Brunettes, blondes, redheads, you want to change your hair color or you want to hide your white hair, which color should you choose? Which ones are the most effective, and especially the least aggressive for the scalp? Details from Adelaide Robert, chead of the Health Cosmetics section, at the magazine 60 Million consumers.
franceinfo: This month in 60 Million you have tested 12 hair dye products, according to what criteria again?
Adelaide Robert: We tested them on strands of white hair, and evaluated the coverage, color payoff, shine, etc. and also the hold after 9 and 18 washes. And then we looked at the quality of the composition, in particular, with regard to the risk of allergic sensitization and endocrine disruption, by checking that the regulatory limits imposed for 4 ingredients were respected. And there were no unpleasant surprises.
Generally speaking, are home colorings as satisfactory as those that can be done in a salon?
We have not made a comparison between home coloring and salon coloring. We just included in the selection a L’Oréal Professionnel product used in salons, Inoa, which did not come out on top in terms of performance. It is even less covering than a vegetable coloring from the selection, in any case, when it is used just following the instructions, and not by professionals.
But we have very honorable results with oxidative and vegetable colorings, and it costs at least three times less than coloring in a salon, since the prices are around 10 euros, with even a Garnier coloring which was purchased for 3 euros .
Much more economical therefore, but has the offer expanded in recent years?
Yes today we have many more oxidizing dyes presented as natural, with a lot of green on the packaging. And also more choice of vegetable dyes. But what is less visible is that the compositions of all products have changed significantly in recent years, to follow the limits and bans imposed on certain problematic ingredients.
We therefore have less toxic products than before, but certainly not harmless. There is still a way to go. The difficulty is to improve the security of the compositions without impacting performance.
What are the pluses and minuses of the different techniques?
For oxidizing dyes, we have a fairly aggressive composition: ithere is the alkaline agent (ammonia or ethanolamine for example) which opens the hair scales, the oxidizing agent (hydrogen peroxide) which will destroy the natural pigment of the hair, which will be replaced by the pigments of the coloring, and In general, dyeing goes hand in hand with treatment, which will try to repair the damage caused by dyeing to keep hair shiny and not too brittle.
In short, the disadvantage is that we end up with a lot of ingredients, some of which are known to be problematic, without even taking into account possible cocktail effects. But the advantage is that these colorings offer a real brown color on arrival, and a color that lasts. Even if they don’t necessarily cover white hair better than vegetable colorings.
What about vegetable dyes?
It’s a bit the opposite: the composition is more virtuous, the pigment is deposited on the surface, they cover white hair well but the color rendering is less dark, the color is less clear and fades more quickly over time. shampoos
Do vegetable dyes offer as many color possibilities as others and do they last as long?
No, there is less choice, there are mainly natural shades. Dark colors are more difficult to obtain, and then you can’t have green, purple etc. But it grew.
In general, what should you look at before buying a hair color, should you avoid certain ones?
I want to say everyone, accept your white hair! Because none is without risk. Even ammonia-free dyes aren’t that harmless. At least, for people who have an already irritated scalp or allergic terrain, it is better to avoid dyes that contain ammonia, resorcinol, p-phenylenediamine. And as a reminder: oxidative coloring is not recommended before the age of 16.
Are the colorings you have tested valid for all scalps, men and women?
Yes, it works for both, after which the quantity is greater in products for women. For listeners, what you need to know is above all that it is better not to use hair coloring on their beard, but specific, more effective products (beard hair is not of the same nature as hair) and less irritating to the skin.
What advice would you like to give to listeners?
Not to stop at efficiency. You should not avoid vegetable dyes. There are many choices of brand, therefore of different mixtures of dye plants, there may be a way for you to find “sufficient” effectiveness, by playing on the pause time. Perhaps take advice from a colorist specializing in vegetable dyes, depending on your hair color. The use and production of oxidizing dyes still presents more risks for health and the environment.
You have a favorite product 60 Million?
Yes, we always have a favorite product. The top of the ranking in chestnut coloring is the product from the Les Essentielles range by Eugène Color in oxidizing dye version and in vegetable version it is a hazelnut brown dye from Khadi.