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The latest development: a hair colorant made from currants
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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Scientists at the British University of Leeds have recently completed the development of a new non-toxic hair dye. The unique dye has a completely natural base, obtained from the skin of blackcurrant berries. According to experts, the newest product is quite stable - no worse, and even better than any other hair dye. It is not prone to washing off, including with numerous episodes of washing your hair.
Statistics kept by the National Oncology Institute indicate the following fact: more than five thousand different chemical components are used in the production of a standard, common hair dye. Scientists have recently established that some of these components contribute to the development of cancer in rodents. In addition, chemical agents often cause allergic reactions. And their penetration through the sewage system into rivers and seas causes significant harm to the ecological system.
In their new project, specialists from Great Britain have created a completely natural dye that could become a worthy analogue of conventional hair dyes.
Scientists used the skin of blackcurrant berries for their research, obtained after preliminary juice extraction. It contains coloring components called anthocyanins. Such pigments can have different shades – from pinkish to dark purple. In addition to currants, they are also present in other vegetables, fruits and even flowers – but in slightly smaller quantities.
After carefully filtering the pigment components, the specialists used them to develop a dye. The resulting dye mixture was applied to light hair, which was beautifully dyed - an unusual and interesting bright blue color. Then the scientists made changes to the formula of the product and eventually received other color shades - pinkish and purple. Remarkably, after twelve episodes of washing the dyed hair, the color did not change - that is, the new dye turned out to be quite durable.
Experts analyzed the quality of paint fixation and came to the appropriate conclusion: the new product can be used as a safe, natural analogue of the paints that everyone is used to.
The cosmetics industry does not stand still. Considering that in recent years hair dyeing in bright colors has become especially popular among young people, there will be a considerable demand for the new development. After all, caring for your own health has never been superfluous. As experts assure, the new natural dye will be even more stable than any chemical dye. And the production of the new product does not require large financial costs - which is also important.
More details about the development can be found in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jafc.8b01044).