Hair Dye Allergy Information

When dyeing your hair it is important to check that you don’t have a hair dye allergy before you apply hair dye or bleach to your whole head. If you already know you experience a hair dye allergic reaction to certain ingredients then you can shop for hair dyes that do not contain ingredients such as PPD, ammonia, and peroxide. PPD is the most common ingredient to cause an allergic reaction to hair dye, especially if you already know you have sensitive skin or a skin condition. Thankfully there are plenty of semi-permanent hair dyes that are PPD, ammonia, and peroxide free.

What hair dye can I use if I'm allergic?

It is impossible to say that a certain hair dye will definitely be suitable for you to use if you are allergic but there are certain ingredients you can easily avoid. It is often said that safe hair dyes for allergy sufferers are ones that are PPD free and use mostly natural and organic ingredients. Here is a list of properties for hair dye brands that you can consider using if you are allergic or have certain requirements.

PPD Free:

• Crazy Color
• La Riche Directions
• Manic Panic
• Paintglow
• Splat

Ammonia Free:

• Crazy Color
• Herman’s
• La Riche Directions
• Manic Panic
• Paintglow
• Splashes & Spills
• Stargazer

 Peroxide Free:

• Crazy Color
• Headshot
• La Riche Directions
• Paintglow
• Splashes & Spills
• Stargazer

 Vegan Friendly:

• Crazy Color
• Headshot
• Herman’s
• La Riche Directions
• Manic Panic
• Splashes & Spills

 Cruelty Free

• Crazy Color
• Headshot
• Herman’s
• La Riche Directions
• Manic Panic
• Paintglow
• Splashes & Spills
• Splat
• Stargazer

 What are the symptoms of a hair dye allergy?

The most common symptom of a hair dye allergy is redness, inflammation, and irritation to the skin. In this case, make sure to thoroughly rinse out the hair dye and go to your pharmacist for a soothing cream. 

If you have a more severe reaction to the hair dye, you may experience swelling of the face or around the eyes. In some cases, you can experience an anaphylactic allergic reaction to hair dye which includes swelling of the throat leading to breathing difficulties, wheezing, faintness and fainting, stomach pain and vomiting.  In an emergency situation, make sure to seek medical attention immediately as you will require medication to relieve the symptoms of your allergic reaction. 

What is the best hair dye for sensitive scalp?

If you have a sensitive scalp, make sure to choose a hair colour without PPD. PPD-free semi-permanent hair dye is now readily available as PPD is generally only needed for permanent and darker hair colours. We stock plenty of semi-permanent hair dyes from brands such as Crazy Color, La Riche Directions, Manic Panic, Paintglow, and Splat. 

Can you still dye your hair if you are allergic?

If you have an allergic reaction to hair dye, then stop using the product immediately and do not attempt to use that product again. Patch testing is essential to check for hair dye allergies and if you have the slightest hint of irritation you should not use the hair dye product. Even if you have used a product before, you can develop an allergy or the ingredients can change so make sure to perform a patch test every time you dye your hair. Trying to continue using a hair dye if you are only mildly allergic can lead to more severe reactions from continued use as your body becomes more sensitive to the chemical that is causing the reaction.

Once you have chosen your hair dye it is important to carry out a patch test before you dye your hair to check for an allergic reaction to hair dye. See our full article on how to carry out patch and strand testing, here. 

PPD Free & Ammonia Free Hair Dye

What hair dye does not contain PPD?

The following list of hair dyes does not contain PPD: Crazy Color, La Riche Directions, Manic Panic, Paintglow, and Splat. Out of the list of PPD free hair dye Crazy Color, La Riche Directions, Manic Panic, and Paintglow are also ammonia free.

What is PPD in hair colour?

PPD stands for paraphenylenediamine. PPD is a type of chemical that is commonly used in permanent hair dye and darker shades of hair dye. 

Many people prefer to use hair dye without PPD as PPD is one of the top causes of allergic reactions to hair dye.

Is it better to use ammonia free hair dye?

Ammonia free hair dye is thought to cause less damage to the hair and, therefore, is thought to be better to use. Ammonia opens up the hair cuticle allowing the colour to fully saturate the hair for a vibrant result. Luckily, there are now plenty of hair dyes that are ammonia-free but still provide vibrant and long-lasting results.

Which ammonia free hair dye is best?

If you are looking for the best ammonia free hair dye then there are plenty to choose from. We stock Crazy Color, Herman’s, La Riche Directions, Manic Panic, Paintglow, Splashes & Spills, and Stargazer which are all ammonia free and easy to use.

What does it mean when hair dye is ammonia free?

Ammonia free hair dye refers to hair dye without ammonia as an ingredient. When the hair dye is ammonia free, this usually means that it has an alternative chemical that is designed to open up the hair cuticle to help saturate the hair with the hair dye. Depending on which alternative ingredient is used, hair dyes that use an alternative to ammonia can be less damaging to your hair.

With plenty of information available on each of our hair dye products you can easily browse our selection of non PPD hair dye, vegan hair dye, and ammonia free hair dye. If you do experience severe allergies to hair dye, then you can take your hair dye product to your doctor so that they can perform a more in-depth allergy patch test to help identify which chemical it is that you are reacting to. If you are dyeing your hair at home, the most important thing is your safety so make sure to patch test your hair products a few days before you intend to dye your hair.

Please Note: Blue Banana hair dye information should be read alongside professional advice. Blue Banana makes no guarantee of validity and additional instruction should be taken from trained persons.