http://www.care2.com/greenliving/toxic-hair-dye-ingredients.html
Toxic Hair Dye Ingredients
By Melissa Breyer, Senior Editor, Healthy & Green Living
So, how bad is hair dye? Just like evolution has taught us that terribly bitter tastes may indicate a poisonous food, it’s my thought that the smell of hair dye should have us warned accordingly. How can something that smells so toxic be all right? As you may know, the FDA has no authority to require that cosmetics be tested for safety before they are sold, unlike drugs and food additives. An industry-funded panel, not a government health agency, reviews the safety of cosmetic ingredients in the U.S. Research undertaken by Environmental Working Group (EWG) shows that this largely self-regulated industry routinely fails to adhere to their own safety panel’s advice or to heed the health warnings inherent in cosmetic safety standards set in other countries.
In an investigation of the ingredients in more than 23,000 products, EWG found that nearly one of every 30 products sold in the U.S. fails to meet one or more industry or governmental cosmetics safety standards. They found nearly 400 products sold in the U.S. containing chemicals that are prohibited for use in cosmetics in other countries, and over 400 products containing ingredients that cosmetic industry safety panels have found unsafe when used as directed on product labels, including the U.S.-based Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) and the International Fragrance Association.
One way, as a consumer, that you can pull up the slack where the FDA is lagging is to familiarize yourself with ingredients banned by the European Commission, and check the label of products you use or are considering. Here is list of hair-dye substances banned in Europe, as listed in the Official Journal of the European Union:
6-Methoxy-2,3-Pyridinediamine
2,3-Naphthalenediol
2,4-Diaminodiphenylamine
2,6-Bis(2-Hydroxyethoxy)-3,5-Pyridinediamine
2-Methoxymethyl-p-Aminophenol
4,5-Diamino-1-Methylpyrazole
4,5-Diamino-1-((4-Chlorophenyl)Methyl)-1H-Pyrazole Sulfate
4-Chloro-2-Aminophenol
4-Hydroxyindole
4-Methoxytoluene-2,5-Diamine
5-Amino-4-Fluoro-2-Methylphenol Sulfate
N,N-Diethyl-m-Aminophenol
N,N-Dimethyl-2,6-Pyridinediamine
N-Cyclopentyl-m-Aminophenol
N-(2-Methoxyethyl)-p-phenylenediamine
2,4-Diamino-5-methylphenetol
1,7-Naphthalenediol
3,4-Diaminobenzoic acid
2-Aminomethyl-p-aminophenol
Solvent Red 1 (CI 12150)
Acid Orange 24 (CI 20170
Acid Red 73 (CI 27290)
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20 comments
add your comment »It's just not a question of doing or not. I just can't do it anymore. I did like it auburn, but those days are in the past. personally I am glad I made the choice not to color anymore. My scalp burned the last time.
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vegan freindly products here ar care2 , visit the shop http://my.care2.com/veganstuff
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Katherine F - In looking at EWG's "Skin Deep" Cosmetic Safety Database, Herbatint is given a #7 (7-10 = HIGH HAZARD). It seems it's not as natural as you think. Go to their web site link provided by Liberty in her comments...
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Personally, I am just waiting till I have enough money to take the red and brown dyes out of my hair and just let it be. I think that my scalp will be healthier for it.
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Diana, I took your advice and went to goinggraylookinggreat.com and read "A Burning Question". It is really good information. Anyone who colors their hair or uses henna and henna tattoos needs to read this NOW!
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Henna does not cover gray -- is there any herbal-based hair dye that does? Also, if my hair was silver, great; but I'm afraid my gray is gray. It doesn't comfort me a great deal that I have less of it at 52 than most of my friends did at 32; it's still gray!
I was looking at the list of ingredients on the last box of hair dye I bought and just about went cross-eyed. As far as I can tell, there aren't any of the above chemicals in it, but I just can't bring myself to put it on my hair anymore.
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"Self-regulated" is just another way of saying the fox is in the hen house, but hey, don't worry! We simply don't know what will tip the balance in favor of "toxic overload". Not "dyeing" is better than "dying". It is tough, coming off the dye bottle though. The transition can be fun when you have other women like those on http://www.goinggraylooking great.com. walking away from the toxicity and into a brand new silver you!
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Naturcolor, also made in Italy, is a wonderful, herbal-based hair dye.
http://www.naturcolor.com/naturcolor/
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Henna plain is very messy, inconsistent & difficult (doesn't work well on my hair); herbatint (made in Italy, not Us), however, is marvelous, largely natural (no ammonia), does not burn, covers grey very well & if used according to directions, does not turn your hair to straw. Have been using for years (& my hair grows like weeds, so I do this weekly, not monthly!). Also, for those who trust their noses, does not reek.
& FYI, Nature's Gate herbal condition does a marvelous job of conditioning after dyeing--even better than Herbatint's own conditioner.
Is quite affordable if purchased online (ie nhplus.com, & similar)
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Oh, Christine -- Smart move, but bad sign. Are you sure it was your psorsiasis, or contact dermatitis? That could be a sign of a serious PPD allergy to the dye. One that eventually leads to being allergic to so many household products and medications you were never allergic to before. It's dangerous. You can read more about this at http://www.goinggraylookinggreat.com, under the Transitioning tab in an article titled "A Burning Question." You did the right thing by stopping coloring! And you'll see many examples of women who have let their silver shine, and look gorgeous at the site!
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