STYLE : LOOKS : Better Red
As baby boomers gray, they’re looking for ways to disguise the fact without ammonia- or peroxide-based hair coloring that may be toxic to skin, scalp and environment. So there’s been a resurgence of one of the most ancient dyes of all: henna.
A vegetable product that coats hair, henna adds red highlights to brunettes and creates a fiery red on blondes. Many women apply it at home since it’s inexpensive and accessible. But it’s also indelible (it’s there until cut off) and messy (the powder mixed with water makes a gooey, green paste that stains hair and skin), so henna may best be wielded by a professional.
Stuart Gavert of Umberto salon in Beverly Hills uses henna “for toning weavings. And it gives great overall color and shine.” Red isn’t the only available shade either. Avigal, for instance, makes a variety of colors, from rich reds to deep burgundies. But there are cautions: Henna-treated hair can turn green if permed or straightened and, if used more than once every six months, henna can turn hair brittle. “I can always spot someone who’s overused henna,” Gavert says, “because the hair looks flat and dry.” His solution? Apply henna only on new growth.
To sidestep henna’s difficulties, Clairol, Wella, Goldwell and Matrix have devised vegetable-based dyes called “semi-permanent” colors. Like henna, they are baked on under a dryer for 45 minutes, creating a translucent coating. Unlike henna, they fade gently, making them ideal for clients who want to camouflage gray or try a touch of color. Louis Licari of Louis Licari Color Group in Beverly Hills, who uses Clairol’s Jazzing and Logics’ Attitudes on clients such as Susan Sarandon and model Stephanie Seymour, likens the tints to “makeup for the hair.”
A new at-home option is color-depositing shampoos and conditioners. Do-it-yourselfers can add rich highlights with products such as Paul Mitchell Creatives Color Infusing Shampoo, ARTec Color Enhancing Shampoo, J.F. Lazartigue’s Colour Reflecting Hair Conditioner and Altobella’s conditioning ClayPac ClayOns.
Chassi Oliver of L.A.’s Estilo salon says many women are bored with their natural color and want a non-damaging boost. So she’ll custom-mix color that blends away gray. “Reds and brown reds are really big now,” she says, adding that semi-permanent colors cover up 50% to 75% of gray hairs. For those who want a very dramatic change, a permanent tint activated with ammonia and peroxide remains the best option.
As the population continues to gray, colorists are certain that consumer demand will prompt the development of naturally based, nontoxic colors. “In the next two decades,” Gavert says, “we’ll be able to get away from ammoniated and peroxide dyes completely.”
