If you’re a natural blonde, consider yourself lucky. Using hair dye to transform the look of your locks may be harmful to your health. According to the Environmental Working Group, there are thousands of chemicals used in hair dye and other personal care products that can irritate skin and have other negative health effects.
Although manufacturers started eliminating known toxins from their formulas back in the 1970s (when certain ingredients were found to harm animals), you can never be too safe when it comes to what you put on your head. The scalp is highly absorbent, and chemicals applied to it will enter your bloodstream and ultimately affect every cell and tissue in your body.
For the 33 percent of American women over age 18 who regularly color their hair (and 10 percent of American men over age 40), natural hair dyes have become a popular alternative. Made with plant-derived ingredients such as henna, walnut, cassia, buckthorn and hibiscus, natural dyes are safe, gentle and produce vibrant colors without the use of chemicals.