If you select links we provide, we may receive compensation.

So, I decided it was time to do some digging.

Originally, hair color was made fromnatural dyeslike henna, red ochre, indigo, and even turmeric.

woman with red hair in a fishtail braid

Imaxtree

Ammonia lifts and swells the cuticle, providing space for the pigment molecules to pass through.

It also provides the right chemical environment for the dye to take hold.

These are drying agents.

woman with dyed orange hair

Imaxtree

Other long-chain alcohols, such as cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol aren’t so bad.

“This higher amount of carbon content makes these molecules oilier (also referred to as ‘fatty’).

For this reason, they are often used as an emollient in skin and hair care products.

best hydrating treatment

Take eSalon’s formula, for instance.

In its purest form, and in large amounts, hydrogen peroxide is toxic to the human body.

This doesn’t come without damage, though.

customized hair color

Since it’s stripping your hair,moisture loss and structural integrity is a big concern.

Eumelanin and pheomelanin are both melanin molecules.

Your hair color is a specific mix of these two pigments, as decided by your genes.

best color shampoo

This is the final step in the hair dye process.