Women have always coveted long, luxurious locks, as it’s the ultimate signature of feminine youth and beauty.  We use  hair colour to better match our personal style, or to mask emerging white hair.  But as much as we may love them, there’s no denying that all permanent hair colours contain a cocktail of chemicals – the trick is choosing the least toxic mix.

The most common – and dangerous – of these chemicals is probably PPDs (p-Phenylenediamine), which has been linked to bladder cancer, lung, kidney and nervous system disorders and severe allergic reactions. It’s almost impossible to formulate a hair colourant without PPDs, however. The main thing to watch for, in this case, is the concentration of the chemical. In mainstream supermarket brands, it can be as high as 5-6%, whereas for brands that claim to be ‘natural’, it can often be less than 1%, and yes, that difference does mean a lot: it’s the difference between, say, smoking a pack of cigarettes and being beside someone having a smoke.

Other chemicals to watch for include the following:

Resorcinol

This receives a nasty 8 out of 10 for danger at the Cosmetics Safety Database. It is classified by the European Union as harmful, irritant to eyes and skin and dangerous for the environment. It may also disrupt hormonal function, and lead to  hypothyroidism.

Ammonia

Ammonia is irritant to the skin, eyes and respiratory system, and can cause asthma and breathing difficulties. However, it is much less toxic than PPD, and only receives a rating of 3 out of 10 for toxicity at the Cosmetics Safety Database.  Still, many companies are phasing out this harsh ingredient, which compromises the integrity of the hair shaft, too