Six herbal hair colors in the test
If you want a new hair color based on natural substances, you can use herbal hair colors with henna, indigo or walnut. But can the natural hair colors convince in the test?
We examined six plant powders for light brown, caramel to nut brown tones. We wanted to know: Do the natural products dye evenly – and how long does the color last? Can they compete with classic oxidation hair colors? Is the hair attacked? Are critical substances a problem?
This is what the natural hair color test by Stiftung Warentest offers
- Testergebnisse. In the table you will find the ratings for six natural hair colors, including products from Garnier, Khadi, Logona and Sante. The tested plant colors cost 4.00 to 10.40 euros. Read who the test winners are and which natural hair colors best cover gray hair.
- Purchase advice and tips. We tell you what to consider when dyeing with plant powders, give tips on preparation, application and rinsing.
- Heftartikel. If you unlock the topic, you will get access to the PDF for the test report from test 3/2022.
Test results for 6 natural hair colors 03/2022
Several natural hair colors in the test are good
The dyeing result was mostly positive, the colors lasted a long time: Even after 28 washes, they had hardly lost any of their intensity. We noticed differences in the gray coverage and the condition of the hair after coloring. Some plant colors stand out with critical substances. However, several products perform well overall.
For whom natural hair colors are suitable
- Who wants to color naturally. All natural hair colors in the test dye exclusively with plant ingredients. A positive side effect: They usually cause less waste than oxidation hair colors in plastic bottles.
- For whom a slight change is enough. Vegetable colors can only darken the original hair color by about one shade – blonde does not turn black. Lightening or bleaching doesn’t work either, it only works with oxidation hair colors.
- Who has little gray hair. The first gray can be concealed. With a high proportion of gray, however, the result can be brighter and less even.
- Who is allergic or younger than 16. Aromatic amines in permanent colors often trigger contact allergies. Therefore, under 16-year-olds should not use them. Young people and anyone who is allergic to permanent colors can try pure vegetable colors. They have a weaker allergenic potential. However, reactions cannot be ruled out completely.
Natural hair colors with critical substances
Natural products can also contain harmful substances for nature and humans. The Stiftung Warentest showed arsenic and heavy metals, in some colors also residues of pesticides. One branded product even contained a pesticide that is banned under the EU Cosmetics Regulation. However, the test winners do well in the Critical Substances test item.
Henna hair color for gray hair
Hair colors without chemicals do not dye the hair uniformly, the starting color also determines the result. Some suppliers therefore only recommend their natural hair colors with henna and co for people with a maximum of 30 percent gray hair.
Oxidation hair colors for clear color changes
If you want to color significantly more gray hair, lighten the mane or darken it by several levels, you have to resort to classic permanent hair colors: They destroy the natural pigments in the hair with oxidizing agents such as hydrogen peroxide and then color it uniformly.
The Stiftung Warentest has also tested oxidation hair colors. Many such hair colors in the test performed well overall, including a particularly cheap one for just under 3 euros per pack. Intensive tints also work with oxidizing agents, but wash out again over time. Some hair tints in the test faded faster than promised.
Tipp: Hair washing stresses colored hair. Use mild cleansing children’s shampoo. Because for special color protection shampoos in the test, it was mostly said to be inadequate. For care, we recommend the best hair conditioners in the test.