Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Original poster

Concerns about dying my hair every 3-4 weeks

29 replies

HNY2017 · 09/04/2017 07:35

I'm really grey/white. My natural color is mid-brown and I've been dying my hair every 3-4 weeks for about 12 years now.

Recently I've seen stuff about cancer and other risks related to long term hair dye usuage and I don't know what to do. It seems the more natural dyes either aren't as natural as they suggest and just swap one nasty chemical for another, or they don't provide decent enough coverage.

Does anyone here use a more natural dye that they could recommend for good coverage?

Growing my grey out is not an option I'm comfortable with now, I'm 37 and pretty much 100% white on the top third of my head and I'm just not ready to do it.

OP posts:
user1486161908 · 09/04/2017 09:26

I totally understand your concerns, I hate the thought of putting loads of chemicals on my head and leaving them in there for 20 mins or more... I'm trying to switch to natural beauty and household products where possible, but the only option I can come up with is henna... I tried this years ago, you can get it from Lush, but I remember it took a long time and was very messy... also I'm not sure what it would be like if you're coming in solid grey, sorry I couldn't be more help, but I'll be watching with interest!

user1491724818 · 09/04/2017 09:29

No easy answers, I'm afraid.

Agree with pp that henna is the only 100% natural, 100% coverage and 100% permanent option.

This short video shows the result you will get from Lush Caca Brun on 100% grey hair.

I use this myself. It's a bit time-consuming, a bit messy, but does tick all the other boxes you want.

user1491724818 · 09/04/2017 09:30

Lush has other colours too which you can check out.

neveradullmoment99 · 09/04/2017 09:30

I use henna? Maybe an option and much kinder to your hair😁

neveradullmoment99 · 09/04/2017 09:31

Use real henna and indigo. Much better results than lush.

neveradullmoment99 · 09/04/2017 09:32

I get my henna and indigo from hennacat. I do a henna indigo mix.

neveradullmoment99 · 09/04/2017 09:35

I found lush never gave me a good brown. Always turned out a bit orange. The henna indigo mix gives a gorgeous deep brown colour. Look up you tube videos. Tons of things online about it.

Ktown · 09/04/2017 09:35

I am in the same position and I would say it is all about concentration. High concentration of things will be more likely to cause problems so ensure you dye in a well ventilated room, and you rinse well, use gloves, don't leave it on for ages.
I think this is where hairdressers are good because they handle it for you.
I don't know the chemical composition of Henna but something being natural may not be better.

Hamiltoes · 09/04/2017 09:45

Are you sure dying your hair darker is the best thing for you?

I think once you are over the 50% grey mark its a good idea to go a lighter colour. The grey will blend in much better with this and you can work towards pushing a re-dye out to 6 weeks which is much closer to the average?

Understand lighter might not suit you though. Very light blonde (to the point it is almost grey) is very fashionable right now because it is so hard to acheieve naturally.

foamybananasweets · 09/04/2017 09:48

Be very careful with Henna, especially when trying to achieve dark/black shades. Many products, even those marked as natural contain a chemical called PPD. (Para-phenylenediamine.) This is the main culprit when it comes to cancer causing chemicals in hair dyes. It reacts with its self to form a black colour inside the hair, but if it reacts with two molecules instead of one (and this can't be stopped) it is a chemical which can cause cancer.

I am a chemist and worked in hair dye chemistry briefly, and I'm sure I was told (by a very well respected expert in the field) that the only reason that PPD isn't banned is that it's closely related to paracetamol and banning it would also mean banning that too, but I can't find a reference for this.

user1491724818 · 09/04/2017 09:50

Agree with pps about considering a lighter shade. Helps with root re-growth too.

Original poster
HNY2017 · 09/04/2017 13:39

Hmm thanks. I always imagine henna will end up orangey but maybe I need to investigate more.

I have gone lighter over the years, and the ends (shoulder blade length) are a honey colour which is a few shades lighter than the roots. Sounds like a bad balyage/ombré but I think it's ok. I'm not sure about going any more lighter as I think my current colour actually suits me well.

It's not the colour I want to change, just the amount of chemical shit I put on my scalp every few bloody weeks. Thing is my hair seems to grow really fast too which means there's prob 2cm of growth if I leave it a month.

On Goop on instagram (Gwyneth Paltrows stuff) there was a post about a company called Madison Reed which could be an option.

Another problem is I don't live in the UK anymore so not sure what options are available to me locally.

OP posts:
neveradullmoment99 · 09/04/2017 13:52

Henna is fine if you mix it with indigo. It comes out a lovely dark auburn shade in me. Tbh, PPD is to do with black henna and nothing to do with 100% pure henna or indigo. There are lots of misconceptions about this
It is not found in 100% pure henna or indigo for that matter. Rest assured it has also been used for thousands of years by many cultures.

neveradullmoment99 · 09/04/2017 13:53

hennacat.com/

Original poster
HNY2017 · 09/04/2017 15:10

I don't want dark auburn though. I want more like a deep caramel really. I think henna might be too dark?

OP posts:
Stevie77 · 09/04/2017 15:20

Are you using supermarket colour? This may be the reason behind the roots showing so quickly. I believe professional colour is much better.

FagAshMIL · 09/04/2017 15:35

The video link says wait six hours???? Shock

I have my roots professionally done, they start showing at 3 weeks and very noticeable by 4 so I don't think it's anything to do with using supermarket stuff

user1491724818 · 09/04/2017 16:10

Lush say to wait 1-3 hours for the henna and say after 3 hours nothing more will happen. Not sure why that lady left it on so long. I've seen people sleeping in it too - a bit OTT maybe!

Original poster
HNY2017 · 09/04/2017 18:08

No I use professional (used to use L'Oréal Majorel but now Montibello) stuff at home.

OP posts:
DistanceCall · 09/04/2017 20:46

Concerns about hair dyes as carcinogens have to do mostly with people who are exposed to them all day, like hair stylists and barbers. And even in those cases there is no solid evidence that the chemicals in hair dyes cause cancer.

There is no evidence that hair dye users are at greater risk of cancer.

www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/hair-dyes.html

Obsidian77 · 09/04/2017 20:50

Can you extend the gap between dyes by using a roots only spray like the L'Oreal ones? Turquoise containers.

Original poster
HNY2017 · 10/04/2017 06:13

Thanks distance that helps allay some concerns.

I will also check out the root sprays, that's a good idea... but even so I have a huge white stripe by 4weeks but it may help.

OP posts:
LardLizard · 10/04/2017 07:57

Hny where do you buy it from please and how do you know what shade to use ?

Artura · 10/04/2017 08:08

I started using henna and indigo (buy online from hennaboy) when I was pregnant. Is a faff and smells a bit weird but does give great shine and a nice chestnut brown colour. Recently I've been using this www.naturtint.co.uk/naturtint-reflex or sometimes the permanent version. Reflex is safer as some people can still react to the chemicals in the permanent naturtint, but won't cover greys as well. Have you considered "embracing the greys"? I'd love to but only manage an inch of grey before I relent and dye again..