Hair dyes! My interest in hair dyes began when I started obsessing over the famous Harley Quinn and the Joker (don`t mind the movie buff here). I was super intrigued to experiment with hair colours, to try colours that were unique, something that not everyone uses.
Keeping my spirits up high and having finished school, I went to my mom and shared my ideas with her, which obviously did not end well. She started going on about how it will destroy my hair and how it will worsen my hair loss. Yup, my scalp acts crazy to some products, and my mom forbade me from dyeing my hair.
However, I did not give up. I was determined to try and dye my hair at least once so I started doing some research. I found some shocking stuff about hair colours and was almost discouraged – will share more about it later –however, then I came across Organic Hair Dyes.
This is going to be a game changer and I’m excited to share this with you.
Organic Hair Products
Good thing there are options like organic hair dyes if you are looking to colour your tresses and make a statement with your hair in a safe and a healthy way. There are many chemical free hair dyes that you can find in our local platforms so fret not!
Organic hair dye in means hair colour made with organic botanicals and contains less chemicals. Organic, in this sense, is the same definition we use for our organic food standards; botanicals grown without the use of pesticide. In short, they are chemical free hair dye.
All in all, organic hair colours are made up of 5 main organic certified ingredients, which are denatured alcohol, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) fruit extract, Symphytum Officinale (Comfrey) leaf extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) peel extract, and Aloe Barbadensis leaf extract. Organic hair dyes do not contain harmful chemicals like ammonia and phenylenediamine, therefore making it a healthier and a better option in comparison.
Are these organic hair dyes safer than the usual hair ones in market, you may ask?
What separates organic hair colours from conventional dyes is the amount and type of chemical utilized to adjust the pH. Many chemical dyes in the market use ammonia to achieve that hue. Ammonia has been linked to a number of negative side effects which includes skin irritation and respiratory problems, while organic products often opt for less harsh chemical pH adjusters, like coconut oil derived from chemical MEA.
In conclusion, it’s a yes much safer than the regular hair dyes in the market.
Tips in considering organic products
1. Colours
If a particular hair dye is not producing your desired outcome – when it does not change your hair colour into the colour that it is supposed to – chances are, that particular hair dye is not compatible with your hair, hence, it won’t work on your hair no matter how good the product is. Perhaps then you can opt for other organic brands. While some offer only a single colour, there are still other brands that offer various shades of colour that you can try.
2. Formulation
Although organic hair dyes sound much friendlier than the traditional ones, that does not mean one can ignore safety considerations. These products contain a vast amount of ingredients, some which may harm the hair if misused. With that being said, organic hair dyes also contain a bunch of other good ingredients that will bolster the health of your hair.
3. Performance
Organic or otherwise, a good product should live up to your expectations. The product should be user-friendly and should last long (as per the product). There are some organic brands that are semi-permanent that will wash out after a while and permanent ones that will need touch-ups after a certain period of time.
5 Common Ingredients in Organic Hair Dye- and their general benefits that your hair will simply love!
Organic hair dyes are generally made of plant-based ingredients more than chemicals. Here are some of the common natural ingredients you can find in your organic hair dyes, as alternatives to synthetics chemicals.
1. Henna
Women have been reaping this magical traditional ingredient’s benefits for centuries! It enhances hair health by gently binding with the hair, nourishing the tresses from the hairs’ roots. Also, it contributes generously to your hair becoming smoother, silkier, and slightly straighter, as it conditions your hair.
The list does not end there – henna reduces hair fall, boosts hair growth, helps to prevent dandruff, controls scalp itchiness, fixes split ends, makes your hair thicker and lustrous, balances pH and controls oil production.
2. Rhubarb root
Owing to its antioxidant riches, this natural hair colouring agent encourages hair growth, reduces hair loss, adds to the lustre and strength of your hair, prevents dandruff, and treats scalp acne.
It enhances blood circulation in the scalp region – which nourishes both our scalp and follicles – facilitating healthy hair and promotes growth of new hair. This natural substance also aids in keeping our hair follicles safe from various oxidative damage caused by free radicals.
3. Indigo powder
Back when it was first discovered, this natural substance was commonly referred to as ‘blue gold’, and it’s one of the favourite traditional methods for changing your hair! Indigo powder treats and avoids premature greying. It promotes and treats baldness, dandruffs, and conditions dry hair, besides soothing you scalp and saving your scalp from infections.
Indigo Powder has no added chemicals – it does not penetrate into your hair shafts, and helps to deposit colour on the outer surface of the hair, which forms a protective layer on your hair – improving the hair’s health and helping the dye to bind longer to your hair.
4. Amla fruit powder
Commonly known as the Indian gooseberry, Amla has amazing benefits for your hair. Not only does it cure dandruff, it also helps in preventing hair loss. This natural substance is power-packed with nutrients which promotes a healthier scalp and luscious locks!
Amla powder is also associated with scalp conditioning, enhancing of the tone of henna hair dyes, and treating head lice.
5. Neem
Widely used in traditional healing, this “wonder plant” has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antibacterial results. It is known for strengthening hair follicles, simultaneously reducing hair fall. This results in luscious, voluminous, strong and healthy hair.
Neem has the ability to condition your scalp and to facilitate healthy hair growth. It also tames frizz, minimize hair greying, treats head lice and reduces dandruff – as it has antifungal and antibacterial properties which work wonders for itchy and flaky scalps –dryness, flakiness, itchiness and leaves your scalp hydrated and healthy.
So here comes the question: How do you choose the best organic hair dye? This is something that you will have to try and test as it can work differently for our hair. Here are 7 top hair dyes you can find in Malaysia that you can test out.
7 Top Hair Dyes in Malaysia
1. Biomagic Organic Hair Colour
This product is the best organic hair colour for those with sensitive skin. Biomagic Organic Hair Colour Cream is composed of argan oil and keratin. They work to nourish your hair while covering up your grey spots deeply. This product is ideal for sensitive skin, as the hypoallergenic formula is free from ammonia, resorcinol and PPD. This product can be found in Shopee Malaysia.
2. Cultivator`s Organic Herbal Hair Colour
This Herbal hair dye is made up with 100% botanical ingredients that will not harm or irritate your hair and scalp. It`s free from ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, parabens, PPD, and other harmful chemicals. Not only that, this all-natural hair dye can also nourish and protect our hair. This product can be found in Lazada Malaysia.
3. Indigo Powder Hair Colour
The Henna powder does a lasting dye job that will not irritate your scalp. This method can provide a vibrant and intense colour without the harmful chemicals found in standard hair colours. It can also condition your hair and protect your scalp from dandruff, and works best for those with white hair. This product can be found in Lazada Malaysia.
4. Naturetint Permanent Hair Colour
This product is very much known to work best with grey hair. Naturetint Permanent Hair Colour covers grey areas and impart shine back into your hair strands. It`s formulated with organic, plant-based ingredients and peptides. This hair dye is also free of scalp irritation. This product can be found in Lazada Malaysia.
5. Tints of Nature Organic Hair Dye
This vegan, non-toxic hair dye is cruelty-free and is also free from harmful chemicals like ammonia, parabens and resorcinol. This product can be found in Lazada Malaysia.
6. BSY NONI Black Hair Magic Organic Dye Shampoo
This product works best as an organic shampoo for dyed hair, and it also covers up the white strands and grey hair. This product is formulated with Noni extract, wild ginseng and allantoin. In addition, this nourishing hair dye leaves your hair with a sparkling and an intense colour. This product can be found in Lazada Malaysia.
7. Radico 100% Certified Organic Hair Colour
This is the best hair organic hair colour for black hair. This product does not penetrate and damage your hair shaft. It is made with organic herbs that coat the hair shaft; that will not damage your hair or irritate your scalp. Just mix some water with the powder in a ratio of 1:3 and voila you have a safer hair dye to work with! This product too can be found in Lazada Malaysia.
There you have it. You can still look cool while making a better and a heathier choice. I believe I have found enough reasons to convince my mom (and you) that hair colouring can actually be beneficial after all! Shop mindfully, shop consciously and don`t forget to have fun!
Regular Hair Dyes and the risks you should be aware off
Here are some of the shocking finds I came across when I was researching about hair dyes- promised you I will share it and here you go!
1. Can cause an Allergic Reaction
Did you know that hair dyes causes allergic reaction because permanent hair dyes contain paraphenylenediamine, which is a common allergen. People who have contact dermatitis and skin reactions like eczema and psoriasis should also refrain from using hair dyes to colour their hair. And if you have sensitive skin like me, permanent hair dyes can cause itching, skin irritation, redness or swelling on your scalp or other sensitive areas like your face or neck.
A point to keep in mind, if you never had a reaction previously, it does not mean that your skin is attuned to it. The more you use it, the more likely you become to having an adverse reaction. I know, it sucks isn’t it?
2. It makes your hair dry
Hair dyes, generally speaking, and its chemicals penetrates your hair cuticles to alter the colour. This process changes the structure of your hair, which is why it might feel like a different texture after you dye it. This is especially true if you lighten your hair using bleach which can make each individual strand of hair a bit rough.
3. Thinning of the hair
Okay real talk. No one wants to lose hair. That seems to be a significant concern among everyone, young or old. I can say I am speaking for myself here because my hair falls a lot, I wonder how I am not bald yet!
Hair loss from permanent dyes is actually hair breakage, but it can happen in such quantities that it looks more like a loss, according to Dermatology Times. Harsh chemicals in permanent dyes makes your hair brittle and more breakable over time. While this hair loss is unlikely to be permanent it is likely to get worse with continued dye usage.
4. Hair Dyes may irritate the skin
The National Health Service reports that hair dyes contain the chemical paraphenylenediamine, which is known as a skin irritant. Some salons provide a patch test before you get your hair going but this case isn`t likely as teenagers or even adults mostly dye their hair at home.
