Hair Coloring Cream Formulation for White Hair (pH, Color Adherence, Herbal Additives)

Question

I would like to ask for some advice. I have created two hair coloring cream formulas for covering white hair: Black and Dark Brown. The ingredients are as follows:

Black Formula:

Cosmaq Hair Conding Wax: 22 %
Luviquat Ultracare: 10 %
Dehyquart AC: 10 %
DI-Water: 44.5 %
Triethanolamine: 2.5 %
ColorFix™: 5 %
SemiColor – Wood Black: 1 %
Pheoxyethanol: 1 %
Fragrance (Moke flower scent): 4 %

I would like to know if this Black formula is okay. I previously tried making the black cream at pH 6 and pH 9 and found that coloring white hair at pH 9 worked better than at pH 6, which is different from the website description stating pH should be around 6.

I also have additional questions:

Since SemiColor – Wood Black is a powder, does it only coat the outer surface of the hair, and does the color not penetrate into the hair cortex? (Because when I placed the hair on white paper it appeared black, but when placed on black paper it looked white. It seemed like the color didn't stick well. And when direct light is shone on the hair, it still appears white, which I assume is the white hair cortex.) This is different from SemiColor – Red Brown, which is a liquid; when I tried coloring with it, it seemed to penetrate into the hair cortex, so I couldn't see the white color of the hair at all.
Additionally, I would like to know if SemiColor – Wood Black contains ingredients that cause gel formation? Because when I tried mixing it into the cream, I observed lumps of gel forming.

Dark Brown Formula:

Cosmaq Hair Conding Wax: 22 %
Luviquat Ultracare: 10 %
Dehyquart AC: 10 %
DI-Water: 41.5 %
Triethanolamine: 2.5 %
ColorFix™: 5 %
SemiColor – Wood Black: 0.5 %
SemiColor – Red Brown: 3.5 %
Pheoxyethanol: 1 %
Fragrance (Moke flower scent): 4 %

I would like to know if this Dark Brown formula is okay at pH 9. Also, what ratio of Wood Black and Semi-Brown should I use?

After completing these two formulas, I plan to add herbal powders to both creams. I want to know if this will make the cream texture harder and more viscous, and if it will cause the color on the hair to fade? (The herbal powders are 5 types: Henna powder, Indigo powder, Eclipta Prostrata powder, Emblica Officinalis powder, Clitoria Ternatea powder).

I apologize for the long explanation, but my main goal is to make the hair color adhere more intensely, covering all white hair, and I would like advice on how to achieve the Dark Brown or Darker Brown color.

MySkinRecipes Expert · Accepted Answer

Recommendations for Your Hair Color Formulas

Overall, the hair coloring cream formulas you have developed, using ingredients like Cosmaq Hair Conding Wax, Luviquat Ultracare, and Dehyquart AC as the cream base along with ColorFix™ and SemiColor, are a good approach for creating semi-permanent hair color products.

pH Adjustment and Color Adherence

Your observation that coloring at pH 9 works better than at pH 6 aligns with the product information for SemiColor. Semi-permanent hair colors generally perform better in slightly alkaline conditions (higher pH) because the alkalinity helps to open the hair cuticles, allowing the color pigments to deposit onto the hair surface more effectively. However, the pH should not be raised above 9 as this can cause some pigments in SemiColor to decompose. Therefore, using a pH of around 9, which you found effective in your tests, is suitable and consistent with the recommendations for optimal color adherence with SemiColor products.

Properties of SemiColor - Wood Black

Color Coating on Hair: SemiColor - Wood Black is described as a powder pigment. Generally, powder pigments tend to coat the outer surface of the hair (surface coating) rather than penetrating deep into the hair cortex like oxidative dyes or some liquid direct dyes. Your observation of white hair showing through, especially under close inspection or direct light, is consistent with a surface coating effect. SemiColor - Red Brown is described as a liquid, which might explain why it appears to penetrate the hair slightly better, leading to better coverage of white hair.
Gel or Lump Formation: The description for SemiColor - Wood Black states that it is a powder soluble in hot water at 70-80 degrees Celsius. If the powder is added directly to the cream base without being fully dissolved in hot water first, or if the cream base formulation causes the powder components (which might include thickeners or dispersants) to hydrate and swell unevenly, it could lead to the formation of lumps or a gel-like texture. It is recommended to dissolve SemiColor - Wood Black in the hot water portion of your formula as instructed by the product description before combining it with other ingredients in the cream base.

Dark Brown Formula

Your dark brown formula using 0.5% SemiColor - Wood Black and 3.5% SemiColor - Red Brown, totaling 4% colorant, is a reasonable proportion for creating a dark brown shade. The total colorant percentage of 4% is within the broad recommended usage range (0.5-12%), but be mindful of potential staining, as the product suggests a 1% usage rate to minimize this risk. Adjusting the pH to 9 is also appropriate as discussed earlier.

Adjusting Dark Brown Color Intensity: If you want the dark brown color to be more intense and cover white hair more effectively, you can:

Increase the total amount of both SemiColor colors, maintaining the desired ratio or adjusting slightly. However, be cautious not to exceed the maximum recommended amount (12%) and test for staining.
Adjust the proportion of SemiColor - Wood Black relative to SemiColor - Red Brown to achieve a darker brown with more black tones, while staying within the overall recommended usage range.

Effect of Adding Herbal Powders

Adding herbal powders to your cream base will likely increase the viscosity and thickness of the cream. This is because most powders absorb liquid in the formula and add solid bulk to the cream.

Regarding the effect on color adherence on hair, it may cause the color to fade or appear less intense. Several factors could contribute to this:

Interference with Color Deposition: The particles of the herbal powders might interfere with the deposition and adherence of the SemiColor pigments onto the hair surface, preventing the color from distributing and sticking evenly.
Color Absorption: Some herbal powders may have properties that absorb pigments, reducing the amount of color available to bind to the hair.
Interactions between Ingredients: Certain compounds in the herbal powders could interact with the SemiColor pigments or other ingredients in your formula, potentially affecting the color stability or causing the color to change or fade.

Therefore, if you plan to add herbal powders, it is advisable to test with small amounts first and evaluate the effect on both the cream texture and the color performance on hair.

Summary and Suggestions

Your basic formula is suitable for semi-permanent hair coloring.
Adjusting the pH to 9 improves color adherence, consistent with SemiColor properties.
SemiColor - Wood Black is a powder that coats the hair; dissolve it in hot water before mixing to avoid lumps.
The dark brown formula can be adjusted for intensity by increasing the total colorant amount and/or adjusting the ratio of Wood Black to Red Brown, keeping the recommended usage and staining in mind.
Adding herbal powders will increase cream viscosity and may cause the color to fade. Test carefully.