The team at Salon123 discuss the natural hair colouring ColourHerbe treatments we offer

We often get asked; “Will colouring my hair adversely affect its condition?”

Have you ever felt cautious about colouring your hair? I certainly have!!

At the age of two I lost all my hair due to a near fatal episode of measles. My mother was told by doctors and experts it was unlikely that my hair would ever return. Thankfully I had a very determined mother who would not take no for an answer and she persevered with a number of different treatments until finally she discovered by massaging a particular conditioner into my head that my hair started to grow.

Although I was only a small child I can still vividly remember touching my head and asking if my hair would ever grow. Because of this childhood trauma I have always been extremely cautious about how I treat my hair and have not felt inclined to experiment with different hair colours.

This experience contributed to my desire to become a hairdresser. I am a great believer in using trusted and well-known professional products as well as following an organic and healthy lifestyle wherever possible.

I was therefore delighted to be introduced to the ColourHerbe brand of hair colour this year. This natural hair colouring treatment has been trusted by millions all over the world since it was launched in the 1970s by Michel Albergo.

Wanting to devise a range of gentle hair colourants for his family, Mr Albergo sought inspiration from his extensive experience of herbal extracts and their power to naturally condition the hair.

Realising hair colour did not require the aggressive chemicals such as ammonia to open the hair cuticle, his was a gentler approach achieved by combining hydrogen peroxide with plant oils. This creates a pH environment allowing the colour pigments to naturally tone or replace those already existing in the hair’s cortex.

The result is long-lasting, beautifully toned, shiny hair that is maintained without the use of silicone based after-care products. The delicate hair cuticle is not damaged by ammonia or other toxic chemicals in the colouring process and quick fix silicone-based conditioners are not required either. The hair can be simply maintained with natural Aloe Vera based shampoos and conditioners which are free from sulphates and parabens.

At Salon 123 we have been trained in the use of Colourherbe hair colour which uses mainly organic ingredients, is gluten free, not tested on animals and is suitable for vegans and are therefore able to offer this for the first time in Herne Bay.

During our training we learned that:

• ColourHerbe will deliver the range and flexibility of hair colour that will match and probably exceed any other hair colour range.
• ColourHerbe will deliver a gentle but very effective permanent (or semi-permanent) hair colour to your hair whether it is pre-coloured, uncoloured or grey, without the aggressive irritating nature of ammonia based colour systems.
• Colouring hair can be achieved with naturally-sourced ingredients and without damaging the natural structure of your hair leaving hair with a very natural healthy look and feel.
• With ColourHerbe there are no noxious smells

We have found that clients who wish to change to ColourHerbe for their hair colouring do so for a variety of reasons. Concerns have arisen suggesting a link between permanent hair colours and some forms of cancer. From that aspect ColourHerbe appears to be the safest of the permanent tints available for professional use as the absence of ammonia results in little or no penetration of the scalp.

Visual proof of this is far less staining of the scalp compared to ammonia-based tints. Substantial numbers of people having their hair permanently coloured are experiencing allergic reactions to the tints and in these situations it is invariably the colour pigment (paraphenylenediamines or PPds) that cause the problems. In most cases ColourHerbe does NOT induce an adverse reaction. However, for client’s upmost safety we would still recommend that a skin test is performed prior to colour application.

If you are still unsure if you are ready to try Colourherbe you may wish to consider the following:

• Ammonia is extremely alkaline (pH 12.5) and is used to open the cuticle of the hair in order to deposit the artificial colour pigments within the cortex. Such a high pH is particularly damaging to the hairs’ natural protein structure.
• It is noticeable how ammonia treated hair becomes very dry and coarse. This is simply because having forced the cuticle to open so far it is not possible to completely re-close it.
• Highly alkaline tints contain silicones which coat the hair shaft, initially making it feel soft, look shiny and trapping the colour pigments. However, with subsequent shampooing these silicones are removed leaving the cuticle partially open, allowing pigment to escape. This results in deterioration of the hair condition. Because Colourherbe does not use this technology, experience shows that the colours last longer and are less inclined to fade.
• A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that hairstylists had triple the risk of developing breast cancer when they worked with hair colourants for five years or more and are five times more likely to be diagnosed with bladder cancer after ten years.
• And finally ……….One of Colourherbe’s best kept secrets is that their hair colours are used by film and television personalities the world over ……

Our hair is our “crowning glory” and deserves to be cared for well. Our skin is the largest organ of our body. We like to ensure that we are doing our best for our clients by offering products to support their individual needs.

Whatever your colouring requirements we will have a product to suit you at Salon 123 with traditional colouring services available using the best products from L’Oreal Professional, or the chemical free alternative provided by Colourherbe.

You will always be assured of a great result in our Salon.

For more information on the Colourherbe range visit www.colourherbe.co.uk , or call into Salon 123 at 123 High Street, Herne Bay 01227-371234 for a free consultation where one of our trained stylists will be happy to help. We are open 9-5 Monday to Saturday, with a late night every Thursday.