9 Best Non-Toxic, Organic, and Natural Hair Dye Brands for a Cleaner Hair Color
This blog post helps you find the best non-toxic, organic, and natural hair dye options!
If you’ve been searching for a non-toxic hair dye, you might have found that the process isn’t as easy as it seems.
Most hair colors on the market contain harmful chemicals such as ammonia, PPD, resorcinol, and other substances that some people prefer to avoid.
But the thing is, finding a truly “clean” hair dye isn’t straightforward, and there’s a lot of greenwashing in the industry.
In this article, I’ve rounded up nine of the best organic, non-toxic, and natural hair dye brands making cleaner formulas.
From 100% non-chemical, plant-based options to safer permanent dyes with effective gray coverage and semi-permanent vibrant colors, there’s something here for everyone looking to reduce exposure to toxins!
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Why switch to a non-toxic, organic, or natural hair dye?
Is hair dye toxic?
Many conventional hair dyes contain harmful ingredients that we should definitely try to stay away from.
This is particularly problematic for those of us who choose to color our hair on a regular basis.
Hair dye sits on our scalp for about 30 to 45 minutes, then is rinsed off, and the color stays in the hair for a few weeks.
We repeat the process every month or so, sometimes for decades, which can make our cumulative exposure truly concerning.
The harsh chemicals included in these formulas help achieve long-lasting color and gray coverage, but many may cause irritation, allergic reactions, and more serious health effects.
For instance, repeated exposure to high levels of ammonia, a toxic gas or liquid with a strong odor, can lead to irritation of the eyes, skin, and the respiratory system.
Another problematic ingredient typically found in conventional hair dyes is PPD (or p-phenylenediamine).
This allergen has the potential to induce adverse health issues, such as neurotoxicity, respiratory, reproductive, and digestive toxicity.
Then, there’s resorcinol, an oxidative chemical that can disrupt thyroid function and the endocrine system.
And these are just three examples!
Hair dye formulas are filled with dozens, if not hundreds, of other substances that can potentially cause additional health issues.
A 2020 study even found associations between regular use of permanent hair dye and certain types of breast cancer, basal cell skin cancer, and ovarian cancer.
The cleaner alternatives to conventional hair dyes
All of this doesn’t mean that all hair dyes are automatically unsafe.
Some brands use 100% natural, plant-based ingredients (sometimes organic), and their formulas are completely free of harmful chemicals.
Others offer permanent hair color and 100% gray coverage with cleaner, ammonia-free formulas.
The downside with those, though, is that they still contain some types of sensitizing ingredients: they either minimize PPD in their products or use a less irritating alternative.
No permanent hair dye is perfect, but there are far better options than the typical drugstore brands!
There are also brands selling semi-permanent, vibrant hair colors that are completely free of ammonia and PPD, and have safer formulas in general.
In this article, I share several brands in each of these three categories so there’s an option for everyone!
What to look for when shopping for an organic, natural, or non-toxic hair dye?
If you want a truly non-toxic hair color, choose a 100% natural, plant-based hair dye.
These are typically made with a few simple natural ingredients like henna, indigo, amla, and other botanical powders.
These brands also often use organic ingredients, and their formulas are free of toxic chemicals.
However, natural hair dye options aren’t suitable for everyone.
If you want reliable gray coverage, significant lightening, precise color changes, or vibrant fashion shades, permanent or semi-permanent dyes may be more practical.
Even these products aren’t perfect: they can still contain potentially sensitizing chemicals, so there’s a real trade-off to be made.
If those types of dyes are better suited to your needs, make sure to always check the ingredient lists and choose ammonia-free options.
If possible, try to pick a brand that doesn’t use PPD.
For permanent hair dyes, however, these options are trickier to find; in that case, consider buying from a brand that uses PTD (toluene-2,5-diamine sulfate) instead of PPD, as it has a lower sensitization risk (it’s not risk-free, though!).
Another option is to choose a brand that uses lower levels of PPD compared to conventional dyes.
Also, check that the hair color you’re choosing is free of other potentially concerning ingredients such as:
- Parabens
- Phthalates
- Synthetic fragrances
- Resorcinol
And never buy from a brand that doesn’t transparently disclose all its ingredients, as it’s impossible to know exactly what’s in its products.
If you want to get a non-toxic hair dye, I also recommend looking for third-party certifications (you’ll usually find them among plant-based dyes) such as:
- USDA Organic
- COSMOS Organic
- MADE SAFE
I also prefer buying hair dyes made with sustainably sourced ingredients and support brands that do not test on animals.
9 best organic, non-toxic, and natural hair dye options with cleaner formulas
Organic, plant-based, and truly natural hair dye options
If you want 100% natural hair dye, these are the four brands I recommend most!
They’re plant-based and made without potentially concerning chemicals like ammonia and PPD.
Some are even made with organic ingredients and sourced from sustainable suppliers.
1. Khadi
Type: Plant-Based, Henna
Ammonia-free: Yes
PPD-free: Yes
If you want a long-lasting, 100% natural hair color, check out Khadi’s large selection of ayurvedic dyes!
These dyes provide vibrant, intense color and volume with a natural shine and depth while reliably covering gray and white hair.
You can choose from a variety of colors ranging from classic blond, brown, and black (each with different shades available) to red, auburn, deep blue-black, and more.
Khadi permanent hair dyes are made with just a few pure plant-based pigments such as henna, indigo, amla, and bhringraj, all of which are sourced from small cooperatives based in India.
They protect, nourish, and strengthen the hair and scalp rather than damaging them.
These plant-based hair dye options are also vegan, cruelty-free, and completely free of harmful chemicals like synthetic colorants, ammonia, PPD, fragrance, preservatives, and peroxides.
Plus, they’re super easy to apply, and the company provides gloves and a cap.
2. Light Mountain
Type: Plant-Based, Henna
Ammonia-free: Yes
PPD-free: Yes
Light Mountain sells non-damaging, organic hair dye that is pretty affordable, giving excellent value for money.
Its two-in-one hair color and conditioner is formulated with 100% henna and botanicals, and will gently dye your hair while strengthening and nourishing it at the same time.
The brand has a large palette of vibrant, gorgeous shades, including different hues of red, brown, and black.
It also has a line specially designed for covering gray hair, and even sells its henna hair dye in bulk if you want to stock up.
All Light Mountain dyes are certified USDA Organic and are vegan-friendly and cruelty-free.
I also love that the company sources its ingredients from certified Fair Trade suppliers and doesn’t use any ammonia, PPD, metallic salts, or peroxide.
Each package includes four hair clips, a cap, and gloves.
3. Radico Colour Me Organic
Type: Plant-Based, Henna
Ammonia-free: Yes
PPD-free: Yes
Here’s another vegan brand offering organic hair dye without harmful chemicals or synthetic ingredients!
Radico Colour Me Organic’s hair dyes gently tint the hair and cover grays while helping to strengthen and nourish it.
They’re made with a blend of Ayurvedic treatment herbs, including amla and bhringraj, that are 100% organic and natural.
These herbs provide a smooth, even tone and leave your hair shiny and lustrous.
What truly sets Radico apart is its certification portfolio!
Very few brands in this category carry as many third-party certifications, such as USDA Organic, Cosmos Organic (by ECOCERT), MADE SAFE, Vegan, and certCLEAN.
The hair dye also comes with a shower cap and a practical brush for applying the dye onto your hair.
4. Ekoeh
Type: Semi-Permanent Botanical Cream (Not Henna-Based)
Ammonia-free: Yes
PPD-free: Yes
What sets Ekoeh apart from the first three brands on this list is that it offers non-henna-based hair color, which comes in the form of a cream.
It’s very easy to use because you just need to apply it to your hair after shampooing, let it sit for 45 minutes, and then rinse until the water is clear.
This semi-permanent hair coloring covers gray hair and lasts for up to eight shampoos, and it treats your hair from the inside out thanks to its enriched botanical complex and proteins.
This plant-based, organic hair dye is made with 88% naturally derived ingredients and is formulated with certified Fair Trade shea butter.
The entire formula is also vegan and cruelty-free, and contains certified organic ingredients.
Ekoeh makes it in six different colors and does not use any GMOs, ammonia, PPD, fragrance, parabens, phthalates, lead, peroxide, or resorcinol.
Low-tox permanent dyes: cleaner alternatives to conventional colors
Unfortunately, if you want permanent hair dye that achieves 100% gray coverage, you have to accept that the formula won’t be completely non-toxic.
Permanent color requires certain chemicals such as PPD or a PPD-alternative (like PTD or PTDS).
So the goal here is to limit potential toxicity and harm, and the four brands I included here do that.
They’re all ammonia-free and cleaner than conventional hair dye, but keep in mind they’re not perfect.
Some of these avoid PPD entirely in favor of alternatives; others simply minimize it.
5. Madison Reed
Type: Permanent
Ammonia-free: Yes
PPD-free: Yes
Madison Reed is the only cleaner permanent hair dye brand I could find that doesn’t use PPD.
So if that’s important to you, definitely check it out!
Instead, the brand uses PTD, which has been shown to cause fewer allergic reactions than PPD.
It’s a significant improvement over other brands that still use PPD.
Madison Reed’s 8–free hair dye also doesn’t contain ammonia, parabens, SLS, phthalates, resorcinol, titanium dioxide, and gluten.
The products are made in Italy and deliver salon-quality results at home.
You can choose from permanent and demi-permanent hair dyes available in a very large selection of shades ranging from blond to red to black.
Whether you want to change your hair color or simply cover your grays, there’s a shade for you.
Each formula is also cruelty-free (carrying the Leaping Bunny certification) and enriched with argan oil, keratin, and ginseng root extract to soften, strengthen, and support hair health.
6. Naturtint
Type: Permanent
Ammonia-free: Yes
PPD-free: No (contains low levels of PPD, but some dyes use PTD instead)
Naturtint offers a permanent hair color gel available in a wide range of shades and providing long-lasting gray coverage.
Its formula doesn’t contain any ammonia, parabens, or heavy metals, but it does contain PPD.
However, the brand makes sure that its formulas contain the lowest amount of PPD necessary for each shade and always keeps PPD levels well below the maximum levels set by EU regulations, which are notably stricter than US limits.
This cleaner hair dye is made with up to 90% naturally derived ingredients and is enriched with nourishing ingredients such as organic shea butter, baobab proteins, sustainably grown quinoa, olive oleic acid, and meadowfoam seed oil.
It’s also USDA Certified Biobased, vegan, and cruelty-free.
One thing worth noting is that Naturtint also has a root touch-up line that is PPD-free and uses PTD as an alternative.
This one could be a great option if you want to stay away from PPD.
7. Herbatint
Type: Permanent
Ammonia-free: Yes
PPD-free: No (contains PPD, at a concentration below the EU regulatory limit)
Herbatint sells another safer option compared to conventional hair dye.
Its permanent hair color gel is ammonia-free and doesn’t contain any alcohol, resorcinol, phthalates, SLS, parabens, or gluten.
It does contain PPD but at a level that is six times lower than the European limit (after mixing).
This hair dye is crafted with non-GMO ingredients, including eight organic herbal extracts that help tone and enhance color.
So not only does it color your hair and cover up to 100% of gray hair, but it also promotes healthier hair in general.
You can choose from 28 vibrant, long-lasting shades, and each one is vegan, cruelty-free, and dermatologically tested on sensitive skin.
Herbatint hair dye comes in a multi-use, resealable bottle, so you use only what you need and can save the rest for later.
It’s also sold with a hair conditioner, and everything is in eco-friendly packaging made from recycled materials.
Plus, the brand is B Corp certified and makes its hair color in Italy using 100% green energy!
Non-toxic semi-permanent and vibrant hair dye options
If you love adding a fun, vibrant, temporary color to your hair, this section is for you!
Whether you’re going full pink or just want some blue highlights, these two brands offer semi-permanent dyes that are both free of ammonia and PPD.
They’re genuinely closer to “non-toxic” than the permanent options in the previous section.
One thing to keep in mind, though, is that these don’t offer gray coverage, and vibrancy depends a lot on your starting hair color.
These dyes tend to show up brightest and last longest on hair that’s already been lightened; if you have dark or unbleached hair, expect a much more subtle tint rather than a bold color change.
8. Arctic Fox
Type: Semi-permanent
Ammonia-free: Yes
PPD-free: Yes
Arctic Fox has a wide variety of bright, bold colors, including neon options and shades ranging from pink and blue to purple, red, and green.
It also offers natural-looking shades in several tones, if you’d rather keep things low-key than go for a bold color.
The brand’s cleaner hair dye is 100% vegan and cruelty-free, and is free from ammonia, PPD, and peroxide.
It’s also long-lasting and fade-resistant, and it will hydrate and condition your hair, leaving it soft and moisturized.
I absolutely love that Arctic Fox donates 15% of its annual net profits to animal-focused charities and communities in need!
9. Iroiro
Type: Semi-permanent
Ammonia-free: Yes
PPD-free: Yes
Iroiro hair dye is another great option if you want a beautiful hair color without relying on harsh chemicals.
This vegan and cruelty-free hair dye is made without petroleum-based chemicals, synthetic fragrances, preservatives, parabens, PEGs, PPD, ammonia, alcohol, and peroxide.
Iroiro hair dye is formulated with 95% natural ingredients, including coconut oil to nourish and hydrate your hair.
Its cream-based formula also helps restore damaged and dry hair, and it’s infused with a natural yuzu-cranberry scent to make coloring a pleasant experience.
These vibrant, long-lasting colors come in compact, eco-friendly pouches designed to minimize waste and help you use every last drop.
Final thoughts
I hope you’ve found this article helpful and that you discovered a hair color that fits your needs.
The best non-toxic hair dye depends on what you’re looking for!
If you want the cleanest option available, definitely consider a 100% plant-based, natural hair dye.
If gray coverage is your priority, a permanent hair dye is usually the best solution.
Keep in mind, though, that even the options I included in this post aren’t perfect and may still contain potentially irritating or sensitizing ingredients, even though they’re generally formulated to be gentler than conventional hair dyes.
And if you’re going for temporary, vibrant color, the two semi-permanent brands I mentioned are your best bet without ammonia and PPD.
If you’re on the lookout for other non-toxic hair products, you’ll love these posts:
- 10 best non-toxic, organic & natural shampoo and conditioner brands for healthier hair
- 8 best non-toxic, organic & natural dry shampoo brands for clean, refreshed strands
Which of these non-toxic or cleaner hair dye brands would you like to try?
Please leave a comment below!
Don’t forget to share this post with your loved ones so they can find a safer hair color too.
Looking for more non-toxic & sustainable brands? Check out the Ethical & Sustainable Brand Directory!
It features conscious brands in various categories, from home goods and furniture to fashion and clean beauty!
