Wash that gray right out of your hair. A new do-it-yourself, chemical free hair dye turns heads.

Nobody believes Angie Merrill when she tells reveals whom does her hair color - not even professionals. "I said to my hair stylist that 'I need to do my color before you cut my hair' and she asked me where I get it done," recalls Merrill, a 60-year old retired bookstore owner residing in Wilmington, NC. The stylist went through her hairline and looked at her roots when Angie stated, "I do it myself." "You do not," her stylist insisted. She does too!

Ms. Merrill has been doing her hair color for close to five years. In fact, she first heard of the chemical-light, permanent color system years ago now while at a salon waiting to get her color done professionally. She says that she saw an article in Glamour magazine evaluating the best at-home coloring products that mentioned Color by Robert Craig.

"I snuck a pencil out of my purse, wrote down the number, went home and called," she says. " I told [Robert Craig] what formula I had been using and he talked me through what I would need."

He followed up by sending samples of color strands and a product sample of the number that they had decided upon. The coloring line comprises of 21 shades plus a special Clear Color that adds shine or fine-tunes the other colors.

It's harsh-chemical free

A big perk for Merrill and many others is the scarcity of damaging chemicals in Color by Robert Craig. The product was developed without peroxide, ammonia, alcohol, perfume or resorcinol l, which can wear away hair protein. Without these damaging chemicals, color lasts longer even in the sun and chlorinated water, product creator Robert Craig explains.

"Many products on the market choose to use perfumes and other ingredients/chemicals that may or may not be necessary for that formula to work," he says. "We have developed a product that can color the hair, but not use nearly as many ingredients to achieve that result." Many coloring products have 40 chemicals, while this line only has 11.

"We do use the same dyes that are found in professional products, but because our color does not lighten hair, we are able to add permanent color to hair in a no damage formula," Craig says. "This can reduce both the amount of total ingredients as well as reduce the amount of the dye used."

There are nine steps to mixing and coloring and two steps for the allergy test and strand test that should always be done before use, he explains. In a nutshell, the colored powder is mixed with warm tap water to form a mousse that is applied to dry hair. The colorant is water-activated so there is no separate chemical developer.

If you leave it on less than 15 minutes, it will act like a semi-permanent and fade quickly under most circumstances. Left on for 30 to 45 minutes, it will act like any other permanent color with less fading and require touch ups every 4 to 6 weeks, Craig says.

Angie Merrill enjoys the system because, "it's so inexpensive that I don't have to walk around with lines showing for an extra week and a half to save money. I do the roots every three weeks and once every three months, I pull the rest through."

Hair grows at about a rate of 1/2 inch a month, so the 'root area' or 'new growth' does require coloring, since it grows in with the color of the hair in its natural state.

Whether or not you color your hair, here are some other DERMAdoctor tips for today -- and every:

Don't scratch. Scratching your head can damage your hair, and that can result in breakage and loss. If the itch is caused by dandruff, try a dandruff shampoo such as Neutrogena T/Sal Therapeutic Shampoo Scalp Build-Up Control. Nizoral A-D Shampoo and Carmol Deep Cleansing Antibacterial Shampoo or DermaZinc Shampoo. If these don't help, talk to your dermatologist.

Use Better Styling Tools. Choose a broad-tooth comb with smooth, rounded teeth that easily slips through hair or a widely spaced brush that won't damage hair. Be sure to keep your tools clean and avoid styling product build-up by routinely washing them in warm, soapy water.

Reduce Dryer Time. The less heat the better. The Aquis microfiber hair towels wick away moisture, alleviating your hair from oh so damaging direct heat from your hair dryer. The latest in hair dryers include ionic dryers that use ceramic technology, and low EMF (Electromagnetic Field) for healthier, shinier hair with far less drying time.

Get frequent trims. Frayed ends continue to split up the hair shaft, making hair weak and more likely to break. Trims, however, prevent that breakage and allow hair to grow in thicker and fuller.

Denise Mann
DERMAdoctor Staff Writer

(Any topic discussed in this article is not intended as medical advice. If you have a medical concern, please check with your doctor.)

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