One of the main concerns people have when dyeing their hair is the condition that it will be left in after the process. From split ends to brittle hair that breaks if you so much as show a comb to it – you run the risk of creating lasting damage to your hair every time you use a permanent dye.
A lot depends on the health of your hair beforehand. And if you repeatedly use dyes, the damage to your hair will get worse. We’ll look at the process involved to explain exactly why. We’ll also you why COLOUR ALCHEMY is different.
THE SCIENCE BEHIND NATURAL HAIR COLOUR
Whether you are bleaching your hair or making it darker, permanent dyes fundamentally change the structure of the hair. And as the name suggests, it’s long-lasting – the dye remaining in your hair until it grows out, or you add more colour, potentially damaging it further.
Your natural hair colour is created by melanin – just like in your skin. These pigment cells are produced deep within the roots of your hair, in the germinal matrix of the hair bulb. They are then transferred to the hair cortex as your hair follicles grow.
The types of melanin and their concentration will determine whether your natural hair has dark shades, like brown or black, or lighter reds or blonds. Grey hair occurs when these pigment-producing cells gradually stop working.
SO HOW DO DYES WORK?
For traditional dyes to work, they must penetrate the outer layer of the hair – the hair cuticle – and impact the melanin cells within the inner layer of the hair – the hair cortex.
Using permanent or semi-permanent dye or bleach creates a chemical reaction that causes the protective proteins in the hair cuticle to lift, allowing molecules to penetrate the hair strand.
Dyes and bleaches will typically use a highly alkaline agent, like hydrogen peroxide to lift the hair cuticle. Bleaches will dissolve the melanin within your hair cortex, while dyes will add pigment to darken the colour.
In both cases, the structure of the hair is altered to create a change in colour.
WHAT’S THE DAMAGE?
There is no doubt about it, both dyes and bleaches are damaging to your hair. The impact of permanent and some semi-permanent dyes depends on a range of factors, from your hair’s condition beforehand to things like its natural pH level.
Altering your hair’s structure through dyeing causes your hair to be more brittle and lose its strength, it thins the hair, makes it harder to handle heat and moisture, can make it more difficult to style, make the hair follicle rougher and result in more split ends.
The more you use dyes, the more damage they can create.
So, what’s the alternative?
COLOUR ALCHEMY IS DIFFERENT
As the world’s first holographic hair colour, COLOUR ALCHEMY is different. It uses structural colour, rather than using dyes or bleaches to create different shades. It draws inspiration from the natural world and how animals like a peacock create iridescent colours in their feathers.
As a non-permanent hair colour, it won’t damage your hair like permanent and semi-permanent dyes can. Our product sits on top of the hair follicle, rather than lifting the cuticle to penetrate the hair cortex.
Specially formulated microprisms in the product reflect different wavelengths of light – and therefore colour – to the viewer. It’s the structure of these microprisms that reveals the vibrant colours that you see.
As the prisms heat or cool, they change shape, reflecting different wavelengths of light. This causes the colour to shift in response to your changing environment – as the temperature changes or they react with sunlight. It is a completely different way of thinking about hair colour that reveals a side of beauty unseen until now.
HOW LONG DOES COLOUR ALCHEMY LAST?
The microprisms within COLOUR ALCHEMY are what is known as ‘thermochromic’. This means they change shape in response to heat, creating the shifting shades of colour described above.
Once you are ready for a change, you can simply wash your hair to completely remove the colour – leaving it back in its natural, healthy state without having caused any damage.
You can learn more about the science behind structural colour here.
EXPLORE THE COLOUR ALCHEMY COLLECTION
There are five different colourways in the collection, each revealing a spectrum of shifting shades.
