Natural Hair Color products?

[islesgirl]

Hi everyone. I'm not sure if I am posting this question in the right place. Once I read on one of the forums I frequent that a woman "loves Herbatint" and I am wondering if anyone here uses this hair "dye". I look washed out with grey hair and want to continue to color it. I use Clairol's Natural Instincts' Hazelnut (mediuim brown) and need some help getting something similar in a natural product from a health food store in the Toronto area. Would anyone like to talk about their favorite hair color products without chemicals? I would much prefer a product that gradually rinses out too - like Clairol's "Loving Care" which we can no longer get in Canada.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Sue.

[GlimR]

I used Naturtint for about eight years...the last time being late winter/early spring......it has no ammonia, resorcinol or parabens and was much gentler on my hair than the drug store products I used for years before that...the color was always great. I did not want to use a product with Henna. I am trying to let my long hair grow out without cutting it...lovely six inch long darker roots w/sprinkles of silver.....we shall see~

[GlimR]

I don't know of any "natural" chemical free hair color except for henna based.......just varying degrees of bad or not as bad.

[rawrawks]

Herbatint I didnt have alot of success with. I use another product from my health food store but dont know name right now. It washes out too quickly for the 18 dollars it costs. Herbatint might work if you are careful in selecting the color. Mine was too red although it was pretty. Never had success with henna....messy and hair feels like dry straw after.

[islesgirl]

Thanks for all your replys dear rawbies. I am still hoping for a bit more though. I don't care if the color washes out as long as the color is a medium brown and shines! Anyone else want to add their 2 cents worth?

Sue.

[islesgirl]

I used Naturtint for about eight years...the last time being late winter/early spring......it has no ammonia, resorcinol or parabens and was much gentler on my hair than the drug store products I used for years before that...the color was always great. I did not want to use a product with Henna. I am trying to let my long hair grow out without cutting it...lovely six inch long darker roots w/sprinkles of silver.....we shall see~

Hi GlimR. I already let my color grow out once this past year and although I like my silvers (especially at the temples) I know it makes me look older and I just am not ready for that - not this year anyway. And they grey hair is so wiry and hard to manage, unless I straighten it with the flat iron. I see you are from Florida, so I imagine Naturtint is an American product also and I live in Canada. Do you mind if I ask how old you are and if you are keeping your hair long and silver? Neat if you are! I am tempted, just not sure of myself enough at the moment.:)

Sue.

[ssandee]

[and want to continue to color it. I use Clairol's Natural Instincts' Hazelnut (mediuim brown) and need some help getting something similar in a natural product from a health food store in the Toronto area.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Sue.[/QUOTE]

Hi Sue,

I used Clairol's Natural Instinct's in Hazelnut for years until I became familiar with the Cosmetic Database on Environmental Working Group www.ewg.org There they rate over 44000 different cosmetics/personal grooming products from 0(good)-10(bad), based on toxicity, chemicals, safety, carcinogens, green (etc) ...fantastic site, very eye opening. I knew it was time for a change. Then I browsed, for days, different reviews on Amazon using 'natural hair dye' as the search phrase,
I was nervous about making a selection mainly because Naturtint and Herbatint claim to be "permanent" and not the gradual fade out offered by semi-permanent. Fears unfounded! I love the coverage of the permanent, 3 weeks now and not a bit dull yellow-ish grey do I see (I'm not fortunate enough to have the gorgeous shine-y silver).
Based on the reviews I read on Amazon, I chose what I thought was 2 shades lighter than what I might have otherwise picked: I am glad I followed their advise, I wouldn't wanted it any darker. I chose Naturtint, 5G Light Golden Chestnut, and it gave my heavy salt-and-pepper just a slightly hint of nice highlights, a tad bit lighter where covering the grey. Not so much to be obvious to me. Just enough to gather a few compliments here and there that my hair color is pretty in the sun. The instructions were a bit intimidating, but I went with the roots first, then 20 minutes, and I was really pleased.
But do consider a shade (even two) lighter than normal.

I was pleased with my first experience, my hair is normally very natural curly, and with the grey, it is requiring a conditioner...my local HFS has ordered me the conditioner recommended by Naturtint, will let you know. My hair does seem thicker, fuller, more manageable, but not sure if that is due to the Naturtint or my much better improved eating habits ;)

Good luck! I know how nervous I was, and I will stay, most likely with my lucky first choice, I'm not disappointed. What only remains to be seen is how it grows out, but three weeks in, my hair is just a better, more radiant color than my 'real' color. Also: the "permanent" factor: Naturtint says it's 'good' for 6-8 weeks, and somehow that was reassuring to me.


ssandee

[DebB]

Hi everyone. I'm not sure if I am posting this question in the right place. Once I read on one of the forums I frequent that a woman "loves Herbatint" and I am wondering if anyone here uses this hair "dye". I look washed out with grey hair and want to continue to color it. I use Clairol's Natural Instincts' Hazelnut (mediuim brown) and need some help getting something similar in a natural product from a health food store in the Toronto area. Would anyone like to talk about their favorite hair color products without chemicals? I would much prefer a product that gradually rinses out too - like Clairol's "Loving Care" which we can no longer get in Canada.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Sue.

Hi Sue ~ I just received my first box of Herbatint (I ordered it from iHerb). I ordered 'Light Blonde, 8N'. I haven't used it yet though. I'll report back after I do... *Ü*

[katchmoleen]

I have six children and the youngest are 8 and 10. I am fifty and have quite a bit of silver in my hair. I always swore I would not color my hair, but yesterday for the first time I had someone ask me if they were my grandchildren. UGH! My skin is good, and I am losing some weight, but I know my hair makes me look older. I am really tempted to color my hair after I lose some more weight but I don't want to damage it or get tied into having to do something over and over. My hair is very dark and the silver is actually more white. that seems to me like it would be hard to cover up.

[islesgirl]

Just a quick note to tell you all how much I have enjoyed your stories about your hair. You are so kind to have taken the time to write.

I will try my best to read what you've said over again in a few days. This week is a hectic one for me.

And I still haven't made up my mind what I'm going to do yet. After my son gets married in October, I may stop coloring it again. We'll see. Hopefully, I too will have gained some confidence in myself by then from eating raw food and then maybe I won't be so indecisive. Think that is a possibility?

Have a great week everyone.

Sue.

[DebB]

Hi Sue ~ I just received my first box of Herbatint (I ordered it from iHerb). I ordered 'Light Blonde, 8N'. I haven't used it yet though. I'll report back after I do... *Ü*

We colored my hair (my husband is my colorist!) this weekend and I was very pleased with the 'smell' of Herbatint. It wasn't smelly at all, so that was nice.

The color turned out darker than I'd like, so next time I'm ordering 1 shade lighter. There was also a greenish tinge (not uncommon in blonde shades - sigh), but I'm hoping that won't be the case with the lighter shade.

I'm definitely switching to Herbatint from L'Oreal brand! *Ü*

[islesgirl]

Hi Deb. I guess it is just "trial and error" sometimes. I guess if you've decided to stick with "Herbatint", your hair can't be too bad, even if it is a bit darker than you'd like it to be.

I just e-mailed them today to ask their opinion on which color I should order. I was going to go with something called "Tints of Nature" a product from the U.S. but the shipping etc. just made it too expensive for me for a product which was going to wash out gradually anyway. I was going for the semi-permanent one first. Now I am getting the "Vegetal" or "Herbatint" right here in my own town. I even sent them my photo to see if that would help them figure out my color. Can't wait because my son's soon-to-be wife will be cutting and coloring my hair for me. I "sugar" her brows. Just did it for her today and I think she was quite pleased. I am so looking forward to not paying a small fortune to get my hair done anymore.

[DebB]

Hi islegirl ~ Oooh, what fun to play beauty parlor! And how nice that your DIL to be will be doing your cuts and colors. When I'm back 'home' in Illinois, my SIL does the same for me, she's spoiled me because she's SO talented!

Yes, even though the shade was a bit darker than I wanted (and the green tinge - not that I'm like Kermit though!) I've already put the next box in my cart on iHerb. It doesn't bother me to have to experiment around a bit. My hair's short & grows fast, so I'm never locked into a color for long.

What a neat idea that you sent them your picture and have them help with the shade that would work best for you - smart thinkin'! *Ü*

[rawstrength]

www.hennaforhair.com

[rawrawks]

I use herbatint too...it smells nice and works well.....comes out too fast though for me...so I dont shampoo every day to keep it longer. Yes one shade lighter is good...comes out dark if you pick the shade you think you need.