red
Methoxymethyl-P-Phenylenediamine
Active dye in most permanent hair colours. Severe contact allergen.
Krasteva et al. Contact Dermatitis 2009
Low Tox Gear · Scanner
Clairol Colour Strong Hair Dye Dark Brown 4.0 each
Is Clairol Colour Strong Hair Dye Dark Brown 4.0 each low tox? Our scanner flagged 12 ingredients (2 in the avoid tier, 10 caution) on its published label, screened against our 237 source-cited chemical rules.
2 avoid10 caution
12 ingredients flagged
What we flagged
red
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
European Society of Contact Dermatitis declared MI a "contact allergy epidemic." High allergen rates.
amber
Propylene Glycol
Common humectant. Documented contact allergen — especially for eczema-prone skin.
amber
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative — generally well-tolerated but documented as MCAS and contact-dermatitis trigger in sensitive individuals.
amber
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Ostensibly 'gentle' but ACDS Allergen of the Year 2004. Contains DMAPA/amidoamine impurities.
amber
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Manufacturing process can leave 1,4-dioxane (probable carcinogen) and ethylene oxide as contaminants. Look for 'vacuum-stripped' products.
amber
Disodium EDTA
Chelating agent — generally tolerated but documented MCAS trigger in case reports.
amber
Resorcinol
Hair-dye coupler with thyroid-disrupting activity in animal studies.
Full ingredients (from label)
BONDING PRIMER Aqua/Water/EauPropylene GlycolHydroxyethylcelluloseQuaternium-80Sodium Diethylenetriamine Pentamethylene PhosphonatePhenoxyethanolMalic AcidCocamidopropyl BetainePEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilParfum/FragranceDisodium EDTADisodium PhosphatePolysorbate 60Sodium Phosphate PERMANENT COLOUR CREAM Aqua/Water/EauPropylene GlycolEthanolamineCetearyl Alcohol2-Methoxymethyl-p-PhenylenediamineResorcinolSodium Diethylenetriamine Pentamethylene PhosphonateDicetyl Phosphate2-MethylresorcinolSodium SulfiteCeteth-10 PhosphateSteareth-200Ascorbic AcidParfum/Fragrancem-AminophenolTrisodium Ethylenediamine DisuccinateXanthan GumHydroxyethyl-34-Methylenedioxyaniline HCICitric AcidDisodium EDTA24-Diaminophenoxyethanol HCI1-NaphtholSodium MetasilicateNN-Bis(2-Hydroxyethyl)-p-Phenylenediamine Sulfate ACTIVATOR Aqua/Water/EauHydrogen PeroxideCetearyl AlcoholCeteareth-25Salicylic AcidPhosphoric AcidDisodium PhosphateDisodium PyrophosphateSodium StannateEtidronic Acid. BONDING TREATMENT AqualWater/EauBis-Hydroxy/Methoxy AmodimethiconeStearyl AlcoholCetyl AlcoholStearamidopropyl DimethylamineMalic AcidGlutamic AcidParfum/FragranceBenzyl AlcoholBenzyl BenzoateEDTAHistidineCocos Nucifera (Coconut) OilSodium ChlorideHexamethylindanopyranHexyl CinnamalLinaloolMagnesium NitrateTrimethylsiloxysilicateAloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceMethylchloroisothiazolinoneMagnesium ChlorideMethylisothiazolinoneAscorbic AcidCitric AcidPotassium SorbateSodium BenzoateSodium Sulfite
How this analysis is generated
Each ingredient on this product's published label is matched against our 237 source-cited chemical rules, each documenting a concern from peer-reviewed research and regulatory sources. Severity tiers:
- Avoid (red) — banned or restricted in the EU, UK or Canada but still legal in the US, IARC-listed, or strong contact-allergen evidence.
- Caution (amber) — regulatory caution, contamination risk, or condition-specific irritant.
- Mild (green) — low concern but commonly avoided in low-tox formulations.
Each flag links to its primary chemical-level source, and each condition pill links to a PubMed-indexed paper that discusses the chemical class in the context of that condition. Every citation is a real peer-reviewed paper — we don't link to Wikipedia or PubMed search pages. Some pairs use a topically-broad paper (e.g. a fragrance-allergen patch-test review) rather than a single-pair study where the literature is thin. The full evidence chain (chemical → mechanism → condition → paper) is one click away.
This is automated analysis of a published label, not medical advice — always verify the label yourself before changing products. Methodology and source list at scan.lowtoxgear.com.