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Clean beauty is everywhere in the makeup, hair, and skin space right now. Think everything from natural deodorant to organic sunscreens lining the drugstore cosmetic aisles and Amazon. And folks, another clean-friendly product has entered the market: natural hair dye. But before you start conjuring images of dyes that don’t contain any toxins, chemicals, or harsh ingredients, I gotta break it to you: that doesn’t actually exist. Yup, sorry. Unless you’re dyeing your hair with henna or literal plants (like beet juice or carrot juice), active chemical ingredients will be in your hair dye formula to allow them to work.
Still, that doesn’t mean you automatically have to settle. There are a ton of hair dyes that are free of ammonia, alcohol, and p-phenylenediamine (PPD, a chemical that helps open up your hair cuticle to let the dye in). These ingredients aren’t bad or dangerous, but they can be harsh. PPD, for example, “is a common cause of allergic and irritant contact dermatitis of the scalp,” says dermatologist Karan Lal, MD, while ammonia and alcohol can dry out your hair cuticle and skin. So, if you want to limit potential irritants and buy a one-and-done hair dye, we’ve got what you need to know.
Khadi Natural Hair Color – Best Plant-Based Natural Hair Dye
“Pure henna-based hair dye is natural and can be great for dandruff and/or scalp conditions,” Dr. Lal says. This plant-based hair dye uses henna to color and moisturize your hair, while the formula’s aloe vera and chamomile help to soothe your scalp. However, it does take a long time to apply, and many reviewers recommend putting an entire afternoon aside to ensure you get the color and coverage you want.
- Shade(s): 15
- Size: 3.5 oz
- Active ingredients: Henna, aloe vera, chamomile
- Permanent? Yes
Madison Reed Radiant Hair Color Kit – Best Natural Hair Dye Kit
This long-lasting hair dye from Madison Reed includes virtually everything you need to expertly color your hair at home. The formula excludes eight of the most common hair dye irritants (including ammonia and PPD), and instead, it’s spiked with hydrating and soothing ingredients like argan oil and ginseng root extract. So, yeah, you can actually feel good about this at-home hair dye.
- Shade(s): 36
- Size: 2.5 oz
- Active ingredients: Keratin, argan oil, ginseng root
- Permanent? Yes
Naturcolor Permanent Herbal Based Hair Color Gel – Best Natural Hair Dye for Gray Hair
The coolest thing about this hair dye gel is that it’s spiked with a ton of moisturizing and soothing ingredients (think: chamomile, shea butter, coconut oil) that help keep your hair soft and shiny throughout the dyeing process. Plus, it comes in 31 shades, so you’re basically guaranteed to find a solid color match.
- Shade(s): 31
- Size: 4 oz
- Active ingredients: Burdock root, chamomile, lavender
- Permanent? Yes
Arctic Fox Semi-Permanent Hair Color – Best Vibrant Natural Hair Dye
You don’t have to go to the salon to get that bright hair color you’ve been wanting to try. Arctic Fox’s highly-pigmented semi-permanent hair dye—recommended by Dr. Lal—comes in various colors, from phantom green to sunset orange. The dye is ammonia-free, PPD-free, and sulfate-free to reduce any potential damage, and the formula even includes hydrolyzed soy protein to add strength.
- Shade(s): 23
- Size: 4 or 8 oz
- Active ingredient: Hydrolyzed soy protein
- Permanent? No, semi-permanent
Clairol Natural Instincts Demi-Permanent Hair Dye – Best Drugstore Natural Hair Dye
DW, choosing to go “natural” with your hair dye doesn’t mean you can’t shop for it at your local drugstore anymore. This ammonia-free formula from Clairol is made up of 80 percent naturally derived ingredients—and it’s legit less than $10.
- Shade(s): 38
- Size: 5.85 oz
- Active ingredients: Coconut oil, aloe vera
- Permanent? No, demi-permanent
Garnier Olia Oil-Powered Permanent Hair Color – Best Oil-Based Natural Hair Dye
Instead of ammonia or silicones, this natural hair dye is formulated with plant-based oils. Meaning, one less harsh chemical on your head, and no harsh ammonia smell while you’re dyeing your hair. Keep in mind that even though this dye is considered “natural,” you should still patch-test any new dye on your neck or behind your ear, tightly secure the lid so the dye doesn’t dry out, and wait a full 24 hours (seriously, don’t skimp on this) to make sure you don’t have an allergic reaction.
- Shade(s): 34
- Size: 6.3 oz
- Active ingredients: Sunflower and camellia oil
- Permanent? Yes