You’re ready to change your hair color to rock a fierce new look. As you compare the different brands of coloring kits on the market, those with the word “ammonia” send you running for the hills. You’ve heard some hair care experts swear by ammonia-based hair dyes and others recommending the ammonia-free route.

With so much conflicting information out there, what exactly is the truth about ammonia-free hair color? What are the pros and cons? Here’s everything you need to know.

How Does Ammonia-Based Hair Color Work

Hair dyes rely on a series of chemical reactions to color the hair. Some of the ingredients in the dye cause the hair cuticle to swell up, allowing the hair follicle to absorb the dye. Ammonia is used as the swelling agent in most color treatments.

One of the main benefits of ammonia-based hair colors is their long-lasting properties and vivid color results. This has a lot to do with ammonia reacting with the melanin – the hair’s natural color – in the strands to lift it to make the hair lighter before depositing the dye’s color pigment.

Despite those positive attributes, ammonia-based hair color has its fair share of side effects, which we shall explore later in this guide.

How Does Ammonia-Free Hair Color Work

As the name suggests, ammonia-free hair coloring products do not contain ammonia. They use a different chemical reaction to impart color pigment to the hair.

An ammonia-free dye usually contains ingredients like emollient oils to seal the hair’s cuticle and minimize moisture and protein loss during the dyeing process. As a result, they are gentler compared to ammonia-based products and rarely cause hair damage to colored hair.

Pros and Cons of Ammonia-Free Hair Color

Is there such a thing as the perfect hair color? Below are the pros and cons of ammonia-free dyes.