Why Choose a Natural Hair Dye?
What is the deal with this fuss about choosing natural products? Does it really make that much of a difference what I expose my body to?
Yes. It does. And in this post, I seek to answer why.
Women and men have always desired gorgeous hair as it is the ultimate signature of beauty. It is common to use our hair colour as an indicator of our personal style, or as a tool to cover emerging grey hair. Hair colour thus is a highly attractive beauty product. But as much as we love our colourful hair, it is a fact that permanent hair dyes contain a mixture of chemicals that may damage your hair and your health. The trick is to choose the most natural hair dye with the least toxins.
Natural Hair Dye Contains Less Toxic Chemicals
In the following are listed six of the most common chemicals, which you should all watch out for when choosing your natural hair dye.
PPD (p-Phenylenediamine)
PPD is an ingredient derived from ammonia and is often found in hair colours. The most commonly known risk of PPD is allergy. Many people are to some extent allergic to this substance. And even if you’re not allergic, the effect of PPD is believed to be cumulative. This means that the more you are exposed to the substance, the more likely you are to develop a reaction in time. Allergies should be taken serious, so if you still want to use products with PPD in them, you should do a patch test beforehand to make sure you don’t get an allergic reaction.
Ammonia
Ammonia is a colourless gass that works as a precursor to for example foods and as a building block for various pharmaceutical products, such as hair colours. In hair dyes, ammonia is used to prepare the hair shaft to take in the pigment by opening the hair shaft and cuticle. This process damages the hair because the pH of the hair is raised to a level where it is basically impossible to return to a normal level after colouring. Thus, the hair loses protein and moisture. Furthermore, ammonia is irritant to the skin, eyes and respiratory system, and can cause asthma and breathing difficulties.
Resorcinol
Resorcinol is a dihydroxy benzene. Benzene, which is used to make resorcinol, is one of the chemicals known to increase risk of dangerous diseases like cancer. In hair colours, resorcinol formulates with other chemicals to provide a permanent colour effect.
Resorcinol has commonly been linked with hormone disruption and can cause skin irritation. And like PPD, the more you’re exposed to resorcinol, the more sensible you’re likely to become. The affects caused by resorcinol should be taken serious as they suggest a variety of health issues. Besides affecting our health, researchers argue that this substance could be dangerous for the environment as well – another good reason to avoid it.
Parabens
Parabens are the most commonly used preservative in personal care products. The basic function of parabens is that they stop bacteria and fungus from moving into your favourite beauty products.
Parabens have been victim to much vilification because 1) they can mimic estrogen, and 2) they can be absorbed into our skin and potentially affect our endocrine system. Nothing has been scientifically proven, but researchers well know that estrogen exposure can be linked to breast cancer progression. And therefore, more research is needed on this subject. However, we do know that parabens can be absorbed and detected in blood and urine. This means they could potentially affect and harm our health.
Persulfates
Sodium, potassium and ammonium sulfates are present in hair dyes and bleaches, and are used in concentrations of up to 60 %. BUT concentrations of only 17.5 % have been shown to irritate skin, so when in contact with this chemical, make sure your wash and rinse your skin well after. Persulfates are also toxic when the fumes are inhaled, causing asthma and lung damage.
SLS (Sodium Laurel Sulfate)
This chemical is widely used in many hygiene products such as shampoos. The basic function of SLS is that it allows for better interaction between the product and your hair. This is done by breaking surface tensions and separating molecules.
But how does SLS really affect your body? There are conflicting answers to this question. One thing about SLS that is heavily debated is whether it is a carcinogen. That is, a potential cause of cancer. However, there are currently no scientific evidence that this is the case. But SLS poses other threats to the health of your hair and skin. For example, it can cause irritation to the skin and scalp, even when the level is very low.
Natural Hair Dye Contains More Natural Benefits
The primary reason for choosing a natural hair dye is to avoid the chemicals. However, natural hair products possess other beneficial qualities for your hair and body as well. NATURIGIN’s natural hair dye formula is based on natural ingredients, which all contain certain natural benefits for you and your hair. Fruits, plants and vegetables all possess natural benefits that you can transfer to your hair. Learn more about the benefits of natural and organic ingredients.
Now, just because a natural hair dye contains natural ingredients, it does not mean that there are zero harm in using it. However, the more natural ingredients and the less chemicals, the better the product is for your body. AND! Our experience is that the result you get from a natural hair dye can be just as good – if not better – as from a chemical-stuffed hair dye. I hope you think about these facts the next time you wish to dye your hair.
Wish you all a good hair day
Michelle and Mollie//NATURIGIN
Hair Styling Basics to Match Your Face shape
Picture from allure. – use their guide to find out what face shape you have
Time for a takeover on the blog! Hafsa Hadid shares her best tips to match your hairstyle with your face shape. Hafsa is content strategist on hairstylecamp.com, a blog that handles every subject you can dream of when it comes to hair.
I’ve learned a thing or two, and I hope you will find it helpfull too.
Hair Styling Basics to Match Your Face shape
People who have perfect hairstyles know that the secret lies in matching their hairstyle to their face shape.
Forget what people are saying, there isn’t one perfect faceshape, everybody’s faceshapes are unique and beautiful. It’s just the matter of knowing how to work with what you’ve got. The most basic hair styling tip is to try to make your face look more symmetrical with your hairstyle. This is because people are more drawn towards people with symmetrical shaped faces.
But, focusing solely on face symmetry can only get you so far. There are many more basic hair styling rules that you can follow so that the next hairstyle you choose is the best one so far. Take some time to examine your face shape. Try to match it to these descriptions. It will make your basic hair styling routine much easier.
Square Face shape
Faces of these people resemble a square, that is, the measurements of all their facial features are similar. This is a face shape that most men think of as an ideal.
Women can either fully embrace it, or they can try to soften their strong jawlines with basic hair styling tricks. These women usually go for simple layers that will distract from their strong jawlines. The layers usually look playful, yet they soften harsh facial features.
One classic hairstyle for men with square faces is crew cut. The hair on top is quite short, while the sides are cut even shorter. The hair styling routine of these men is quite basic, yet they always look amazing with this haircut.
Oval Face shape
These people have faces that are long but with shorter width. Their foreheads are bigger than their jawlines. This is an ideal face shape for women, but some people don’t think it’s that attractive on men. Either way, this is a perfect blank canvas which is an invitation for endless experimenting with different hairstyles.
Some women stay away from bob hairstyle because they can be hard to pull off. But, women with oval faceshape can go for it without any worries. If you want to spice up your bob haircut, add some fun layers. This will kill the monotony that a bob haircut can sometimes create.
Men with oval faceshape should create as much volume as they can, and style their hair upwards. Whatever they do, they should not have bangs because that will further soften their facial features.
Round Face shape
Round faces have similar cheekbones and face length. Jawlines of people with this face shape are usually less defined. The hairstyle goal for this face shape is to create an illusion of sharper facial features. People with round faces can pull off crazier hairstyles because they won’t look as extreme as they would on other people.
Women with round faces should either go for quite shorter or quite longer hairstyles. Really short hairstyles are really popular nowadays, and it’s always great to take a break from having long hair. If these women choose a longer hairstyle, they should have very little layers because he goal here is to elongate the face.
Flat top hair looks best on men with round faces. Styling the hair this way will probably require quite a lot of hair gel, so just go for it.
Heart Face shape
People with heart-shaped faces have wider foreheads, while their cheekbones and jawlines are quite narrow. The basic hair styling tip here is to focus on adding balance to the face. The heart-shaped face is disproportional, but this can be used as an advantage.
These women should grow their hair out. Then, they should add some layers that are either cheekbone or chin length. This way they can draw attention to their unique facial features.
These men should definitely stay away from short haircuts. Medium length hair is perfect for these men. Other than that, they can choose to either brush the hair on one side or to the back. It will look great either way.
Rectangle Face shape
The most noticeable facial feature of these people is their overall face length. Their foreheads, cheekbones and jawlines are all almost the same length. These people are trying to achieve some balance by trying to make their face appear shorter.
It’s best that women with rectangle face shape have a curly hairstyle. A perfect hair length here is short to medium. This way, the face doesn’t get elongated additionally. Crazy amazing volume is definitely wanted here.
While the trend of pompadour hairstyle is nowadays bigger than ever, men with rectangle face shape shouldn’t go for it. They should go in a completely different direction. The sides of their hair should remain almost the same length as the top parts. This way, they won’t elongate their faces further.
After going through all of these hair styling basics, you won’t find yourself leaving the hair salon in sadness. You won’t be naive like many people are when they think that they can pull off any hairstyle if they wanted. While it’s nice to experiment with our hair every now and then, it’s also great knowing exactly what suits us best. Now that you know your face shape and the perfect hairstyle for it go and get your glow-up in a hair salon!
Best
Hafsa Hadid//hairstylecamp
Mollie//NATURIGIN
Is it safe to colour hair during pregnancy?
Facts and Tips About Hair colouring and Pregnancy
One of the most recurrent questions that we receive here at NATURIGIN is this: Is it safe to colour hair during pregnancy and breastfeeding?
Here at NATURIGIN, we don’t recommend that you colour your hair during pregnancy and breastfeeding. If you choose to do it anyway, then read our best tips, and what chemicals to avoid.
To many women, being pregnant is one of the most special times in life. And taking care of our babies – even before they are born – becomes the greatest mission in life. Thus being worried about habits, such as colouring your hair, is natural in this phase of life. But giving up these habits can be difficult. And off course, we all want to look gorgeous, even when (or especially when) we’re pregnant, right? In this blog post we set out to clarify what the dangers of colouring hair during pregnancy and breastfeeding might be.
Studies Show: Facts About Hair Colouring and Pregnancy
What might be surprising is that there is actually only limited research on the effects of colouring your hair during pregnancy. And experts have conflicting opinions on the matter. But here’s what we know:
- First of all, studies indicate that very few of the chemicals in hair colours are absorbed by the body. The little percentage that is absorbed, will not stay in your system for long.
- Secondly, permanent and semi-permanent hair colours are not considered highly toxic. Studies show that it would take very high amounts of the chemicals in hair dye to cause harm. And even then, it might not be harmful. The doses of chemicals that you are exposed to when colouring your hair are very low compared to this.
- Third, there are no reports saying that colouring your hair cause changes in your pregnancy.
- Furthermore, it is known that very little of the chemicals in hair colours enter your bloodstream. Thus, it is considered unlikely that these chemicals will affect your pregnancy or your breastmilk.
Ingredients You Should Know
There are many recommendations on which products and ingredients to avoid during pregnancy. Hair colour in general is one of the products that are highly debated. And you probably know that there is a list of ingredients in hair colours that are considered potentially harmful for your health – whether you’re pregnant or not. We have listed some of the potentially harmful ingredients here. However, there is no clear evidence showing that these particular substances have direct effect on your pregnancy. But in general, we recommend that you use hair colour and personal care products that are free of the following:
- Parabens
- Synthetic fragrance
- Ammonia
Other substances that you should avoid when you’re pregnant in particular are:
- Pesticides (choose organic foods and products)
- Over exposure to essential oils (such as tea tree oil)
- Formaldehyde
You can read more about the Five Chemicals You Should Avoid when Colouring Your Hair right here and learn what ‘organic’ means when we talk about hair colours and why it matter.
Our permanent hair colours is free of SLS, ammonia, resorcinol and parabens. Our product also includes certified organic natural oils, so if you decide to colour your hair during pregnancy and breastfeeding, our products is a good choice.
8 Tips for Colouring Your Hair During Pregnancy
Now the hard facts are on the table. Though there is no evidence showing that colouring your hair will affect your pregnancy, we advise you to consider these facts carefully before making up your mind. But actually, this advice applies even when you’re not pregnant too! There will always be certain ‘health issues’ to consider when colouring your hair. But these facts don’t suggest that it is more harmful to colour your hair when you’re pregnant than at any other time in your life.
If you do decide to colour your hair, here are our best tips:
- Wear plastic gloves to avoid skin contact with the dye.
- Make sure there is good ventilation when you colour to minimize your exposure to the chemicals.
- Leave the hair dye in for the minimum amount of time
- Wait till the second trimester or later before you colour your hair. This seems to be the generally shared advice among experts and doctors. In this way, your growing baby and its developing organs will be less vulnerable to chemical substances.
- Carefully wash your scalp after colouring.
- Colour your hair as rarely as possible!
- Consider using a colouring technique that doesn’t cover all of the hair. For example, streaking, highlighting or balayage will allow you to freshen up your look, but the hair dye is not in direct contact with your scalp.
Read more about How to get the Best Result with Home Hair Colours
Hopefully, this post will be helpful when you’re thinking about colouring your hair during pregnancy. If you have any other questions, we would love to answer these in the best way we know!
