Hypoallergenic products are formulated to reduce or minimise the possibility of an allergic reaction.

By removing key ingredients which are known irritants and allergy-causing chemicals, they are relatively unlikely to cause an allergic reaction.

The most common adverse reaction to chemicals in cosmetics is contact dermatitis, characterised by reddened, scaly, itchy, stinging, blistered and/or peeling skin. There are two main types of dermatitis caused by cosmetics:

• Allergic contact dermatitis, which occurs only in some individuals and is an immune system reaction.
• Irritant contact dermatitis, which may occur in most or all people, depending on exposure, and is more common than allergic contact dermatitis.

Common allergy-causing chemicals include paraphenylenediamine (PPD), which is found in conventional hair colour products.

All of The Shade’s colours are free from ammonia, PPD, parabens, phthalates, titanium dioxide, SLS and gluten.

The term “hypoallergenic” does not guarantee that a product will not cause an allergic reaction in every individual. Allergies can vary from person to person. It is possible to have a reaction to any ingredient within a product, even an ingredient which is not considered problematic or irritating.

We always recommend doing an Allergy Alert test before colouring. Directions to perform the test are in the Colour Kits. If you do have a known allergy to any ingredient then it’s always advisable to check the ingredients of the product and consult with a healthcare professional if you have specific concerns. You can find a complete list of all the ingredients in all our products here.

Hypoallergenic hair colour is significantly less likely to irritate your scalp. Using a hypoallergenic colour will reduce the likelihood of developing a contact dermatitis, which can develop after exposure to allergy-causing chemicals such as PPD.

I have severe allergies to PPD and I am so glad that I can use this PPD-free colour! No itchiness, thank goodness, and I love the colour!

Holly W.

I was hoping for a better colouring experience…and I got it! No tingling or itchiness, no horrible smell, and a really natural colour result and hair condition. I would highly recommend The Shade to anyone looking for a better home colour experience!

Rose Higgins

I haven’t been able to colour my hair for three years, as normal colour irritates my scalp. The Shade’s colour doesn’t irritate. I’m so happy, thank you!

Sofie Simioni