Coloring your hair vs. tinting it – what’s the difference?
When we think of new beginnings, one particular change comes to mind that I would like to talk about: switching to plant-based hair dyes.
We often hear from clients during their initial consultation that they've "only used a tint," already "use plant-based hair dye," or that their last hairdresser exclusively used "ammonia-free" hair dye. I'm putting that in quotation marks because today I'm going to show you that things aren't always as they seem.
During consultations, our aim is to provide each customer with individualized support and comprehensive advice, especially regarding the application of our NOELIE plant-based hair color . This absolutely requires knowing exactly what we are working with.
Your hair is our workspace, practically a canvas. Naturally, we want and need to know what we're dealing with. Your color result depends on this, as does whether our care plan is truly right for you.
That's why we're talking about hair color today, what's important for a medical history, and why we ask you so many questions beforehand, even though you "only" want to buy a color.
Your caregiving history is important
First of all, it's important for us to know what you've used to color your hair so far. Depending on the product, your hair will be damaged, pigmented, and full of old chemicals and product residue to varying degrees.
Your hair is damaged and split, dull or difficult to comb, the color isn't vibrant, or your scalp is completely out of balance – something has definitely prompted you to call or message us and at least consider an alternative. So, if you'd like us to create a personalized coloring and care plan for you, we need your cooperation.
We don't want to put any customer on the defensive – it's not about proving whether the previous care was optimal or not. By providing you with comprehensive information, we can develop the ideal plan for an excellent alternative and make your decision clear. Our aim is to meet you where you are right now.
Mythos Tints
Let's return to the topic of hair dyes. Basically, it's true that a hair dye contains so-called direct dyes, which color your hair instantly but don't penetrate the hair shaft. These are still synthetic pigments, the same ones considered potentially carcinogenic and carrying a very high risk of allergic reactions. Whether they penetrate the hair shaft or not, they harm your body. Furthermore, true hair dyes are practically obsolete. The classic shampoo dye of 25 years ago is a thing of the past.
As soon as you have to mix two products together, or your hairdresser does, it's no longer a semi-permanent color. That's because the second product is an oxidizing agent. So it's a color mixture, even if the hairdresser or manufacturer says it's just a light tint, not a permanent color. Many argue that very low concentrations of oxidizing agents are used. True! However, it still damages the hair, just more slowly. Your hair structure is still broken down, weakened, and the color won't wash out. The term "intensive tint" is therefore just another word for "low-concentration dye."
Plant-based hair dyes are often categorized as tints. This in itself wouldn't be so bad, but the lack of a clear definition of what constitutes a plant-based hair dye makes it difficult for us as consumers and even hairdressers to navigate the market in Germany.
The terms "plant-based hair dyes," "plant tints," or "plant-based colors" are very misleading. One manufacturer produces powders that are mixed with water like a plant mixture—but they contain synthetic pigments. Another advertises a certain percentage of plant-based ingredients, but the remaining components contain a huge amount of chemicals, which essentially turn the mixture into a conventional dye. Still others advertise with numerous plants on their products and posters—but not a single plant is actually in the bottles.
The fact remains: if it has no definition and therefore no recognized certification, it will not be a chemical-free plant-based hair dye.
And whether I choose a purely plant-based dye or not, I want to be able to decide for myself based on facts and not on misleading names and advertising.
Hair colors & lightening
A standard hair dye is usually mixed with a 6% developer. This is pre-measured in the included bottle, and you simply add the dye tube. Shake well, and you're done. However, this method is faster and more invasive, achieving the same result that a semi-permanent dye, with its longer processing time, would typically accomplish. Artificial pigments are deposited deep within your hair cuticle and must grow out – washing them out is not an option.
Therefore, the statement "I last chemically dyed my hair six months ago, it's long gone, faded, washed out" is not entirely accurate. The dye and its chemical residue are still on and in the hair, and probably even in the scalp.
As soon as your hair color becomes lighter than your natural hair color, it's considered lightening. Depending on your natural hair color and structure, the hairdresser will then decide whether to increase the concentration of the oxidizing agent to penetrate the pigment layer and remove your own pigments. This can mean anywhere from 9% to 12% oxidizing agent, as is the case with bleaching, and even more in some countries.
The higher the oxidation level, the more your hair will swell. The cuticle layer becomes increasingly damaged with each use and needs to be repaired with softeners and silicones.
Good results from day one
So, we can conclude: Conventional hair dyes, including semi-permanent dyes and bleaching treatments, always dry out and damage your hair. And the corresponding conventional haircare products are primarily designed to mask this damage, not to nourish it. They are always rich in film formers, plasticizers, plastics, and silicones, because that's the quickest way to make hair appear healthy.
And the industry is clever: silicone-free simply means that a substance is used which is not called "silicone", but does exactly the same thing.
So if you want to switch to NOELIE plant-based hair color , it is important to rid your hair of all harmful substances.
With our Scalp & Hair Detox Mask, you can intensively cleanse your hair before your first plant-based hair coloring, even if you currently wash and condition it conventionally. This ensures that your hair is as free of any irritating residues as possible when you first apply plant-based dyes.
Wash, care for, and style your hair, but always with certified natural cosmetics – starting with your first coloring using NOELIE plant-based hair color. In Germany, the terms "natural cosmetics" and "plant-based hair color" are not legally protected, so you must ensure that your products are free of harmful substances. We recommend only certified natural cosmetics. You can recognize them by their seals, which regulate what ingredients are permitted and prohibited.
Preparation Step 1: With these NOELIE products you cleanse your hair and scalp and accelerate the detoxification of your scalp:
Scalp Stimulating & Purifying Shampoo
What makes NOELIE plant-based hair dyes different?
Our NOELIE plant-based hair dyes coat each individual hair protectively and nourishingly during the dyeing process, making it stronger and healthier in the long run.
In addition to nourishing plant pigments, we've enriched them with superfoods for hair and scalp. They contain no synthetic ingredients whatsoever; only medicinal plants, bioactive substances, and minerals strengthen and repair your hair and scalp.
They stand out from other plant-based hair dyes: They were specially developed for European hair and, thanks to the patented 3HC technology, penetrate deeper into your cuticle layer. European hair has a finer and often smoother structure, which is why it has different needs. The composition of our dyes is more refined, and the powder is ground particularly finely to make the plant-based hair dye exceptionally creamy, allowing the pigments to penetrate deep into the outer structure, even in very smooth hair. Our active ingredients penetrate even deeper into the hair structure, repairing it from the inside out during the coloring process.
Of course, you can also achieve wonderful results with a thick and curly texture. Our patented 3HC technology ensures particularly rich and long-lasting results here as well.
We have a mission
We thoroughly explain how conventional products work so you can make informed decisions based on facts, not just cleverly worded advertising claims. Naturally, it's also our goal to ensure our products deliver their optimal results. And that's impossible if your hair and scalp are full of chemicals and microplastics.
Our NOELIE Skin and Hair experts are thoroughly well-trained and will accompany you on your way to your perfect plant-based hair color and care tailored to you.
You shouldn't settle for anything less than healthy, safe, and plastic-free – there are alternatives. We know this because we live by them.
