Live free of dye-ing

November 4, 9:17 AMOregon Green Living ExaminerShelly Wilkerson

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Hair color pieces
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Minimize chemicals for a more natural hair color. Hair coloring is one of the most chemical laden products on the market. With a little better choices you can prevent the amount of toxins washed down the sink when applying hair color to your mane such as: ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, resorcinol, and P-phenylenediamine (PPD). Choosing products that are natural color enhancements is the better option and here are some of the choices out on the markets today.

PERMANENT COLOR: Certain ingredients need to be in hair color to make it work. We all know this. But, by choosing dying agents with minimum PPD and ammonia and maximum condition we can help by cutting the water pollutants down. Try products such as Garnier Nutrisse, Naturcolor or EcoColors Home HairColor Kit.

SEMI-PERMANENT: With dyes in this category you can always choose a color darker than your natural color, but don't go lighter. Semi-permanent color lasts about four to twelve weeks. But if this option is for you the smart choices could be one of the following: Clairol Natural Instincts, Surya Henna Powder, or Light Mountain Natural Henna.

COLOR EXTENDERS: Special shampoos have been marketed to give you subtle color without going to the trouble of coloring once a month or more. For best results with these products it's better to use then once a week, if not more often. Some brand to consider are: Wella Biotouch Nutri-Care Color-Nutrition Reflex Shampoos, Aveda Pure Plant Shampoos, or Jason Color Enhancing Shampoos.

With so many other options out on the market the best choice is to get as Earth-friendly as possible. So maybe the next time you color your hair or touch up your gray and roots you can not only cover the problem areas but also not create additional problems for the Earth.

Happy Coloring!