Let’s face it, we have all feared the day that out first grey hair comes on our head, grey hairs are signs that scream that you are getting old, and no one likes getting old. Since we can’t get any younger than we already are, we try our best to conceal ourselves by applying makeup, dye, and other beauty products on ourselves.
Almost every skin products that you use have some pros and some cons that we have to judge and decide if they are worth the effort. And hair dye’s not different at all, but we have a few options when we are trying to pick out the best hair dye that is going to fit our needs, the first and the most common is chemical hair dye, the product that almost everyone in the world is familiar with. The next is a natural dye called henna, it is made from a natural plant which is considered to be good for your hair.
Let’s compare the two and decide which one we should use to keep ourselves looking younger. But before we look at the pros and cons of chemical and natural dye, we must first know how both work.
How Chemical Hair Dye Works
There are around 3 types of chemical hair dyes you can get, the first one is the temporary one, and it works by coating the cuticles of the hair, these types of chemical dye usually last for only about 2 to 3 washes.
Next in line is the semi-permanent hair dye, it works by having color molecules that are small enough to slip in between the scale-like structure of the cuticles and stick to the core of the hair. This particular type of dye is the one that is used the most and usually lasts about 10 washings depending on the available brands.
The third type of chemical hair dye is the most dangerous and it damages the hairs of the person that applies it. Permanent hair is as the name suggest is permanent and it does not washes out with time.
The hair has to either grow out or fall off to get back to its original color. This chemical dye works in 2 steps, the first is that it uses a chemical that opens the cuticles of the hair and then in the second step, the developer is used to remove the natural color of the hair and oxidize it with the new color.
How Natural Henna Hair Dye Works
Natural hair dye works quite differently as compared to the chemical hair dyes. For once the henna application process is quite longer than your traditional chemical hair dye process, it takes on average of about 5 hours for a proper application of henna, and it is quite possible that it even takes longer.
When henna is applied it coats the hair, then it slowly slips in between the scales of the hair, changing the color of the hair and depositing itself on the melanin of the hair. It might take a couple of coating of the henna to get a perfect coating on the hair. Thehennaguys.com provides various types and colors of henna’s so that you can pick the one that’s just right for you.
Pros of Using Chemical Dye
There is a reason that chemical dyes are so much more common than henna and other natural processes. Chemical dyes are much faster than your normal henna. It only takes about 20 minutes for a perfect color change.
Plus with chemical hair dye, you have the option to get your hair colored in any color you like without any restriction of any kind. Since it is so easy to use and they have very less wait time, most hair salons are trained to use chemical dyes only and that can create some problems for those people that want to get henna applied.
Pros of Using Henna
Henna comes in two basic forms, first is the 100% natural henna, it dyes your hair orange to red-orange color, which most people don’t like, the other form is a mixture of natural herbs and henna that provides a bit more color options other than orange. Henna is a natural product and it has many advantages as compared to chemical dye.
Since henna coats your hair, your hair becomes stronger and protecting it from dirt, weather, and many hair conditions such as lice and dandruff. Henna also makes your hair super glossy and smooth witch not only makes your hair look better, but it also helps in making you look younger as well.
Cons of Using Chemical Dye
As easy as using chemical dye are, there are a lot of cons when you use chemical dyes regularly. Chemical hair dye is quite harsh on your hair, it damages, dries, and weakens your hair. Some studies suggest that chemical hair dyes have often been linked to multiple diseases and allergic reactions, lupus, asthma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma are some of the diseases that are caused by using chemical hair dyes.
There is also a case study that suggests that some brands of chemical hair dyes may have cancer-causing ingredients. Health and safety risks aside, chemical hair dyes fade quickly and you may have to visit the salon quite often for a touch-up.
Cons of Using Henna
If compared with the cons of a chemical hair dye, henna is not even in the same category. However, there are still some cons of using henna. For once henna is not something you can use to regularly change the color of your hair.
If you pick a color you have to stick to it. The major concern is that applying henna takes a very long time and only a few saloons have the necessary expertise and training to do a proper henna dye.
Precautions
As with everything you have to take certain precautions to obtain the maximum benefits of the dye you choose. If you are going for a chemical dye then, you should take into consideration the brand that is selling it and their reputations. Also, the person that is applying should be taken into consideration.
Wrapping It Up
Well, in this article we talked about chemical dyes vs natural henna, how they work and their pros and cons as well.
