“Can I dye my hair?” “Can I have a keratin treatment?” They’re two of the most common beauty questions that crop up when you’re expecting. From the least chemically-loaded alternatives to the techniques that will minimise your toxin exposure, here’s what you need to know if you’re a mum-to-be like Meghan
Along with morning sickness, cravings and sleepless nights, pregnancy is peppered with uncertainty about what you can and can’t do beauty-wise. The areas that typically serve up the greatest level of confusion about what is deemed safe and unsafe though, are those concerning hair colour and chemical straightening. From what to avoid to what to do instead, I spoke to the experts to find out about the modifications that are worth making.
Can I dye my hair when I’m pregnant?
In a nutshell, yes, but there are some provisos.
As a starting point, consult your doctor rather than your hairdresser. “Virtually every colour service involves a chemical and you will be exposed to it,” Jack Howard , hair colourist and leading Balayage educator tells me. “If your doctor doesn’t have any worries, then go ahead.”
Once you’ve been given the green light, timing is the next consideration to bear in mind. The experts I’ve spoken to agree that mums-to-be shouldn’t colour their hair during their first 12 weeks of pregnancy (the risk of chemical substances harming the baby becomes lower after this). However, a skin test is essential before having your colour done, even if you’ve had one done before. “Pregnancy changes your sensitivity, potentially making you more susceptible to allergic reactions,” organic hair colour expert Karine Jackson explains. Top hairdresser Paul Edmonds also notes that hormone changes that occur during pregnancy, can affect the porosity of hair and its strength, so extra care should be taken to protect its integrity.
After your 12-week abstinence period, technique will play a big role in your hair colour strategy. Opting for processes that prevent the dye from coming into contact with the scalp are more likely to reduce potential toxin exposure. “Highlights or a lived-in Balayage mean colour doesn’t touch the scalp during application, so you’re absorbing fewer chemicals,” says Karine. “As well as being on-trend, it grows out beautifully leaving no stark regrowth.”
MORE GLOSS: The new Balayage techniques you need to try
Clare Drawbridge, Senior Creative Colourist at Hari’s Salon also recommends considering booking in for high or lowlights rather than a full head. “They develop in foils which protects the scalp,” she explains, to keep the risk of irritation to a minimum.
What dye should you use? The NHS highlights that the chemicals (and the levels of them) present in permanent and semi-permanent hair dyes aren’t highly toxic. If you’d prefer to use a less chemically-loaded alternative though, for greater peace of mind, there are a growing number of options to choose from.
“We use Organic Colour Systems colour,” says Karine. “As it doesn’t contain ammonia (and contains the lowest level of PPDs possible – the ingredient that makes colour permanent but also causes most reactions), it’s less likely to irritate someone with a skin concern or a pregnant client.” What’s more, its fresh scent is more pleasing to the nose, which will come as good news to those experiencing the drawbacks of a heightened sense of smell!
Other gentler alternatives are vegetable colour and Henna, two of the least chemical of all the colouring offerings available in Clare’s experience. Both are great options for darkening hair (especially handy for greys) however, they’re not for everyone: “You can’t lift hair without chemicals,” says Claire. “So, unless you want to opt for highlights, consider embracing your natural hues instead.”
The other alternative to your colourist’s brush is the bevy of root cover-ups that are available at the moment for refreshing your colour in-between appointments. Ones that are particularly effective in this regard are Color Wow’s , Josh Wood’s and L’Oreal Paris’ new Magic Retouch Precision (read my full review here).
MORE GLOSS: How to re-energise your hair colour in-between appointments
Can I have a straightening treatment when I’m pregnant?
This is a little trickier to answer. “The topic is a bit of a grey area,” notes top hair stylist and co-founder of Percy & Reed , Paul Percival. “Some salon treatments say you can use them when pregnant, some say you shouldn’t, and it really is salon dependent. If you were considering something like a keratin straightening treatment during pregnancy, I would speak to your stylist and get their advice.”
The safety of straightening and keratin treatments (such as the well-known Brazilian Blowdry), has been up for debate for a while. Many contain high levels of chemicals such as ammonium thioglycolate in order to provide the months-long frizz-free finish that they’ve become known for. They can be damaging and lead to breakage though and can trigger an allergic reaction too. However, there’s one chemical found in some keratin treatments that’s courted serious controversy, formaldehyde, a suspected carcinogen. It’s the gas that’s given off when certain ingredients are heated or mixed with water and can cause unpleasantries such as burning eyes and breathing difficulties in both those who have the treatment and those who apply it.
As a result, the demand for formaldehyde-free alternatives is greater than ever. Finding the real deal can be tricky though. If in doubt, don’t be afraid to ask your stylist for the full breakdown of ingredients that your treatment contains.
It can be a minefield, but one new option that’s caught our eye is NanaSmooth Pure , the brainchild of Nano Keratin, the founders of Olaplex .
It lists several factors that differentiate it from traditional keratin treatments: it’s formaldehyde and aldehyde-free and releases no chemical off-gases, it uses herbal and plant-based proteins instead of keratin to realign the bonding structure of the hair to make it more manageable and less frizz-prone, and, because it penetrates strands more readily (rather than sitting on top of it), hair can be styled immediately after it’s been applied. Due to its less abrasive formula, it claims to suit everyone - even pregnant women - and last for around three to five months, provided that you use sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners post-treatment. There are three interchangeable variants to choose from: Revive for natural hair, Refine for coloured hair, Replenish for blondes and Refortify for afro hair.
Having tried chemical keratin treatments before, GTG’s lovely Alex Harrison booked in at Hare & Bone and to try it out and report back to us. She was pleasantly surprised by the results.
Despite being quite time-consuming to get done (around two to four hours from chair to door) and its high price tag (£250 depending on your level of stylist and length of treatment), it’s so far given her two months of more manageable hair. She especially liked the fact that you can leave the salon with smooth post-blowdry hair rather than having to wait the usual three days or so before styling it. Like-for-like, it’s a promising alternative so far. As with hair colour though, always check in with your doctor beforehand first!
While encouraging strides are being made in this regard, there’s still a way to go when it comes to taking the fear factor out of straightening treatments. As the first port of call, it’s worth exploring other ways to keep hair frizz-free while you’re pregnant. “Keeping hair very hydrated is important,” says renowned hair colourist, Josh Wood . “There are certain styling products like Redken Velvet Gelatine , £11.80, that can help maintain texture and frizz and give you a smooth and easy blowdry.”
Due to the uncertainty surrounding the safety of keratin treatments, our Editor-at-Large Susannah Taylor (who was pregnant this year), opted for products that enhanced her curls instead. “Over the summer, I went with my natural hair texture, although I’m a big fan of Moroccanoil Hair Oil , £32.05, which keeps my frizzies at bay,” she tells me. “I also used Ouai shampoo and conditioner which are sulfate-free and a very small Kent bristle brush to blowdry the bits at the front straight.”
If you’re looking for more natural products to use throughout your pregnancy though, the choice out there is the best it’s ever been. One brand paving the way is By Sarah London , a new favourite of Susannah’s that’s 98 per cent organic and Soil Association certified too. Its backstory is particularly inspiring. In 2012, co-founder Lauren was recovering from leukaemia and found it difficult to find products that catered for her dry, sensitive skin. What’s more, she found that the long and cryptic ingredients lists of her potentials made it impossible to tell what was actually in them. So her sister Sarah took the situation into her own hands and created the perfect range for her. The result is a brand that’s all about transparency, a fact evident from the full list of ingredients found on the front of its products’ labels. “Using high-quality cold-pressed oils, they are very pure and perfect for use in pregnancy,” says Susannah. The hair oil is a go-to of hers for frizz control and heat protection. “I put it onto damp hair but also a tiny bit post-blowdry for added shine.”
So to sum up, if you want to colour your hair while pregnant, wait until after your first trimester to do so, have a skin test first, and opt for techniques such as Balayage, highlights or lowlights. There’s also a growing number of organic, ammonia-free and natural hair dyes to choose from too. If you want to book in for a straightening treatment, steer clear of ones with formaldehyde in them, and even if you do book in for a formaldehyde-free one, be vigilant and check its ingredients first. NanoSmooth Pure impressed us, but if you’d prefer to go treatment-free during your pregnancy, there are also some great product swaps you can make to enhance your natural texture. It could actually prove to be a really nice break.