Should You Be Using Ammonia Free Hair Color?

Ammonia has been used in traditional hair coloring for many years. Recently people have become aware of concerns around using ammonia in hair dye – but if it’s been used for so long, you might be wondering how bad ammonia can be. Below, we have all the info, explaining what ammonia is, what it does, and what alternatives there are when looking for  ammonia-free hair color.

What is ammonia?

Ammonia is an alkaline chemical. It’s used in hair color to change the pH levels of hair – hair is naturally acidic, and adding an alkaline opens up the hair cuticles. This allows the hair color to be absorbed into the strands.

How does ammonia-free hair color work?

When ammonia-free hair color was first developed, only semi-permanent dyes were available, as they were not as good as letting the dye permeate the hair strands. As hair color technology has developed, you can now find all sorts of ammonia-free hair color, including permanent dyes.

Ammonia-free hair color uses oils and other ingredients instead of ammonia to help the color saturate the hair. When the color is applied to the hair, it is attracted to the moisture in the strands and away from the oil in the dye. This allows it to penetrate the hair fiber and deposit the color.

The benefits of ammonia-free hair color

There are multiple benefits to using ammonia-free hair color and avoiding harsh ammonia dyes.

Less damaging to hair

One of the main benefits of ammonia-free hair color is that it’s much less damaging to your hair. Ammonia can remove the moisture from your hair and also cause a loss of proteins, which can cause your hair to dry out and feel brittle. The oils used in ammonia-free color are much more nourishing. Ammonia-free color also won’t disrupt the pH levels of hair like ammonia will.

Gentler for sensitive skin

It’s common even for those who don’t have sensitive skin to have a reaction to ammonia hair color. Ammonia can cause irritation to the scalp, making it itchy or leaving a burning sensation. Ammonia-free hair color is much gentler, so it can be more suitable for those with sensitive skin or who find they have a severe reaction to ammonia hair color. Like all hair dyes, though, a patch test is still recommended for ammonia-free color.

Results in shinier hair

Ammonia hair dyes can damage the texture of hair, but ammonia-free color will leave hair softer and smoother. The oils used in ammonia-free color will protect the natural moisture in the hair, leaving it looking healthy and shiny.

No gross smell

Many people dislike the strong ammonia smell that comes from ammonia hair colors. Not only does it make dying your hair an unpleasant experience, but it can also irritate your eyes and make it difficult to breathe. Ammonia-free hair color doesn’t have this harsh smell, so coloring your hair becomes much more enjoyable!

Ammonia-free hair color from Glaze

Glaze Super Gloss is a nourishing color glaze for hair, acting as a color depositing hair mask, boosting the vibrancy of your hair color and leaving extraordinary softness and shine. Available in 10 shades – nine natural colors and one clear – there’s a Super Gloss for everyone. All our Super Gloss shades are completely free of ammonia and other harsh ingredients, like sulfates, parabens, silicones, and peroxide. You can use it as a deep conditioning treatment once a week, but our Super Gloss is gentle enough to also be used in place of your usual conditioner. So, if you’re obsessed with that fresh gloss (like we are) you can use it every time you wash your hair, knowing that it’s only packed with good ingredients to nurture your hair and leave it soft and shiny.