Safe, Not Sorry, Hair: The Case for Nontoxic Shampoos, Conditioners and Colors

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Conditioners

The EWG ranked Weleda's Rosemary Phyto conditioner number three, and it's great for treating brittle split ends. (usa.weleda.com, 8 oz., $10)

All of Avalon Organics' products are phthalate- and paraben-free, but the Lemon Clarifying Conditioner is one of the best. It contains 100 percent vegetarian ingredients and brings out your hair's natural highlights. (www.avalonorganics.com, 14 oz., $8)

A great product that controls tangles and flyaways is Aubrey Organics' Green Tea Finishing Cream Rinse. (www.aubrey-organics.com, 11 oz., $9.50)

Hair Dyes

According to David Steinman, M.S., author of the Safe Shopper's Bible, the easiest way to determine if your hair dye is dangerous is to check for a "warning label" instructing you to avoid the eyebrow area. This means that the product likely contains dyes that could potentially cause cancer, Steinman says. He adds that if you're pregnant or trying to conceive, "This is not the time to be dying your hair." As a general rule, avoid permanent dyes and caustic ammonia, which can burn scalp and eyes. Semi- or demi-permanent colors are gentler.

Safer Options

Aubrey Organics' henna-based dye Color Me Natural is free of coal tar. (www.aubrey-organics.com, 4 oz., $11.95)

Light Mountain's 100 percent henna-based dye works wonders covering up gray. (7 oz., $11)

If you'd rather hit the salon, John Masters Organic Salon, in New York City, offers clay and herbal-based highlights that are 100 percent ammonia and coal-tar free and contain very little hydrogen peroxide. (www.johnmasters.com, herbal dye starts at $90; clay highlights start at $125)

Or try Aveda's very gentle, semi-permanent color-enhancing shampoos and conditioners. (www.aveda.com, for prices call 866-823-1425)

Resources

For what to avoid, print out a wallet-size shoppers' card of The Green Guide's Dirty Dozen list of chemicals.

*www.thegreenguide.com

*Also see www.organicconsumers.org

For more product recommendations:

*"Beauty Secrets," Green Guide #94 and Shampoo Product Report

*The EWG's 2004 study "Skin Deep" and searchable product database (www.ewg.org)

*The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (www.safecosmetics.org)

*Breast Cancer Action's www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org

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