The Minimal Sisters

If there is one thing that tells how old I am more than anything is probably my grey hairs. I am not sure how long ago I started seeing these little white demons across my scalp, but ever since I started noticing them, they’ve multiplied by the millions. Perhaps it has to do with genetics; perhaps not. It doesn’t change the fact that every time I see them, I want to pick and rip them out for good!

I’ve had a love-hate relationship with my hair since a very young age. Back when I was 17 or 18, I remember wanting to shave it off in hopes of getting rid of the frizz; I hated how thin it actually was when putting it up on a pony tail with a puffy, frazzled end. It still is, by the way, but I have learned to deal with it and make the best of it. But when it comes to grey hairs, I don’t deal with it as good. I simply don’t like grey hairs; I feel terribly old, terribly sad, terribly depressed. And those little white hairs are relentless, little stubborn pieces of  filament that won’t stay down, they are the first ones to stand out as if reaching to the heavens!! No spray, gel or gooey material will keep them down… is like their only agenda is to remind me they are there *ARGGGGHHHHHH*

Unlike my younger self that would fix the problem by going blonde, my more wiser recent self tries to embrace the inner brunette and find ways to keep it exactly like that: a brown heaven. I’ve tried many products over the years (I’ve been a brunette for a good 7 years now) but I am still in search for a green product that will tame the mane, be gentle on my scalp and take care of the grey.

Recently, I tried a new product that I bought at Whole Foods called Herbaceuticals. My preferred coloring compound is Henna, but I have yet to try one that is not messy, so when I saw this color at the supermarket, I was intrigued and decided to try it out.

The box claims to be a natural dye. I did a little bit of research on the ingredients and found the following: Burdock Stem Extract (anti-fungal properties), Gotu Kola Oil (collagen production), Gotu Kola Leaf (strengthen capillaries), Nettle (hair loss), Sage (fragrance), Hops (natural preservative) extracts and P-phenylenediamine or PP (hair dye). While the EPA does not confirm P-phenylenediamine is a carcinogenic substance with dermal use, it can cause irritation, skin rashes among other things with acute exposure. This is important information if you have sensitive alone or have determine to be allergic to PP. However, the product also contains oils such as Coconut, Walnut, Lavender, Rosemary and even Shea Butter that can counteract the irritation caused by the dye. My scalp is not easily irritated, so this is not a main concern for me.

While the product is not 100% green, I was very pleased with the results on my hair:

• The product applies easy, with a gel like consistency similar to regular dye products
• As it develops, the color is rich and dark
• There is no staining of the scalp or face where the product inadvertently touches when applying
• The develop time is longer than traditional dies, approximately 45-50 minutes, however there is no itching or burning sensation
• It washes off easily
• The shampoo and conditioner are very good; the shampoo goes on like water almost, you need to be careful when applying because it is not viscose and you can waste the product on your hands
• The hair looks incredibly shiny and soft; in my experience, the dye did make my hair frizzy, which I was not so happy about… WHY?!? but the grey hairs were completely gone; I’ll take frizzy hair over white 😉
• I used two boxes on my hair to fully cover it (I have mid length hair that sits below my shoulders)

The product retails for $14.95 at Whole Foods but you can also buy it online via Amazon and the Vitamine Shoppe. Pay close attention to the price!! It varies drastically from one retailer to the next. I’m sharing below a link to the Vitamin Shoppe where I found the price to be less than at Whole Foods:

http://m.vitaminshoppe.com/m/p/herbaceuticals-5n-light-burdock-1/hbs1021

Verdict: I would recommend the product because it was very gentle on the skin, but powerful on the dye. My grey hairs are gone… until the dye fades of course. The odor was pleasant, it was non-irritating and non-staining. Overall, a good product that you can pick up at your local Whole Foods.

I may provide a quick update in a week or two to let you know how it fades. For now, I am happy to see the white little demons gone.

If you have tried this product or can recommend other non-toxic, green dyes for my grey hairs, I would love to hear from you! Please share below.

Until the next one~

Joanne,

The Minimal Sisters.

P.S. Would you be interested in a review of organic/natural shampoos? I have been thinking about doing a quick review of affordable natural shampoos to share with you where I think you can get more bang for your buck. Let me know below!