Clairol Addresses Hair Dye Allergies

In the 1950s, Clairol made DIY hair color available for the first time at retail in the US. Now the brand says it is is poised to transform home hair color once again with Clairol Nice’n Easy Color Care, a breakthrough formula that teams damage blocking technology with a revolutionary hair dye molecule called ME+ to create an “allergy gentle” formula.

Clairol’s new patented permanent hair color technology helps block damage with EDDS technology, which encapsulates copper and prevents it from reacting with water and other free radicals to keep the cuticle healthy and smooth, resulting in superior conditioning and color results.

The benefit of this technology, according to Clairol, is threefold: less protein damage at the surface of the hair; more predictable, even color root to tip; and longer lasting color results.

ME+ is the result of more than 20 years of research and the screening of hundreds of molecules to find a replacement for the existing hair color dye molecules, PPD (phenylenediamine) and PTD (toluenediamine). While those two molecules are responsible for the high-quality color results from approximately 90% of today’s permanent hair colorants, they’re also the most common triggers of hair dye allergic reactions that in rare cases can be severe, according to Clairol. Endorsed by dermatologists, ME+ significantly reduces the risk of developing a new allergy without sacrificing the natural-looking color that makes Clairol the trusted color expert.

How does it work? The ME+ molecule has a new shape that is not recognized by the immune system so easily, therefore significantly lowering the risk of developing a new allergy.

Dr. Carsten Goebel, Certified expert in Toxicology (DGPT) and Immunology (DGfI) and Coty's leading toxicologist and expert in skin sensitization, commented, “For several decades, hair color manufacturers in partnership with top universities have been searching for an alternative to PPD and PTD. All results have come with a color result compromise, so weren’t enabling a solution. In terms of providing that combination of reduced risk of developing a new allergy* And great permanent color performance within a full color spectrum there was nothing out there. ME+ is the first primary intermediate in the permanent hair color category to strike that balance. We are proud to say our efforts to better protect consumers from hair dye allergies resulted in many peer-reviewed publications in well-known scientific journals including the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, the British Journal of Dermatology and Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology.”