Post date: June 26, 2024 | Blog
The Hidden Dangers of Beard Dyes and the Alternatives
Nowadays, beards are becoming more and more like an accessory. Whether you like it or not, that’s the truth. Because as long as cheap and easy-to-use razors and shavers exist, we as men must constantly make the choice to continue dealing with our beards, and that means shaving, trimming, and for some, dyeing our beards with beard dyes.
Yes, one trend that has become more and more popular is to color your beard in order to give you the look you want. And, as far as we’re concerned, if that helps a man improve his image and confidence, we’re all for it.
After all, that’s why we invented Volt Instant Beard Color in the first place.
However, before you reach for that box of dye, we want to make sure you understand that there are potential downsides and risks to using any kind of hair and beard dyes, specifically.
So, let’s explore some of the risks (and benefits) of dyes out there as well as the alternatives.
The Risks Of Beard Dyes
1. Chemical Exposure and Skin Reactions
Probably the largest and most damaging issue with beard dyes is it’s propensity for causing allergic reactions.
Beard and hair dyes are permanent because they employ chemical compounds that strip back the protein layers in the hair in order to penetrate and color the insides. This is all good and fine, except for that those chemicals can be very harsh and cause issues with people’s skin and hair health.
Such chemicals include ammonia, peroxide, and paraphenylenediamine (PPD). These chemicals are known for causing itching, redness, swelling, and even chemical burns, especially on skin-sensitive areas like your face.
In fact, allergic reactions, itchiness, and irritation is the #1 reason why people tell us they move away from beard dyes and towards the natural alternatives.
2. Potential Health Risks of Beard Dyes
Health risks other than immediate allergic reactions are also being studied. In fact, potential risks associated with the ingredients in chemical hair dyes have been linked to an increase in the risk of cancer.
Although the research is ongoing, it’s wise to limit exposure to these substances as a precaution. Nothing is more valuable than your health after all. And considering beard dyes are close to sensitive areas of ingestion like your nose and mouth, the threat gets worse.
3. Beard Dye Damages Beard Hair
Although this is a more aesthetic risk, your beard, when dyed, absolutely suffers as a result. Repeated use of hair and beard dyes is known to leave the hair feeling brittle and damaged. Most notable from breakage, split ends, and dryness.
What this means is that, over time, your beard loses its strength, shine, and ability to absorb moisture to stay elastic and flexible. This makes it less comfortable, less aesthetically pleasing, and less healthy overall.
More natural beard coloring products, on the other hand, help nourish and strengthen hairs while coloring it without causing the damage that beard dyes do.
4. Unnatural Appearance
Another aesthetic issue that is common amongst beard dyes is the unnaturally uniform colored appearance that they give to your beard. Causing what is known in the industry as a “shoe-polish” beard.
Take a good long look at your beard. If it hasn’t gone completely white yet, then you likely notice that your beard contains hair that is all different shades of color. Generally, this may be dark brown, light brown, red, blonde and more.
Personally, my beard contains some of all of these in different proportions.
Dyeing a beard requires mixing a paste in uniform fashion. When that paste is applied, it colors all the hair the same exact color and darkness, eliminating the natural variability in your beard hairs. This is what makes your beard look unnatural.
Ultimately, what you really want is a color that allows you to control the opacity. Thus coloring the beard hair while allowing the natural variation of the hair to be seen through. But we’ll talk about these alternatives to beard dyes later on.
Also, keep in mind that, as the beard grows, the roots of your beard will be visible and different to the colored hair over time.
5. Maintenance and Cost
Using beard dyes requires regular maintenance, but honestly, so does most beard color solutions. The issues is, having to re-dye your beards every few weeks to cover those roots causes lots of damage to the hair and requires a lot of time and patience on your part.
Most beard dyes take roughly 30 minutes to apply, wait for the dye to work, and wash out. Other alternatives can be instant.
Natural Alternatives to Beard Dyes
So, what are the alternatives to beard dyes? Here are some more natural options with different features and abilities.
Volt Instant Beard Color
Volt instant beard and brow color is exactly what it sounds like. A beard color that can be applied instantly, without waiting for things to penetrate and stain the hair strands.
Volt is able to achieve this by “tinting” the beard instead of staining it.
This beard tint remains on the surface of the beard, and allows the natural color to show through when applied lightly, giving your beard the color you want with the natural variation of the beard hair to keep things looking as natural as possible.
Here are some pros and cons of Volt Instant Beard Color:
- Natural Formula: Volt is hypoallergenic and uses natural ingredients without harsh chemicals. Volt won’t react or cause irritation to your skin, and certainly won’t damage your beard hair because Volt also contains Vitamin E and argan oil, a common ingredient in beard oils.
- Applies Instantly: Volt is applied with a small brush. When you brush the color on, you’ll see immediately how it looks in your beard. No waiting, and guessing, for how long it takes for dye to stain the hair before washing the dye out. Also, Volt takes less than 60 seconds to apply.
- Customizable Beard Color: Volt is customizable, both in where you want the color, and how you apply it. Want a salt and pepper look? Apply the color lightly to let the grays show through. Want the fully colored look? Apply it darker wherever you want it.
- Use It Anywhere: Volt doesn’t require mixing pastes, waiting, or washing. Just take out the vial, shake it for 20 seconds, and brush it on. It dries in less than 30 seconds and you’re good to go.
Not sold on Volt yet? Feel free to try one of these Volt Sample Color Packs and choose 2 different colors to try. If you’re curious which colors work for you, take this quiz HERE.
If you’d rather explore other beard color options, take a look at some of the alternatives below!
- Henna: Henna is a natural dye derived from the henna plant, it provides a reddish-brown tint and conditions the hair. BUT it can stain skin as well. Use with caution.
- Beard Oils and Balms: Infused with essential oils and natural ingredients, these products can enhance the shine and health of your beard but don’t typically color it.
- Healthy Diet: A healthy diet rich in vitamins and minerals can help promote healthy growth and reduce the appearance of grays in your beard and hair.
- Regular Grooming: Regular trimming and proper grooming techniques can help maintain a neat and attractive beard. Grays or not.
Conclusion
Overall, while beard dyes may offer the quick fix, there really is nothing quick about it at all. It takes longer to apply than the alternatives and has immediate and long-lasting potentially damaging effects.
Generally, the cons of beard dyes outweigh the pros, especially given the alternatives like Volt’s Instant Beard Color and other beard coloring options that color your beard more safely, quickly, and naturally.
For more tips and tricks on beard grooming and care, check out these other blog posts and join in on our community of beard and men’s grooming enthusiasts.
Beard Dye Vs Temporary Beard Color