Is organic hair color truely organic?

This is a question I was wondering myself...then I went to a color class. During the class someone stood up and ask the same question. I was shocked at the lack of information that was given in the answer. He was on the right track with the answer but it was very vague and not at all helpful.

So here is the information I could come up with...

All hair color contains dyes and chemicals, even the newer colors that are FDA certified. Its just the amount of dye/chemical to organic content. But organic chemicals are either ammonia free or have trace amounts of ammonia.

What does that mean? If you filled a bowl with ordinary hair color, the entire bowl would be man made chemicals. It covers your grey, or helps you be beautiful blond but every part of that color is chemical. Along with the smell and the burning.

When you have an organic color, part of that color is still chemical but a large part is organically made and very gentle. Again, great coverage but gentle on your scalp and the environment.

This is great for clients that are sensitive to smell and or like the idea of organic color.

But the question is are they gluten free? None that I have come across yet. My salon uses an organic color but its built on a wheat protein base. So I cannot use it on myself, I have to severe of a reaction to anything gluten to even try it.

Many stylists will tell you to have your hair highlighted. There are problems presented with this. Grey coverage, getting hair to tone evenly and previous color - by highlighting you cannot finish the process because of gluten being present in toner. It still has to make contact with your scalp even with rinsing out the color. Therefore you cannot trust there will be safety when using a color line with gluten.

Home hair color - the only other option...so I thought.

As I mentioned before I thought it was safer to just color my hair at home. Again, fun results, but how safe is it? Home hair color still contains ammonia, peroxide, para-phenylenediamines, coal tar, lead, toluene and resorcinol. Half of these I don't have the full knowledge of without looking them up. What I do know is if I want to be healthy, this is not the direction.

Even when a client comes in to the salon with home hair color, the hair sticks together when damp, color does not turn out even and when highlighted I cannot always say where it's going to end up. It could be ugly blond or orangey brown.

Henna and vegetable dyes - what do they do?

Henna and vegetable dyes are not a true hair color. They are a hair stain that covers the outside of each hair strain. Not so bad when you think about it, right? Well if you have any grey hair when you add henna now you have grey stained hair. If you have previous color and grown out roots, now you have part color and stained roots. Nothing will match, this process fades quickly and not so naturally. Henna is not to be colored over either, in fact many salons will refuse to color hair that was previously coated with henna. I myself have turned down clients in this situation.

The best is to research salons at will either carry color that doesn't contain gluten or to find a stylist that is concerned with vegan and gluten free products.

In the following week I will be going through many color lines and breaking down which are safe and which are built from wheat protein.

Choosing your Hairstylist

I didn't have it easy before I went to cosmetology school, I never completely felt at ease sitting in the stylist chair. I had reactions to hair color so I stopped getting my color done at the salon. Sometime I rocked some strawberry shortcake hair but I didn't have problems. Then I also noticed I was having reactions to just haircuts.

My hairstylist was great for making an effort, in her defense, its hard for us to be gluten free at first. Now give that job to a complete stranger once every six weeks, good luck if she even remembers. My stylist owned a Redken salon, much like the salon you probably go to right now. I asked on several occasions if the color was safe and she said yes of course. But now I personally have read the list of ingredients on the Redken box. I found out that Redken builds their entire product and color line on a gluten base. Or wheat protein as it's listed in most of their products. As it turned out, she didn't get it.

Don't assume, its just like ordering food, you will always have to be better educated than the waitress. Our fate has to be in our own hands.

GF hair starts with the appointment, make sure the front desk notes that you have the allergies. You should make a point to speak with the salon manager, ask if you can be provided with options. When you sit down for the consultation, even if its your tenth anniversary with your hairstylist. Mention gluten issues first. A good stylist will take the time to listen to your wants and needs, gluten free is a need.

Remember it's your stylist job to use the products that work in your hair due to frizz, control, damage etc. not scalp allergies. Ask to see every bottle.

If you live within the Chicago land area, there is an option. I work from a salon in Plainfield, Illinois. I have the freedom to insure color is from a line that does not use wheat protein and we carry Surface products that are gluten free. Please check out the website at www.rizzosalons.com. There is a staff bio page with information.

I'm not a doctor, just an informed hairstylist....

I can look up and read to you what gluten does to our bodies. I know more than anything how it makes me feel. Judging on that feeling alone, I don't think you could ever talk me into "cheating". But there needs to be more information available about the risks in exposure through environment and self infliction.

Can you find everyday products without traveling to the downtown spa? Well chances are, the downtown spa doesn't have the knowledge needed.

A brief overview of the questions I will answer in this blog:

What questions to ask your stylist?
Where is the hidden gluten in a hair service?
If it's green is it safe?
Can I ever get my hair colored?
Is it correct that highlights are the only option?
What is the difference between home hair color and salon color?
How to choose a hairstylist?

Even as a hairstylist myself I have to hand the correct shampoo bottle to the assistant as I get my hair washed, I only use color I buy and I mix myself. Of course there is less control for the average client so please be vocal. If it feels less than comfortable, don't let the service start...

Why I am a Gluten Free Hairstylist....

I was diagnosed as someone who should avoid gluten many years ago, but no one knew much more than avoid flour.

I remember staring at a hamburger bun and actually being mad at it on that fateful day. Ten years later, it hardly bothers me. Although I have had a craving for chocolate cheesecake for a month straight....


My attention was first turned to my diet and once I became a parent I focused on the diet of my daughter. I still was having problems with my hair, skin and breakouts. I got to the point I didn't believe I could get my hair colored. I have some really interesting pictures to prove my kitchen beautician abilities.

Five years after "avoiding gluten" I turned over my shampoo bottle. I started to look at every bottle in my bathroom. As it turned out, I was slathering gluten on my scalp, smearing it on my body and spraying it in the air and inhaling it. I immediately called my hairstylist, like she knew what I was talking about. I think she thought I was trying some radical diet. I started to ask questions and research for myself, I quickly found dead ends everywhere. I got a lot of blank stares from stylists.


So this is where I decided to take matters into my own hands. I enrolled into beauty school, so now I had two kids with gluten allergies, myself and several family member that had the same problems. So my thought was to go through school and get some answers to help my family. I was so excited, I had my list of questions with me the first day.....AND more blank stares.


I realized, its like finding out you have a major food allergy but not knowing how to cook, its a double handicap. Its a golf game with a baseball bat.


I graduated from school and decided to start doing my own research. I have contacted all of the major hair companies and have been doing independent research. I am starting this blog to be able to help other gluten free individuals that what to maintain gluten free in all aspects of life.


I will be reviewing products, some from completely gluten free lines and some that happen to be in a standard line of products. I will be including color advice for those who wish to still be creative. This blog will help all that are gluten free get a hair cut and color without being pressured into an unhealthy situation.