How Hair Colours Work
Colouring the hair is achieved by opening the cuticle of the hair shaft and depositing permanent colour pigments from the family of paraphenylenediamine chemicals (PPds or PTds) inside the shaft by the oxidation process using Hydrogen Peroxide. Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) is simply water with an extra oxygen molecule and occurs naturally in nature and our bodies. Permanent hair colouring can be achieved by using traditional Ammonia based colourants or non Ammonia based colourants.
Traditional Ammonia based colouring systems aggressively force open the hair cuticle by raising the pH level of hair to deposit significant quantities of colour pigments inside the hair shaft. This process may be quick, however
- As the hair shaft is forced open in extreme pH conditions, the hair cuticle structure is destroyed resulting in damaged, dry, brittle hair following the colouring process.
- A greater concentration of colour pigments are also deposited to achieve colour uptake which can bring about an increased risk of an allergic reaction.
- Shampoos and conditioners used subsequently will be laden with silicones to artificially restore the condition and shine of the hair shaft.
What makes Herbatint different?
Devised in 1970, Herbatint is the original hair colourant to achieve permanent colour coverage without the use of Ammonia. Instead herbal extracts such as Cinchona raise the pH of the hair to no more than 8.5 which means no structural damaged is achieved whilst opening the cuticle.
Permanent colour pigments (PPds) are deposited within the hair shaft by means of oxidation using Hydrogen Peroxide (simply water with an extra oxygen molecule H2O2).
Herbal extracts of Aloe Vera, Walnut, Rhubarb, provide antibacterial, anti inflammatory and conditioning qualities to the hair as the colouring process takes place.
After the hair colouring process has finished and the colour is rinsed out, the application of the Herbatint Royal Cream Regenerating Conditioner will fully close and seal the cuticle which has been opened from the colouring process. No structural damage will have occurred due to the absence of Ammonia so the hair is restored to a natural, healthy state and is beautifully coloured.
The use of Herbatint after-care products, the Herbatint Normalising Shampoo and Herbatint Royal Cream Regenerating Conditioner will cleanse, condition and maintain the hair colour.
Herbatint has been independently proven to be the least toxic hair colourant on the market in an independent toxicology report.
However as with all permanent hair colours PPDs are classified as an allergen, so a skin test is advisable prior to every use to test for sensitivity. An allergic reaction, whilst affecting only a small percentage of the population, can arise after the first use or after many years of use.
