Has anyone tried Advanced Cosmetic Technologies Hair Color?

[janicelesa]

Hello Everyone - I was wondering if anyone has tried the supposedly all herbal non chemical hair color produced and sold by Advanced Cosmetic Technologies? I've included a link to their website below.

I learned about it from a website/blog known as Truth in Aging that evaluates cosmetic products. But this site didn't give any reviews of the product, just a casual mention. I'm not at all familar with the product but am very interested in finding an all natural hair color. I have a lot of grey in front of my hair (almost 50%). My hair grows really fast and I'm having to color every 3 weeks! Ugh!

I've been using Naturtint for the last few years. It covers rather well but fades fast, and has PPD and other nasties in it, despite it natural claims. Earlier this year and last, I tried the BAQ henna but found it too challenging to get the light brown shade that I wear (with golden highlights or without) and maintain my roots as well as dealing with the increasing redness that it leaves me with. I liked the idea henna but found it exhaulting and almost impossible to allocated the required time to this regimen.

Yet I really hate dying my hair with chemicals. All my other hair care products are mostly organic and without parabens, silicones, sulfates and other hard to pronounce synthetic chemicals. Yet I continue to use carcinogens in my hair color! Ugh.. However, going grey is a little complicated for me both socially and professionally. Although in a few years I hope rock my grey in some yet to be discovered (by me) cool fashion.

But until then I was wondering if you guys would be generous enough to share any knowledge you have on ACT Natural hair colors or other truly herbal color that can give a medium to light brown without damaging your hair or your health. I tried searching the site for this couldn't find anything but I may have missed it.

Thanks in advance for all your responses. Here's the link: http://www.actnaturals.com/home.html

[little_cherry]

Like every product, there are cons and pros... in the first link, the girl had light hair and purchased a light dye. Her resulting hair colour was BLACK.

http://www.prissygreen.com/2009/09/advanced-cosmetic-technologies-act-hair-color-p3nwd-opps-i-mean-reviewed.html

http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/advanced-cosmetic-technologies-natural-hair-color.html



The ingredients are:

Ingredients from packaging: water, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Magnesium Gluconate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan), Magnesium Aspartate, Magnesium Citrate, Citric Acid, Ferrous Aspartate, Copper Gluconate, Zinc Gluconate, Zinc Aspartate, Copper Aspartate, Calcium Gluconate, Ferric Ammonium Citrate, Ferrous Gluconate Calcium Aspartate, Calcium Chloride, Lactic Acid, Almond Oil, Glycerin, Lawsonia Inermis (Henna), Rubia Cordifolia Root Extract, Indigofera Tinctoria Extract, CI 58000 from Rubia Tinctorum Root Extract, CI 73015 from Indigofera Tinctoria Extract, Beetroot Extract, Quercetin, Rutin, Decyl Glucoside, Haematoxylon Campechianum Wood Extract, Haematoxylum Braziletto Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Astaxanthin, Crocetin (CI 75100), CI 75810 from Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex, Iron-Chlorophyllin Complex, Annatto (CI 75120), Gardenia Jasminoides Fruit Extract, Emblica Officinalis Fruit Extract, Saffron Crocus (Crocus Sativus) Extract, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Green Tea Extract, Anthocyanins, Pomegranate Extract.

It really looks like henna with a whole bunch of metallic salts and a bunch of extracts. IME, metallic salts have been very drying to the hair. If you bought the product, I'd most definitely do a strand test to avoid any massive surprises.

[kwaniesiam]

Yikes. Honestly I don't like working with any metallic salt dyes. They're an absolute nightmare to deal with if you ever want to use anything else on your hair. Metallic salts do not play nice with other chemicals AT ALL. I'd suggest looking in to a semi or demi-permanent color. Unfortunately other than pure body art quality henna, indigo, amla, and cassia there aren't any completely natural ways to color your hair permanently. All "natural" colors still will either contain PPD or metallic salts. It isn't chemically possible to alter the color of the hair without one of those two. Honey lightening only gets you so far too.

[janicelesa]

Thanks little Cherry and Kwaniesiam for your responses. Its too bad that healthy hair color alternatives are so few. My independent research unfortunately yeilds the same, that this product is a real bad choice. Boo-hoo.

I hadn't bought it. Was just contemplating it. However, thought I'd look into it before I did. Of course, I'm always interested to know what you phenomenal ladies have to say. There's so much knowledge here on this site that I couldn't help but ask your opinions. Thanks again for sharing your insights.

[UltraBella]

I have always used a Demi-color on my hair with wonderful results and no damage. Metallic salts make me cringe, they can be so drying and results can vary widely with some terrible issues later when you decide to change things.
No matter what you deicde, grow it will always be an issue and maintenance is time consuming. I hate seeing my roots but I can't stand retouching them every three weeks either. Sigh, which we could magically control our natural hair color !!

[kwaniesiam]

I have always used a Demi-color on my hair with wonderful results and no damage. Metallic salts make me cringe, they can be so drying and results can vary widely with some terrible issues later when you decide to change things.
No matter what you deicde, grow it will always be an issue and maintenance is time consuming. I hate seeing my roots but I can't stand retouching them every three weeks either. Sigh, which we could magically control our natural hair color !!

My dream in the cosmetology field is that someone will develop a completely safe pill you can take to alter your natural hair color. If only...then hair color would be obsolete though, except for multi-dimensional color and foils.

[janicelesa]

Kwaniesiam and UltraBella you guys mention semi or demi-permanent colors as a healtier alternative. Which brands do you use in either the semi or demi-permanent colors. Do any of these come in light to medium brown. And if so do they also have PPDs in them. And can they be obtained in the US?

And yes that imaginery hair color pill would be nice!

[kwaniesiam]

Kwaniesiam and UltraBella you guys mention semi or demi-permanent colors as a healtier alternative. Which brands do you use in either the semi or demi-permanent colors. Do any of these come in light to medium brown. And if so do they also have PPDs in them. And can they be obtained in the US?

And yes that imaginery hair color pill would be nice!

Some brands of demi have PPD, some do not. You can read the ingredient list on the back of the tube. Personally I use Goldwell. Check out Sally's for some options, I like Wella and Clairol. I really hate Ion, but that's just my preference. Ion has always faded too fast for me.

[janicelesa]

Thanks for everyones responses and suggestions.

[mneh]

I use Logona Herbal dyes which come in powdered form or in ready-mixed form. They are made from natural ingredients, organic where possible. I have used them since March and have experienced no problems with them. I had previously used demi colours to hide my grey but I became increasingly sensitive to the synthetic ingredients and decided not to continue with them. I find Logona colours do not irritate my skin and they leave my hair in excellent condition.

Here's some info on them:
Logona Herbal Hair Colours (http://www.ellament.com/Logona_Herbal_Hair_Colours_Natural_Hair_Dye.pdf)

Here are some before and after photos that you might find useful:
http://www.organichaircare.com.au/index.php?view=page&pageId=9

The only other natural hair colour brands that I know of are:
morocco method (https://morroccomethod.com/en/henna)
Sante (http://www.sante.de/pages_en/hfarben.html)
Act by Nature (http://www.palettebynature.com/)

This site sells some of the hair colours listed above and has customer reviews which I found very helpful: Suvarna (http://www.suvarna.co.uk/natural-hair-care.html)

I hope you find this information useful :D