Hairprint Dyeries: December 2016

December 28, 2016 (updated January 31, 2023) — Written by

A pink Hairprint box sits on a white table.

Okay I’m back again with one of my life changing products: HAIRPRINT! Hairprint is a nontoxic hair color that treats gray hair. It will turn your grays back to brown or light brown depending on what your natural color is and which treatment you use. It employs 8 food grade ingredients and it’s clean as heck. And, it works. If you are interested in all things Hairprint including a chat with the owner, the green chemists who invented Hairprint, an in-depth look at the ingredients and some of my application tips check out my full review here.

Or if you have been following me along the way – read on for the latest!

Okay so I totally slacked off and haven’t applied Hairprint in over 2 months. Between the holidays and gearing up for a big move I haven’t had 3 hours to spare. Check out how bad my roots got! Ack!!!

I am actually really excited to go platinum someday. I would say I’m pretty much a 50% gray/brown ratio currently and I would like to be more 80-90% gray when I ditch the color all together. I’m 38 now so hoping by the time I’m 45? Who knew I’d be wishing for more grays?! I’m just in a weird in-between stage right now like not brown and not gray so I am crazy happy that I have Hairprint to lean on in the meantime to bridge the gap.

So again I was dreading applying because guys, 3 hours is NO JOKE! I hate doing it at night because I’m exhausted and I hate doing it during the day because, let’s be real, I got ish to do. But the same thing happens every single time: I dread it. I invest three hours. And BAM! I’m like MAMA’S BACK! Looks sooo good. And I know it’s not just me. After my most recent application, I went into a beauty store the following day and the girl was like, “Wow, I love the color of your hair. So rich!” I’m like, “You can say that again sister!”

After Pics

What’s New?

a bunch of white pouch refills are lined up edge to edge
No more plastic bottles!

New packaging. All the directions are printed directly on the box now eliminating any additional papers or inserts that come with the product. Also plastic bottles are subbed out for packets. Less waste, YAY!

a picture of the back of the product box where instructions are printed to eliminate any paper instruction inserts
Directions printed on the box. No more inserts!

They also upgraded their ordering software so if your subscription suddenly stopped like mine did just reorder and you will be all set.

Hairprint also changed their pretreatment formula. I’m actually happy with it. I LOVED the previous pretreatment and I have been bugging Hairpint to sell it as a shampoo because DANG it was sooooooooooooooo good. Like dare I say, the best I’ve used? My hair would stay feeling fresh, light and clean for 3-4 days after using. It was pretty unreal. The only negative is there was not enough product to do a full prewash and I’ve been tempted to use two packets.  I would break it up and use it until it stopped foaming then rinse and repeat until I ran out.

The new prewash is super viscous and foams up like the Dickens. There is PLENTY of product to do a through wash.  I prewash for 20 minutes in rounds (same as before) and I couldn’t even finish the packet. But the main point is it cleaned my hair and gave the treatment access to my cuticle and color penetrated successfully. Good news. The end.

Also New: Shampoo/Conditioner

two plastic product bottles with pink labels placed side by side

Hairprint came out with a couple of new shampoo/conditioner combos including what they are calling a Chelating shampoo for the ultimate cleansing experience. This one is recommended for use before applying Hairprint. These are the combos I’ve tried:

Exfoliating Hair and Scalp Wash – 100% plant based

two product bottles with pink labels placed side by side and surrounded by greenery

Fermented Bamboo Shampoo and Conditioner – 100% plant based

two product bottles with blue labels placed side by side and surrounded by sea grass and a sea sponge

Chelating Shampoo – 99% plant based

a product bottle with a dark blue label surrounded by sea grass and a small dish and a cork

You can check them out here. Okay love these ingredients. They are MADE SAFE certified ( P.S. Hairprint is also MADE SAFE certified – the only hair color on the market that has this certification) and super clean. Here are the ingredients for the Fermented Bamboo Shampoo (my fave of the three). And you can check out all of the ingredients in depth here.

  • aqua
  • decyl glucoside + sodium cocoamphoacatate (glucose/coconut cleansers)
  • lactobacillus/arundinaria gigantean ferment filtrate (bamboo ferment)
  • leuconostoc radish/cocos nucifera ferment (radish root + coconut milk)
  • lactobacillus/punica granatum fruit ferment (pomegranate)
  • hibiscus rosa-sinensis flower (hibiscus petals)
  • schisandra chinensis fruit (schisandra fruit)
  • selaginella lepidophylla (rose of jerico)
  • morus alba leaf (white mulberry leaf)
  • salix alba (willow bark)
  • vegtable glycerin
  • lactic acid
  • xanthan gum
  • gluconolactone (moisturizer +antioxidant)

Now contrary to popular belief, shampoos are not necessarily supposed to foam up. These formulas contain what your hair needs and nothing more. They are intended to heal, nourish, soothe and enhance the well being of your scalp and hair. They do not contain chemicals, foaming agents or toxins. These formulas are preserved with radish and coconut ferments and they do NOT foam.

I liked the Bamboo Shampoo and the Chelating Shampoo the best. I think they cleaned my hair better than the Exfoliating Hair and Scalp Wash. But my friend who has thin/fine and color treated hair said the Bamboo Shampoo was too strong for her. So I think best fit will be based on individual need.

two product bottles with blue labels placed side by side and surrounded by sea grass

Are The Ingredients Organic?

I had the pleasure of meeting the owner of Hairprint this past January and his dedication to organic living goes back to when he was in his teens and early 20s. He is a bonafide, card carrying, lifetime member of the healthy living club and the ingredients he chooses to use are living proof.

Hairprint shampoos are made with organic ingredients however they are not certified organic. So I talked to Hairprint because I wanted to know why! So there is a lot of junk that happens behind the scenes when making and certifying organics. It’s just the nature of doing business and it’s stuff that we as consumers will never see from reading a label. Red tape, palm greasing, bureaucracy, loop holes…and the list goes on. This is what the owner had to say:

We use organic ingredients but do not list them on our labels as organic. The reason we do this is because unlike the food industry, the organizations that certify cosmetic ingredients as being organic are not regulated or certified.

Organic ingredients can be certified and yet contain preservatives and glycolic acid. They can be certified by agencies that are owned by the companies that are getting certified. I started the first organic certification program in the US so it is an area I am familiar with. The certifications that are coming from overseas are not reliable.

Until there are reliably enforced standards, we will err on the side of caution in what we claim. – Hairprint

I know guys. So interesting. So maddening.  Sounds like a blog post calling my name.

Pros and Cons

product bottles styled placed side by side and surrounded by sea sponges

Anyways all of this to say – the shampoo ingredients are stellar. Probably the cleanest formula you will find currently on the market and guess what, it cleans hair. Those are the pros. The cons are; it does not foam up so it may not be a match for everyone. I also tend to use more product than recommended because I only wash my hair every 4 or so days and I want a clean result from my efforts. Even with two to three rounds of washing it still will not foam.  The only time this product foamed was after a Hairprint application when I used the pretreatment prior and there was absolutely no oil or buildup on my scalp (because I washed it for 30 straight minutes before shampooing).

Hairprint is currently reformulating their conditioners so I will report back with they are finalized!

Additional Discoveries

Okay on my previous application I didn’t use enough prewash and I got some grays bleeding through so I did two full Hairprint treatments back to back and my hair came out hmmm, how do I say this….lackluster? It was a matte black and looked lifeless. I asked the owner and he said that happened because each cuticle was saturated and therefore color was building up on the outside of my hair. Anyways, lesson learned. Too much color leaves a less than desired look. Like the next day some guy I was working with was like, “Did you dye your hair? (with a neutral non-complimentary face)” –  and we all know what that means, NOT CUTE.

For me too much = 5 Restore packets and 2 Complete packets  (two full boxes +1 additional restore packet).

This time I waited 8 weeks in-between applications and my hair looked pretty much hmmm, how do I say this…. yeah, “perfect” pretty much sums it up. The brown was rich and vibrant. Like the next day I got that comment from the beauty store lady about how beautiful my hair color looked! Thank you lady and thank you Hairprint.

Just the right amount of product for me = 3 Restore packets and 2 Complete packets (1.5 boxes). This is the exact application strategy that works for me.

My Exact Application Strategy

Make sure hair is clean and washed with Chelating Shampoo that day or the night before. Also True Botanicals shampoo works for me too.

  • Start by pre-washing with the prewash treatment for 20 minutes breaking packet into rounds washing and rinsing until time runs out. For the last 5 minutes apply baking soda to hairline.
  • Apply a Restore packet. Let sit for 10 minutes. Apply another Restore packet. Let sit for 15 minutes and rinse.
  • Apply 1 Restore packet. Let sit for 15 minutes and rinse.
  • Apply a Complete packet and let sit for 10 minutes. Apply a second Complete packet and let sit for 15 minutes and rinse.
  • Shampoo and condition. Dry and style.

This takes me about 3-3.5 hours from prewash to dry/styled hair.

Stain Control

Oh my God. So I got some color on my new organic Coyuchi towels and I freaked the frick out – I was so bummed! But GUESS WHAT!? I doused the stain immediately in hydrogen peroxide and some baking soda and washed it on HOT and it came out completely! Yahoo! Had to share incase it happens to you!

Give Her the Hook!

the back of the hairprint box

Okay so that’s a wrap on this month’s Hairprint Dyeries. Stay tuned for more! And if you missed my previous happenings you can search keyword Hairprint on my blog and they will all come up.

Are you using Hairprint? Is it working for you?

xo, lisa in cursive

By Lisa Fennessy

Lisa is the founder of The New Knew. Passionate about clean beauty, organic eats and nontoxic lifestyle, Lisa writes to create awareness. Conscious consumerism and informed decisions will impact the marketplace, our health and THE WORLD!

21 Comments

  1. Reply

    Roxana

    I can’t access the 41 comments on the first Hairprint review on this blog, can you advise? I have just had a Hairprint fiasco and strongly advise against using this product unless your intention is dark brown, almost black hair.

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      Hi Roxana! I don’t know why the comments are not coming up! I will check with my host – thanks for letting me know! And sorry you did not have a successful experience! What color did you use?

  2. Reply

    Lauren

    About to read this for the 2nd time. I am Hairprinting tomorrow (my 4th time I think) and need to psych myself up! Such a pain but so worth it! Can’t get enough of your Hairprint posts. Thanks!

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      Thank you! And I totally feel your pain! I have to psych myself up EVERY TIME! But it is so worth it. Try putting on a podcast when you do it. Have you listened to The Longest Shortest Time? I LOVE that one. Makes the time go by faster. XO!

  3. Reply

    Margaret

    Hello Roxana
    I have been using Brown Hairprint regularly for about six months, and although after the first time I have only been putting it on the regrowth, all my hair has been getting progressively darker each time (from the rinsing water I believe). I recently switched to Light Brown, but the colour I got on the regrowth from this was more like blonde than the mid brown I was hoping for. I asked Hairprint about mixing the two colours together to get an intermediate shade, but they said they didn’t advise it and my own hair structure would determine the final colour (although I begin to wonder why there are three Hairprint colours to choose from in this case!) However, as a test, today I tied off a a good thick strand of my underneath hair and coloured this strand with Brown Hairprint but omitting Stage Two (which I understand is exactly the same as stage one). I think the result is looking good, although I don’t yet know how long it will last of course, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed!
    Margaret

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      Love the update Margaret! I hope it works for you!!! Keep us posted!

  4. Reply

    Julia

    I just applied my first Hairprint treatment last night and love it, but some of the grays I couldn’t get to cause I have so much hair, so I was thinking of using your method of 1.5 packets next time, but I was wondering how you get the extra complete packet? If you buy two boxes and use both complete packets from both boxes you would not have two complete packets for the next time. Also, I noticed in the pictures of you with the Hairprint on, it looks like it is just on the top of your head. Did you just apply to the top to cover the roots without working it down into your ends?

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      Hi Julia! So glad you had success! So you can ask the company for add ons – and you just just buy an additional step one and an additional step 3 – thats been my method! Also yes I only do my roots without working through my ends. Keep us posted!

  5. Reply

    Julia

    I just wanted to tell you that I just finished my second Hairprint treatment this morning using your method above and the results are so much better this time than the first time. It’s amazing! I am so glad I found your blog. My hair has like 100 percent coverage and it is so shiny, smooth, and soft. I love the results! The only problem I might have is getting an extra complete packet as they don’t sell them. I emailed them and they said I can get them when they are available if I contact them. Thanks so much for posting your Hairprint experience!

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      AAHHHH! So excited you had a successful experience. Thank you for sharing it here and giving others another positive Hairprint story to go by! xo!

  6. Reply

    Lisa Rikkers

    Hello! I’ve used hairprint also….just curious if you always apply all over hair or just to the roots. My hair takes on an orangish color (Natural hair is ash) after 4-5 weeks and I feel I need to cover the whole head but Hairprint help suggests just the roots after the first few initial applications. I’ve completed about 5/6 application so far. First 3 full head, then a couple just on roots then the last one all over. because it was getting that same orange peeking through – Yuck! Would love your thoughts! Also, the only time I used the dark formula, my hair was also dull and black. I switched back to the brown kit, even though my hair is really darker.

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      Interesting! Does the brown kit give you dark coverage? I only ever apply to my roots – like maybe 4 inches from the scalp. My roots fade as they grow out – just a bit but my hair doesn’t. I don’t ever have to reapply to the mid part of my hair. Great point!

      1. Lisa Rikkers

        The brown kit gave a perfect medium/dark ash coverage the first time I used it but faded a bit and an orange/brown showed through after a few weeks. The second time I used Hairprint, I used the brown kit again and I must not have stripped the hair enough because it faded after a week or so at the roots – grey and light orange/brown came through where new growth was. That’s when I ordered the dark kit (with help from the Hairprint help center). I used the dark kit
        one time at the roots but had a difficult time applying the product just at the roots and got more hair in than I should have. I left the pre-treatment on for 30 minutes and rubbed in baking soda at the temple and roots. I was left with dark, dull black in the front, where more product was put on and lighter brown in the back. Clearly, it was my application that caused this uneven color. My hair is long, about 16 inches, so I’m hoping to try your method of applying 1 1/2 kits all over until I get the same tone and same color. I just can’t seem to get my natural color, like the first time, back. It’s more warm than my natural hair and when the roots grow in, they are noticeably more ash in tone. I’m going to apply Hairprint again tomorrow, so I was happy I found your suggestions today! Thx

      2. Lisa Fennessy

        Okay I wish you the best of luck and the strongest biceps to make it through tomorrow’s application process : ) Let us know how it goes! I commend you for not giving up! Let us know if you discover any new tips or tricks!

  7. Reply

    Margaret

    Hi – I’m still trying to achieve the right colour!
    If I follow the instructions, the Light Brown turns a greenish blonde colour on me after a couple of washes, and the Brown comes out very dark brown indeed – and lasts for a very long time before it fades.
    I have tried using Brown but omitting stage 2 (looks good straight away but it only lasts for a week or so before washing out), and more recently I have used the layering technique but leaving stages one and two on for less time than recommended. Here again though, although it’s close to the colour I want (soft mid brown) I only get two weeks’ colour before it looks as if it needs doing again.
    I can see that I’m not the only one with this depth of colour problem. Very frustrating with what is potentially a good product. I know the Hairprint people maintain that it restores your natural colour and adjusts itself, but this isn’t really the experience of many of us, and it would be good to have some help from the firm about the depth of the colour. (I asked them about mixing the light brown and brown together, and they just said they didn’t advise it, but didn’t say why) – but it would be good if they could work on it. All the successful pictures I have seen show a beautiful dark chocolate brown colour, which is lovely if it suits you, but in my case it only emphasizes my very pale complexion – and my husband hates it because it makes me look ill!
    I’ve been trying to get it right for 10 months now so am running out of ideas!
    Good luck to all you fellow experimenters!
    Margaret

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      Agreed! Most all of the success stories I’ve heard about and seen have been with dark brunettes. I’m so sorry this is not working for you. Let us know if you have a break through! Thank you Margaret!

  8. Reply

    Ann

    Oh my gosh, where have you been? Every so often I search the internet like mad trying to find an honest review of “natural” hair colors (usually when I am sitting with a toxic load of the stuff on my head). I am nearly 57 and was prematurely grey in my late teens and totally grey by my mid 20s. So I have been dying my hair with those awful chemicals for 35+ years. Everything else I do in my life is natural and earth-friendly. Blah blah blah in other words, your blog sang to me as if it were my own inner voice. After I wash this Loving Care stuff out that’s on my head now, I will pursue the hairprint route. Thank you! And thanks also to all of you who posted your results. I will read them thoroughly — and then post my own experience in a week or two when the roots are back.

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      Yay! Hi Ann! Thanks so much for your comment. I’m happy you found us too!

  9. Reply

    Joy

    Hello. Could you tell me if you put anything on the part of your hair that you weren’t coloring? I’ve been using Hairprint since November 2016 and have been going between Light Brown and Brown. Light Brown doesn’t cover my grays enough but Brown makes the rest of my hair too dark, even though I try and get shea butter on all the parts I’m not coloring (everything except the roots). Did you use shea or cocoa butter or something else?

    1. Reply

      Lisa Fennessy

      Hi Joy! I don’t use anything else on the rest of my hair. But honestly I think I am the ideal Hairprint candidate. I have single process hair that is really dark so I didn’t have to worry about my hair going too dark. I’ve definitely heard that people with medium brown hair are struggling to get the right color – with Hairprint turning it too dark. You are not alone! Let us know if you find something that works! xo

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