Color Your Hair Responsibly
December 21, 2007 by Jennifer
Most people I know have experimented with hair color at some point. It’s fine to want a new look or want to brighten an existing look but most commercial brands of hair color are unnatural and unkind to your hair. Worse, most hair coloring products are super bad for the planet.
Almost all the commercial brands of hair colors and dyes contain petrochemical; many of which are toxic. You can be exposed when petrochemicals are inhaled or absorbed through your skin — both of which are likely while coloring. Other bad news about hair dyes includes the chemicals ending up in and polluting groundwater, chemicals that can deplete the ozone (like methyl chloroform), and inhumane testing of animals. Hair damage, skin irritations and allergic reactions resulted from hair coloring are common negatives as well.
What to use:
You can still color your hair; it’s how you color that matters.
Henna is one of the most popular hair coloring choices for people looking to keep it natural. True henna is a powder that you’ll mix with water and apply to your hair like a paste; leave on for a bit, and then rinse. Henna coats your hair so your hair may seem thicker after use. Straight up henna will almost always produce a reddish shade. because of that, henna is almost always mixed with another shade of herbal powder. Chamomile is a popular additive because it creates golden highlights along with the red of the henna. Henna products have become very sophisticated lately and are available in all sorts of shades due to mixes; but these aren’t considered true henna. They still work the same though.
Downsides of henna include:
- Not permanent — actually this can be a positive depending on your needs.
- Hard to use in long curls — I actually can’t use henna at all. It gets all clumpy in my hair. The last time I used henna, it took days to get it completely out of my hair. However, I’ve always had really huge ringlet like curls (think Shirley Temple) when my hair is wet so maybe people with less curly curls could manage. Most of the people I know who have great henna success tend to have straight hair that already runs towards a shade of red.
- Individuals with very light colored hair (light blond, white, silver) usually can’t use true henna because it’s too strong.
Henna is actually a really in-depth topic. You could write a book about it. For more info visit Henna for Hair.
To find henna and other natural coloring hair products try:
Highlighting options:
If you’re looking to color gray there are fewer natural options. Highlights can work for women with less gray (such as under 50%) and you can highlight at home with simply a lemon, some water, and the sun (mix all three well). However, lemon can be drying to hair in some cases so it’s best to overly condition after sitting in the sun with a lemon drenched head.
You can also use sage tea. Only use sage tea on darker brown to black hair though. Simply boil sage (about a handful dried) in a quart of water. Boil for around 30 minutes to an hour. The color will darken as the herbs steep. Cool tea, strain, and pour through your hair continually about 20 times. Rinse with water only. Sage can produce good color but it also can be a long drawn out process to get dark locks. To really attain the perfect color can take weekly treatments over a few weeks or more.
*Tip: If you try coloring with sage tea, add some lavender oil so that your head doesn’t smell like Thanksgiving dinner. I haven’t tried it (my hair is too light) but I made some for a friend once and it was very strong smelling. Not bad; but not how you want to smell.
There are plenty of other natural highlighters and dyes you can make, such as walnut hair dye — that’s a long topic though. Maybe we’ll go over it at another time.
Later this week more natural, less harsh dyes — outside of henna.
LUSH has some great hair coloring options. I am just sticking witht he white highlights for now..everyone tells me it looks cool…I hope they are not lying.
Great topic and post Jennifer! Can’t wait to read more on natural hair care options from you! Happy Holidays! Lush is great, although I wish they’d sign the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics Compact and stop using parabens.
The last time I dyed my hair, I was 12. I went to the pool a few days later and all that red dye leached out into the water. It was HORRIFYING. lol I’ve stayed away from it so far, but every year, my head gets a little shinier.
Jennifer, what was it like when the henna was washing out of your hair? My hair is really thick so I’m almost afraid to go that route.
I don’t know too much about Lush. A lot of the colors I’ve tried I have whipped up in the kitchen with herbs, flowers, nuts, etc. Not long lasting but kind of fun.
Hil ~ I may have made my henna too thick? I’m not sure. I know people who have a good time with it but not me. Unless I find a thinner brand I can’t use it. I seriously washed my hair about five times before it all came out. But like I say my curls hold stuff. Maybe someone else will arrive with better news.
Um. I color my hair black once a year. You know, I never gave thought to it being bad for the enviroment. Thanks for the info!
to remove hanna from your hair wash it with luke warm water then saterate it with any conditioner it will come out so easily.