What chemicals should I look for and avoid?
There are dozens of ingredients that help hair dye work its magic. But there are some potentially harmful chemicals that are quite common in hair dye.
P-Phenylenediamine - The most common culprit that people react to is PPD, or p-Phenylenediamine, found in darker shades. Symptoms vary from dermatitis (itchy, red skin), to, in rare instances, life-threatening anaphylaxis.
Ammonia-You probably learned about this colourless, alkaline gas in chemistry lessons at school. It’s used in colourants as it opens up cuticles – a hair’s scaly outer coating – allowing the colour to penetrate. But over time, ammonia can leave tresses dry and brittle.3
In strong concentrations, ammonia causes severe burning. But even in low concentrations, like those in hair dye, it can irritate skin, lungs or eyes if you’re sensitive.
Hydrogen peroxide-This is widely used in hair dye as it removes hair’s pigment, allowing new colours to be absorbed.
Concentrated hydrogen peroxide is nasty stuff – it’s toxic if ingested or inhaled, and causes tissue damage if it comes in contact with skin or eyes.
Formaldehyde- This common preservative is used in hair dyes and has been linked to cancer and fetal damage in utero.
Not all ingredients. even though the words look big and scary are bad, so ive included a list of common ingredients and what they are for reference, But please note that all manufactures have their own formula's and these will vary greatly so i suggest if you dont know what an ingredient is look it up on the internet, it should be easy to find otherwise stick with specially made brands of dyes for pets.
Common Ingredients and what they mean
Water--Deionised purified water
Vegetable Glycerine-also referred to as Glycerine Vegetable, is a 100% natural humectant which absorbs, and holds, water. Glycerine is a hygroscopic ingredient, which means that it draws, and holds, water.
Cetearyl Alcohol- is a mixture of naturally derived (Coconut and Palm Oils) fatty alcohols consisting predominantly of Cetyl and Stearyl Alcohol. This widely used fatty alcohol is often employed as the sole conditioning agent in creme rinse or hair conditioner formulations, as it adequately moisturises and improves wet/dry comb out.
Quaternium-31-Anti-static, gives hair a softer feel, easy comb out and control of fly-away hair. Often, other conditioning ingredients (such as Cetyl alcohol, Stearyl alcohol or Cetearyl alcohol) are added to make it thicker and more opaque. No build-up effect.
Behentrimonium Chloride-Conditioning agent made from colza oil obtained from the seeds of Brassica rapa, (oilseed turnip).Conditions, detangles, fights static, softens, and helps strengthen hair. Since it’s plant-based and not petrochemical-based, it doesn’t coat but penetrates the hair shaft for potent conditioning effects.
Citric acid-is a natural preservative that exists in many different fruits, vegetables and other products. It can also serve as a ph adjuster, which makes it a great ingredient for personal care products, food coloring, and many other solutions.
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride- A unique hair conditioner derived from the Guar bean, Guar Gum belongs to the legume family and is primarily cultivated on the Indian subcontinent. It offer several advantages for personal care formulators looking to add conditioning, and improved aesthetics, to their natural product lines, especially hair care.
Quinoa protein -is hydrolyzed from the Quinoa grain, through an enzymatic process. It offers a unique combination of molecular weight amino acids offering enhanced penetration for hair and skin nourishment along with film forming activity for greater repair, hydration, and shine. Hair will look smoother and feel silkier; it forms a protective barrier to protect the hair from environmental stresses, retains moisture in the hair, and provides nutrients to the hair. Unlike the rest of the proteins that will each offer protection, repair, or miniaturization Quinoa Protein will offer all of these attributes through enhanced hair penetration and substantively for increased damage repair and cuticle protection.