Non-Animal Tested, and Healthier for You

Unlike cosmetics and skin care products, non-animal tested hair color is not yet a huge business. But it's a business. And cruelty-free hair dyes are out there.

Of course there's henna, which has been around for perhaps thousands of years. I'll get into that a little later, because I want to start with some of the newer products first.

I tried Naturtint, from Spain's Phergal Labs, and liked it so much I used it again when it was time to re-color. Hazelnut Blond - a dark blond with golden-red tones - is very natural looking. Naturtint's color range is extensive, and it's widely available at Whole Foods and other health oriented outlets.

If you only have a little bit of gray, you can use the Naturtint Reflex Semi Permanent Rinse. Mahogany and Copper Blonde are especially nice colors.

Be sure, after using any of these dyes, to shampoo ever-so-gently with the mildest shampoo you can find. I'm using Aveda Color Conserve Shampoo and Conditioner now. I found that the Jason Shampoos keep the color intact longer - but the Aveda Shampoo leaves my hair more silky. I alternate between the two.

Speaking of Aveda, if you'd prefer to get your hair professionally colored, Aveda salons offer a wide range of colors and coloring products of that are both vegan and non-animal tested.

Vegan hair colors are also available at De Lorenzo in Australia. Called Nova Permanent Haircolor, many colors are currently on eBay, but it must be professionally applied. If you want to order the colors directly, you can call De Lorenzo at 02 9748 8900. (Remember to use international code - you can have the operator help you if you're unfamiliar with how to make international calls). They have a lot of beautiful, natural-looking colors to choose from.

Logona Color Cream Hair Color is made without animal testing, and people I've talked to say they have been pleased with the results. They also make a henna. It's available at BeWellStayWell and Spirit of Nature.

Spirit of Nature also has Sante Coloring Mousse, which washes out with the first shampoo.

Another choice is Herbavita. It's semi-permanent, rather than permanent, but some women say it lasts almost as long as permanent color. They have it at Goodness Direct. Herbatint is from the same company, but is better at covering gray.

Hedgerow Herbals makes pretty colors that have a henna base.

Jerome Russell has a wide range of color choices, from natural-looking to all-out glittery. Some of their colors need to be applied professionally in a salon. If you can't find a salon that carries Jerome Russell, why not order it yourself and hand-carry it to a willing professional?

Daniel Field Water Colours has gorgeous-looking colors, which he describes as "organic and mineral." They're available at Honesty Cosmetics and at his own UK site, Daniel Field. I've written to him asking for a list of ingredients, because it's unclear if he uses a henna blend, or if he's discovered something entirely new. I'll add that information to this article when I hear back.

Fun Colors

There is no lack of cruelty-free hair color for those of you who want to go pink, green, purple, and blue. Some well-known companies, with respected products, are ManicPanic, Punky Color, Directions by La Riche, Special Effects, Crazy Color, and Colour Shots.

Honestly, if I were younger I'd dye my hair pink. A friend recently dyed her hair purple, and it looked adorable. And if you are more conservative, you can still use these funky colors in subtle ways - like putting in one little stripe; or coloring the back underhairs purple while keeping the rest of your hair blond or light brown.

Henna

Let's talk first about prepared henna. Many women don't like it because they are not sure of the ingredients. Surya Henna Colouring Cream is from Phergal Labs, who also makes Naturtint, so I trust it. They claim to cover 100% gray. And for you young things who aren't worried about gray yet, they also say you can use their powder or cream color on chemically treated hair. The formula is Ayurvedic, meaning it follows a certain Indian tradition.

Surya comes in brown, golden brown, and burgundy. For gray hair, use the cream version of burgundy, chocolate, or light brown. It's available at HerbsGardenHealth.

Pure Henna

Pure henna, or henna combined only with plant-based additives, is a wonderful, safe, and well-tested way to color your hair. As those of you who use henna know, the main drawback is that it's time consuming and a tad messy.

I've used Rainbow and Lite Mountain with good results. Easy to find at health food stores, you can also order them online at BuyThePlanet.com.

One caution I learned in my research for this article, though: be careful not to buy henna with added metallic salt (which is often labeled as compound henna dye), or black henna containing Para-Phenylenediamine, also known as PPD. Both are health hazards.

Another thing I learned. Contrary to what many think, you can cover gray with henna. The key is to go with the brown colors, perhaps henna pre-mixed with ground walnut or other natural ingredients. And do a strand test to see how long to leave it in. It may be a long time. When I used henna I left it on for almost 2 hours.

Strand and Allergy Tests

My main recommendation - and I can't stress this enough - is that you absolutely must do a strand test and an allergy test before using any hair color. I know it's inconvenient, and I've skipped many a test myself, but no more. Here's why:

1) A strand test is the only way to know if you will be getting the color you want. Pictures on boxes are only approximations. 2) Even natural products can cause sensitivities, itching, or reactions. The allergy test will keep you from dumping something on your head that you wish you hadn't. 3) You want your hair to come out with not only a great color, but great texture, body, and shine. A pre-color test is the only way to tell how the dye will affect your overall look. 4) These products are not as well known as commercial hair dyes. Color accuracy and ingredients vary widely.

Trailblazers

We are on the forefront of "green" hair coloring. You and I. The more we use products that don't hurt creatures, the more we blaze a trail for others to follow. What is this trail? It's living a life of beauty and compassion. Hair color tests on animals are particularly nasty. We must support alternatives with our dollars and our lifestyles.

      Resources

       www.bewellstaywell.com

       www.aveda.com

       http://www.herbsgardenshealth.com/

       http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/

       http://www.hedgerowherbals.com/

       http://www.jeromerussell.com/

       http://www.honestycosmetics.co.uk/

       http://www.amphigory.com/special_effects_hairdye.html

       http://www.bytheplanet.com/

       http://www.lariche-directions.com/