Could your hair color be hurting you? It might sound harsh, but science is showing us that there’s more to the phrase, “beauty is pain,” than we think. In fact, when it comes to synthetic chemical hair dyes, beauty might be more than just pain, it could very well be causing serious health issues. So, if you knew looks really COULD kill, wouldn’t you reconsider the kind of hair dye you’re using? Don’t panic! You can still color your hair without sacrificing your health. Join the thousands of others who are ditching their traditional dyes for the safe, natural hair color alternative; Henna.

The Chemistry of Synthetic Hair Coloring

The difference between dyeing your hair with synthetic chemicals versus natural hair color like Henna starts with the process. Natural hair coloring methods, like Henna, work as pigments that coat hair follicles with color. Synthetic hair dyes operate completely differently; they actually force a chemical reaction in your hair’s genetic makeup.

With over 5,000 known chemicals in action, permanent dyes begin to work by rupturing hair cuticles with ammonia. We think exposing your hair to the same chemical that serves as the primary ingredient in anti-freeze is scary enough, but the horror of synthetic dyes doesn’t stop there.

Next, an oxidizing agent, like peroxide, breaks down the chemical bonds of hair to allow permanent color to fuse to the hair’s core. Then, alcoholic based conditioners close the cuticles back together, sealing the chemical color inside. Essentially, the toxins in traditional dyes actually remove the melanin that gives your hair its unique tone. So, where most people think permanent dye is just adding color to their hair, it’s actually REMOVING your hair’s natural color. It’s also causing your hair to go grey even faster, too.

The Natural Process of Henna Hair Color

So, what makes Henna Hair Color so much safer than chemical hair color? Well for starters, with Henna- what you see is exactly what you get: just Henna. Henna, or Lawsonia inermis, is a small tree that grows in tropical, dry conditions in places like India. The leaves of the Henna tree are harvested and ground into a fine powder to form the actual hair dye. It’s really that simple; you can count the number of ingredients in Henna Hair Color with less than one hand. To do the math, that’s roughly 4,998 LESS ingredients than what synthetic hair dyes are made of …but hey, who’s counting?



Henna Hair Color also processes in a completely different and natural way. Instead of splitting the hair’s cuticles open to change its shade like chemical dyes do, Henna works by coating the hair shaft with color. And, rather than damaging hair by a chemical reaction, Henna’s natural composition actually helps enhance and condition hair. Since Henna isn’t penetrating the core of the follicles, your hair’s natural color is preserved, too- even after the Henna Hair Color eventually fades and washes out.

Chemical Hair Dye Could be Deadly

If changing your hair’s genetic make–up rather than using chemical-free hair dye STILL doesn’t make you think twice about using permanent hair color, the toxic ingredients in them will. The brand of your hair dye is definitely more than a trend; it could actually be harmful to your health. While the FDA might be able to ban the use of ingredients that are harmful to humans, it doesn’t have to approve every individual ingredient of a product before it hits the market. Even worse, new studies are proving that many of the chemical ingredients in permanent hair dyes are directly related to causing serious illness. New research shows evidence that synthetic hair dye could even be linked to causing diseases like leukemia, and even non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.



With synthetic hair color, it’s also more than ‘suggested’ as unsafe for eye exposure; users are warned that these dyes can actually cause blindness. Morrocco Method’s Henna Hair Color is a completely plant-based product; it’s GMO-free, synthetic chemical-free, and cruelty-free.

Make the Switch from Synthetic to Natural Hair Color

Aside from our Henna dye leaving hair looking beautiful, it also leaves our customers assured that they’re using a product that isn’t bad for their body or the environment. Cleopatra herself incorporated Henna into her own hair coloring routine, and Lucille Ball kept her locks an infamous shade of red using Henna hair dye. We aren’t exactly sure how many traditional, permanent dyes can advertise THAT kind of guarantee on their products, but we’re confident the number is pretty small.

Changing your hair color doesn’t have to mean you’re risking your health, too. Get more information about coloring your hair with Henna on our FAQs, and ditch your synthetic dyes today!