Replace Your Toxic Hair Products!
Organic solutions are starting to crop up in the marketplace to replace toxic hair products.
Organic Color Systems is currently the biggest name in non-toxic hair dyes. They use a 100% ammonia-free coconut acid extract to lighten hair. Many but not all of the ingredients are from natural and organic sources but others—namely the pigments—are not organic. There is also some concern that ammonia has been replaced with another problematic ingredient—ethanolamine—so it’s not a magic bullet and we need to remain ever vigilant and continue doing research. Seeing the word “organic” on a product is not enough. Carbon monoxide is organic.
Organic Color Systems has a full range of colors. And it’s not just like massaging spit into your hair—it actually covers the grey. You won’t be breathing in unpleasant fumes and your scalp won’t sting. Hopefully you will have happy hair.
Hairprint. Interestingly, they call themselves the Hair Healing Company. Their website says their product is the only one “in the world that restores hair to its true color. Hairprint Patented Technology creates the exact pigment molecule that is already in your hair”. If you want to try it yourself and you don’t mind some trial and error and mess, read this first.
Ingredients: amla fruit extract, aloe vera leaf juice, arginine, bamboo ferment, brassicyl isoleucinate esylate, coconut oil, decyl glucoside, disodium EDTA, eldberberry extract, evening primrose oil, fermented coconut and radish root, gotu kola extract, green coffee extract, hibiscus petals, Japanese bloodgrass, eye of newt. Okay, it doesn’t really have eye of newt, but this is the first list that looks truly natural—almost all ingredients come from nature instead of from a lab. The company has a fan base of purist customers.
Is all-natural better? If a hair dye makes the claim “natural” or “no ammonia”, will it be a better choice? Not necessarily. Here’s a really good article on what to look for. Basically, when manufacturers eliminate something toxic, they may be replacing it with something just as toxic but less known.
Other fun things to try. There are many time-honored methods still in use. Here are seven alternatives to permanent hair dye that include vegetable extracts, tea, herbs and coffee. Have a hair-dyeing party!
Other hair color systems are available, but I haven’t tried them. Some are meant for home use, and others, for professional salons.
I will keep adding to this list so check back!
-your GFF
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