How does your hair salon smell? It’s a funny question, but there’s a good reason why I ask – a scentless salon is something of a rarity, and in the case of Natural Colour Works, it shows how natural their products truly are.
(If there’s a strong, dizzying smell at your salon, the chances are that your salon doesn’t use natural products…)
If you’re like me, and you’ve been dyeing your hair for years, I’m sure you’re used to the funny smells that dye brings about. Even the more natural box dyes have an odour, so when Scott Carey, Director of Natural Colour Works, contacted me to try out their scentless H2O dye, I’ll be honest I was a bit sceptical.
Despite being a loyal customer of their natural hair salon since moving to London, I had never tried out their specially-made natural hair dye, so I went along to give it a go…
Why I Choose a Natural Hair Salon
I’m a big believer in using natural beauty products generally – if I’m putting something on my skin every day, I want to make sure it’s free of certain nasty beauty ingredients.
I had the same thought process when I chose to visit Natural Colour Works the first time, too. I was reassured by their shelves of Kevin Murphy and Oway bottles; both make high-end natural and cruelty-free products.
A few years on, and my hair styling needs have definitely changed. I left my old, simpler mousy brown hair behind, and have been dyeing it a deep dark brown since then. I have a little confession to make though: while I’ve used natural box dyes, I tend to use whatever I can get my hands on as soon as I notice my roots creeping out…
What is H2O Colour, Exactly?
When I visited Natural Colour Works last week for my cut and colour, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. After speaking to Scott in the salon, he guided me in choosing a shade from their own-brand range that matched the ends of my hair and explained more on their H2O dye…
Essentially, H2O colour is a special formulation that Natural Colour Works has co-created with a supplier based in Ireland. Their formula is unique: it’s vegan, Friends of Viva! and PETA-approved, and made from 95% water.
Unlike your typical box dyes, their H2O Colour is not mixed with ammonia,
resorcinol or bleaching agent, meaning it’s completely odourless. I’ll be honest, when Scott mixed up the dye and started applying it to my hair, I was subtly trying to smell the mixture, but there really was no scent! And even better – I didn’t feel a thing either. No itchiness, no irritation, and after sitting with the hair dye developing for 50 minutes, it still felt fine.
And, amazingly, it’s now available to purchase as a box dye online too.
Before & After My H2O Dye…
THIS is why I’ll never go back to my other dyes. In classic before-and-after style, I went from tired-looking hair with multiple colours strewn through it, to soft, glossy, deep brown hair.
The dye was a dream, and after a few washes since then, it’s still shining through without any fading at all.
When you look at the before and after photos, the difference is clear in terms of colour, and even texture. The Natural Colour Works team were great throughout, showing me how to best blow-dry my thick hair, and providing tips on how to keep the same texture (a weekly hair mask should do it!)
All in all – I was really delighted with my H2O colour and trim. Compared to my previous attempts, my hair colour is now a uniform chocolate brown, covering my blonde roots, and evening out into my old colour.
Next up: trying out the H2O dye at home. I’ll let you know how I get on in a few weeks’ time!
(P.S. Get 20% off all colour services at Natural Colour Works today on Clean Air Day! Book in here)
This post is sponsored by Natural Colour Works. I was gifted my experience in order to write this review. All views and opinions expressed remain my own.
