Product News
From "Maple Street Co-op News", Oct/Nov 2007
Protect Your Hair With Safe Dyes
By Lori Sturtz
Australians spend about $140 million a year on do-it-yourself hair colour
bought from supermarkets and pharmacies. About half of these products
may contain potentially dangerous chemical cocktails.
Twenty-seven EU countries have just banned 22 hair dye chemicals. These
ingredients join a list of about 50 hair dye chemicals that have been
banned overseas. All of these hair dye chemicals are allowed in Australia.
The federal Department of Health's National Industrial Chemicals Notification
and Assessment Scheme, told Channel Seven's Today Tonight that
the majority of these banned ingredients are not found in Australian
permanent hair dyes. However, a Today Tonight survey found these chemicals
in almost 50 per cent of hair dyes sold in supermarkets and pharmacies
around the country.
Other common irritants allowed in Australia are para-phenylenediamine
(PPD), and resorcinol, (found in 10 out of 17 hair dyes).
All of these substances can appear on packaging under a code name, or
another chemical name. This makes it almost impossible for consumers
to identify and therefore avoid some of these chemicals.
NaturStyle and Herbatint are two permanent hair dyes that do not contain
these harmful substances. They also contain no ammonia or resorcinol
(aggressive ingredients that can irritate scalp and leave hair limp).
They cover grey hair and offer long lasting colour. Maple St Co-op has
been carrying NaturStyle for many years now. Herbatint is fairly new
to the Co-op and contains aloe vera to protect and nourish hair.
We also have two ranges of henna: Colora, which comes in a powder or
cream; and Bonvit, in a powder only. These are plant-based products
that do not penetrate the hair or change its structure. The plants used
in these products condition, revitalise and nourish the hair, so you
can dye it to your heart's content, confident that you won't be causing
damage.
[From "Maple Street Co-op News", October/November 2007; published
by The Maple Street Co-operative Society Ltd, 37 Maple Street, Maleny,
Qld 4552, Australia, tel (07) 5494 2088, email maplest.co-op@serv.net.au,
website http://www.maplestreetco-op.com.au]