Why Is The Switch To Vegetable Coloring So Scary?

Are you still reluctant to adopt vegetable coloring? This is normal: such a transition is not the most obvious. Good news: by relying on the advice of the founder of Romain Colors, we will help you see more clearly...

In recent years, vegetable coloring has been on the rise, its benefits are being praised more and more, and the demand is growing! However, this natural technique can still be scary, for many reasons. Less effective than classic hair color? Difficult to apply? Drying up? Irreversible?… In this article, we disentangle the true from the false with regard to vegetable coloring, and to do this, we called on Romain from Romain Colors - pioneer of soft coloring in France - who reveals all the extent of its expertise. Thanks to this professional, this natural hair color will soon have no secrets for you! So, is vegetable coloring really ...

… Less effective than classic coloring?

Who has never heard that vegetable coloring is, admittedly more natural, but necessarily less effective than chemical coloring, especially for covering gray hair? Well, think again! Contrary to what many mistakenly believe, the covering capacity of vegetable colors and their resistance over time has nothing to envy to so-called classic colors. There are several reasons for this: firstly, with vegetable coloring, the color can be customized according to the needs of the hair. When the dosages and blends are tailor-made and designed to meet the specifics of the hair, the color can only last longer. Of course, for this, you still have to develop your own expertise or rely on the talents of a professional in the field. Also, through the vegetable coloring, the root effect is much more discreet, which allows for fewer touch-ups, and that is a real asset! Add to this the fact that the application of a vegetable coloring is relatively long, which allows time for the pigments to adhere well to the hair and to cling to it.

To ensure even better fixation of the color, Romain recommends preparing the hair fiber well, using a clay mask in particular. The colorist explains: "The clay helps detoxify the hair of anything that hinders coloring, and makes the PH more alkaline, which is perfect for color change. In summary, its use will capture the hair color. coloring."

… More difficult to apply?

We say it is complicated, tedious, long to apply, particularly messy ... In other words: much less practical than a classic coloring! But then, what is it really? It is true that, if you choose to try the experience at home, the process is bound to take more time and attention than you may be used to. However, and even if not all hairdressing salons offer this type of coloring, many professionals - like Romain from Romain Colors - have chosen to make it their specialty. In their expert hands, the installation of vegetable coloring can only be pleasant. Not to mention that with this technique, little room is left for failure, the process requiring a real diagnosis (more or less thorough) beforehand and the development of sometimes complex mixtures. Additional difficulty: backtracking is very limited, not to say impossible ... You will understand, plant coloring is a profession! This is why we strongly recommend that you rely on professional expertise, at least the first time, the time to best understand how this natural coloring technique works on your hair.

… Drying out for the hair?

If vegetable coloring has a bad reputation that sticks to its skin, it is that of drying the hair! However, unlike chemical coloring, the latter does not alter the hair fiber in any way, instead, it envelopes in a protective manner by superimposing on the natural color. You will understand: a vegetable coloring worthy of the name is not supposed to dry out the hair. If this is the case, it means that the composition of the chosen product is certainly not as clean as it is claimed. Indeed, it is not uncommon for certain drying ingredients - most often used for their fixing properties - to slip into the formulation of this type of coloring. Romain explains to us that too high a metal level can, for example, be problematic. This is why we advise you not only to rely on what is written roughly on the packaging but rather to refer to the list of ingredients of the product in question. The infallible technique according to Romain: opt for organic vegetable coloring! A choice that will avoid many unpleasant surprises ... Here are some references recommended by the colorist:

Plant-based Coloring: Application, Benefits... We Tell You Everything

… Irreversible?

It is the ingredients contained in the colorings that make the transition from vegetable to chemical very complicated. Whether it's the problematic components we told you about above, or others like indigo - a dye found in darker shades that, while natural, causes chemical discoloration impossible without damage - the problem is the same. "The hair is at risk of implosion," explains Romain. What he advises in case of doubts is to be completely transparent with your hairdresser: "You must not have used vegetable coloring (or natural care powders) six months before the change capillary". You should know that this rule works both ways: whether you want to switch from plant to chemical or vice versa. For having had a very bad experience himself, the colorist recommends doing a color test on a strand in case of hesitation: "It's by trying that you are certain".

Despite these precautions, it is for all these reasons that hairdressing professionals may still be reluctant to color naturally or (de) color after vegetable coloring. Well aware of this, Romain provides them with a solution by the name Ivive, a brand created in collaboration with René Furterer. It is in fact a range of professional and organic vegetable dyes, designed by and for hairdressers and aiming to offer all the advantages of vegetable coloring coupled with the simplicity of application and the reproducibility of the chemical coloring. Will this kind of innovation end up democratizing plant coloring for good? Anyway, that's what we hope for!

So, knowing this, do you feel ready to give in to herbal hair color? Who knows, you might soon become a fan of this kind of hair color!

Thanks to Romain from Romain Colors - pioneer of soft coloring - for his details and his expertise.