Tints of Nature Hair Color Review

Have you ever done anything in your life just because “everyone else did it?” For me, it was dyeing my hair. I was in my twenties and really didn’t need to dye my hair, but “everyone else was doing it,” so I did it, too. Now, at almost 50, I do not dye my hair, even though I might need it due to the appearance of grays. I have learned to embrace my hair the way it is and actually enjoy my silver streaks. At the same time, I realize that there are many valid reasons for women to dye their hair. That is why I would like to help you learn how to choose a hair color that would be safer both for your hair and your overall health.

In this post, we will look into Tints of Nature Permanent Hair Colour and Tints of Nature Henna Cream, made in the UK. We will gauge the safety of these Tints of Nature products by diving into their ingredients, such as hair colourants and hair shaft openers. In addition, we will look at the ingredients of their shampoo and conditioner. So, read on to find the answer to the question as to whether Tints of Nature hair care products are safe for you.

Tints Of Nature Hair Color Review

To start with, I have been studying the hair color industry for about ten years now. The results of my unprecedented research are available in my Permanent Hair Color Rating List E-book. One of the most outstanding features of this e-book is the safety rating of more than 60 permanent hair colors based on their ingredients. In other words, you will be able to choose a safer color in a matter of seconds, just by looking at the table at the end of the e-book. If you feel like switching to a different color brand or are looking for a safer option, this e-book is for you.

As for Tints of Nature products, first and foremost I would like to commend the company for disclosing their ingredients. In my experience, not every hair color company does that. So, I appreciate the fact that they do.

What baffles me, though, is that some people consider Tints of Nature hair dyes “non-toxic” and “natural” as follows from the screenshot below:

Perhaps, the reason for that is the way the company markets their products, emphasizing the use of “natural” and “organic” ingredients, with no use of ammonia, resorcinol, parabens, SLS, SLES, and other ingredients:

While this is laudable, to some extent, it certainly does not qualify Tints of Nature products to be “non-toxic.” Why? Because even though they do not use “toxic” ammonia and resorcinol, they use other ingredients instead which are not less toxic, in my opinion. See for yourself!

Tints Of Nature Permanent Hair Colour Ingredients

As of July 2024, the ingredients for Tints of Nature permanent hair dye (shade 3N Natural Dark Brown) are as follows:

What do you think about the ingredients?  Have you had a chance to look at the ingredients of a permanent hair color before?

The long chemical words are hair dyes (aka “hair colourants”).  In other words, they are color additives that do the job of coloring.  Therefore, every permanent hair color must contain them.  Otherwise, it will not be able to cover gray hair or dramatically change your natural hair color.

Below, I focus on the hair dyes and a hair shaft opener that are in this product. However, the list of ingredients includes some other ingredients of concern, such as parfum, triethanolamine, and ethoxylated ingredients. I will talk more about them later, in the Henna Cream and Shampoo and Conditioner sections.

Tints Of Nature Hair Color Dyeing Agents

To begin, there are six hair dyes in the Tints of Nature hair dye (shade 3N Natural Dark Brown) formulation:

• p-phenylenediamine
• 4-chlororesorcinol
• 2-amino-4-hydroxyethylaminoanisole sulfate
• n- phenyl-p-phenylenediamine sulfate
• m-aminophenol, and
• 4- amino-hydroxytoluene.

Further, these dyes do not come from plants or minerals.  According to the FDA, they are called “coal-tar dyes,” because originally coloring materials were by-products of the coal industry.  Now, as the FDA states, they come from petroleum.

Hence, we cannot consider the Tints of Nature permanent hair colour dyeing ingredients “natural” – unless we count petroleum as “natural,” of course.  As a matter of fact, there is no legal definition of the term “natural” – it is simply a marketing term.

Hair Dyes And Allergic Reactions

To continue, the FDA warns consumers that “some coal-tar hair dyes can cause allergic reactions or sensitization that may result in skin irritation and hair loss.  People can develop sensitivities with repeated exposure.”

To clarify, sensitization means developing an allergic reaction to a product over time and with repeated use.  For example, if you are fine after using a Tints of Nature hair color today, this does not mean you will never have an allergic reaction to it.  In fact, if you use a sensitizer, you are more likely to have an allergic reaction each time you use the product.  That’s why the FDA advises that people who dye their hair perform a patch test before every application.

A patch test is when you test a small patch of hair to see if there are any adverse reactions.  It’s important to do this each time you use a hair dye, even if you have used the hair dye before.  Be sure to do so just in case you have become sensitized through the prior applications.

Sensitizers In The Tints Of Nature Hair Dye

Do any of the six hair dyes in the Tints of Nature hair color (shade 3N Natural Dark Brown) cause sensitization?

For starters, the European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has tested and classified 110 hair dyes into extreme, strong, and moderate sensitizers.

This is how the SCCS has classified the six hair coloring chemicals in the Tints of Nature permanent hair color.

How does this make you feel?  Are the Tints of Nature’s claims about being free from ammonia, parabens, resorcinol, cocamide DEA, silicones, and propylene glycol still appealing to you?

By the way, in my blog post List Of Harmful Chemicals In Hair Dye, I explain why I wouldn’t worry too much about parabens and silicones in a permanent hair color.

Small Amounts Of Hair Dyes Matter

You may think that Tints of Nature used these hair colourants in tiny amounts, and so they are nothing to worry about.

However, the amount of dye used in the SCCS patch tests was very small, too.  For example, p-phenylenediamine (PPD) was tested at 0.06%.  Another extreme sensitizer in the Tints of Nature hair color, n-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine sulfate, was tested at 0.02%.

Consequently, small amounts do matter.  Even if all the hair dyes that the product contains amounted to less than 1%, there would still be a risk of sensitization, allergic reaction, and hair loss. (If you are experiencing hair loss, take advantage of my blog post The Most Overlooked Hair Loss Causes.)

Hence, in my Permanent Hair Color Rating List e-book, I rate hair color brands based on the risk of sensitization and other health risks.  So, if you want to know my opinions as to how Tints of Nature hair dye compares to other permanent hair colors, check it out.

What “Ammonia-Free” Really Means

Is the fact that Tints of Nature permanent hair colour is free of ammonia a great thing?

Naturally, you have noticed many hair color companies boast that their hair colors are free of ammonia.  Because ammonia has a strong odor, we tend to think that a hair color without the odor is good for us, or at least better than the one with ammonia.  However, it is not that simple.

Substitute For Ammonia In The Tints Of Nature Hair Dye

When a manufacturer claims that their product is “free” of something, I always encourage my blog readers and clients to investigate what they use instead.   

In essence, all permanent hair colors work the same way.  That is to say, to be able to give your hair a long-lasting color, they must have an agent that opens the outer layer of the hair so that hair dyes (“hair colourants”) can penetrate the hair.  And the chemicals that do this job are called “hair shaft openers,” such as ammonia or its substitute – ethanolamine.

So, if ammonia is not in the hair color list of ingredients, ethanolamine must be there instead.  Unfortunately, ethanolamine is not any better.  In fact, studies have shown that it is even more harmful.  You can learn about how it is more harmful in my post about ammonia-free hair color brands.

Tints Of Nature Henna Cream

Now that we have discussed the ingredients of the Tints of Nature hair color, let us look at the ingredients of its henna cream to see how similar they are to those of the Tints of Nature hair dye.

As of July 2024, the ingredients for Tints of Nature Henna Cream (shade True Black) are as follows:

As you can see, despite being called “henna cream,” it consists of more than just henna.  It is not a simple henna/indigo/cassia powder that you mix with water.  To clarify, I consider those powders truly natural hair color products and the safest options available to us.  

Instead, Tints of Nature Henna Cream is a semi-permanent hair color that contains not only henna but also a lot of chemical ingredients.  Just as with Tints of Nature permanent hair colour, the Tints of Nature henna cream has chemical hair dyes. 

Hair Dyes In The Henna Cream

The Tints of Nature Henna Cream True Black contains five dyeing agents. Based on the SCCS report, these include:

You should also know about reports of positive allergic reaction to semi-permanent hair dyes.  For example, the Contact Dermatitis medical journal reported the case of a 56-year-old woman who developed generalized wheals, nausea, dyspnea, and impaired consciousness 10 min after she washed off a semi-permanent hair dye.  Luckily, she knew to go to the ER immediately.¹ (¹ Washio, K., Ijuin, K., Fukunaga, A., Nagai, H., & Nishigori, C. (2017). Contact anaphylaxis caused by Basic Blue 99 in hair dye. Contact Dermatitis, 77(2), 122-123.)

Ammonia In The Tints Of Nature Henna Cream

First of all, the Tints of Nature henna cream hair dye products are “free from PPD, PTD and ammonia,” which is great.

Indeed, p-phenylenediamine (PPD) is an extreme sensitizer (and is present in the Tints of Nature permanent hair dye). Likewise, toluene-2,5-diamine (PTD) is an extreme sensitizer, too (not present among the Tints of Nature permanent hair colourants). And ammonia is a hair shaft opener that is corrosive and damaging to hair. As you remember, in their permanent hair dyes, Tints of Nature uses ethanolamine instead of ammonia.

However, it is important to understand that a semi-permanent hair color (which is what Tints of Nature Henna Cream is) never has any of these ingredients in the first place. So, commending a semi-permanent hair color for being “free from PPD, PTD and ammonia” is like commending a glass vase for being free from plastic.

Unlike permanent hair colors, semi-permanent hair coloring products do not create a long-lasting color effect. Typically, the color lasts up to 12 washes. Plus, they are not that effective for gray hair. And the reason for all that is the absence of PPD, PTD, and other permanent hair colourants as well as a hair shaft opener, such as ammonia or ethanolamine. Without a hair shaft opener, rather than penetrating the hair, the hair dye coats it, and hence, soon washes off. Yes, it is less damaging to the hair. But the result is not as long-lasting, and you may not have your grays fully covered.

Organic Ingredients In Henna Cream Hair Dye

Some plant-based ingredients in the Tints of Nature Henna Cream Hair Dye are marked with an asterisk. However, there is no footnote explaining what the asterisk means. Assumedly, it means that the marked ingredients are organic ingredients. Yet, I encourage you to contact the company and confirm that if you are interested in these Tints of Nature products.

Is it a good thing for the Tints of Nature Henna Cream to have organic ingredients? Yes, it is. Just be aware that organic ingredients do not compensate for potential harm from some concerning ingredients that are also present in this product, such as:

• Parfum: a blend of multiple ingredients, including allergens, sensitizers, and even endocrine disruptors. (Learn more in my post Is Natural Fragrance Safe?.)
• Limonene: potential allergen. (Learn more in my post Hypoallergenic Perfumes.)
• Triethanolamine: suspected of damaging fertility or the unborn child (ECHA). (Learn more in my post 7 Best Body Lotions Without Harmful Chemicals.)
• Phenoxyethanol: may contain potentially harmful contaminants. (Learn more in my post Phenoxyethanol in Skin Care.)
• PEG-100 and Oleth-10: ethoxylated ingredients that may contain residues of carcinogenic ethylene oxide and 1.4 dioxane. (Learn more in my post What Are Polysorbates?.) 

Tints Of Nature Shampoo And Conditioner

As of July 2024, the ingredients for the Tints of Nature Hydrate Shampoo are as follows:

Just as with the Tints of Nature Henna Cream, organic ingredients (assumedly, those marked with an asterisk) do not compensate for potential harm from some concerning ingredients that are also present in this product, namely:

• Cocamidopropyl Betaine: may contain a DMAPA contaminant. (Learn more in my post Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine.)
• Parfum: a blend of multiple ingredients, including allergens, sensitizers, and even endocrine disruptors. (Learn more in my post Is Natural Fragrance Safe?.)
• Phenoxyethanol: may contain potentially harmful contaminants. (Learn more in my post Phenoxyethanol in Skin Care.)
• Polysorbate 20, PEG-120, Gluceth-10: ethoxylated ingredients that may contain residues of carcinogenic ethylene oxide and 1.4 dioxane. (Learn more in my post What Are Polysorbates?.) 

The ingredients for the Tints of Nature Hydrate Conditioner (as of July 2024) are below. They have some of the same concerns as those of Hydrate Shampoo.

• Parfum: a blend of multiple ingredients, including allergens, sensitizers, and even endocrine disruptors. (Learn more in my post Is Natural Fragrance Safe?.)
• Phenoxyethanol: may contain potentially harmful contaminants. (Learn more in my post Phenoxyethanol in Skin Care.)
• PEG-100, Oleth-10, PPG-3: ethoxylated ingredients that may contain residues of carcinogenic ethylene oxide and 1.4 dioxane. (Learn more in my post What Are Polysorbates?.) 

In conclusion, I wouldn’t use either of these Tints of Nature products, especially since there are truly safe and non-toxic shampoo and conditioner options available on the market. (I use and enjoy Supergreens hair care.)

Conclusion: Are The Tints Of Nature Products Safe?

The Tints Of Nature Permanent Hair Colour, Henna Cream Hair Dye, Shampoo, And Conditioner Contain Ingredients That Are Potentially Concerning For Health.

To sum up, in this post you have learned about the importance of reading ingredients, not just marketing claims.  You have also learned that despite appealing marketing claims, Tints of Nature hair dye is not safe, in my opinion.  It can cause sensitization because it includes extreme, strong, and moderate sensitizers as defined by the European Union SCCS.

As for the Tints of Nature henna cream, it is safer than a permanent hair color.  It contains neither ammonia nor ethanolamine.  Nor does it have extreme or strong sensitizers.  However, remember that even a semi-permanent hair color can cause an allergic reaction.  In other words, it is not completely safe, but may serve as a transition step from a permanent hair color to a safer hair color.

Be sure to check out my Permanent Hair Color Rating List E-book. It will help you select a safer permanent hair color available on the market. In addition, browse the I Read Labels For You blog for information on other hair dyes. Book a consultation with me if you need help with choosing non-toxic products and visit my shop.

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