hair color with no synthetic chemicals which means no ppd. Sounds great but they only offer it in two colors, dark brown and mahogany. If you have more than 20% grey, check with the company for their suggestions.

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What About Henna?

Henna is another possible choice, it has improved through the years and it is a true natural hair color. Henna has been used for centuries and is said to have been a favorite of Cleopatra. Henna is the plant Lawsonia inermis and it is combined with herbs and other plant materials to create hair color.

It is a way to condition the hair while coloring it. Henna will not lighten the hair but coats the strands with color. It lasts 3 or 4 months but you can encourage henna build up by applying in 4-6 weeks. Because it is totally natural, even organic, with no chemicals you can use it whenever you want. There are quite a few websites offering these safe and environmentally friendly products.

Some come prepared in a cream form, some must be mixed. It can be more labor intensive and not as many colors, expect warm color tones. Many women do seem very happy with the results. Safe products that are safe for the environment.

A few brands to consider:

Morrocco Method

Mia Simone's Boutique

Light Mountain Naturals

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Don't Forget Your Patch Test

When choosing your natural hair color always remember to do a patch test and a strand test. I know it's tempting to bypass this, I've been guilty of this myself but if you find out as I did that you have suddenly become allergic to a product you can find out before applying the product to your whole head.

The strand test can be so important especially when you do your own color. The color on the box may morph into something quite different on your hair. For the best results make sure to follow package directions carefully. I don't want you to be one those hair color disasters.

Also, even though you are wanting to use a product that your salon doesn't offer, talk to your stylist. My stylist, Erik is great and works with me. I need all the help I can get. We won't discuss how bad I am at touch ups. I buy it and he applies it. Works for me.

A helpful tip.

My stylist also suggested that I not wash my hair for several days before I color. It seems the scalps natural oils help protect my scalp from the chemicals. Surprisingly this has helped. Although that last day before I go have my hair done is not one of my better hair days.


Have you tried any of the hair color products above or a brand not mentioned here? Why not write your own natural hair color review? It's easy to do. Go to Natural Hair Color Review and tell us about it.





How to make sure your products were not tested on animals. Check out:
Is Your Skin Care Company Against Animal Testing?

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