Grey Hair Covering Shampoo Formula Analysis (SemiColor)

Question

Could you please provide a breakdown of the ingredients and their functions in a grey hair covering shampoo formula similar to the product SemiColor - Red Brown? Specifically, I am interested in understanding the roles of:

Base and Texture Modifiers (Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phosphoric acid, Sodium erythorbate, Polyquaternium-10)
Surfactant (Sodium sulfate)
Hair Bleaching Agents (Resorcinol, Hydrogen peroxide)
Hair Dyes (p-paraphenylenediamine, m-aminophenol, Henna)
Conditioning and Soothing Agents (Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Polygonum multiflorum root extract)

I would like to know how these components work together to achieve grey coverage and the resulting hair color, especially considering the presence of both chemical dyes and Henna.

MySkinRecipes Expert · Accepted Answer

Subject: Grey Hair Covering Henna Shampoo Formula

Here is a breakdown of the grey hair covering shampoo formula you provided, based on the information from the forum post:

Formula Components:

Base and Texture Modifiers:
- Water
- Cetearyl Alcohol (for texture)
- Phosphoric acid
- Sodium erythorbate
- Polyquaternium-10 (for hair conditioning/smoothness)
Surfactant (Functions as Shampoo):
- Sodium sulfate
Hair Bleaching Agents:
- Resorcinol
- Hydrogen peroxide
Hair Dyes:
- p-paraphenylenediamine (Chemical dye)
- m-aminophenol (Chemical dye)
- Henna (Natural color)
Conditioning and Soothing Agents:
- Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
- Polygonum multiflorum root extract

Regarding the hair dyes, p-paraphenylenediamine (PPD) provides a dark brown to almost black color. m-aminophenol is also a chemical dye. Henna contributes natural red tones. As explained in the forum, while Henna is included, the primary grey coverage is achieved by the chemical dyes (PPD, m-aminophenol) often used in combination with bleaching agents (Resorcinol, Hydrogen peroxide) to prepare the hair for dyeing. Henna in this context helps achieve a specific shade (dark brown with red tones) and may also be included due to customer preference for "natural" ingredients.