Nontoxic Hair-Coloring

Hair Dye Alternatives

Hair coloring is nice for the hair and can enhance the looks of your hair but they also do contain an ingredient called Ammonium thioglycolate that can penetrate your scalp and has been linked to cause cancer in laboratory animals. Now the manufacturers can remove carcinogenic from their products but then add other twenty different harmful chemicals that is needed to improve the quality of their products without potential human carcinogen; but this can still be harmful to our health. It takes four years or more to test a new chemical for safety before the FDA can approve it and during this waiting time, it is said that some manufactures have been found guilty of taking advantage of this time. Unfortunately, the FDA has no jurisdiction over regulation of hair dyes, which could be mutagenic and suspected human carcinogens because of the 1938 law still in effect that exempts these products from government regulation to protect entire hair-dye industry in business.

Hair dyes are not always tested for safety. Hair-dye products may contain coal-tar dyes, ammonia, detergents, hydrogen peroxide, and Lead and many hair-dye chemicals, which can penetrate the scalp and enter the bloodstream.  It is possible that the use of toxic hair dyes by women over fifty years can increase the risk for breast cancer.

For safety, women who are pregnant or of child bearing age or breast feeding should avoid permanent wave perms and toxic hair coloring products. Because permanent wave products contain Ammonium thioglycolate which is one of the most hazardous ingredients; they can pose health risk like cause skin rashes on your hands and scalp, redness, swelling, and hemorrhage under your skin. Because the scalp is very porous, this substance can easily be carried into the bloodstream. In addition, permanent waves smell very strongly of ammonia, which can cause breathing difficulties and coughing.

                                              Alternative Solution

Try pure Henna without metallic bases, henna enhancer or chemical dye; women have used pure henna and other plant-based materials for hair coloring centuries before chemical dyes were invented. Although henna will not change the color of your hair permanently; they can highlight and enrich your hair color in a way chemical dye do not compare.  Find out more about Henna

You can try Herbavita Vegetal color and Herbatint made from herbal formulas that contain no ammonia.

If you want to perm your hair, try plant-based hair relaxer called curlaway or use less toxic ammonia-free Vitawave perms available in natural-food stores, Allergy relief shop, iherb and Amazon.

Also try Logona USA Hair colors, they contain organically grown henna plus finely ground herbs, roots, leaves, seeds, fruits, wood, and bark gathered from the wild. Logona hair colors helps coat each strand of hair with a protective film that both strengthens the hair and creates a unique color for your hair. Logona hair color contain nettle extracts, vegetable oils and herbal extracts from certified organically grown or wild crafted plants. Logona products contain no synthetic preservatives or colors.

 Other organic Hair dye products you can find at Amazon
  

Herbatint

Light Mountain

Surya Henna

Jamila Henna Powder

Godrej Nupur MehendiPowder 9 Herbs Blend

Naturcolor

Rainbow Henna

Morrocco Method Simply pure Henna

                         

Color Me Naturally byAubrey 

Author:
Onyinye A is a freelance writer who specializes in nontoxic self improvement, green & Eco-friendly living, nontoxic lifestyle (preventing cancer, illness and toxicity) and everything related to organic living. Her work has been published by nontoxiclifestyle.org, Ezine.com, and other online and print publications.

Tips that will save your hair

Your hair enhance your look.

Paying very close attention to your diet could improve your hair, you also need to consider what kind of product you use on your hair, exercise caution which shampoo, conditioner, cream you use on your hair. Some products contain very poor and harsh ingredient such as lauryl sulfate, parabens, petroleum (most commercial product have it as an ingredient) and some product are more suitable for certain kinds of hair, so it's wise you become knowledgeable of products and about the long term effects on your hair if you choose it.

Next avoid tight hairstyles, it can cause damage to your scalp, give you sores, redness and severe pain, gland inflammation, break your hair from the root which in turn leads to alopecia (bald spot, sometimes irreversible unless diagnosed early). So loosen up those braid(not sloppy but definitely not so tight), feeling beautiful in your hairstyle is cool but if the braids are too tight, your hairstylist does not care about your hair/scalp and if tight braids is continued one day you will develop severe alopecia or loose all your hair.


    *  Avoid heat—using hot products such as straighteners, blow dryers and curling irons can make your hair look great for a time, but can ultimately do long-term damage. By applying too much heat to your hair, you can dry it out, cause split ends and even cause more shedding than normal. To avoid these results, you can find alternative methods to heat, such as drying with cool air, as well as using curling rods that do not require heating.


    * Don’t apply chemicals—to avoid excessive damage to your hair, it is important to avoid any harmful chemicals, such as dyes and permanents (including straighteners or curls). These chemical solutions can lead to dryness, breakage and the loss of hair.


    * Brush properly—while it may seem that brushing your hair is very straightforward, if done incorrectly it can damage your hair and lead to excess hair loss. It is best to brush your hair when it is dry, and to always brush gently. If you must brush your hair when it is wet, you should use a wide-tooth comb instead of a brush and if you have any tangles, it is important to use a detangler to avoid pulling out hair strands as you brush.

    * Avoid tight hair styles—while there are many hair styles that look lovely when done tightly, such as braids or tight ponytails, these can ultimately be harmful to your hair’s health. Tight styles put too much pressure on weak hair follicles and can lead to premature shedding and hair loss.

Avoid stress- stressing out can cause hair breakage and slow down hair growth:
Use a deep conditioning treatment once a week. This treatment will improve the look of healthy hair and also keep your hair in healthy condition. Weekly deep conditioning can deliver nutrients needed for proper hair health, keep hair strand dryness at bay and strengthen hair strands to prevent breakage.

Use Hennas instead of harsh colors/dyes. Buy Henna


Another way to reduce unwanted hair loss is by scheduling a hair cut or trim every six weeks. By keeping hair properly groomed you can reduce the risk of split ends, breakage and excess hair weight, all of which can lead to premature hair loss. Achieving healthy, full hair is easy once you understand proper general hair care techniques. By taking care of your hair the right way today; you can reduce the risks of hair loss tomorrow.

Some herbs to help with  hair growth:-

Horsetail, yarrow, aloevera, stinging nettle, ginkogo biloba, saw palmetto, panax ginseng, algae extract(seaweed), green tea, Arnica, Birch, Burdock, Catmint, Licorice, Marigold, Nettles, Parsley, Sage, Southern wood, Neem.

Herbal remedies increase circulation, disinfect the scalp and stimulate hair growth.

 

Rinse your hair with apple cider vinegar and sage tea. This helps hair grow. 

Cat mint or chamomile infusions used as a final rinse can help with itchiness, a source of hair loss.

Aloe, nettles, stinging nettle, birch leaves and watercress are excellent blood and skin cleaners. Drink 1 tbsp. of juice of stinging nettle, birch leaves and watercress, mixed in a glass of water to cleanse the blood.

Licorice extract may help prevent hair loss.

Used as a tea, parsley strengthens the kidneys. A tea made from raspberry and blackberry leaves is also good for they kidney.

Horsetail is a good source of silica. Silica helps to keep hair strong and looking shiny and sleek. To shampoo hair, steep 2 tbsp. horsetail in 4 oz. hot water and add to a baby shampoo.

Massage scalp regularly with tinctures of stinging nettle, birch, horsetail and rosemary for hair growth stimulation, to disinfect the scalp and to increase blood circulation.

Rosemary or stinging-nettle may help combat dandruff, a source of hair loss. Put a large handful of rosemary into a pan and cover with water. Simmer for 10-15 minutes and leave to cool. Strain the mixture through a sieve into a jug containing a few drops of wheatgerm or any oil. Use this as a rinse after you have washed your hair with a very mild shampoo. Finally rinse thoroughly with tepid water.

Arnica, marigold, rosemary, or southern wood are also useful for hair loss. For best results, massage an infused oil into the scalp.

A tea of marshmallow and burdock is good for dry hair. To make the tea, add 1 tsp of marshmallow and 1 tsp of burdock to a cup of hot water.

Oils help hair growth:- jojoba oil, almond oil, cactus, Shea butter, mururmu butter, olive oil, castcus milk, Castor oil, coconut oil, neem oil, grape seed oil, lavender, rosemary oil.

Finally, your nutrient matters, get vitamin and mineral supplements- Vitamin A(beta carotene), Vitamin B(complex), B-1(thiamin), B-2(riboflavin), B-6(pyridoxine), B-12(cobalamin), Biotin(vitamin H), Choline, folic acid(folate), Inositol, Niacin(nicotinic acid), pantothenic Acid, PABA(para-aminobenzoic acid), Vitamin C(ascorbic acid), Vitamin D(calciferol), Vitamin E(tocopherol/tocopheryl), Vitamin F(unsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid) Vitamin K(phylloquinnone), Vitamin P(bioflavonoids, rustin,  hesperidin), copper, iodine etc. 

Find Hair conditioners and skin supplements

Source: Nontoxic Lifestyle  
            Natures Plus
            Holistic Hair online
            Hair expert