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Being pregnant is an exciting time for many women, especially if you are a first time mum to be. Whether you are just starting out in building your family, or already have a few kids of your own at home, pregnancy can be an extremely trying time for you too. Although the prospect of welcoming a new addition to your life can bring a smile to your face, it can also easily result in much anxiety and even physical discomfort as your body adapts to carrying and supporting another growing being. When your hormones are in a disarray, and the extra weight you are carrying all around takes a toll on you, it is more important than ever to pamper yourself, and make sure that you feel your best.
This is an especially important time to take care of yourself—not only making sure that you are in peak physical health, but also making sure that you are feeling great all around. Having a healthy and glossy head of hair is often key to making sure that you feel confident and ready to take on the world, and even in times of pregnancy, this is definitely not something that you want to neglect. Having a fresh colour to your hair can instantaneously make you feel and look so much better— there is no need to worry about any pesky grey or white hairs peeking through!
However, with all the chemicals that are in hair dyes, many of you might be thinking that colouring your hair is something that you will have to give up when you are pregnant, as these chemicals can potentially have a negative impact on your health, or even worse, affect your baby. After all, you do not want to take any risks when it comes to your child.
The key chemical that does the work in many regular hair dyes is usually ammonia. Before colour can be deposited in the hair, the dye has to enter the cuticles by the lifting of the hair shaft. Ammonia increased the pH level of your hair, which then results in your cuticles relaxing and being lifted up. While this allows the hair dye to penetrate through it, it is also where damage to your hair occurs, as it will result in the creation of small holes in the hair which can eventually lead to undesirable side effects such as hair breakage and dryness.
Most research have shown that the chemicals that are present in the semi permanent and permanent dyes used in the salons to colour your hair are not highly toxic and are safe to use during pregnancy. Besides that, it has also been noted that even if the hair dyes gets in contact with your skin, only a small amount of it will be absorbed through the skin, and even less will eventually reach the fetus.
However, to put your mind at peace, and to make sure that you take no risks with that precious one, skipping regular hair dyes that are filled with synthetic chemicals— perhaps even just to escape the toxic smell of the fumes that comes along with every regular hair dye session (who wants to feel even more uncomfortable when they are pregnant), is definitely a good move to take.
With the many safer alternatives that are available out there in the market today, there is really no need to opt for these regular hair dyes, as more natural options are aplenty in the market today. It is also definitely a great blessing to be living in a city like Singapore, as there are a range of hair salons out there that offer organic hair dye options to make sure that you can continue looking like the best version of yourself without causing any possible harm to your baby throughout your whole term of pregnancy. Of course do be mentally prepared for post pregnancy hair loss – and dont worry it is very normal. Having good foundation with herbal treatment to your scalp will be able to help mitigate severity.
To help you make the best informed decision when choosing a salon to get your hair coloured with the use of organic dye, we have compiled a list of 6 hair salons offering organic hair dye services that will be great for all you pregnant ladies out there.
1. Giseno Hair Salon & Hair Treatment Services
2. J&J Hair Identity Organic Hair Salon
3. Kelture Aveda
4. Organic Hair Professional
5. Ecorganics
6. Bee Choo Ladies
Giseno Hair Salon & Hair Treatment Services offers a number of different hair colouring services, ranging from organic hair colouring to natural herbal treatments. The organic hair colouring services that they offer uses products that are free from ammonia and para (a PPD substance present in regular synthetic hair dyes that can cause irritation to the scalp). They also claim that the products used are good quality botanical products that are of a premium Italian brand. This method of hair colouring is also said to cause minimal damage to the hair and is non drying.
Besides that, Giseno also offers a herbal hair dye package for covering grey hair. This uses a premium herbal based hair dye that is ammonia and hydrogen peroxide free. Giseno claims that this is less damaging compared to normal chemical dyes. A natural herbal treatment is also available, which is said to be suitable for those with sensitive skin, cancer patients, and pregnant and lactating mothers.
However, despite the promises that it makes on its websites, this salon has seen some dissatisfied customers. For instance, Iskra Petrovska claims that she was subjected to “a marketing scam to attract customers in their salon”, as she never received the 30 percent discount that was advertised on the website. Besides that, she was also unhappy about not “getting a proper and dedicated consultation and advice about the most suitable choice of treatment for the type of hair and the wanted results”, and that the staff tried to push the sale of treatments to her. In essence, she concluded that “they might have better quality organic products than the conventional ones on the market, but they do not have proper service and consultation and they do have fake discounts for first time customers”.
J&J Hair Identity Organic Hair Salon started with the owners’ journey in upkeeping their hair via a healthier and more natural organic way. They believe that their customers should be constantly kept updated of the ways in which they can take care of their hair but still being able to try out trendy new colours with the use of reliable products that are healthier for them. The salon also claims to promote eco-friendly, natural organic and ammonia-free products which are not only better for the environment, but also the health of their customers.
The salon sources its organic hair dye from the professional salon brand, Natulique. This is a brand from Denmark which offers a range of permanent hair dyes. They are strongly focused on the use of natural ingredients in their products, all their hair dye products are all formulated with certified organic ingredients and are also ammonia-free, including their bleaching solution.
They also claim to use a special formula in their products, which includes pure natural sun flower seed extract, jojoba oil and apricot seed oil, which is key to allowing the organic dyes to create the colour that you want with the use of less chemicals. The advantages of using Natulique’s hair colour products include the fact that it is completely free from ammonia, and will free you from the toxic fumes that you usually get at a hair colouring session at the salon.
Besides that, the generous use of organic extracts and natural oils in the hair colouring products also mean that they are a lot gentler on your scalp, decreasing the risks of you reacting badly to the hair dye products. Natulique products are also certified organic by ECOCERT, which is one of the only third party organic certification bodies in the world doing on-site 100% holistic compliance control for all the processes involved in the process of making the product— all the way from how the ingredients used are grown, to how the final product is created and promoted to the public. ECOCERT certification requires even more of the product than conventional regulations governing cosmetics, and you can be sure that these products are indeed organic as they claim to be.
While the reviews for J&J Hair Identity Salon are generally positive, there have also been some complaints with their hair colouring services. One customer, florence H., commented that she “did hair coloration but the color was not even, color blend to match the color that I wanted and showed them” (reviews here: https://www.vaniday.com.sg/salons/jjhairidentity). This might be something to take in mind when deciding whether to pay them a visit or not. This is especially so since their prices for their hair colouring services are not exactly the lowest in the market, ranging up to $138 – $158 for those with long hair seeking to get their basic organic hair colouring done (check out their prices: https://www.hair-identity.sg/services).
Kelture Aveda carries a line of organic hair dye known as Aveda Colouring, which contains ingredients such as sunflower extract and jojoba oil. These protective oils help to improve the condition of your hair when you are getting your hair colouring treatment here. Since the dyes and solutions used do not contain nitro chemicals, there will not be the harsh sting of ammonia characteristic of synthetic chemical hair dyes. The Aveda Colouring dyes also claim to be fade resistant to allow lasting results and making sure that you do not have to make too many trips down to the hair salon simply to maintain your hair colour.
Besides that, they also offer other treatments such as scalp, neck and shoulder massages, and even an Aromatherapy Sensory treatment which will help in soothing all the tension that has been building up in your muscles while you carry your little one around.
However, despite claiming that their organic hair dyes are formulated to be fade resistant, customer Martin Tong does not share the same view, stating that “the colour fades away within a few washes”. This happened even though he “used the products they recommended but the colour did not stay”. Another customer of Kelture Aveda, Tony, claimed that “instead of hair color they used a pathetic black dye for which I had to spend some more money to treat my hair fall”, and that they had “distracting ways to add more money to what the real bill is”. Read about Martin’s review on Google here.
Audrey, who visited Kelture Aveda for a cut, colour and perm, was left with an uneven hair colour, an unaccurate hair colour and uneven curls. She claims that “the uneven hair colour is particularly bad”, as “the hair from my face to the scalp is medium brown, but the hair from my face the the hair ends is still black !!!”. Audrey felt like it looked “horrible and like a bad home dye job where there was not enough hair dye”, stating that they were “not professional at all”. Besides getting a less than satisfactory hair service, she also paid more than $600 for all of the hair services at the salon, and “feel(s) cheated”. More specifically, Audrey “asked for Ash Brown” when she went for for hair colouring session, but “the result is that half of my hair (the top half) is Medium Brown and the remainder hair is still black”. Audrey’s final remarks were: “Don’t know how they managed to mess up even a simple thing such as getting all of my hair coloured correctly”. Click here to read Audrey’s review on Beautyundercover.
Organic Hair Professional is one of the first organic hair salons in Singapore. The salon carries organic hair colouring products under the brand Herb UK. Unlike most synthetic hair dyes, they do not contain any ammonia and has a low content of PPDs. This makes sure that you will not be greeted by the toxic ammonium fumes once you head into the salon.
However, this salon has generally been met with less than positive reviews. Customer Dianna claims that the salon lacks the “Code of Ethics”, and ended up having to pay a string of service charges even after confirming the price at the start. Another customer, who goes by the username of Meepohman, also expressed similar displeasure with the lack of transparency and certainty of the costs of the services at Organic Hair Professional when he brought his mum to get a trim at the salon. He claims that he was charged for a fee of trimming long hair when his mum originally had short hair, and also stated that he “wouldn’t recommend my friends to come here”.
Besides problems with the pricing of the services that are offered, customers have also expressed their discontent with the actual hair services itself. JY warned to “don’t ever try cutting your hair in this salon”, as the result of her haircut was “a DISASTER”, with her fringe being cut too short despite telling the hair dresser that she did not want it like that. She also claims that the hair dresser “did not even check if the fringe is properly cut”, and “took less than 2 minutes”. The hair dresser also tried to push the purchase of a treatment package. JY’s overall conclusion was that she “regretted stepping into this salon”, and that “the hair dresser is too unprofessional”.
Specifically on their organic hair dye services, one customer claims that the “hair dye stings badly”, and that “I don’t get that kind of sting on normal colour dye”. She also claimed that the hairdresser “used too much strength on my hair too, from the way he coloured my hair to washing the hair”. After the hair colouring treatment, this customer also claimed that she “dread(s) shampoo-ing every single day”, and “it was like a tug-o-war with my hair because I need to use more strength to get rid of all the shampoo residue from the hair, yet wet hair is at its most brittle stage so it dropped more easily”. Ultimately she felt that “While I really like the idea of a hair salon which uses organic ingredients, it just doesn’t seem to work well on my hair. Its been more than a week but I have yet to see an improvement on my hair. I dread shampoo-ing. Really. First time in my life”, and also stated that “to me, it was an awful experience, to say the least”. Verify these reviews from beautyundercover here.
With this slew of negative reviews, it might just be better to look for better options when you head for your next hair colouring session— you definitely do not need all that additional stress a bad hair colouring session can bring about when you are already a tangle of hormones.
Ecorganics claim to use plant based natural ingredients for all of their products, which are all free from petroleum and artificial fragrances. For their hair colouring products, Ecorganics uses the brand O&M, a renowned organic hair colouring brand originating from Australia. It is claimed that these products are capable of retaining high performance hair care to protect from colour fading, and also contain additional organic ingredients that will make sure that your scalp remains nourished, moisturised and healthy. The O&M hair colouring products are made from a blend of micro colour pigment molecules and micronized mineral and natural ingredients, creating a hair colouring product that pregnant ladies can trust. The minerals included in the O&M hair colouring products include illute (which allows the micro pigments to permeate the hair shaft with colour), montmorillonite (which nourishes the hair and scalp to improve its overall condition), and kaolin (which prevents the fading of colour and ensures that the colour in your hair remains locked within).
With mostly positive reviews online, Ecorganics might be one of the better organic hair colouring salons around here. However, the prices do add up to be a tad bit pricey, with a full colour for ladies starting from $108 (prices go up from here depending on your hair length).
Bee Choo Ladies is a bit different from all the other salons listed above, as it is a specialised retail format of Bee Choo that caters only to women. Bee Choo Ladies provides a healthier and safer choice for women who are seeking hair treatments, as all of its products are free from harsh chemicals or synthetic ingredients. Instead, their natural haircare treatment is formulated using herbal extracts and plant oil.
The treatment also works for all scalp types— from oily to dry, as the 100% natural, safe, highly effective herbal hair treatment helps your build a healthier scalp. Natural herbs such as Chuan Xiong, Ginseng, Dang Gui, He Shou Wu and Ling Zhi are used, with their essence extracted with the help of modern advanced extraction technology.
This makes it especially suitable for those who are pregnant or are currently breastfeeding, as you do not have to worry about harming your health or that of your baby. After all, what is most important is the health of your baby, and you want to make sure that he or she is healthy and strong when he is eventually introduced into the world.
Besides that, Bee Choo Ladies also take special attention to make sure that every customer feels comfortable in the salon while they are getting their hair fix. Privacy zones are created for women who want to be worry-free while getting their hair done, and this can be especially useful if you are a new mum who needs to breastfeed in between your hair treatments. All the hair therapists in Bee Choo Ladies are women, so if you will be more comfortable in such an environment, Bee Choo Ladies is really a good place to get your hair coloured.
With the natural hair dye that is used, you can safely cover your grey hair or white hairs naturally without worrying that this will damage your scalp or harm your little growing one. The herbal hair treatment used here is safe, natural, effective, and will cover your grey and white strands with a natural looking reddish brown colour. However, one thing to note is that because the treatment relies only on traditional Chinese herbs, the choice of colouring is also limited— but this really is a small price to pay for having a peace of mind throughout your pregnancy knowing that you and your child will be safe and healthy.
The prices for the treatments are also very affordable. While it is dependent on your hair length, the price of one treatment ranges from $41 to a maximum of $69 without any hidden charges— you can even choose to pay before getting your treatment so that you know that you will not have to pay anything more than you expect to!
Those who want to make sure that they are taking a safer option when deciding to colour their hair when they are pregnant have sought to Bee Choo Ladies’ hair treatments. A customer going by the username ming19800, stated that “if you really wanna prevent drastic loss of hair, can try go to bee choo hair loss treatment”, “coz they use Chinese herbs all natural ingredients, definitely unlikely to harm newborn compared to chemical dye”. Besides that, she also specifically recommended Bee Choo Ladies, mentioning that “they have a new shop now only for women, so if you shy or more conservative can go there like me”.
Besides opting for organic hair dyes at your next trip to the salon, here are a few precautions you can also take to make sure that you and your baby stay safe and healthy throughout the whole term of pregnancy.
The first 12 weeks of your pregnancy is when your baby is developing the most— when their organs are being formed. Even though you might be finding your hair growing out at an exceedingly fast rate with all the hormones in your body, touching up your roots can definitely be left for a later time. Although organic and herbal dyes are safe, you might still want to be cautious and wait a little until you reach your second trimester before stepping into a hair salon to get your hair coloured again.
If you are thinking of changing up your look, and are not looking to cover up any grey hairs, other hair colouring techniques and methods that only require hair dye being applied away from the roots of our hair might be a great option. This includes hair colouring techniques that involve painting the dyes directly on the hair shaft, such as highlighting and streaking. Of course, if you are opting for a safe herbal alternative such as the treatment at Bee Choo Ladies, this will not be a concern that you will have!
In the salon, make sure that you are sitting at an area where it is well ventilated so that any chemicals or fumes from the products that are being used on you (or being used on the people around you) will not be trapped in the air that you are breathing in. Some salons can be extremely busy and packed at certain times of the year, so it might be best if you could visit a salon that completely does not use synthetic chemicals in any of their hair treatments, lest you might be still exposing you and your baby to all these toxic chemicals and fumes in the air.
Many salons allow you to walk in to get a strand of your hair tested for a colour before you decide to fully commit. This is especially important during pregnancy, as the hormones that are going crazy inside of you can make your hair react differently to the dyes that are used. Hence, you might not get exactly the results you want, even if you think you’ve been to the same place to get your hair done in the same way ever since you could remember. Most salons will allow test strands before you come in for your actual appointment, so there really is no harm in asking if they could do one for you.
Pregnancy can be an extremely stressful time for many women out there— especially if you are a first time mum with so many things to figure out before your baby arrives! Having safe and affordable options to pamper yourself with hair treatments will not only allow you to have a peace of mind knowing that what you are doing will not harm you and your baby, but also allow you to make sure that you continue feeling like yourself throughout pregnancy.
There are very few things that can make you feel better than walking out of a salon with a fresh new colour in your hair, especially when you are down with one of those mood swings that come so often with pregnancy. So make sure you do your research on the best organic hair colouring salons to make the best decision for both you and that little one who you will get to see very soon!