A safer way to dye hair: a small but growing number of salons nationwide are trying to lessen the risk associated with coloring your hair

Natural Health, August, 2001 by Gabrielle Mosquera

DEBATE HAS LONG RAGED OVER WHICH HAIR DYE ingredients pose a health risk. If you want a dramatic color change or permanent coverage, avoiding all questionable ingredients is difficult. One of those questionable ingredients is p-phenylenediamine (PPD), found in many permanent hair colors. Mary Beth Janssen, a beauty consultant in Palatine, Ill., and author of Naturally Healthy Hair (Storey Books, 1999), says PPD is the cause of most allergic reactions to hair dye and that it has been linked to cancer.

In response, Lisa Saul, owner of EcoColors Salon in Atlanta, invented a hair color low in PPD called EcoColors. Other hair salons are following suit. Below is a sampling of those that will cover your gray or change your color--naturally.

DO-IT-YOURSELF HAIR COLOR

If you can't find a local salon that uses natural dyes, consider coloring your hair at home.

HERE'S A SAMPLING OF NATURAL hair colors available at natural food stores:

* Herbatint, an ammonia- and PPD-free permanent color (888-856-8888).

* Light Mountain Natural Hair Color, a semipermanent dye that contains only the herb henna (800-824-6396).

* Naturcolor, an ammonia-free, low-PPD permanent color (800-462-0666).

* Naturtint, a no-ammonia, low-PPD permanent dye (877-372-6567).

* Vegetal Color, a semipermanent color free of ammonia, PPD, and peroxide (888-856-8888).

                      ITS CLAIM          HAIR COLOR
THE SALON             TO FAME            OPTIONS            COST

EcoColors Salon       This hair salon    EcoColors (a       $50 to $75
(Atlanta:             is nontoxic down   low-ammonia,
404-875-2620)         to its cleaning    low-PPD
                      products and       permanent dye),
                      insect control     henna (a pure-
                      methods, and       herb, semiper-
                      also offers        manent dye), and
                      henna tattoos      Veggy Color
                      and botanical      (PPD-free and
                      facials.           semipermanent).

John Masters          This trendy Soho   Several herb-      $75 to $200
Organic Hair Care     salon lists        based, ammonia-
(New York City:       celebrities        free permanent
800-599-2450)         among its          and semiper-
                      clients and        manent dyes
                      makes its own      imported from
                      line of organic    Italy and France
                      hair care          (some are PPD-
                      products.          free).

Natural Nouveaux      Because it         VeBorne, a         $45 to $90
Non-Toxic Salon and   caters to          permanent
Spa (Las Vegas,       chemically,        vegetable-based
Nev.; 702-222-1919)   sensitive          hair color with
                      clients, this      ammonia from
                      salon won't        shed deer
                      carry a dye with   antlers.
                      PPD.

Salon 970             Half the salon's   EcoColors (see     $40 to $75
(Winnetka, Ill.;      clients request    above) and
847-446-8333)         nontoxic dye       Hybrid (a PPD-
                      (the rest want     free, low-
                      conventional). A   peroxide
                      special salon      permanent or
                      room is set up     semipermanent
                      to cater to        dye).
                      cancer patients'
                      hair needs.