Have you ever experienced an itchy scalp, burning sensation or rash immediately after dying your hair? If so, it could be that you have an allergy to a particular type of hair dye.

Approximately 50 million women in the US dye their hair every year but how many of us really know what goes into our hair dye and how it can affect our health?

Different forms of hair dye can contain bleaches, ammonias and other chemicals that can have detrimental effects on your hair including dry locks, frizziness and lack of body. And don’t forget when you dye your hair that these elements can affect your scalp too.

Unless you advised by a professional that a pre-dye test isn’t needed (for example some salons use vegetable based hair dyes which don’t produce allergic reactions), you should always do a tint test beforehand to check for any allergic reactions.

The tint test

Home dye kits and salons should include instructions on how to do a ‘tint test’ whereby a small amount of dye is placed on the inside of the wrist, the eye of the elbow or behind the ear. You will be familiar with this practice if you get your eyebrows or lashes dyed regularly.

The dye is left to dry and remains on the skin without washing for 24-48 hours. During that time you should record any changes that occur in your skin.

Types of allergic reaction

If you have a reaction to the dye you may notice itching, pinkness or a rash around the area it was applied or you may experience a hot tingling sensation. In the worse cases more serious side effects can include incessant itching or irritation causing dermatitis on the site of the dye, a rash spreading across the rest of the body and, very rarely, anaphylaxis (shortness of breath, swelling and an inability to breathe).

What do I do if I have a reaction?

If you do a tint test and notice any side effects, wash off the dye immediately with a mild soap and warm water. For more severe reactions, wash off the dye as above then seek medical help from your doctor or call for an ambulance.

Any reaction during the tint test is a sure sign that if you put it on your hair your scalp will react in the same way, potentially producing an uncomfortable and embarrassing affliction and in the most extreme cases can result in hospitalization if you are hyper sensitive to the ingredients.

What causes allergies to hair color?

Ingredients in hair dyes differ from product to product but there are some common chemicals to look out for:

Ammonia and Hydrogen Peroxide (bleach) are commonly found in hair dyes used to permanently lighten hair and create blonde locks. You can often smell this ingredient even if you’re unaware of its inclusion in the dye.

Reactions to hydrogen peroxide are two-fold as if left on too long, it can dry out and burn the skin, leaving a nasty red reaction. Inhalation of hydrogen peroxide can also cause a reaction causing shortness of breath in those sensitive to the ingredient.

PPD (Paraphenylenediamine) is a chemical widely used in hair dyes that contain darker colors and black dye. This chemical is often found in home dye kits that contain two bottles – the dye in one and the developer in the other.

PPD is usually found in the dye bottle and if applied to the skin alone can cause severe reactions. The likelihood of an allergic reaction from this is unlikely when it is combined with the developer (however this is often ammonia – see above).

Other chemicals with lesser reactions include Para-aminodiphenylamine (PADA) and paratoluene diamine (PTDA) and 3-nitro-p-hydroxyethylaminophenol. If you are aware of either skin allergies or sensitivities to hair dyes then your safest bet is to avoid all hair dyes containing any of these ingredients to avoid reaction completely.

Is it true that henna hair color can cause allergic reactions?

Henna is a natural hair dye that has been widely used for thousands of years, and is largely seen as a organic and safe alternative to using chemical hair color products. The plant is a protein that adheres to the hair and following application it takes a long time for the color to develop, therefore any sensitivity to the dye should be tested before it is applied.

Now here comes the confusing part; although henna is widely regarded as a safe option for those wishing to avoid chemical allergies, it should not be mistaken for its namesake that is a lot more dangerous; black henna.

Black henna is a dangerous mix of chemicals and it’s use as a hair color product is largely legislated against in the United States. It’s name derives from the late 19th century when plant-based hair colors where imported into the west, and consequently mixed with chemicals to make cosmetic products.

It is very important that black henna is not confused with it’s organic namesake.

Black henna can cause severe allergic reactions as it contains PPD. Black henna tattoos (the dye is often used for tattoos and body art as well as a hair colorant) should be avoided whilst coloring your hair as this can result in hospitalization due to overexposure of PPD.

What are the Alternatives?

If you suffer from sensitive skin and know that a regular hair dye is out of the question you can try some of the following natural products which are suitable for those with allergies.

Lush – offer a selection of vegan Henna hair colors, which are made using natural henna, which does not contain PPD but instead is made from henna leaf and conditioning cocoa butter. Available in four dark auburn shades.

Daniel Field – offers organic and mineral home hair colorants. These are suitable for both vegetarians and vegans. They do contain PPD but no ammonia or hydrogen peroxide and are water based. These come in a variety of colors for blondes, brunettes and redheads.

Palette by Nature – have a wide selection of permanent hair colors which are PPD free. They don’t contain harsh chemicals and instead actually offer botanical products with ingredients to soothe and calm the skin. All the products are plant based, are 50% organic and approved by the American Contact Dermatitis Society (ACDS), named as ‘one of the safest alternatives to conventional hair color for chemically sensitive people’.

Whatever your hair color, the key to looking and feeling great is down to how you take care of your locks.

The wind, the rain, the sun – not to mention the daily use of hairdryers, curling tongs and hair straighteners – can all add up to dry, damaged hair which will transform your once healthy tresses into a lackluste, dull and unmanageable mess.

Here at HairColorCode.com we understand that a daily ritual of deep conditioning and preening to keep your hair looking healthy may not be possible, so here’s a list of quick and easy tips to keep your hair color looking its best.

1. Choose the right shampoo and conditioner for your hair type

There is a huge choice of hair products on the market but which is best for you?

Start by working out your hair strengths and weaknesses. Is it oily at the roots? Dry and brittle? Colored and in need of nourishment? Once you figure out your hair type look for a specific range that suits your needs. And don’t be drawn into using the most expensive shampoo on the shelf. Drug store shampoo’s often contain the exact same ingredients as those pricey looking bottles in your local salon.

The right products can make all the difference. Remember to only use conditioner at the very tips of your hair.

2. Use heat protecting products before drying and straightening

Investing in a heat defense spray can do wonders for the health of your hair.

They work by adding a protective layer to your hair to stop the heat stripping the natural oil from the hair shaft. Jetting off for some winter sun? Don’t forget to pick up a spray with an added SPF and wear a sunhat whenever possible.

3. Use a hair masque or deep conditioner once a week

Regularly using a conditioning treatment once a week can increase shine and protect your hair color.

Either use a dedicated deep conditioning treatment or apply your regular conditioner all over your hair, comb through, leave for ten minutes and rinse thoroughly for soft silky hair.

4. Use a blast of cool water or cool setting on your hairdryer

When you wash your hair, use two applications of shampoo and follow by rinsing out your conditioner using cool water (not icy cold!).

This action will close the cuticle of the hair and make it appear smoother and less frizzy. Using the cool setting on your hairdryer after styling will achieve the same effect.

5. Choose a semi-permanent color for all over shine

Ever wondered how celebs like Kim Kardashian and Katy Perry have perfect glossy hair?

Try a semi-permanent hair dye to replicate the look. A semi-permanent color can be beneficial as it adds a natural shine to the hair and coats the hair shaft increasing the thickness of the hair. An added bonus is it creates a youthful look without damaging the hair follicles.

6. Get a regular cut

Getting a regular haircut is the simplest way to achieve healthy looking hair. Not only is it a confidence boost but even a tiny trim can remove split ends and keep your hair in tip top condition. Experts recommend a haircut every six weeks.

7.Commit to looking after your hair

Following these easy tips will definitely improve the health of your hair. Setting aside just ten minutes a week to deep condition your hair can make all the difference, and if you are worried about the cost remember that a regular cut and the right products can actually work out cheaper in the long run. Invest in your hair and you will love the results!

Ok, we admit it, we are addicted – there are members of the HCC team who have dyed their locks so often that they can’t remember their natural color. Actually there are some members of the team who have dyed their locks so often they can’t remember their current color (quick mirror check) but we all had to start somewhere, and today’s advice is for those adventurous souls pondering a change in hair color for the very first time.

There are a few things to consider before embarking on your technicolor journey, sure you are keen to jump in but a bit of thought now can save you money, time, and perhaps even a lot of embarrassment in the long run. As ever, if you’ve got some time on your hands we recommend you start your hair color journey with our Hair Coloring Basics, and our Hair Dye Guide.

For those of you on the go, before you sit in the chair or stroll through the grocery aisle, here are the questions you should ask yourself:

Who is going to do the deed?

There are pros and cons to both home coloring and salon coloring. If you simply want to match the color on your head to the color on the box, home coloring products may work for you. Basic blending and coloring is certainly possible at home and can save you a considerable amount of time and cash, but don’t veer too far from your natural shade or you can end up paying a lot of money to have a stylist repair your mistake. However, if you are the creative type, seeking cutting-edge highlights, panels, and unique formulations, do not, I repeat, do not try this at home!

Are you going to be natural or a bit more daring?

Selecting a shade no more than three tones away from your natural color will really pay dividends when it comes to maintenance, for example if your hair is naturally medium brown and you select a medium to dark brown dye the regrowth will not scream its presence and you will have more time between applications. However if you are an espresso brunette and opt for platinum blonde, be prepared to spend a king
’s ransom and a whole lot of time on keeping up your color. In this case, discuss maintenance and budget with your stylist before you get the color on your head!

What type of hair do you have?

The quality of your hair fabric will determine the outcome of your color. If you have a strong, resilient fabric, you can do more to your hair, the color will stay vital and vibrant longer, and you will be less of a slave to your color care. However, if the hair on your head resembles the hair on your arms, you have a smaller margin for error. Fine hair does indeed benefit from the “swelling” action color can give, but it cannot go through as many applications or technical overlapping and may restrict your fashion frolics. Make sure your discussion with your stylist involves the condition and products required to maintain the lustre and health of your hair. This leads us to number four…

Don’t forget to consider aftercare!

Quality products are essential when caring for chemically treated hair. It is not so much the brand but the ingredients, although higher quality brands tend to use higher quality ingredients. Some shampoos have the same components as the product you use on your carpet, whereas others are so gentle you could practically drink them. It is also worth looking beyond shampoos and conditioners to other specialist products including deep conditioning treatments, glossers, sealers, express refreshers, and many salon services that can increase the longevity and cosmetic integrity of your color. You should also think about styling aids as these can inhibit or benefit your color as well.

Make sure the color works for you!

When selecting a shade, you may want to consider what colors are in your makeup palette as well as your wardrobe. You might choose a color to compliment your existing preferences, or perhaps this is your opportunity to change things up a bit. Either way it is wise to have a plan so you do not have to toss hundreds of dollars worth of cosmetics and push your favorite clothes to the back of the closet! If you aren’t sure, strategically placed highlights can create a peek-a-boo effect that allows your colors’ appearance to change as often as your moods. You should also think about your lifestyle, how much time and money do you have to devote to the maintenance of your color? Finally we would always recommend that you tailor your color to your cut for maximum enjoyment!

Happy Halloween hair color fans! To celebrate the scariest night of the year join the HairColorCode team as we face our fears and reveal our hair dye nightmares… be afraid, be very afraid.

Nightmare # 1: Coloring your hair too dark

Hopefully by now you know our golden rule – if you want to go more than three shades either side of your natural hair color, then get your butt to the salon. Its not that it can’t be done, but as far as we are concerned it isn’t worth the risk.

And how do we know? Just ask the nameless HCC team member who dyed her dark blonde hair (and her bathroom, and her Egyptian cotton towels) jet black. She was aiming for Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction, but somewhat missed the target and ended up closer to Morticia Addams. What’s so bad about that, you might ask, we love Morticia’s fabulous gothic style? Well what didn’t work so well was the spot she missed at the back of her head. From a distance the blonde against the jet black looked like a bald patch. Scary!

Nightmare # 2: Coloring your hair without shampooing it first.

It is a widely held myth that color comes out beautifully when applied to dry, unwashed (i.e. greasy, dirty, product laden) hair. Wrong! This is one of the biggest hair dye mistakes, take it from us that your hair needs to be squeaky clean before you apply your chosen color.

To avoid this bad dream becoming a reality, shampoo your hair well without scrubbing your scalp too much (it might get scraped and you will feel a sting when the hair color is applied) then dry as normal. Also, do not use conditioner on hair about to be colored as it must be free of oily substances, otherwise you may get patchy, inconsistent color. Arghhhhhhhhh!

Nightmare # 3: Coloring treated hair.

Noooooooooooooo!!! Sorry to be so dramatic, but if your hair has been treated (straightened or permed), you really must wait for at least six months before coloring it. During that time you should condition your hair and ideally use a keratin hardener solution to make the bonds of your hair resilient.

You have to pamper your hair and be kind to it – we would recommend cream treatments at least once a week. Also, avoid using hair irons if possible (no-one said this was going to be easy!) as they can damage your hair even more. If in any doubt always consult a qualified professional, perhaps then you can avoid the fate of the HCC’er who had to shave her head as her hair was damaged beyond repair…

Nightmare # 4: Failure to do a strand test

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, always do a strand test at least 24 (preferably 48) hours before application. The best place to do a strand test is just below the nape, that gives you a good idea of whether or not the color is right for you but its easy to hide a mistake. Also, doing a strand test will check if you are allergic to the hair color or not so it’s killing two birds with one stone.

We confess that here at HCC we don’t always follow our own advice (what can we say, sometimes it’s too exciting to wait) – most memorably when the Ed introduced her dark hair to a bottle of bleach and immediately followed with a bright red dye. Not only did it destroy her hair, even an elementary class could tell you that white plus red equals pink… The result? Well, let’s say it would have made a troll doll jealous.

So there you have it, our most hair raising moments laid bare so that you can avoid a fate worse than death…. bad hair!

We would love to hear about your hair dye disasters (we can’t be the only ones who have ever got it wrong?) – let us know in the comments below.

If you’re considering using henna hair dye, let us separate the facts from fiction.

It is said that henna was the secret to Cleopatra’s long and lustrous hair. Her kingdom was certainly abundant in henna (or Lawsonia Inermis), and perhaps it was this plant which made her locks famously strong, shiny and vibrant.

But here’s the thing; 100% henna hair dye comes out orange-red, and Cleopatra’s hair was black!

Solving the Mystery of Cleopatra’s Henna

Pure henna always produces an orange-red tone. During Cleopatra’s time, we know she used henna to protect her hair from damage (interestingly it is also believed she used henna to color her lips and nails).

But if her hair was black, then what type of henna hair dye did she use?

If you encounter henna in shades of brown, blonde or black, it is called compound henna. This is a mixture of plants and herbs together with henna in powder form. This is a permanent dye and will stay on hair until it grows.

It’s all in the mix…

Here are the most common ingredients in compound henna:

Henna hair dye manufacturing companies combine these plants with henna to create a range of gorgeous shades:

Going back to Cleopatra, can we attribute her long, beautiful black hair to Henna, Indigo, Vashma and Karchak? Probably, these plants were everywhere and their secrets were well known to the Ancient Egyptians.

Henna Hair Dye Today

One of the great things about henna hair dye is that it hasn’t changed much since Cleopatra’s day!

It remains purely plant based, with no PPD or P-Phenylenediamine (a component in most permanent hair dyes), no metallic components or pesticides and no ammonia. This means that anyone can use henna without fear of an allergic reaction.

Henna hair color is also a great treatment for your hair, acting as a conditioning product and even aiding scalp problems like dandruff and hair loss. In fact henna hair dye can make the bonds of your hair stronger – with its tannin components it strengthens the keratin source of your hair which over time becomes thicker and less fly away.

Henna hair dye is a great choice if you have graying hair, as the color appears stronger on the silver strands giving the illusion of highlights or lowlights depending upon the shade you have chosen. You can re-apply henna at any time, so no more hiding from the world with six weeks worth of untreated regrowth, making the transition between colorings much simpler.

A Word of Caution

Everything said here pertains to all-natural and organic henna and henna compounds. However there are chemical-based henna products on the market which can damage hair. Our advice is to always check the packaging, and only buy henna hair dye products with the ingredients explicitly stated. And of course we would always recommend you carry out a strand test at least 24 hours before a full color application.

If you were to use a henna hair dye containing metallic elements it may be difficult to go back to a chemical (i.e. permanent home hair dye or salon) color until the henna treated hair has completely grown out, so it is worth checking that the product you are using makes the grade!

Do It Your Way

Now that you know the individual components of organic henna dye, you might even decide to create your own color shade. Don’t forget that the color will continue to develop up to two hours after application!

Deeper colors can be built up by repeated reapplication, so whether you are brave and bold like Cleopatra or prefer to experiment with a more subtle sheen, henna can be a fun, natural way of changing your look.