My natural hair color is dark brown with a few reddish highlights. It’s always been dark brown except for one summer during college when I was a camp counselor and over did it with Sun-In. That summer I came back to college with very orange hair which at the time I really liked, but in retrospect realize that it was a bad mistake. Thankfully over time my natural hair color grew back.
Trying Henna
Over the past few years I’ve struggled with a few gray hairs that are incredibly persistent. I know that gray hair is coming for all of us and there’s no stopping mother nature. As a green living advocate, like many of you, I pay close attention to the chemicals that go in and on my body. As much as I want to keep my dark hair, my intuition is screaming “toxic chemicals”.
So I tried henna. It was messy and smelly, but it worked. After a few months of using henna my stubborn grays decided not to cooperate and my natural gray and brown hair color reappeared after a very short 1-2 weeks after a henna treatment. There was no way I could reapply henna every 1-2 weeks so it was time for another option. Gray isn’t an option yet.
Tints of Nature
For weeks I stood and starred at the many hair color options in the aisle at Whole Foods. I was searching for a safer option than all of those chemical filled conventional hair colors in a box. Tints of Nature was on the shelf and I did a little leg work to see what this product was all about.
What I like about Tints of Nature
- Tints of Nature
makes a permanent hair color that doesn’t have most of those toxic chemicals found in other hair colors, such as ammonia, resorcinol and parabens.
- Tints of Nature
- There are no animal byproducts so Tints of Nature is perfect for vegetarians and vegans.
- While the colors do contain PPDs (paraphenylenendiamines), they use the lowest amounts possible to be able to cover grey hair; on average PPDs comprise 0.42% of the product, including a true black.
I’m most concerned about the PPDs (paraphenylenendiamines) in Tints of Nature permanent color. PPDs can cause severe health issues ranging from allergic reactions to cancer. The reason they’re used in hair dye is they allow the color to penetrate the hair shaft (as opposed to henna, which interacts with one’s natural pigment on the outside of the shaft). The bottom line is if you’re using a permanent hair dye it probably has PPDs in it.
Using Tints of Nature
I’ve been using Tints of Nature hair color for a few months and I really like the color of my hair and the ease of applying the mixture. It also has been lasting for about 4-5 weeks. When applying I’ve learned to be very careful not to get the product on any counters, floors or sinks-or they too will be dyed black!
To apply the solution your hair needs to be washed and wet. The box contains gloves to spread the mixture starting from the roots down. I leave it on my head for about 30 minutes with the provided cap. The final steps are rinsing, shampooing and conditioning in the shower with their products-all contained in the box. It’s not as messy as henna and a much simpler process.
Great news: Tints of Nature now has a semi-permanent dye without PPD’s
Tints of Nature just launched an ammonia-free, organic semi-permanent hair color line that is completely free of PPDs and PTDs (Paraphenylenediamines and Paratoluenediamines – pigment). A semi-permanent color does not penetrate the hair shaft; it simply coats the hair to provide shiny, temporary color to hair, without damage or risk.
GIVEAWAY
The kind folks at Tints of Nature
Disclosure: I was sent six boxes of Tints of Nature for review. The opinions expressed in this review are my very own.
photo credit: OwlLens via photopin cc
I would love the 2N Natural Darkest Brown!
What a bummer, they all contain chamommile, which I am allergic to! 🙁
The Natural Medium Brown or the Mahogany Brown! Gorgeous colors 😀
Medium brown 🙂
Charise @ I Thought I Knew Mama recently posted..Natural Parents Network Holiday Gift Guide & Giveaway Spectactular
Dark Henna Red looks nice!!
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I’d like to try the dark brown
Dark Henna Red is stunning
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I love the Fiery Red.
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I like natural dark brown colour and have always go for natural dye. No chemical hair colour for me cos’ I am very particular about it.
Great post! Natural Light Brown (I think)
; )
I like the soft copper blonde
I’m all about sticking with my natural color, so I’d definitely go with dark brown.
I love the copper brown!
I have been grappling with writing about the dangers of coloring hair because most people I know who do it have significantly more damaged (and less) hair than those who don’t. BUT…most people I know color their hair. Tints of Nature looks like a much better alternative…I’d like to try the 5R- Rich Copper Brown
I would like 4N, Medium Dark Brown
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Rich Copper Brown… my hair is medium brown with a little bit of red highlights, and some gray lol
I’d love to try 6R.
Light ash blonde.
I just want to look the way I did in my 20’s…Light Natural Brown please!!
I am a natural redhead…a Zumba(R) instructor, mother of 3 little tinies, and concious consumer. Never putting something that would harm myself or children on our bodies. I have always wanted to put a pop of fun color in my hair but never would because of the harmful chemicals. While others want my hair color, don’t get me wrong, I love it too, I would love to add somemore funk.
The Copper and Mahogany browns are really great!
I love the copper brown!
7R Soft Copper Blonde!
Soft copper blonde!
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SOFT COPPER BLONDE
I would like to try the Rick Copper Brown (5R).
I think copper brown. it’s time to cover the grays
I believe copper brown or med chestnut brown…come on, momma needs to cover up them gray!
I would like to try the copper brown.
You didn’t have to use a blow dryer with the product? The parent company Herb UK’s salon product, organic hair color systems needs heat to penetrate the hair shaft. I have been using their salon product since I am now white. 4 boys did it. Love to try the product to see how it stands up to the salon color. Did you find that there was fading?
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i would love to try the Platinum blonde!
I went through cancer treatment, when my hair came back in it was 85 to 90% white/gray. My natural color is “Burnt bean black brown” to go back to this color means coloring it every two weeks or so, the routs grow out white; fortunately my hair is growing fast. I wasn’t ready to be white/gray, it’s a very duel color. I went to a hair dresser and she suggested I go blond, I decided to give it a go.but couldn’t afford a buck eight every time my hair needed coloring. I decided to try tints of nature lightener kit pulls out the gray, gives me that great blondish white hair all the young girls are strutting now-a-days. I only have to strip my hair routs every 6 to 8 weeks. I love it, make me feel like a Latina Marilyn Monroe… :).. Well,… Anyway, it’s a good comeback after all I’ have been through, This is not a paid advertisement either, I’m thankful to God for a new beginning. Most sincerely… M
Thank you for sharing, Maria. I wish you good health always-and beautiful hair too!