Next to wrinkles, nothing is as aging as greying hair. Women, more so than men, turn to dyeing their locks, either to cover grey or for a change from their natural hair colour. However, reading the list of toxic chemicals and warning labels of adverse reactions on hair dye products purchased for home use or application by professional hairdressers can be quite frightening.

You’d be hard pressed to find a head of grey hair in the CBD today. Colouring hair is incredibly common, and women, Australia-wide, love to dye their locks. It’s not all about colouring grey hair either – a lot of women love to play with different colours depending on the season – and the latest fashions.

However, reading the list of toxic chemicals and warning labels on the packets of hair dye can be pretty sobering.   

Allergic reactions

If you have sensitive skin, chances are you’ve experienced discomfort or allergic reactions during and after dyeing your hair.  And it’s not surprising – some of the chemical ingredients that you might find in the packet of hair dye includes ammonia, benzene, coal tar, lead acetate and p-phenylenediamine. All of which can trigger allergic reactions.

Alternatives to chemical dyes

But luckily, there are alternatives. Henna is well-known as a hair dye, and is derived from a flowering plant indigenous to Australasia, Africa, and Asia. If you’ve used henna in the past, you might be pleasantly surprised to find that it has improved a lot in recent years.  While in the past henna was incredibly messy to use and the colour was unpredictable, the products you’ll find at your local health food store have improved a lot. You should also ask your hair salon if they stock a range of gentler organic, environmentally friendly hair colourants – ask for those that don’t contain ammonia.

Read our article on more ways to colour your hair naturally, or head to your local health food shop to check out their range of organic hair dyes. If all else fails, talk to your local hair stylist or colourist today.