You probably know the term 'organic' particularly from food products, but is there such a thing as organic hair dye? In this blog, we find out exactly what organic in combination with hair dye means.
According to the dictionary, products are organic if they come from organic farming (farming without the use of artificial fertilisers and pesticides). In addition, producers must take the environment and animal welfare into account as much as possible. 'Derived from organic farming' therefore means, according to the dictionary, that only hair dyes that have a 100 per cent natural origin can be organic.
In addition, the crops must also have been grown organically. So organic hair dye is a 100% plant-based hair dye that has been grown organically. Only a very small part of the hair dye market is made up of organic hair dyes. Because no matter how good and healthy for your hair and the environment; at the end of the day, you dye your hair because you want a beautiful, high-coverage, long-lasting colour in your hair. And on grey hair, this is usually not possible. Besides, you cannot dye your hair lighter with any type of henna. You really need chemicals for that anyway.
However, there is no single clear definition of what organic hair dye is. At least some of the labels used for organic cosmetics do not require 100% plant origin, but use a different minimum percentage. Sometimes, the ingredient water is left out of the list of ingredients because cosmetics often consist of a very large proportion of water and therefore can never meet the standards otherwise. We assume for a moment that organic hair colour must therefore consist of a very large proportion of plant-based ingredients that come from organic agriculture or are obtained from the wild.
The best-known and oldest natural hair dye is henna, which comes from the plant Lawsonia Inermis. You can buy henna hair dye in powders, creams and bars. The powders are often toxin-free, 100% vegan, gluten-free and not tested on animals. Henna is known as the healthiest hair colour product in the world and contains no synthetic substances such as ammonia, PPD, parabens, propylene glycol, peroxide, resorcinol, heavy metals, artificial fragrances, mineral oils, GMOs (genetically modified organisms) or gluten.
Plant-based but not always organic
Henna powders contain only plant-based ingredients. However, henna colour creams sometimes contain ingredients that are not entirely plant-based but chemical, for example, to ensure better coverage. So as always, even with henna: look carefully at the list of ingredients and if you go for organic, rather choose powdered henna with an organic label. As mentioned, the origin of henna is entirely plant-based and usually comes from roots or fruit. Some henna dye comes from plant. based oils.
Sometimes the henna is not grown organically and pesticides are used, for example. It therefore happens that henna has chemical contaminants. So plant-based is not always organic.
Healthy for your hair and the environment
Henna does not change the hair structure. The layer of colour is placed around your hair so no chemicals need to be used to open it up. It also does not damage your hair cuticles. This ensures that your hair stays in better condition. If you have fine, thin hair, the layer that henna puts around the hair shaft makes your hair look a bit fuller and more voluminous. Henna also has a slight astringent effect on your hair, so that your hair cuticles become closer together. This makes your hair feel smoother and shines beautifully.
Henna natural hair dye layered around the hair
Pure henna-based products are very mild and therefore do not penetrate your hair. Pure henna and other pure natural hair dye products therefore only put a layer around your hair. Together with your natural hair colour and structure, this creates a certain colour. So it often takes some experimenting to discover the best colour (and combination) for your hair. Different types of henna also give different colour results. Henna from Iran dyes your hair dark red; Egyptian and Moroccan henna gives your hair an orange hue. Henna powder is mixed with other dried plants, allowing for more colour variations. Apart from red, there is dark red, copper, brown, chestnut brown, black, golden blonde and ash blonde available. Dyeing your hair lighter with henna is not possible.
Because henna wraps a layer around the hair, the transparent coverage does not last long because the pigments are not locked in the hair shaft. On the other hand, some brands of henna actually say that adding acids to henna actually intensifies the colours over time.
Grey coverage
Truly pure natural hair dye products do not cover on grey hair. Maybe it camouflages grey reasonably well at first, but as your hair becomes greyer, this transparent coverage is no longer adequate. Some plant-based hair pigment products are used in combination with hydrogen peroxide for a longer lasting colour because the colour can then penetrate deeper into the hair shaft. But then the product is just no longer plant-based and organic.
Long processing time
Some types of henna require a long processing time for best results. Sometimes as long as eight to 10 hours if some users are to be believed. There are also varieties where three-quarters of an hour to an hour and a half is enough. Thing is, the longer you leave the henna in your hair, the more intense the colour result. Dark colours generally need a longer processing time.
Messy!
Not very nice: it seems to get quite a mess in your bathroom if the stories are to be believed. And sometimes the red stains cannot be removed from your shower or bath.
Other milder hair dyes
Besides henna, there are also hair dyes that are not entirely plant-based, but are more responsible and contain fewer synthetic ingredients. Certain ingredients such as ammonia and PPD are then replaced as much as possible with more natural or milder alternatives. However, these hair dyes still contain chemical ingredients and are therefore not organic. As a result, these dyes often give good or at least better grey coverage. WECOLOUR hair dye also contains as many mild ingredients and healthier alternatives as possible than most hair dyes you buy at the drugstore.
Spread throughout the Netherlands you will find an increasing number of organic or natural hairdressers. Because more and more people are very conscious of their health and the environment. A natural hairdresser uses only 100% natural products. Often, dried plant extracts are used to dye your hair. Powders of, for example, coffee, nuts and ginger are also used. The products are therefore 100% natural and usually proven organic.
There are several reasons to dye your hair with 100% natural hair dye, for instance if you have an allergy to toxic ingredients such as paraphenylenediamine (PPD), toluene-2, 5-diamine, polyethylene glycol (PEG), p-aminophenol, resorcinol or other chemicals. Respiratory problems play a role for some people. Environmentally conscious people do not want chemicals like ammonia, hydrogen peroxide and other chemical compositions in hair dye to get harmful substances into the sewage system and nature. Some people want to use only pure nature for their health and some people want the most natural hair colour possible.
Ingredients used include hops, aubergine, saffron, turmeric, coffee, black tea, chestnut husk, indigo, walnut shell, grape skin, blackberry, cinnamon ginger, cleavers, crimson berry, oregano and eagle fern.
Quality marks
Want to be sure your hair dye is organic? Then pay close attention to a quality mark on the packaging or ask your natural hairdresser. Because sometimes the producer gives the impression that this is indeed an organic product, while this is not (entirely) the case. With the growing environmental and health-conscious trend, it is of course commercially very attractive to call your product plant-based, natural or organic. Often, you can simply put this on your packaging without actually checking whether the product lives up to the claims made.
If you want to be sure that you have a truly organic hair dye, pay attention to a protected quality mark for cosmetics such as Ecocert. A company applying for this label is first inspected. Only if the company's processes and the ingredients used meet the standards, the company is granted a licence. So you can be sure that the hair dye is truly plant-based.
BDIH is another well-known quality mark that stands for natural, animal-friendly cosmetics. Then there are other European labels like Cosmebio, ICEA, NaTrue and ICADA. Read more about natural cosmetics labels.
What each label stands for varies, so check what is important to you. Of course, there are also small manufacturers who use organic raw materials, but do not always apply for a label. For instance, because they are very small and the cost of certification is (still) too high. So some products do not have a quality mark but may be organic.
If you are looking for organic hair dye, you can go to bio-drug stores, health stores, nature and health food stores or Turkish and Moroccan tokos. Check if it has a quality mark and see what exactly the quality mark stands for. Do you want to lighten your hair colour or do you have grey hair? Then organic hair dye is not or less suitable for you. Choose a responsible hair dye such as WECOLOUR hair dye.