Expert says people should use RIBENA to dye their hair
Natural dyes from Ribena waste have been used to colour hair for the first time... and it could be the future
THE beauty world is doing everything it can to go green - and brands are more conscious than ever about their imprint on the environment.
But when it comes to dyeing hair, things have been pretty smooth-sailing and traditional methods have always been used. Until now.
The University of Leeds has developed a new technology that sees natural waste from Ribena manufacture create a new type of natural hair dye.
And the news could be big for people who find that ingredients often found in synthetic hair dye brings them out in a reaction.
Colour chemist Dr Richard Blackburn and organic chemist Professor Chris Rayner from the University of Leeds worked together to try to find a naturally-occurring alternative.
Dr Blackburn said: "Because of issues and concerns around conventional dyes, we wanted to develop biodegradable alternatives that minimise potential risks to health and offer consumers a different option.
"We’ve made it possible to have great hair colour, and to get it from nature in the most sustainable way possible.”
Exciting times. But how does the process work?
Well, according to Professor Rayner, it's only the blackcurrant skins which are used as these are the only part of the blackcurrant left behind.
He said: “After being pressed, the skins remain as a waste product. They have very high concentrations of anthocyanins, and represent a sustainable supply of raw material because of how much blackcurrant cordial we drink.
“The extraction technology is based on sustainable concepts – the colour is extracted using a water-based process and special filters collect the anthocyanins that we want.
"We believe that if we are extracting natural and food-grade products, we should not use any toxic or hazardous chemicals to get them.”
We're just wondering if this means the future of hair-dying means smelling like a glass of cordial...
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