Formulation And Evaluation of Herbal Hair Dye

Cosmetics:

The word cosmetic was derived from the Greek word “kosmetikos” meaning having the power, arrange, skill in decorating. Generally, cosmeceutical or cosmetic substances refer to preparations that are meant for external use. They are applied on external body structures like skin, hair, and nails. They are used to make colouring, softening, cleansing, nourishing, protection, setting, mollification, preservation, removal, perming purposes, and for beautifying which is to change the appearance and style of individuals.¹

Herbal Cosmetics:

Herbal cosmetics are formulated, using different cosmetic ingredients to form the base in which one or more herbal ingredients are used to cure various skin ailments. Generally herbal cosmetics are also referred to as natural cosmetics. Plants are highly used for development of new drug products for cosmeceuticals and pharmaceutical applications. Herbal cosmetics are the products in which herbs are used in crude or extract form.²

Hair

Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals. The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and fine vellus hair. It is often used to indicate a person's personal beliefs or social position, such as their age, gender, or religion.³

Hair is consisted of two distinct structures: follicle—the living part located under the skin and hair shaft—fully keratinized non-living part above the skin surface. The arrector pili muscle, takes place between the hair bulge area and dermo epidermal junction. Above the insertion of the arrector pili muscle, sebaceous glands and, in some certain regions, apocrine glands are opened into the follicle. Hair shaft is consisted of three layers: cuticle, cortex and in certain cases medulla. The hair follicle, which is the essential growth structure of the hair and basically has two distinct             parts: upper part consisting of infundibulum and isthmus whereas the lower part comprising of hair bulb and suprabulbar region. The upper follicle remains constant, while lower part has continuous cycles of regeneration.⁵

Physiology of the Hair

Hair development is a continuous cyclic process and all mature follicles go through a growth cycle consisting of growth (anagen), regression (catagen), rest (telogen) and shedding (exogen) phases. The duration of the phase’s changes based on the location of the hair and also personal nutritional and hormonal status and age.⁵

Problems related to Hair:

Dandruff, Dry hair, Split ends, Oily hair, Frizzy hair, Hair loss, Colour damage, Grey hair.⁶

Hair Dyes

Hair colouring, or hair dyeing, is the exercise of converting the hair colour. The primary reasons for this are cosmetic: to cover grey or white hair, to trade to a colour regarded as extra elegant or ideal, or to repair the original hair colour after it's been discoloured with the aid of hairdressing procedures or solar (UV) bleaching.⁷ Graying of hair occurs due to various reasons like genetics, stress, nutritional deficiency and disease. The primary reason of premature graying is hereditary and it is reported that by the age of fifty, half of the world’s population will have fifty percent gray hair. Hence there is a huge demand for hair dyes in the market.⁸

Figure.2 Hair Dye

Herbal hair dyes, often formulated with plant-derived substances like henna, indigo, and amla, offer a diverse spectrum of colours while boasting gentle, nourishing properties for the hair and scalp. As concerns about the health risks associated with synthetic dyes continue to mount, consumers are increasingly turning to herbal alternatives for a safer colouring experience.¹⁰ There are many herbal plants used for hair colouring. Some herbs are available worldwide, but some are traditionally planted and found only in Thailand or neighbouring countries.¹¹ The most widely used ayurvedic herbal drugs are Amla, Bhringraj, Henna, Mandara, Jatamansi, Reetha, Sariva, Curry leaves, and Methi seeds and are traditionally used as hair colorant and for hair growth. Indigo, known as an initial fabric dye, could be mixed with henna to make different light brown to black shades of hair dye.⁹ Apart from acting as a hair dye, this formulation, because of the perfect blend of herbal, also act as a hair growth promoter, hair nourisher.¹² Drugs from plant sources are easily available and are less expensive, safe, efficient and rarely have side effects.⁹

Types Of Hair Dyes

Hair dye products can be grouped into three categories according to wash fastness: temporary, semi-permanent and permanent hair dyes. Permanent hair dyes refer to synthetic oxidative hair dyes, by which colours are produced in the hair cortex from small primary intermediates and couplers through oxidation reactions in the presence of hydrogen peroxide as the oxidizing agent. Permanent hair dyes represent the most widely used colouring matter in the commercial hair dye cosmetics due to their strong dyeing performance, predictable colours and rich range of tones. However, several studies have reported allergenicity, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, and environmental toxicity associated with the use of synthetic hair dye ingredients and the potential health risks have attracted widespread attention. By contrast, natural dyes are temporary or semi-permanent non-oxidative hair dyes that can be adsorbed onto the cuticle and some parts of the cortex of the hair shaft to produce colour. Natural dyes derived from various parts of plants are generally regarded as low-irritating, less allergenic, sustainable and eco-friendly green products with additional health benefits (e.g., antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties).¹³ The temporary dye will wash out in one or two shampoo and semipermanent colour is an artificial colour that will wash out in 4-8 week.¹⁴

Hair Colouring Mechanisms

For most natural plant hair dyes, there are two mechanisms for hair coloration: direct dyeing and mordant dyeing. Briefly, the hair dyeing process can be divided into two steps:

1. Diffusion of dye molecules from dye bath to the keratinous hair fiber;
2.  Formation of chemical bonds (hydrogen, ionic, and covalent bonds) between the carboxyl or hydroxyl groups present in the dye molecules and amino/sulfhydryl groups in hair keratin, with or without the aid of auxiliary mordanting agent.¹³

Advantages Of Herbal Hair Dye

• Herbal dyes are not harmful to environment or consumer because of its natural origin.
• Herbal dyes give a natural shades & help to achieve soft, soothing look.
• No chemical reaction involved during dye preparation.
• Herbal dyes will not cause harm or health problems.
• Herbal dyes do not pose any disposal problems.¹⁴

Benefits Of Herbal Hair Dyes

1. Natural ingredients: Herbal hair dyes are formulated with botanical extracts, such as henna, indigo, and amla, which are gentle on the hair and scalp compared to synthetic chemicals found in traditional dyes.
2. Reduced allergic reactions: Herbal hair dyes are less likely to cause allergic reactions or scalp irritation due to their hypoallergenic nature, making them suitable for individuals with sensitive skin or allergies.
3. Nourishing properties: Many botanical ingredients used in herbal hair dyes, such as henna and amla, contain natural conditioning agents that help nourish and strengthen the hair, leaving it soft, shiny, and more resilient.
4. Long-lasting color: While herbal hair dyes may require more frequent application compared to synthetic dyes, they often provide long-lasting color that gradually fades without harsh lines or roots.¹⁰

METHODOLOGY

MATERIALS

Ingredients: This study deals with the formulation and evaluation of a herbal hair dye by using natural ingredients such as Henna, Indigo, Amla, Shikakai, Reetha, Hibiscus, Bhringraj, Aloe vera and Lavender oil. These raw materials were procured from the local market in the form of dried powders.

Equipment’s: Mortar and pestle, Sieve no. 24, Test-tube, Test-tube holder, Weighing scale, Measuring cylinder, pH Meter, Glass funnel, Spatula, Glass rod.

Formulation Of Herbal Hair Dye:

1. 1. The required herbal ingredients, as mentioned in Table 1, were collected from the authorized stores of the local market in the powdered form.   
   2.  All the ingredients were weighed and passed through Sieve no. 24.
   3. The ingredients were mixed uniformly to prepare homogenous mixture of a powder form of dye.
   4. The homogenous mixture was weighed and packed in a plastic bag.¹⁶      

Figure.3 Formulation

Evaluation Of Herbal Hair Dye

The prepared herbal hair dye was evaluated for its various parameters, such as organoleptic, physico-chemical, phytoconstituents and the rheological aspects.¹⁷

Organoleptic Evaluation:

Organoleptic characteristics for various sensory characters like color, taste, odour, and special features, like touch, texture and appearance, etc., was carefully noted down and was illustrated in Table 2.¹⁸

Physico-Chemical Evaluation:

The physical and chemical features of the herbal hair dye were evaluated to determine the pH, its moisture content for the purpose of stability, compatibility and the amount of inorganic matter present in it. Table 3 reflects the above findings.¹⁶

pH: pH plays an important role in pharmaceutical considerations as well as in maintaining hair health. For evaluation, 1 g of the powdered sample was dissolved in distilled water, and the pH of the resulting solution was determined using a pH meter.¹⁹

Moisture content: A method commonly used for moisture content determination is the loss on drying method or LOD. The crude drugs heated at 105ºC to constant weight and calculate the total loss of weight.¹⁸

Phytochemical Evaluation:

Phytochemical testing was done on the formulation of herbal hair dye in order to determine which phytoconstituents were present, including sugars, lipids, carbohydrates, and alkaloids. Table 4 highlights the phytochemical screening outcomes.

Molisch’s Test: The Molisch test is carried out to detect the presence of carbohydrates. About          1 g of the sample was dissolved in 2 mL of distilled water, and a few drops of Molisch reagent (α-Naphthol in ethanol) were added. Concentrated sulfuric acid was carefully layered along the walls of the test tube without mixing. The formation of a violet or purple ring at the interface indicated the presence of carbohydrates in the sample.

Volatile Oil Test: The volatile oil test was carried out using Sudan III reagent. A few drops of alcoholic Sudan III solution were added to the test sample, and the mixture was observed for color changes. The development of an orange-red to reddish-brown coloration indicated the presence of volatile oils in the sample

Mayer’s Test (For Alkaloid):  Mayer’s test was performed to detect the presence of alkaloids. Mayer’s reagent was prepared by dissolving 5 g of potassium iodide and 1.358 g of mercuric chloride in 60 mL distilled water. A small amount of the powdered sample was placed in a test tube, and a few drops of Mayer’s reagent were added. The formation of a creamy white precipitate indicated the presence of alkaloids.²¹

The parameters like untapped or bulk density, tapped density, the angle of repose, Hausner’s ratio, and Carr’s index were observed and it is shown in Table 5.¹⁸

Bulk Density: 5g of dye powder weigh carefully and transfer in 100ml of measuring cylinder. Carefully level the powder blend without compacting and read the unsettled value. The following formula was used to determine the bulk density.

Bulk density = Mass / Bulk volume.

Tapped Density: Weigh accurately 5g of dye powder and transfer in 100ml of measuring cylinder and measuring cylinder or vessel tapped for 1 min and carefully measure the tapped volume. Tapped density was determined by using the following formula.

Tapped density = Mass/ Tapped volume.

Tan alpha= H/R

Where, Alpha= Angle of repose,

 H= height of pile of the powder,

  R= radius of pile of the powder.¹⁹

Hausner’s Ratio = Tap Density/Bulk Density.

Carr's index: Per cent compressibility of blend was determined by Carr’s compressibility index, which was calculated by using following formula:

Carr's index: Tapped density- Bulk density/ Tapped density × 100.^18,20

Stability Test:

Stability testing of the prepared formulation was performed by storing it at different temperature conditions for the time period of one month. The packed glass vials of formulation were stored at different temperature conditions viz., room temperature and 35°C and were evaluated for the physical parameters like colour, odour, pH, texture, and smoothness as highlighted in Table 6.¹⁷

Patch Test:

This usually involves dabbing a small amount of the aqueous solution of hair dye behind the ear or on inner elbow in an area of 1sq.cm and leaving it to dry. Signs of irritation or feeing of non-wellness is noted, if any. Measured and small quantities of prepared hair pack were applied to the specified area for a fixed time. Irritancy, redness, and swelling were checked and noticed for regular intervals up to 24 hours if any. The results of tests for the signs of irritation are displayed in Table 7.¹⁷