Is Organic Hair Dye Safe and What Are the Best Options?

“Is hair dye safe?” is a question that comes up frequently. It’s one of the things you’re told to stop doing during pregnancy, and a number of studies link it to certain cancers, so by that logic, it seems like the answer is a resounding no. 

However, once you start digging into the research, you quickly begin to realize that it’s a bit more complicated than that and it’s difficult to generalize all hair dye as bad or unsafe. A number of other factors should be considered, like how often you’re coloring your hair, how long you’re leaving it on and, perhaps most important, what ingredients are in your dye.

We spoke with Pia Theresa-Budde, senior manager of R&D product development for Clairol, and celebrity stylist Priscilla Valles for some clarity. 

“The primary chemicals to avoid in your hair dye are ammonia, parabens, PPD (or para-phenylenediamine) and PTD (para-toluenediamine),” says Valles. Ammonia is one of the more commonly used ingredients in hair dye, and it works by penetrating the shaft and opening up the cuticle to deposit the color. Beyond its health implications, it is also incredibly drying and one of the main culprits behind that pungent scent many of us have come to associate with dyeing our hair.

Ah, here’s where things get a little tricky. Technically, there is no such thing as an all-organic hair dye—yet. (Here’s to hoping that changes someday soon.) “In order for hair dye to work, a chemical process has to take place so that there is a change in color,” explains Valles.

As far as “natural” options go, “the only hair dye that could be considered completely natural is henna,” says Theresa-Budde. “However, the performance of henna may not be ideal [editor’s note: the dye can fade quickly], and it can come with a range of other challenges in the coloring process [the saturation of color is often inconsistent].”

Your best bet, until further research is done, is to look for less toxic hair dyes with fewer harsh chemicals like the ones listed above.

A final note: As with any hair dye, be sure to read the fine print on the box and follow the instructions. Those rubber gloves? They’re not just a suggestion. The suggested wait times? They’re there to guide you. And if you want to take extra precaution, it’s always a good idea to do a patch test beforehand.

That said, here are three safer options to consider: