One of the questions I am constantly asked what hair dye I use. I'm not surprised, as hair dyes are full of chemicals and people can find it hard to find a good natural dye. I have tried many of the natural dyes on the market. Unfortunately after my second cancer diagnoses I went completely grey so I have been dying my hair blonde since  (I used to be a dark brunette would you believe ).  I can only speak on my experience with blonde dyes but I have summarised a few on the market that I've tried and what I use now that hopefully some of you may find useful;

 Naturtint

This was the first natural dye I tried, to be honest, it was the only one I could find at the time. Although it had no ammonia, no parabens, no resorcinol it did contain hydrogen peroxide and phenylenediamines. Scientists are particularly worried about the long-term effects of PPD, or para-Phenylenediamine, used in dark hair dyes as the darker colours are formed by using higher concentrations. It covered the grey hair but I found it quite harsh and left my hair dry and brittle.  

The Morrocco Method

 

 

This henna dye promises to never compromise health for beauty. They only use wildcrafted ingredients like marine proteins, herbs, minerals and 100% natural botanicals to create the dye. These dyes are non-allergenic and non-toxic to encourage healthy hair growth which is great. Unfortunately, I found it made my blonde colour a tad brassy but it works particularly well on the darker colours which is good as they have higher concentrations of chemicals. One of my good friends who has a dark brown colouring uses it with great success and loves it.  I would also note it was quite messy to apply so make sure to protect your clothes and apply it in an area that can be easily wiped clean like the kitchen or bathroom if you are applying it at home. You can order this online Here and they ship to Ireland which is great.

Colour Herbe

    Colour Herbe is my current and favourite natural hair dye I have tried so far.  What I love about this colour is it gives good results without damaging the hair shaft. It is completely ammonia-free, certified organic ingredients, formulated for people who want a healthier way to colour their hair. In the beginning, I tried to apply it myself but, to be honest, I never quite got that salon-standard result. So I found a wonderful hairdresser to apply it, she uses 3 different colours to get different tones in my hair (shades 8,10 &15).  I highly recommend you find a good hairdresser that will apply the dye for you, sometimes hairdressers can be cautious about applying a dye they don't stock but usually if you have a regular hairdresser that knows you they will bend the rules, believe me, it’s worth it. This range of dyes is certified organic ingredients and the minimum amount of chemicals to colour hair as naturally as possible. I love it as it nourishes and protects my hair while giving me a long lasting colour which is usually about 6 or 7 weeks. Since going grey my hair has become more dry and brittle so I can't afford to damage it further with dyes, I have noticed such an improvement in the condition of my hair since I started using Colour Herbe, I'm delighted UPDATE:  I have been getting a friend to send my Colour Herbe from the states but after writing the post I looked into it and found it is now stocked in Ireland which is great!. I have made an enquiry to see if there is anywhere you can buy it over the counter so I will keep you posted. Stockist list HERE Let me know if you give any of them a try and how you got on :) Note: A preliminary 48-hour skin test is advised prior to use of any hair colour as ingredients may cause an allergy or sensitivity.